By Liz Scott

The Largactyl Shuffle, one of London’s Top Ten Walks as voted by Timeout magazine, took to the streets of Southwark on Saturday 21^st November with an All Saint’s Day theme. Run by CoolTan Arts, the walk is as much of a journey into Southwark’s past as a celebration of mental well-being and how this can be promoted through art, exercise and history.

The walk takes its name from the side effects caused by an anti-psychotic drug used to treat mental illness. Southwark has a legacy of mental health and the starting point for the walk was Maudsley Hospital in Denmark Hill, the first purpose-built psychiatric hospital for treatment and research. Walk leader Ari guided the way, pointing out places of interest such as Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court, which used to have the power to section people.

Southwark takes pride in a rich cultural heritage, and this was also explored along the route. CoolTan Arts believes that ‘mental well-being is enhanced by the power of creativity’, and it was fascinating to see the links with the arts and theatre in the area. Michael Caine is one of Southwark’s more recent cultural icons, with Dickens and Shakespeare both associated with the area. Southwark also features in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, with the Tabard Inn situated on Borough High Street.

Walkers took a break from their 5-mile journey at CoolTan Arts, for some well-earned refreshments and a chance to see participants’ artwork. As well as offering a variety of creative workshops, CoolTan Arts aims to create 10 public artworks along the Largactyl Shuffle and we had the opportunity to see the locations for some of these along the way.

The arrival of some light rain didn’t halt proceedings and the group continued on towards our destination, the Tate Modern. Particularly fascinating was seeing Guy’s Hospital where poet John Keats trained as a doctor, and the Cross Bones Graveyard with hundreds of ribbons paying tribute to the ‘Winchester Geese’, or prostitutes buried there. The Largactyl Shuffle was a great experience for learning about Southwark’s past, as well as CoolTan Art’s vision for its future.

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