Niellah Arboine

More fitness-phobe than fitness fanatic? Don’t panic. London’s home to more community sports clubs than you can shake a mud-covered hockey stick at. So whether you’re looking to combine crunches with good deeds, make new friends in this big ol’ city or burn calories at the same time as burning up the dance floor, our guide to London’s community sports clubs has genuinely got something for everyone. And if you’re in search of some friends to pound the tarmac with, check out London’s really great running clubs. Let’s get sweaty... Local legends 1. Poly Netball Club Haven’t put on a wing defence bib since school? Reignite an old flame at Poly Netball Club, the world’s longest-running club for the sport. Established in 1907, it holds two-hour training sessions on Monday evenings. Perfect your pivots and get your overhead throws down pat. Trials for new players for the 2024-25 season will be held in August 2024 – find all the info on this handy form. Kensington Leisure Centre. Tube: Latimer Rd. Around £200 membership fee plus match fees. www.polynetball.com 2. London Community Boxing Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee with the help of London Community Boxing. Using the sport as a pathway to a healthier community, this charity welcomes people of all ages, bodies, and abilities because everyone deserves to know how to throw a proper right hook. Units 3 and 4, Bellenden Rd Business Centre. Train: Peckham Rye Overground. Full adult membership £40 a month. www.londoncommunitybo

Kelechi and Jumoké (pictured above) Kelechi Okafor, 32, is an actress, director and dancer who founded Peckham fitness studio Kelechnekoff. She talks to Jumoké Fashola, fortysomething, a jazz singer and actress who hosts shows on BBC Radio 3 and Radio London, and Jazz Verse Jukebox at Hoxton Hall.They meet up in Peckham. Kelechi: ‘We started following each other on Twitter and had a conversation about Africanness and sexuality. How do you navigate Blackness, Africanness and womanhood in London?’ Jumoké: ‘My parents are Nigerian but I was born here. Because I live in Peckham, I’m surrounded by Blackness. Sometimes racism is: “I’ve never had a connection with you and I don’t know how to deal with it”, so my role is to engage with that person – to understand whether they are inherently racist or acting out of ignorance. It’s not an easy conversation. What I admire about you is you’re like: “Not me, I’m going to call it.” You don’t hold back! I look at your Twitter feed and I’m like, “Girl!”  I think we need both.’ K: ‘I definitely think that we need both, we need balance. The reason I use social media the way that I do is because I want people to know that they’ve got a choice. I grew up in Peckham. I arrived from Nigeria when I was five years old. I’ve literally just moved up and down the road. It’s interesting to me how it’s changed. I just thought it was a little Lagos! The Peckham we’re seeing now isn’t the Peckham I remember.’ J: ‘I moved to Peckham 14 years ago. Funnily en

October has arrived, which doesn’t just mean that Halloween is on its way and Christmas is right around the corner. It means that we’re in Black History Month: a run of weeks dedicated to celebrating the vibrant lives, histories and cultures of Black people in the UK. Of course, learning about Black history shouldn’t be something we do for just one month a year. But the annual initiative does make October a great reminder to head to Black-led cultural events in London. Want to mark the celebration? From Black-owned food markets to poetry hip-hop nights to exhibitions exploring Black British music, London is stuffed full of events over the coming weeks. Read our pick of the best plays, exhibitions and more.    Photograph: Chris Bethell     1. Get a taste of what it takes to run a London food business Curious about the ties between community, food and culture? ‘Feeding Black’, a free exhibition curated by Aleema Gray, looks into the pivotal role of food in African and Caribbean businesses in south- east London. Immerse yourself in the stories of four enterprises – a cash and carry, a food stall and two restaurants – and the people who run them, via recipes and voice recordings. Museum of London Docklands. Until July 17 2022. Free.   2. Revisit the Black music parties of London’s past It was only in 2008 that the 696 form – the document the police use to decide whether to allow a music event to go ahead – stopped asking organisers which ethnic groups were expected to attend.

From tip-top caffs to beautiful parks, these are the places that Nic Desborough, presenter of Roundhouse podcast Fluid, loves.  1. Jade’s Jerk ‘Jade cooks a mouth-watering buffet of Caribbean food and you can pick and choose what you fancy. Her smile along with the bright yellow interior invites you in from the busy road, ready for a warm and delicious meal.’ 127 New Cross Rd, SE14 5DJ. 2. Telegraph Hill ‘Pretty much the undisputed hotspot in the area for a banging view. It’s quiet and serene: you can just sit there and watch the city in front of you. If you can make it for sunset, do!’ 75 Kitto Rd, SE14 5TN. 3. The Greenhouse ‘More towards Deptford, a lovely queer-friendly café. It’s very warm and cosy, with great coffee and vegan brownies.’ 481 New Cross Rd, SE14 6TA. 4. Green Onions ‘A record and whole foods shop providing a little bubble of tranquillity from the hustle and bustle. Lovely staff, great stock and lots of plants.’ 6 Clifton Rise, SE14 6JP. 5. Rocoto Pepper ‘This Latin American restaurant will make you look at freshness and flavour from a whole different perspective. Incredible food, coupled with warm and friendly service from owners Andrea and Jhon.’ 181 New Cross Rd, SE14 5DG. 6. Bridgehouse Meadows ‘A lovely quiet stretch of grass with a little hill, from where you can see Canary Wharf and loads of the city. It’s close to a cycle/footpath to Surrey Quays that’s really nice for a meander.’ Lovelinch Close, SE15 1HA. 7. Folkestone Gardens ‘This is a lovely

Veda Black is a singer-songwriter and producer whose debut EP ‘Sad Girls Club’ is inspired by everything from Pink Floyd to Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye. She’s also a Peckham local. We asked her to talk us through her neighbourhood. 1. Peckhamplex ‘An independent and affordable cinema located right in the heart of Peckham. Peckhamplex is a charming and integral part of the local community. Definitely worth supporting if you’re a movie lover.’ 95a Rye Lane, SE15 4ST. 2. Daphanie’s Taste of the Caribbean ‘The first time I ate at Daphanie’s, I was met with such a friendly and warm atmosphere. This is your go-to for generous portions of authentic and bloody gorgeous Caribbean food. Escovitch fish and patties are my personal favourites.’ 173 Peckham High St, London SE15 5SL. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yes To Seconds (@yestoseconds) 3. Forza Wine ‘A rooftop bar equipped with a great selection of wines and small plates. They have even been so generous as to grant me access to the aux cord, allowing me to blast out Mariah Carey’s entire discography while taking in the captivating view of the city’s skyline.’ The Rooftop, 133a Rye Lane, SE15 4BQ. 4. Prince of Peckham ‘Not just your average pub by any means. Prince of Peckham is a versatile local spot for a quiet drink or a lively fun night out, with amazing food, great tunes, board games and events. This is my local spot.’ 1 Clayton Rd, SE15 5JA. View this post on Instagram A post share

Nestled between Peckham and New Cross, Rising Sun Collective (named after the former pub it calls home) is an LGBTQ+-friendly music and arts creative house. With studios, event spaces and affordable housing, it’s played host to gigs from the likes of AJ Tracey and Jamie XX. But recently its members found that all of that was suddenly at risk. The group had been living in the building on a rolling contract since 2015. ‘When we first moved in they [the landlord] only wanted to give us a six-month tenancy,’ says Scott Bowley, a recording artist and co-founder of the collective, explaining that fear of eviction loomed over their heads. ‘Of course, every year that went by, more of a community built up around the place and there was more at stake.’ When, during the pandemic, the eviction notice finally came, the group decided to fight back. Their idea? To raise the £1.1 million needed to buy the building. With the help of advisors, they built a plan to turn the space into a co-op using donations and loan stocks (a type of simple loan that any individual can give to the co-op for a certain amount of time). If they’re successful it’ll mean they can keep the building – and a slice of culture alive in south London. Tenants will still pay rent but it will go to support the collective rather than to a private landlord. The group still have £68,000 to acquire before they can buy the space, says member and burlesque performer Chloe Curry. When they do, the win will go far beyond the Rising

Arinzé Kene moved from Lagos, Nigeria to Hackney in the ’90s. He rose to fame with ‘Misty’, his one-man show about a Black man’s experience of gentrified east London. When it transferred to the West End, Kene became only the second Black British playwright to stage a play there. He’s appeared on screen alongside Michaela Coel in ‘Been So Long’, stars in the just-released film ‘I’m Your Woman’ and will play Bob Marley in new musical ‘Get Up, Stand Up!’. Before anything, I’m Nigerian. That’s my true home. But London does feel like home. The older I get, the more I appreciate it. When you grow up here you take for granted how multicultural it is. The first thing I noticed about London was how cold it was. I was four years old and I moved here with my three siblings. I hadn’t seen my dad for a year. He came to London first, working as a cab driver to pay for our plane tickets. We lived in a one-bedroom flat in Hackney. London is my favourite city. It’s been a gift to grow up here, work here and be influenced by the city. I had my first kiss in Hackney Downs Park. I was 12, her name was Amanda and we met in the park – she was my first summer love. I spent many days and nights playing basketball on the courts there too. It’s where I first dunked a basketball. I could see a change happening in Hackney. Every time I came back to visit my mum when I got older, I’d have conversations with people I’d bump into on the street. A lot of people were moving out of the borough; they didn’t fe

From an incredible coffee shop to a peaceful park, these are Joy Crookes’s top restaurants, shops and spaces in her neighbourhood.  1. Bagel King ‘This is a legendary spot in our community. You will catch every person you ever grew up with here at stupid o’clock. Order your favourite type of bagel followed by a slush. Thank me later.’ 280 Walworth Rd. Open for takeaway. 2. East Street Market ‘Anything you need – food, fish, clothes, bits for the house – this is where you go. As a native Elephant girl, this is a staple market and place in my upbringing.’ East St. 3. Casa Colombia ‘One of my favourite Colombian spots in Elephant. They sell empanadas and great coffee and have the loveliest customer service. Elephant wouldn’t be Elephant without its Latin community and it’s important to spend in our local economy.’ Eagle Yard Arch, 141 Walworth Rd. Open for takeaway. Photograph: Andy Parsons 4. Black Cowboy Coffee ‘The best coffee in Elephant & Castle. John is a legend – full of stories. If you’re having a bad day, I promise his drinks and aura will make you feel much, much better.’ Elephant Arcade, 50 London Rd. Open for takeaway. 5. G Cafe ‘I love this café so much. There is a lovely Indian auntie who sells biryani in tupperware for £4: big portions and homemade. I always go there for a quick and homely bite.’ 70 London Rd. Open for takeaway. 6. Hoa Phuong ‘This is a go-to takeaway Vietnamese spot. I love it! My big brother is Vietnamese and took me here in my teens – after a

‘I just started it as a joke with my friends,’ Beza tells me about her Ethiopian restaurant which shares her name. It began life in 2006 in the bustle of Camden Market before moving to Elephant & Castle as a pop-up in 2016, and then setting up as a restaurant in Elephant Park last year. It’s a serious business now. Beza is bubbly and warm, and more than anything, she cares deeply about the community she’s fostered in Elephant & Castle. ‘We became family, not friends.’ Although she lives in north London, Beza is happy to make the daily commute to Southwark. ‘When I reach Elephant & Castle, I feel like it is my home.’ While veganism has skyrocketed in the last few decades in the West, in Ethiopia it’s been around for hundreds of years, just under a different name. ‘We call it fasting,’ she tells me. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is one of the world’s oldest religious bodies and during the fasting months leading up to Easter, no meat or dairy products are consumed. ‘When I came here, people kept saying “vegan” and I was like “What is vegan?”’ Beza explains. Then she realised it was what she knew as fasting food – and Londoners loved it. Photograph: Beza She learned how to cook from her grandmother, who had a plant-based diet, and her restaurant dishes up warm injera flatbread with delicious sides, including lentil, mung bean and split-pea dishes. But Beza does more than serving up food; she’s all about serving the community too, helping those most impacted in 2020. During the

I’m in a wetsuit on the edge of a huge lake, trying to stand up on a paddleboard. It’s not going well. Five miserable attempts later, I decide the kayak is more in my comfort zone. The private lake I’m floating across was dug out by hand in the nineteenth century, and it’s charming. Giant carp swirl in the water and fat geese flap off in pairs through the trees. Other than the birds chirping and the wind rustling, there’s just silence. Sometimes I forget how beautiful the wilderness is. Living where I do in Peckham can be hectic. I normally don’t have the time or energy to venture too far from London, so this cabin is ideal. Just a little over an hour on the train and I’m practically in Narnia. I feel extraordinarily calm wandering around the South Downs like a period drama extra, foraging for wild garlic to make pesto out of later. It’s not all fairytale, though. I fully intend to go wild swimming, but I slip a single toe into the water and suddenly a hot bath seems like a much better idea. And, although there’s phone signal and wi-fi, there’s still a sense of isolation. No matter how loud I shout, nobody will be able to hear me. It’s both liberating and completely terrifying. I wake in the early hours of the morning, a bit groggy and confused, and peek out through the giant floor-to-ceiling windows at the lake. It’s eerily illuminated and I half expect the creature from the black lagoon to crawl out of the murky water. It turns out all this nature is much dreamier in the