Reimagining South London Mission: Visioning workshops

Are you a resident of the borough of Southwark?

Join Doing Social and South London Mission (SLM) for a fun, creative day of exploring future possibilities—for the SLM building and your own life or community.

• How could the SLM building become a space where people of all ages feel welcome and connected to their community?
• What kind of facilities, services, or activities would make this building a place that improves everyday life for everyone?
• What opportunities for personal growth, wellbeing, or your future would you like to see this space create?

If these questions inspire or excite you, come and join one of our upcoming workshops!

We’re running five exciting workshops over the next few months, each with a different focus. These sessions will be a mix of practical, creative, and reflective activities, designed to inspire your big ideas about how this space could serve you and the wider community. These workshops aren’t just about reimagining the building—they’re about exploring opportunities that could transform your life and shape the future of Southwark.

Workshop 1: Young People and Digital Skills

Date: Tuesday 29th October, 10am-3pm

How can the building become a safe, welcoming space for young people (16+) to study, connect, learn, and have fun? We’ll explore opportunities for enhancing digital and technological skills, imagining spaces for coding, gaming, and digital literacy support that can benefit students and local residents.

Workshop 2: Start-ups, Pop-ups, and Enterprise

Date: Tuesday 12th November, 10am-3pm

Are you dreaming of starting a business, running a pop-up, or building a start-up? This session will explore how the building can support entrepreneurship. We’ll brainstorm creative spaces for business incubation, pop-up events, and industrial kitchens to help you and local entrepreneurs test and grow your ideas!

Workshop 3: Health, Wellbeing, and Family Support

Date: Tuesday 26th November, 10am-3pm

Health and wellbeing are so important to community life. This workshop will explore how the building can become a hub for physical and mental wellbeing, family support, and holistic health services. We’ll explore how the space can cater to the diverse wellbeing needs of the local community.

Workshop 4: Broader Themes on Community Space

Date: Tuesday 26th November, 5.30pm-7.30pm

This shorter evening workshop invites you to think broadly about how the building can benefit the local community. It’s a chance to explore various ideas and help imagine a multifunctional, inclusive space that supports the needs and dreams of local residents.

Workshop 5: Intergenerational Living and Community Building

Date: Tuesday 10th December, 10am-3pm

How can this building bring people of all ages together? This workshop will focus on creating a space that supports intergenerational relationships and shared activities. We’ll explore how the building can support intergenerational living, learning, and community cohesion, bringing generations together in a meaningful way.

South London Mission, 256 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UQ

Doors will open 20 minutes before the start time—come early for refreshments and a chance to meet other participants!

Each workshop will begin with a tour of the building to help you get a feel for the space and start imagining possibilities. After lunch, we’ll dive deeper into the day’s theme, and you’ll have the chance to work individually or in groups to design a vision for the future of the space—drawing on your personal hopes and ideas.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided!

• A £50 voucher as a thank you for your participation (for Southwark residents only) which you’ll receive at the end of the workshop.
• A concept or design that reflects your vision for the space. We’ll invite the public to help us select the ideas to take forward to the next stage, giving you a chance to continue developing your ideas and help shape the future of the building.
• Most importantly, a sense of connection to your local area and the people around you, the joy of contributing in a fun and meaningful way, and the motivation to keep shaping something impactful for your community!

Click ‘Reserve a spot’ to sign up. If you have any questions, email us at: [email protected].

Registration is essential, as places for each workshop are limited! Please ensure you have registered under your own name and email address - if you would like to attend with a friend, they will need to register separately.

Please note: The building does not have a lift. If you would like to attend but are worried about accessibility, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

‘Rediscovering South London Mission’ is a project that aims to reimagine SLM’s community building and its future use, with input from local residents and stakeholders. Through workshops, tours, and conversations, we’re gathering ideas to create a space that reflects the hopes and dreams of Southwark’s diverse communities. The ideas generated from these workshops will inform the next stage of the project in the New Year, where we’ll test their feasibility and move closer to making them a reality!

This project is a collaboration between:

• Doing Social (DS): A not-for-profit social enterprise based in Southwark, London. DS leads on project management, research, and inclusive innovation in this project.
• South London Mission (SLM: A community-focused charity and part of Bermondsey Central Hall Methodist Church. SLM serves as the community anchor and operational partner in this project.
• Impact on Urban Health (IoUH): A charity helping cities and other urban areas become healthier places for everyone to live. IoUH is the funding and learning partner for this project.

Please see the FAQ section below. For anything else, feel free to email us at: [email protected].

Host or Publisher Doing Social