Peckham warming to the oasis of calm provided by pop-up sauna

The creators of a garden sauna in Burgess Park said it’s proving a real hit since opening in March.

The pop-up at Glengall Wharf Gardens, Peckham is an offshoot of the not-for-profit Community Sauna Baths company which set up at Hackney Wick in 2021.

The SE15 garden has been open since 2011 and provides a space for residents to attend volunteer gardening sessions, grow food and participate in creative workshops and events, ranging from permaculture and forest gardening, to food waste feasts, craft, and campfire folk sessions.

Visitors to the garden can also have a sauna, and take a cold plunge while watching the seasons unfold. 

The two saunas and three chilled, filtered cold plunge pools are open 7am-9pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and 8am-9pm on Saturdays and some Sundays. 

The idea is that it forges a community spirit as well as being appreciated by visitors. The one-hour sessions have a sliding fee scale: £10 standard, £6 concessions. Charitable organisations and curious folk for whom the price is a barrier to coming, can also email for further concessions.

The proceeds from the pop-up have meant that the volunteer-led garden has the funds to complete the build on its new community classroom this summer, which will host workshops all year round. Having the sauna also means that the garden is open an extra three days a week to the public.

Charlie Duckworth, director of Community Sauna Baths, said: “We are proud to work with Glengall Wharf Garden and bring the health and social benefits of sauna to a space that is created and cherished by the community.

“It’s part of our vision to work with community gardens as we can see sauna and nature-led spaces like these complement and benefit each other.”

Garden volunteer Emily Haquin said: “As a regular volunteer at the garden it’s been exciting to see the impact of the saunas. It’s allowed the garden to stay open during the week and welcome many more people into this unique space. Visitor and volunteer numbers have shot up. 

“The garden and saunas are a precious refuge for many within the area. The collaboration is promoting community cohesion and collective well-being at a time when the social fabric of our society is increasingly strained.”

The Glengall Wharf Sauna is continuing throughout the summer,  to book, go to https://www.community-sauna.co.uk/glengall

Every Sunday 11am-3pm, the garden opens to volunteers who come to grow food, keep bees, run skill-sharing workshops and eat a free communal lunch, made with produce from the garden.

Ecological welfare is core to the garden’s philosophy and the team applies sustainable growing techniques and permaculture to develop the site.

Among the garden’s other aims are; promoting food growing skills, and developing community resilience and well-being.

For more information, visit www.instagram.com/glengallwharfgarden/

Pictured top: The Glengall Wharf Sauna (Picture: Community Sauna Baths)