Room for You: Walking Club

Every Tuesday (selected dates*), 10:30am to 12:00pm
Meet at St John’s Waterloo

Join a friendly group of adults to explore the local area’s secrets and stories as they walk at a gentle pace. Led by a Lambeth Tour Guide. In partnership with the Waterloo Health Centre. This club is part of Room for You, our flagship community and creative programme at St John’s Waterloo.

We’ve got 10 spaces available! Get in touch with Abigail Tripp, our Outreach and Engagement Officer, at outreach@stjohnswaterloo.org or 07741 736 481, to register your interest. She’ll also be happy to tell you more about this Club and other creative and community activities at St John’s Waterloo.

*Dates and Programme

23rd June: A Walk of Art(s), Established installations, a newly listed venue, pride & performance plus innovative murals around Waterloo and the South Bank are all on our canvas for this walk.
30th June: Royalty on the Doorstep, Local connections may already be well-know ( Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall) but on this route we’ll go in search of Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses, without travel to Buckingham Palace ! 
Led by Alison Rae.

7th July: The Road to the South Bank, the Old Vic, Young Vic and Theatre before the South Bank complex opened in 1976.
14th July: The National Theatre’s other sites, The Foundation Stone for Britain’s National Theatre was formally installed on 13th July 1951, but not at the site of today’s NT building. 75 years on we look at alternative and lost locations of National theatres.
21st July: The Architecture of the South Bank National Theatre, from Ladsun’s plan 1960’s plan to Haworth Tompkins’ reveal and additions for the 21st century.
28th July: A visit to the National Archives on The Cut. The building also houses the NT Studio and the Black Plays Archive.
4th August: Lambeth Legends: Past & Present, Who are our local heroes (… and villians?!) Let’s learn about well known historical figures, lesser known important activists and a certain Lambeth MP all of whom have their names remembered in and around this area of Lambeth.
11th August: Lambeth Lore: Past & Present, What are the local stories that don’t feature in the history books? How do the people of Lambeth leave their mark on the landscape? Let’s have a look for lovelocks, ritual litter and a ‘legal wall…’
18th August: Waterloo: the end of the line!, Another transport trek – let’s go and look for some original terminus stations, find a stabled tube train in a mini-depot, hear about the history of the bus network in London and a departure point for 200,000 people … who never returned!
25th August, The Greening of Waterloo, London is the second greenest city in the world and Lambeth plays a large part in that as the first council to declare a Climate Emergency in 2019. Let’s explore and celebrate the work done by local groups and communities to create a biodiverse network of green spaces and protect our future environment.

To book and for more info contact Abigail at outreach@stjohnswaterloo.org

Past events:

3rd March – Women of Waterloo
10th March – Crime and Punishment
17th March – Fleet St – South of the Thames
24th March – Green Waterloo
Led by Dierdre O’Brien – graduated from the Lambeth Tour Guides Course in 2025. She is a longtime Lambeth resident who is putting her experience to good use, by walking and talking the Borough.She knows the South of the Thames well and, coming from a background in writing and journalism, will be sharing stories that could have hit the headlines as well as revealing moments from the world of newspapers and magazines.

14th April – Waterloo Learning
21st April – ON Track at Waterloo ( Part l)
28th April – on Track at Waterloo ( Part ll)
5th May – Greening and Planting
Led by Em Fleming – a Lambeth Accredited Guide since 2024, and based in South London for over 20 years, Em has a background in local history, stories, folklore and community building. She is a specialist guide for TFL with expertise in transport both above and below ground. She has worked in Higher Education and has an interest in urban greening across the Borough.

12th May – Waterloo Jukebox : Music & South Bank
19th May – Waterloo Box Office : At the Movies
26th May – Festival of Britain at 75
2nd June – War & Waterloo
Led by David Turnbull – working locally for many years David is familiar with Waterloo from his time employed at the Union Jack Club and, living on the 24th floor of the Club’s tower, saw many a Waterloo Sunset. He became a Lambeth Guide in 2023 and is a published author with a blog – lambethfantastical.blogspot.com.
9th June: Arrivals, From the mid twentieth century emigres to new kids on the block we’ll look at recent additions to the BFI, the new builds on the South Bank and introduce the leading ladies at the helm of the National Theatre and Young Vic.
16th June: Housing Stories, Away from the vibrant riverside, the cultural cluster and transport hub is a rich history of local communities. We’ll explore an early 19th century estate, see the impact of an American banker and discover housing where everyone lives in a tree – and more.

About The Bridge At Waterloo:

The Bridge At Waterloo is a secular charity located at and founded by St John’s Waterloo. Through its historic building, staff, volunteers and in partnership with its neighbourhood and other organisations, TBAW promotes community engagement, the arts, and horticulture to encourage social justice, communal involvement, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility. Read more about our activities and our flagship programme, Room for You, here.

Getting to St John’s Waterloo: St John’s Waterloo is accessible by bus, tube or train; the nearest station is Waterloo Station. Parking is available in Exton Street on pay bays, Monday to Friday from 8.30am till 6.30pm & Saturday 8.30am till 1.30pm. Payment must be made by phone or app, details can be found on signs along Exton Street. After 6.30pm (1pm on Saturday) parking is free within the bays and on single yellow lines. There are no disabled bays along Exton Street. Parking is also available in car parks in York Road and Cornwall Road, details for both can be found online.