Caroline Pidgeon

The Draper Estate at the Elephant and Castle braved the August weather and held a super summer barbecue for the residents on the estate.

Caroline joined local residents as they ate, drank and danced in their newly refurbished Tenants and Residents' hall garden area.

"Draper Estate always hold fun events for all the family and it was a real pleasure to pop by for an hour and catch up with everyone" said Caroline.

Caroline Pidgeon celebrated the opening of a new flower stall on 14th April at the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre. Local resident Jean Reardon has re-trained as a florist, achieving her City and Guilds qualification from Southwark College. Seeking business advice from local organisations, she has now set up her very own flower stall in the shopping centre called ‘Holly’s Flowers’.

Caroline joined her ward colleague Cllr Jelil Ladipo at the Brandon Festival on 18 August. The event had grown since last year and had the most spectacular activities for children and young people, including huge bouncy castles and slides, giant outdoor chess and other games, crazy golf, an inflatable climbing wall and trampolining. In addition there were stalls from local groups such as Friends of Kennington Park.

Caroline spent the day enjoying the London Marathon and cheering on the thousands of people who entered the run from all parts of the UK and beyond. Caroline's husband Paul ran in memory of former councillor Stephen Flannery, who died last year in his thirties of a lung related illness. Guy, Stephen's partner also ran. The two runners have raised between them around £4,000 for the British Lung Foundation.

Simon Hughes MP, Ward Councillor Caroline Pidgeon, Deputy Mayor Cllr Eliza Mann and former councillor Catherine Bowman joined local residents and members of Kagyu Samye Dzong London at the opening of their new Tibetan Buddhist Centre, in the 100 year old, listed Manor Place Baths in Walworth on Saturday 17 March.

Kagyu Samye Dzong London is a branch of Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland, a group supported by Lord Steel in his former constituency.

On 19 February Caroline visited a self defence class for residents on the Alberta Estate, funded by the Council’s Joint Security Initiative money. Cllr Denise Capstick joined Caroline and residents as they learnt how to keep themselves safe and practiced a little bit of self defence.

On Wednesday 10th January Caroline visited the House of Magic in Newington ward.

Local magician Simon Drake showed Cllr Caroline Pidgeon, Cllr Jelil Ladipo and Simon Hughes MP around his magical home and heard about the work he carries out in the local community.

In December, Caroline was joined by Simon Hughes MP at the annual Christmas sales held at Pullens Yards in West Walworth. The historic yards are home to an artistic community from dressmakers to lute makers and artists to bookbinders. Caroline and Simon had a fantastic time meeting the many creative artists who live and work in the area, and buying presents!

Your Lib Dem Councillors joined residents and Councillors from Lambeth in Kennington Park on October to mark the unveiling of the ‘standing stone’ memorial which remembers the civilians killed in the air raid shelter at Kennington Park in 1940.

“The memorial is a fitting tribute to those who died. The dedication of the Friends of Kennington Park should be recognised in ensuring this tragic event will not be forgotten” said Lib Dem Cllr Caroline Pidgeon.

Simon Hughes MP joined Newington Lib Dem councillors at the Brandon Festival in September, organised by the Brandon tenants’ association, with help from Trevor at the library. “Despite the windy weather, it was a great day out for everyone, and we really enjoyed chatting to Brandon residents and young people about what they want to see improved in the area” said Cllr Caroline Pidgeon.