London doesn’t stop south of the river – how discovering the borough with the Lambeth Tour Guides course has been a wonderful experience
Shirley Fortune a London Tour Guide, explains why, after completing guiding courses in the City, Westminster and Camden she joined the Become A Lambeth Guide course at Morley College last …
Black News 
Shirley Fortune a London Tour Guide, explains why, after completing guiding courses in the City, Westminster and Camden she joined the Become A Lambeth Guide course at Morley College last Autumn:
As a born-and-bred Londoner and a ( already) qualified tour guide, I cannot recommend this course highly enough. While I didn’t need another qualification to lead tours, I was eager to deepen my knowledge of Lambeth and the areas “South of the River.”
Though I had never lived or worked in the area, I was familiar with Brixton’s nightlife (especially the Brixton Academy) and the Southbank’s theatre scene.
However, places like Streatham and Herne Hill were completely new to me. As a child of the “Windrush” generation, I knew Brixton had welcomed that community, but I was delighted to discover the depth and history of that welcome through this course.
I first discovered the program at a “Local London Guiding Day” event, which happens across the capital every year in October. Meeting newly qualified guides who were enthusiastically delivering their first public walks hooked me immediately. After an interview, I started the course last September.
I have had the best experience. I was pleasantly surprised by the diverse group of students. Most were “first-timers” who lived locally, which brought a refreshing perspective to the classes.
Classes are held on Thursday evenings at Morley College, Waterloo. The college has a fascinating history of its own and offers excellent facilities, including a café and a library staffed by a very helpful team.
The tutors are excellent — approachable, supportive, and skilled at delivering engaging presentations.
This included Lectures on Parks & Gardens, Art & Architecture, Lambeth Leisure and guest presenters, who were also Lambeth Tour Guides Association members, speaking about Black History Month and the Town Hall Art Programme.
There’s variety across the sessions as lessons in the classroom are a mix of presentations, team exercises, and quizzes.
The Saturday training walks were my favourite part of the course. They provide a hands-on opportunity to research a specific area of the borough and work with a group to create a professional, “sellable” walking tour.
Be prepared to put in the work! You get to design your own walk, on a theme and area of your interest. And an opportunity to deliver a Talk on a single subject ( good practice, as guides can be asked to speak to Local Societies).
The course includes an indoor exam: a guiding practical at the historic Lambeth Town Hall, where there are so many more varied stories than I expected. Then a final external street exam, as the culmination of the year-long course – which I’m currently preparing for.
I used to be ashamed of my limited knowledge of South London, but discovering Lambeth has been a wonderful experience. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I look forward to sharing my newfound skills and knowledge of this amazing borough with others.
Applications for the Become A Lambeth Tour Guide Course are now open. See www.lambethtourguides.org
