On the doorstep: witnessing the transformation of Brockley

Sharon Gardner

Sharon Gardner. Pic: Tiffany Leung.

This week we feature Sharon Gardner, founder of a sustainable health and wellbeing consultant Core of Life. Having lived in Brockley, Lewisham for over 25 years, Gardner is an active member of the local community. She is also passionate about teaching Pilates and creating vegan/plant-based recipes.

 

Home is …

Community definitely. It is where you can be comfortable with who you are, but also have a connection with others as well.

Tell us a local secret… / something people may not know about my area is…

It never used to be like this. People were not keen to come to Brockley. It was just not a very nice area 10-15 years ago. All these cafes and shops near the station now are all relatively new. It has grown a lot in terms of community, especially the people who live here and those who used to.”

What makes this place special is…

We have lots of greenery, so many parks in Brockley. It is nice to be able to just walk for 10 minutes and then you’re in some green.

My go-to spot is…

Hilly fields. There are lots of little stones randomly placed in the middle, like a mini Stonehenge. It’s so cool to just lie down and chill, take some time out.

If I was in charge, I would …

Get rid of politics. If we didn’t have to deal with that, maybe we could learn to resolve our issues by having a conversation, rather than having to pick sides. Without politics, perhaps we can move forward in a way that everyone respects our differences and coexist alongside each other, rather than taking it personally.

I would describe the community as…

Very colourful. There’s a lot going on. I like how our community is inclusive, welcoming all types of people. Community is not one type of person, there are many groups that make up a community which is nice.

I spend my Sundays…

In the ideal case, I would like to be up in Southbank and be able to just stroll around. In reality, my usual Sunday is just preparing for the week ahead.

My favourite local shops are…

Broca and the Costcutter. They have some really good vegan options. Before, I had to travel out of town to get ingredients but now I can just get them locally. They are some local gems for vegan diet.

The best thing about my neighbourhood is…

There are many cafes, lots of them. There’s a choice for everyone.

And the worst….

I actually do not have a worst. There’s nothing I really dislike. Always look for the positive!

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