IMPACT
The Herne Hill Forum had identified a semi-derelict under-used building right in the centre of Herne Hill and wanted to bring it back to life as the centrepiece of the community.
In 2018, the Herne Hill Forum was awarded a £55,000 Phase 1 Grant from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund to:
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Establish the viability of the disused waiting room at Herne Hill Station as a resource to benefit the community and local economy
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Produce a costed proposal to convert the premises into an accessible community asset able to support itself financially
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In January 2019, with ‘in kind’ support from Southeastern and National Rail, the ‘lost waiting room’ opened its doors to the public for the first time in over ninety years.
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Perhaps the best way to see our impact is to look at some of the past events that have taken place in Station Hall since 2019. You can also read our Business Case Document which contains all the details of the first 9 months of activity in Station Hall.
The first 9 months in numbers
456
EVENTS HELD
79
ORGANISATIONS
5000
PEOPLE
60%
CHARITY OR
COMMUNITY BOOKINGS
Due to the connections made at Station Hall, we were able to secure neighbourhood work placements for some of the disabled students attending the local Michael Tippett School. Proximity between school and placement location has proved very helpful and using Station Hall as a location from which to prepare and then debrief after each work experience is beneficial to both student and business.
The progress our students made was incredible and their self-esteem, self-awareness and general confidence was immediately obvious and has lasted.
Victoria Hart, Deputy Head Teacher,
The Michael Tippett School