Workhouse Wood

Litter picking and maintenance sessions take place at 11am for 2hrs on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Please join us

Workhouse Wood is located on the demolished St Nicholas Hospital site on Winn's Common SE18. It occupies the dip between the section of common adjacent to the paddling pool and the common section in front of Heath Villas.

It is an area of fairly dense Woodland that self-seeded in the 30 years the site was fenced off following the hospital's demolition. A circular path surrounds the central section of trees. Entry is via a short set of steps leading from the paddling poolside of the wood or via paths through trees at the southern end of the wood. Maintenance sessions are carried out at Workhouse Wood by attendees of the Slade Ponds sessions when there are sufficient numbers or by special arrangement.

We collect litter and maintain the circular path surrounding the wood during the sessions. We also trim trees and heavy undergrowth to enable more light to penetrate the wood and to encourage the diversity of flora and fauna at ground level. Thinning out the undergrowth and low-utility trees will also allow site lines into and through the wood, which we hope will encourage more users.

The site is used most by dog walkers as dogs enjoy rummaging through the trees. The wood is also the venue for forest school sessions for children and their parents run by Nature Vibez during the school summer holidays.