Our home is Lewisham

Recycle and love your wardrobe

Here in the recycling team, we work to encourage and inspire reuse of items that may otherwise be thrown away. The design created for this patch was influenced by the current drive to encourage textile reuse.

Instead of putting clothes that no longer fit into a bin, we hope that people will consider donating them to charity shops or, if you're into fashion, thinking about coming along to one of our Swishing events which are being held in Lewisham. Alternatively old clothes can be placed into one of our new textiles banks which are located in the borough.

If clothes are worn out, it may be time to brush up your needlework skills and try and repair them by sewing on a button or stitching up a hem. If clothes are beyond repair, they can still be placed into a household recycling bin to be turned into lots of things including insulation!

Sarah Foraud, who did the design and painting, wanted to convey the textile reuse message in as many different ways as possible within a small patch. She uses bright colours to work in and we think this, alongside the clever design, will help the message stand out on the quilt!

For more information, please visit our website www.lewisham.gov.uk/recycling

Orange Tree from Torridon Road

One of the many lovely patches from the talented library users of Torridon Road Library

The Lewisham Crown

Sea of Flags

Sea of Flags: Crochet Flags on Cream Cotton

African/ Caribbean/ English

I am of West Indian origin

Living in Britain since teen (65) 

Slither across borough to Lewisham in 1977 

Sea of Flags: represents diversity 

I breathe, I sleep, I eat and I see diversity 

Lewisham is certainly a champion of that 

I love my Lewisham

Here I stand an Englishman

In England

In my home-town Lewisham

Embracing diversity

What a beauty to see 

How far we have come to be

People's Day

My patch represents one really memorable People's Day. I had moved to Manchester, but was back home for a visit and went to People's Day with my friend Marsha. My overriding memories of the day are that it was boiling hot, the sun shone in the sky and on the unmown lawns, summer flowers were all around.

We sat on a slope and looked at all the tents and marquees, whilst my friend's toddler rolled down the hills and ran up them again, and again, and again. It felt like a mini festival, without mud, and in a totally familiar environment. 

Ripples of sound

My patch reflects my other involvement in the People's Patchwork in that I am working on the audio element. The circles represent ripples of sound coming out from the middle. My involvement in the project has taken me all over Lewisham visiting places I may not have otherwise visited. Each place has given me raw materials to work with in terms of the various audio atmospheres present in Lewisham. My aim is to create a rich and varied audio atmosphere that reflects Lewisham's rich diversity.

Generosity and colour

I work in Lewisham. When I first came to the Borough about 8 years ago, I was struck by the colour, the food, the sounds and the music - and most of all I felt incredibly welcome. I wanted my patch to show the generosity and colour of Lewisham!

I love the houses

Chloe made this patch because she loves the houses in Lewisham. 

Save Lewisham Hospital

Two patches created to celebrate the successes of the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign. The campaign fought against proposed cuts to hospital services in the latter part of 2012 and throughout 2013. 

Coming together in harmony

This patch was created to celebrate International Women's Day at the TNG Centre in Sydenham. It depicts people from all different bakgrounds coming together and creating something beautiful. The words "Try something new" were inspired by a speaker who was encouraging all the young women at the event to do just that! 

Torridon Road Childrens Centre

Three of the lovely patches created by children aged under 5 attending Torridon Road Children's Centre's regular Stay and Play session.

Hold on to what we value

I love that Lewisham has so many green and open spaces. I am fortunate to have lots of mature trees around where I live. I have noticed lately that trees are getting cut down as house-owners feel they are affecting their properties. So, my patch represents a strong, sturdy tree with the changing seasons, winter, spring, summer and autumn also represented, which in turn represent the ever changing face of Lewisham and the need to remain strong and steadfast and hold on to what we truly value. 

I am here to stay - thank you Lewisham

On my journey through life I was in a very dark place, moving from town to town, area to area and my children from school to school.
Then Lewisham took us in.
Homeless - Lewisham gave us a home
Jobless - Lewisham gave me further education, then employment with a new direction and stability for my children.
That was a long time ago. I still live in Lewisham which has proved to be a good place to live. Friendly people, lovely parks with lots of variety, indoor and outdoor activities, good schools and transport.
With a Council that informs and involves the residents of the Borough and runs and developes its services with the residents in mind.
I am here to stay - thank you Lewisham. 

We are Lewisham

My patch symbolises men and women: how they come together and face each other every day. There are lines in the background symbolising how we flow and work in a joined community. We are Lewisham. 

We are all stars in Lewisham

My patch is dark blue because it is like the night sky. That is also why it has stars on it. I like to think that we are all stars in Lewisham.

Reduce Reuse Recycle Recreate

I am a local artist and use recycled materials for my art work. I often collect things from Lewisham market and from the street. I also love Reggae music and have therefore used these colours.
Other World Arts

Full of colour and difference

The story that I wanted to tell is that Lewisham is full of colour and difference, but we can all come together as one to show and experience how multicultural Lewisham is.

People's Patchwork Workshop at Catford Library

Join us on Saturday 22nd March from 2pm to 5pm to make your own patchwork to add to the Lewisham People's Patchwork.

If you had one patch to tell your story about your life in Lewisham, what would you show? We're looking for people to embroider, knit, sew, appliqué - any way they like - a patch to make into the Lewisham People's Patchwork - and if you're not sure you know what to do, this workshop will help. The full patchwork will be unveiled at People's Day on Saturday 12 July. Come along and tell us your patchwork story.​

Catford Library, Laurence House
1 Catford Road, SE6 4RU

I Love Lewisham

Multi-colour I Love Lewisham patch

Afternoon tea in Manor Park

Have you had afternoon tea in Manor Park?

I Love Lewisham Shopping

One of our new patches for the People's Patchwork celebrates a love of shopping in Lewisham. This was created at a special sesion in Lewisham Shopping Centre.

Getting creative with the Peoples' Patchwork Project

Our latest contribution is from colleague in the Environment team at Lewisham Council.

"Late last year, the recycling team were approached by colleagues in the library service who told us about a project they were running and wondered if we could help to source some materials for it.
The project called the ‘Peoples Patchwork’ has the aim of making a large patchwork quilt out of individual patches designed by the people of Lewisham. Each patch should tell a story of the person or group that made it, exploring what Lewisham means to them. When the quilt is complete, it will be exhibited at Peoples Day and later, displayed around the borough...."

Read more and see their contribution at

http://recycleforlewisham.com/2014/03/04/getting-creative-with-the-peoples-patchwork-project/