Volunteering session on Saturday 11 July 2026, 10am: supporting trees through the heatwave

The recently planted hedge between the children's playground and the railway line in the North Field is at risk from the current severe heatwave.  

Join us for an hour to water the hedge at 10am on Saturday 11 July 2026.  

Email ladywellfields@yahoo.co.uk if you'd like to be on the mailing list for more volunteering sessions. 

Next Meeting Wednesday 17 June 2026, 7pm

We will meet at the cafe in the north field and walk through the park together. We hope to be joined by representatives from Glendale and the Council. 

Next Meeting Wednesday 18 March 2026, 7pm

The Ladywell Fields User Group will meet at 7.00pm on Wednesday 18 March in the Community Hub at the end of Church Grove, Ladywell.  

We have confirmation that the Ladywell Safer Neighbourhoods (Police) Team will attend to discuss crime and ASB in and around the park.  

There's a lot going on at the moment - all positive! On the Agenda:   

1. A representative of the Ladywell Safer Neighbourhood Police Team will attend to update and answer questions on crime and ASB.  
2. Iona Norton, University Hospital Lewisham Redevelopment Programme Director on plans to install a ground source heat pump in Ladywell Fields and its potential impact on the Park.
3. David Davies will attend to present on the Nature Recovery Strategy
4. Ladywell Fields café and toilets
5. Skatepark refurbishment and Children’s Playground upgrade
6. Completion of water works in north fields and remediation of damaged grass
7. Volunteering activities
8. Green Flag assessment process

Everyone welcome to come along and help shape the future of wonderful Ladywell Fields.

Next Meeting and AGM, Wednesday 17 September 2025, 7pm

The Ladywell Fields User Group (sometimes known as 'Friends of Ladywell Fields') is holding its next meeting and AGM at 7.00pm on Wednesday 17 September in the Community Hub meeting space, Church Grove, Ladywell.

Come along and help us ensure a wide range of park user views are heard.  

The Community Hub is the small building nestled beside the apartment block.  Follow the step-free path to the right and all the way to the back--do not go up to the main entrance.  

There is no car parking at the venue.  

Future meeting dates are
Wednesday 3 December 2025 (Christmas Social, details tbc)
Wednesday 18 March 2026 (at the Hub, Church Grove)
Wednesday 17 June 2026 (walk in the park)

Veteran elm in Ladywell Fields

The renowned Scottish tree expert and botanical illustrator David John More has confirmed that the old elm tree on the river bank in the middle of Ladywell Fields is a European White elm and not, as the sign suggests, a Klemmer Dutch elm.  Our Ladywell Fields elm is one of the few distinguished specimens which survived the virulent spread of Dutch elm disease in the 1970s and 80s when more than 25 million trees died in the UK.    

David tells us that Scolytus beetles, the carriers of the elm disease fungus, tend to avoid the European White variety of elm because of chemicals in its twigs which render the bark distasteful.  The Scolytus will however feed on European White elm if they cannot find  their preferred species, English elm and Wych elm, in the vicinity. 

The key to the lucky survival of the Ladywell elm may well have been the presence of other elm trees nearby.  The User Group have recently planted more Wych elm in the Tiny Forest along the western border of the middle field. Should try to plant even more?

David John More is currently working on a new book of elms, which includes this illustration based on photos of the Ladywell elm provided the User Group.