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BRIXTON BUGLE YOUR FREE
No 46 | SEPTEMBER 2016
Published monthly in and for Brixton
ISSN 2397-852X
COMMUNITY PAPER
PULL-OUT DESIGN TRAIL GUIDE INSIDE Brixton Design Trail takes place between 17 and 25 September. Brixton will join London Design Week as the newest Design District. The theme “Rebel, Rebel” pays homage to design icon, local boy David Bowie and promises to live up to its name with a dazzling display of talent, originality and spectacle. Check out our four-page pull-out guide for full details of events,
Look out for installations, exhibitions and events throughout the town centre by resident artists, designers and creative organisations. The design trail youth committee has designed its own programme giving young people a platform to express their ideas and talent. ■■Don’t forget Lambeth Heritage Festival – see What’s On, page 23
NOW IT’S TRENDY THEY WANT US OUT
by Alan Slingsby
A successful Brixton business, started with a grant from Lambeth council more than 30 years ago, faces closure if a planning decision that was stopped by the High Court is reinstated. Louise Barron and Tony Pommell, the owners of Club 414 on Coldharbour Lane, took the council to court earlier this year and won their case. A property company that is part of a conglomerate that owns large parts of Brixton wants to convert the club, which has been operating for 31 years, into a shop and flats. The two owners (right) who turned the club into a world renowned venue – one 72-year old commutes monthly from Thailand to visit one of its music nights – say they “just do not understand” why the plans are not opposed by Lambeth. Comments on the council planning website close on 12 September and the application is expected to be heard in October. The council is expected to
recommend that the application be approved. Louise and Tony are angry that their long years of work in what were then very hard times in Brixton seem to count for nothing. “We’re doing what we
were encouraged to do all along – create a business and employment and bring money into Brixton,” says Tony. “We created this nighttime economy they are now so proud of. For
many, many years, nobody – except us – would open after 11 o’clock at night.” But, “now Brixton is nice and trendy,” says Tony, the freeholders who own the building that houses the club “want to kick us out
and earn more money”. Tony says he is “disappointed in the way Lambeth has not backed us. We are their own,” he says. “They gave us £5,200 to start this business. “I could have been on the dole – which I was at the time. I wanted to start my own business and was able to do that via Lambeth.” “I’m disappointed Lambeth are assisting these millionaire freeholders against a business that they helped to start.” Both Louise and Tony will be 60 before long and had been looking forward to another 10 years at the club before retiring. Now they feel that: “It’s all about money. It’s not about jobs. It’s not about the community. “We’re being kicked out so that others can take advantage of what we have created. No compensation. No nothing. Just: ‘Get out!’.” Businesses in the Network Rail arches on Atlantic Road closed last month as refurbishment began after a controversial planning decision by the council.
SOMETHING TO SAY
Brixton youth in Parliament
STUART RAISES £1,000 By cycling to aid NSPCC
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Cressingham resident wins new legal review of demolition plans
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Both website and newspaper are published by a not-for-profit community organisation run by a committed team of people from Brixton » 020 3730 1312 » @brixtonblog » @brixton_bugle » brixtonblog.com ADVERTISING Jenny Shramenko 07811 878394 jenny@brixtonblog.com Circulation 10,000 copies Readership: circa 15,000 EDITOR Linda Quinn linda@brixtonblog.com MANAGING EDITOR Simon Still simon@brixtonblog.com NEWS EDITOR Anna McKie newsdesk@brixtonblog.com ARTS & FEATURES arts@brixtonblog.com FOOD Miss South food@brixtonblog.com SPORT Sandra Brobbey sport@brixtonblog.com ISSUE 46 Writers:
David Child Andrew Edelston Nikki Griffiths Frankie Holah Nicola Jones David Moftakhar Susan Sheehan Gemma Sinclair Sub-editor: Jamila Omar Production: Alan Slingsby Distribution: Philip King Crossword: Josie Gardiner A massive thank you to everybody involved in making this issue, and the Blog & Bugle project, a success If you would like to be a Bugle stockist please email distribution@brixtonblog.com
2016 SEPTEMBER
A protester leapt onto a desk to hurl red powder – symbolising blood – in the direction of councillors and staff at the last planning committee meeting
Council to review access to public meetings Lambeth council is to review security and access at its public meetings after recent disturbances, including one at its planning committee last month. The council said “a small hardcore mob” seemed intent on “disruptive, aggressive behaviour” that would not be tolerated. It said a planning officer, a staff member and not an elected councillor, had been followed on to a bus and heckled by protesters after the meeting. A full council meeting was abandoned in May when library protesters brought proceedings to a halt. The council stressed that ”the vast majority” of people attending council meetings engaged productively and respected acceptable standards of behaviour. But it said many members of a single group had repeatedly sought to disrupt full council meetings and committees. Council leader Lib Peck, said: “It is a very sad state of affairs when public servants are abused simply for doing their job. Lambeth’s staff are reviewing arrangements for future council meetings and will consult the police,
Residents of Cressingham Gardens have been told by the High Court that they can mount a second legal challenge to Lambeth council’s plans to demolish and redevelop the housing estate that overlooks Brockwell Park. The successful applicant described the council’s behaviour as “cavalier” and of treating the estate and its residents as if they were part of a “game of Monopoly”. Lambeth council said it would present its case at the review – expected to take place towards the end of this year – and that its plans, which it had been consulting on since 2012, would mean 158 extra new homes on the redeveloped estate. Of these, 47% would be “affordable”. Mrs Justice Juliet May agreed to the request of Andy Plant, a resident of the estate, for a judicial review of the council’s decision. He had argued that the council’s decision to demolish the estate is unfair and unlawful on four grounds. 1. The council wrongly included in its calculations a £7.5m loan to the company it has set up to undertake the redevelopment. 2. The council’s own cabinet members had been misled about a “People’s Plan” for the estate drawn up by residents. Alternatively, Mr Plant argued, members of the cabinet failed “conscientiously to take into account” key aspects of key aspects of the People’s Plan. 3. The council had failed to provide up-to-date data about the council’s housing finances to either the people being consulted or the cabinet members. 4. The council plans breach Mr Plant’s “right to property” under Article 1, Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, combined with his “right to respect for a home”, by removing his existing “right to
buy” contrary to current government policy. A Lambeth council spokesman said: “We will present our case explaining why we believe we have acted lawfully in respect of the cabinet decision on the redevelopment of the Cressingham Gardens estate. “Lambeth council cabinet endorsed the proposal to redevelop Cressingham Gardens in March this year, following consultation with residents, as they judged that it represented the best option for the future of the estate.” Lawyers for Cressingham Gardens residents are also preparing to apply for an injunction preventing Lambeth council from taking further steps and committing more money to the demolition of the estate. This case is expected to be heard by the end of September. Mr Plant commented: “Once again, residents of Cressingham Gardens were dealt an unfair blow. “It’s very sad that we’ve had to take this step, but it is in response to what we see as cavalier behaviour on the part of Lambeth councillors and officers, where they seemingly treat public property as if it’s part of a game
of Monopoly.” Last November another resident of the estate, Eva Bokrosova, successfully applied for a judicial review that found Lambeth had unfairly dropped refurbishment options from its consultation on the future of the estate. Residents say their “People’s Plan” – a substantial document compiled by residents including Mr Plant and architects – would not only save most of the existing buildings through refurbishment, but also increase the number of council-rented homes by 34. They say the council’s proposals only include 27 extra homes at council rent levels. The cost of the council’s plan is projected to exceed £100 million, they say, while theirs would cost a fraction of this and keep the estate in public ownership. The council’s plan involves the creation of a private company that would be used to raise funds from private investors to redevelop the estate. The council says that, under its plans to redevelop Cressingham Gardens, “all existing council tenants would get a new home, at council rent levels, with a lifetime tenancy – meaning there would be no loss of social housing”.
SEPTEMBER 2016
NEWS 3
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Plea for Brixton fans to support Beckenham Bowie Bandstand appeal Brixton residents and Bowie fans, generous in their support for international causes are being asked to help out closer to home. In the week Berlin unveiled a plaque outside the flat were Bowie lived, Bromley launched a crowdfunding campaign to restore the Beckenham bandstand (inset). The bandstand was where Bowie performed (left) at the Beckenham Arts Lab Growth summer festival in 1969. It became a focal point where fans could leave memorials to the musical legend, as they did in Brixton at the Morley’s mural. The campaign was started by Friends of Croydon Road Recreation Ground, known as Friends of Bec Rec. It aims to restore the bandstand
Council seeking architects to help regenerate Atlantic Road Lambeth council is offering a contract of up to £50,000 for architects to draw up plans to “regenerate” Atlantic Road. The Architects’ Journal reported that the brief says: “The overall vision is to create de-cluttered, safer, more pedestrian and cycle-friendly streets; an attractive environment for walking, shopping and cycling that will support the economic well-being of the area.” The decision follows the controversial decision of the council’s planning committee earlier this month to allow the closure of shops
LOCAL FOOD BANKS NEED YOUR HELP Norwood, Brixton and Streatham food bank distribution centres have been busy over the summer holidays as some families struggled to make ends meet As a result, the service is under increasing pressure and needs donations of food and school uniforms. Tinned meat, vegetables, UHT custard, rice pudding and biscuits would be greatly appreciated. Any good quality, non-branded, clean school uniform donated would help to continue the school uniform provision scheme. ■■More at norwoodbrixton. foodbank.org.uk.
in the Network Rail arches on Atlantic Road for at least a year to allow “redevelopment”. The council’s “public realm” project, put out for tender on 11 August and due to start on 30 September, includes Atlantic Road and the stretch of Coldharbour Lane outside Brixton Village. It calls for proposals that would promote accessibility, enhance the area’s historic structures, remove street clutter and improve overall safety. Deadline for applications is 14 September.
MS CUPCAKE IN VEGAN FINAL
Ms Cupcake on Coldharbour Lane is in the running to be crowned the UK’s best vegan bakery by the Vegfest awards whose winners are decided by public vote. Earlier in the year Ms Cupcake won Best Independent Retailer at the Dot London Awards. Voting has now opened and closes at midnight on 30September. You can vote at: www. london.vegfest.co.uk/ vote. All votes are verified via a confirmation email. Ms Cupcake is in the Best Vegan Bakery category. ■■Left, Simona, one of the shop’s managers shows off Ms Cupcake’s wares.
as a fit-for-purpose performance space, which will offer a variety of entertainment opportunities and may even be a site where future music legends cut their teeth! Supporters can pledge a donation at www.spacehive.com/ bowiebandstand. £93,000 is still needed to complete the restoration of the bandstand, in addition to the £35,000 already raised. Colin Smith, deputy leader of Bromley Council said: “If you have ever been moved by the super-star legend who was David Bowie’s music over the years, then please do consider pledging your support by making a donation of any size to help bring this worthy project to fruition or by purchasing a brick.”
4 NEWS
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MP Chuka is music charity’s newest ambassador Brixton and Streatham MP Chuka Umunna is the new ambassador for PRS for Music Foundation, a leading charitable funders of new UK music and talent. Foundation executive director Vanessa Reed said: “We’re very excited to have Chuka as an ambassador. “Chuka is very supportive of the UK’s music scene and is always ready to speak out on important issues such as diversity which are only just beginning to be fully acknowledged across the creative industries.” The MP joins fellow ambassadors, Emily Eavis, Amplify Dot, Imogen Heap, Ghostpoet and Judith Weir. He said: “Music has been such a big part of my life, and part of the fabric of our community. I went to my first gig in Brixton to see Soul II Soul in 1991. Brixton, was the birthplace of David Bowie, the inspiration for the Clash’s Guns of Brixton and Eddy Grant’s Electric Avenue, and a favourite jamming spot for Jimi Hendrix. “Today, the bars and cafes along Streatham High Road regularly host new artists who are trying out new material and honing their craft. “I look forward to supporting the excellent work of the PRS for Music Foundation to help support the next generation of musicians breakthrough.” ■■ More at prsformusicfoundation.com.
2016 SEPTEMBER
Ritzy staff to discuss strike ballot result Members of the entertainment workers’ union BECTU who work at The Ritzy will meet on Sunday 4 September to discuss the result of a ballot for industrial action which closed on 30 August. Union members at the cinema have been engaged in a long-running campaign to win the London Living Wage (LLW), currently £9.40 per hour. BECTU tabled a pay claim to achieve that goal, but, says the union, Picturehouse Cinemas, the employer, refused to engage in negotiations and simply rejected the claim in its entirety, leaving the union with no choice but to ballot for industrial action. The union says the company also ignored its offer of talks at the conciliation service ACAS. The current minimum rate at The Ritzy is £8.80 an hour – some way short of the current LLW. As well as seeking the new minimum rate of pay, BECTU’s rejected claim also addressed pay differentials, treatment of new staff, maternity and paternity leave, and night pay. BECTU assistant general secretary Luke Crawley said the union had tried to talk to Picturehouse Ltd, “but the company are being very hard-faced in ignoring our pay claim”. He said union members at The Ritzy have shown how strong they could be when working together. “No one wants to go on strike and we would rather settle this by talking, but the company has ignored our offer,” said Crawley. In 2014 BECTU members at the Ritzy fought a long and successful high profile campaign (including 13 strikes) in pursuit of the London Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
Witness appeal Did you work for Walton Lodge Laundry Limited in Brixton in the 1970s? Did you work with Leatrice Winn? Our specialist asbestos claims team has been instructed by the family of the late Leatrice Winn who sadly developed and died of mesothelioma, an aggressive asbestosrelated cancer.
Ritzy workers at this year’s Lambeth Country Show
After lengthy talks, union members voted to accept a package which moved them very close to achieving their goal and left the door open for further talks this year. Since 2014, BECTU has been seeking recognition for staff employed by Picturehouse Ltd at other cinemas. Despite success in recruiting
BRIXTON ECONOMY MELTING POT – REMAKING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY Transition Town Brixton is relauching its REconomy and Enterprise group that invented the Brixton Pound back in 2009. If you are interested in having a more interconnected, cooperative, game-changing local economy then you are invited to come along on Monday 12 September and get stuck in alongside some amazing people. Bank of Lambeth anyone? The free meeting will be from 6.30 to 9.30pm in Impact Hub Brixton at the back of PopBrixton. Bring some food to share. ■■www.facebook.com/ events/1130396653692525.
We are investigating how Leatrice may have come into contact with asbestos during her working life and are interested in speaking to anyone who worked with her or at Walton Lodge Laundry Limited in the 1970s.
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Mrs Winn’s family are therefore appealing to anyone who worked at the company or who worked with Leatrice to come forward to tell us what they remember.
Contact specialist asbestos diseases solicitor Jennifer Seavor
them, the company has refused to accept BECTU as the union to represent its staff, preferring to talk to an in-house staff association. Crawley said: “Rather than suffer further humiliation the company should sit down and talk to us about paying the London Living Wage to their staff at The Ritzy”.
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SEPTEMBER 2016
COMMUNITY 5
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Record nominations for community pride awards There are a record 165 nominations for this year’s mayor of Lambeth Community Pride Awards for local people making an extra effort to improve life in the borough. Shortlisted projects in the eight categories are listed below. The Mayor will announce the winners when judging is completed. Resident of the year: Andrew Chan Sing; Erica Tate; Molly Sinclair. Bringing your neighbourhood together: George Richardson; Stephen Koegh; Pat Broderick. Innovation and Enterprise:
Waterloo Community Theatre CIC; Colin Crooks, Tree Shepherd; Benjamin Ackim, Sport City London Ltd/Blackprint Legacy Foundation. Voluntary or community organisation of the year: Whippersnappers; St Matthew’s Project (right); Brixton Soup Kitchen. Young resident of the year: Streetworks Project Team – Elmgreen School; Jacqueline Gomes-Neves; Rianne Yeboah-Cornelius. Best private garden 2016: Sonia Cooper, Cressingham Gardens estate; Cindy Kemp, street property; Edwin A big well done to Stuart Horwood, Brixton market traders’ supremo, who completed the LondonSurrey Bike 100 Bike Ride and raised over £1,000 for the NSPCC – pictured here at his stall with NSPCC chief exec Peter Wanless (left).
Club diners raise £2,000 for Syria
Marhabtayn Syrian Supper Club hosted its first event in Brixton during the summer. The club’s aim is to show solidarity with people caught up in Syria’s conflict and refugee crisis, through music, food and fundraising for people in need. Organiser Khairun Dhala said: “Marhabtayn is Arabic for ‘two welcomes’ because in Syria people give each other a double welcome. “We had a great night! Supper clubbers were welcomed to our home with a cocktail followed Monteverde, Chalbury House – Edmundsbury Court estate; Mr & Mrs Morris, Jupiter Court – Caldwell Gardens estate. Best community garden: Edmundsbury Court Estate;
Ace of Clubs; Southwell Road Residents’ Garden. Best food growing project: Loughborough Farm; Edmundsbury Court Estate; Lairdale Estate; Paradise Garden, Coade Court.
CHARITY INVITES BRIXTON GRANT BIDS The Thrale Charity is inviting Brixton organisations to apply for a grant of up to £5,000. Grants are available to organisations that help people in need, hardship or distress from Brixton, other parts of Lambeth and also Tooting and Balham. The deadline is 30 November. For more information email info@thralealmshouses.org.uk.
Sainsbury’s partners local cycling charity Wheels for Wellbeing (WfW) and Sainsbury’s Herne Hill are joining forces again. WfW, the local charity that supports people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefit of cycling, has again been chosen as the store’s local charity partner for the year. Director Isabelle Clement said: “This
is great news for the disabled people of all ages who cycle with us every week at the Herne Hill Velodrome. “For many, cycling with us is the only exercise they get, and it is fantastic that we now have the opportunity to raise our profile and some all-important funds.”
by a mezze starter, and makloubeh – spicy Syrian rice – as a main course, with baklava and a Syrian fruit salad for dessert. “A diverse group of people came, old and new friends, including a table of people who had heard about the event through the Brixton Blog!” Diners helped raise over £2,000. The club is now looking for somewhere big enough to host around 40 people. If you know of somewhere with a kitchen that would be willing to let the club take over for a night, contact them at marhabtaynsyriansupperclub@gmail.com,
Passionate about improving health and care services in Lambeth? If yes, why not apply to become our new Chair or one of our additional Trustees, and help steer the charitable organisation into an exciting phase of growth, including being part of a Black Wellbeing Partnership. The Chair will ideally have previous board level experience, together with vision, strategic focus and a drive to help us get to our next stage in development. The Trustees should complement existing Trustees skills and experience, particularly in the areas of charity and contracts law, multi-stakeholder partnerships and organisational development and change. Closing date for applications: midnight, 12 September 2016. To apply visit: www.healthwatchlambeth.org.uk/joinourboard or tel: 020 7274 8522. For an initial chat about either of these roles, please call Linda Linehan (Abbeville Associates Ltd) on 07900 490465. About us: Healthwatch Lambeth gathers people’s experiences of local health and social care services in order to drive improvements. We do this by sharing the information with those involved in buying, providing and evaluating these services. Do you have something to say about health and care services? Tell us on tel: 020 7274 8522 or email:info@healthwatchlambeth.org.uk Registered Company No: 8430436 Registered Charity No: 1153444
How can I be part of the Brixton Pound Cafe? Besides visiting us, we welcome any surplus items you may have – maybe you’re an urban grower with an abundant garden or allotment, or your household has items you don’t need – tea you’re not drinking or ingredients you’re not using at the back of your cupboard, which we will gratefully receive. We’re looking for local businesses who could participate by donating any leftover or unwanted ingredients or food produce that would otherwise be thrown away. This will not only help reduce your waste but also your business’ overall impact on the environment, while contributing to the Brixton community in a unique way. Contact us to arrange a one-off pick-up or ongoing partnership at cafe@brixtonpound.org or come by the cafe for a chat. Whether you’re a business or an individual, we’re inviting everyone who wants to get involved in local food to a brainstorming and planning event co-hosted by the Brixton Pound and Incredible Edible Lambeth at the Brixton Pound Cafe at 77 Atlantic Road on 20 September, 6.30-8.30pm – all welcome! There will be tasty locally sourced refreshments. Our new cafe space is a great place to hold meetings and events. Let us know if you’d like to host an event, or have an idea for something that could happen in the space.
The first pay-whatyou-feel cafe in Brixton! The Brixton Pound is excited to announce its newest project: the Brixton Pound Cafe!
Come along to say hello, have a drink and a bite to eat, use the free wifi, or just hang out in a friendly space.
Opened in July at 77 Atlantic Road, SW9 8PU, it is the first cafe in Brixton where all food and drink is served on a pay-what-you-feel basis.
Just don’t ask us “How much do I owe you?”!
Rather than setting a fixed price, we give customers an opportunity to have an affordable experience, or be generous.
Our ambition is to source our food from local surplus – perfectly edible food that would otherwise be wasted – and turn it into delicious and healthy meals. We have partnered up with a number of organisations including Local Greens, surplus sharing app OLIO, Brixton Soup Kitchen and Brixton People’s Kitchen, and with
Participatory, inclusive, and social, it’s a format that fits perfectly into B£’s aim of questioning the traditional money systems and showcasing that viable alternatives exist.
Using surplus
them will lead on food waste and food poverty reduction in the area. We will be collecting surplus from local traders, some of whom have already pledged their unsold edible produce. As with all our initiatives the cafe will be a not-for-profit, and all revenue will support local community via the Brixton Fund.
Opening hours Mon – Fri: 8am – 7pm Saturday: 10am – 6pm
For more information visit us at 77 Atlantic Road, or go to brixtonpound.org/cafe
Art studios for hire We are offering our converted basement below the cafe as dedicated studio space for individuals/ groups who are excited by the prospect of being part of a wider local community and
bringing their art outside of the studio too. This opportunity is best suited to an artist whose practice is rooted in community engagement,
curation or education. We are keen that financial constraints should not limit applications so would be willing to discuss part exchange of rent for
working in the cafe for an extended period. ■■ For more information please come by the cafe or visit brixtonpound.org/ studios
77 Atlantic Road | brixtonpound.org | @brixtonpound | info@brixtonpound.org
SEPTEMBER 2016
BUSINESS & JOBS 7
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Are you going to jump or will you be pushed? Dirk Bischof, CEO of Hatch. explains how the organisation helps people wanting to start ther own business and says ‘Get in touch now’ If you are thinking of starting your own business or social enterprise, is it because you want to jump in, or are you being pushed? There is a big difference. And, if you are being pushed into entrepreneurship by your circumstances, you can face more challenges than just “starting a business”. Starting a business, in itself, can change your life and the lives of those around you. However, we have identified several factors that can make starting a business harder for some. Our mission at Hatch is to identify the things that get in the way of starting or growing a business and to help you deal with them. The odds are that you learned how to work out the square root of 16 at school. But nobody taught you how to
draw up and actively use a personal budget. This knowledge could offer an edge starting up in business. Then there is the sort of community you have grown up in. If mum or dad, Uncle Johnny, or the mother of your best friend has run their own business, you will have easy access to informal advice and mentoring as well as the confidence that comes from seeing other people succeed as entrepreneurs. Business is also about money. Some families have built up capital through the increase in the price of their homes and having been able to earn enough to save. Studies show that, if you are from a wealthy background you will find it a lot easier to borrow both to start a business and to fund its expansion. On the other hand, starting up a business from a low-income background or coming out of unemployment means that access to advice through a mentor and to access to money is often not readily available. So what does Hatch do about issues
Meet the Hatch entrepreneurs responsible for putting the DIY Weekender together. It takes place from 30 September to 2 October
like these? We believe the answer is a thriving “ecosystem” that, for two to three years, supports budding entrepreneurs who lack the family or community “ecosystem” that others may enjoy. We have supported over 125 entrepreneurs since 2014, and our feedback shows that we are slowly getting better at it. Our ecosystem, our entrepreneurial community, is made up of our staff and trustees, often entrepreneurs themselves, our mentors, advisers and partners. While mentors come from corporate partners like Deutsche Bank who offer dedicated
volunteering days for their staff, it is the growing entrepreneur community that makes-up a crucial part of our ecosystem. For the first time this year, we are holding a weekend enterprise retreat called “DIY Weekend – Dream, Learn, Play”, run by our entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs and those interested in starting up. Informal learning and networking with peers who provide support and advice can make a big difference. Right here in Brixton, ideas, knowledge and resources are being exchanged and contributing to
the slow but steady growth of our ecosystem of entrepreneurial support. This, over time, will be able to address the many barriers to entrepreneurship, not by itself, but with the collaboration of everyone in it and those around it that feel passionate about making a difference or wanting to get entrepreneurs off the ground. ■■ To get your business off the ground or to be part of our DIY Weekender, give us a call on 020 7993 0074 or have a look online at www.hatchenterprise.org
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Fans of the Hootananny and Effra Social will have noticed some changes to the small row of shops flanking the corner of Brixton Water Lane and Tulse Hill (A204), opposite Sainsbury’s. Familiar favourites such as Khan’s, Orange Bay (reopening in October after a major refurb) and the ever reliable Baba Chemist, are being joined by some interesting newcomers. We thought we would highlight some of them on this fast developing corner at the edge of Brockwell Park …
Brixton BID is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening Brixton’s diverse business culture. We represent over 650 levy‑paying businesses in the local area and work to develop new and exciting opportunities for Brixton. Treats and Ting, Eatery and Tea Rooms (with Pop Up Corner and events space)
Brockwell Blend
This friendly and relaxed venue was born out of Brixton local Emma-Louise Stewart’s desire for wholesome home made food and her love of shabby chic décor. Her aim is to create a place for everyone to eat, work (free WiFi and workspace) – but also to chill out, meet up and be merry. There is a children’s room with toys, books and high chairs (Tea with Tots Tuesday-Thursday 12-3) and a book swap corner. Weekly events include classes in making natural body products, tea classes, children’s story time and much more. And to eat there is a wide selection of teas and homemade cakes, alongside European dishes with a Caribbean twist, vegetarian and vegan friendly dishes, £5 lunch deals, Caribbean Sunday dinners and sorbets and ice creams. All food is made from scratch and Emma-Louise also offers catering and made to order cakes. You are welcome to bring your own booze on Friday and Saturday. Treats and Ting 25 Tulse Hill, Brixton, SW2 2TH. Tel 020 3302 1050. Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12pm-9pm. Friday and Saturday 12pm-10pm. Sunday 11am-8pm www.treatsandting.com info@treatsandting.com Twitter: @treatsandting FB: treatsandting Instagram: treatsandting
This new venture into coffee is by Brixton local Gary Chan. Based at the bottom of Tulse Hill, the coffee shop specialises in providing good, honest coffee and food that’s locally sourced and lovingly served. It offers locals and passers-by a beautiful space in which to relax and enjoy some refreshment and also serves as a convenient stop off for those picking up a take away on the way to the Tube. Originating from Sydney, Australia, Gary is a self taught barista with a background in finance. He is keen to see good coffee
delivered well in the local area, and in establishing Brockwell Blend, has worked to create a place where this is possible. His plans for the shop include expanding and developing the peaceful outdoor courtyard currently on offer. He hopes to create an area in which people can enjoy great coffee in comfort all year round outdoors. Gary says “I’m passionate about coffee and have high hopes for this area, we want to be part of the regeneration here, working with local goods and people to help deliver that”.
Brockwell Blend is at 19 Tulse Hill, SW2 2TH To find out more visit www.brockwellblend.co.uk
Naughty Piglets Opposite the Hootananny on Brixton Water Lane, Naughty Piglets has already attracted ecstatic reviews from the likes of Fay Maschler. Opened in 2015 by Margaux Aubry and Joe Sharratt (former head chef at Trinity in Clapham), it has become one of Brixton’s must-try food destinations, notable as much for Joe’s flavoursome dishes as Margaux’s imaginative and carefully curated wine list. The restaurant seats 30 and features an open plan kitchen with additional dining spaces at the counter. You can see the latest menu online at naughtypiglets.co.uk/menus/ and read the Brixton Blog review at bit.ly/BB_NPs. Booking is strongly advised. Tel : 020 7274 7796. Naughty Piglets , 28 Brixton Water Lane SW2 1PE
POLLUTION WORKSHOP: CALLING ALL BID MEMBERS TUESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER Brixton Road is one of the most polluted in the capital due to the large volume of traffic travelling through the area. Twenty per cent of air quality emissions in London are from vans and trucks. Low Emission Logistics works with local businesses to help them reduce their number of deliveries in order to improve air quality, make it safer for walking and cycling and create a more pleasant environment within which to
live, work and do business.
What are the benefits for you? By attending the workshop, you will learn how to help reduce air pollution by working together to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads. Businesses that share suppliers can also benefit from having greater purchasing power and negotiate savings from suppliers.
020 3417 7373 admin@brixtonbid.co.uk
@BrixtonBID brixtonbid.co.uk
Light lunch and refreshments will be provided at the workshop but please confirm your attendance by RVSP to admin@brixtonbid.co.uk . WHEN Tuesday, 13 September 2016 from 13:00 to 14:30 WHERE Nanban 426 Coldharbour Lane, London, SW9 8LF
SEPTEMBER 2016
brixtonblog.com
OPINION 9
BRIXTON BUGLE
COMMENT Change: It’s about how you mange it Two Brixton residents, unprompted and unconnected, tell The Bugle this month that change is always happening and that it’s how you manage it that is important. Long-time resident Honey Salvadori (page 17) says it. Relative newcomer Andrew Edelston (this page) says it. Which brings us to the management of one of those examples of proposed change in Brixton that causes so many people so much anguish. A property company that owns half of Brixton wants to close Club 414 and turn it into shops and flats. It’s of no concern of theirs what happens to two owners who – if anybody has – raised the goose that is now laying golden eggs for Brixton’s night-time economy. The first time the property company applied to the council for planning permission, the decision was delegated so was not heard in public and was made just a week before new policies governing planning and the night-time economy in Lambeth came into force. A judicial review by a High Court judge found that this was wrong. The planning application is now back on Lambeth council’s planning website with not a single change – it even has the original reference number. There may be a lot of posing and feigned anger about the changes happening in Brixton, but no-one with a heart or a head can be happy about the plans for Club 414. It seems the council is not going to oppose the application. It’s a strange way to behave towards two people it gave money to in a desperate attempt to regenerate the town after the 80s riots and who have succeeded beyond all expectations. Money has no conscience and no morality, but a local authority that represents people should have. Lambeth council must think again about whether a new shop and a couple of flats are better than a shining beacon of local enterprise. Along with others, it is pouring many thousands into bids to help people start up businesses in Brixton. It will be wasted if we all see that success in such a business is no guarantee against eviction and the loss of it after more than 30 years of trading.
Passions run high over housing in Brixton
How long does it take to become a local? Andrew Edelston bought a flat in Brixton four years ago with his wife Polly and loves living in the area – but, he asks, what does he have to do to call himself a local?
I would never hit a child, but when a middle class six-year-old girl wearing wellington boots parades a “yuppies out” placard in your face, it’s hard. Having bought a flat in Brixton four years ago, I still consider myself relatively new to the area and am no doubt the focus of this little girl’s fury. Walking past boarded up delis and fish shops I feel guilty, stopping to read the graffiti thinking, “is this my fault? What can I do to help change this situation? Who do I know that would like a wig?” Realising that I’m not going to buy a second hand fridge, it’s clear that some of these shops aren’t for me. But they’re not for this little girl or her parents either. Many of the protesters so angered by the gentrification of the area are the very people who set it in motion – people who bought flats and houses in the area during the 90s and early noughties because it was what they could afford at the time. These are the people I bought my flat off and the ones who have most benefited from the area’s gentrification. The fact that they were stepping stones to this gentrification didn’t seem to bother them then. They now feel they’ve earned the territorial right to shut the door to anyone else who may want to benefit from the same opportunity.
They believe enough time has passed to forgive the social transgressions they purport to want rid of and claim the right to call themselves local. So when can I do the same? What does it take and how long before you can call yourself local? Before you can pour your own self-righteous scorn on the next wave of gentrifiers? As Hackney film maker Benedict Seymour described in his article “Shoreditch and the creative destruction of the inner city” which I only read for purposes of writing this, “Each wave of
I love living in Brixton and would like to, if not now, at least one day, consider myself a local. Until then I will continue to contribute to the local community and look forward to the day that I don’t feel guilty for moving here. colonisers plays out the contradictions of their particular claim to space, taking sides against the next phase of gentrification in which they nevertheless conspire”. Once you’re in, it’s only human nature to protect your interests and those of your friends and neighbours. What does jam in the throat is when you then turn around so self-righteously and say, no more! Maybe it’s a way to distance yourself from gentrification and solidify your status as a local community member. Maybe it’s a way to alleviate some of the guilt you
feel for doing exactly the same thing. I can understand that feeling. I look forward to the time I can shop in Brixton and not feel that people think I’m condescending when I genuinely would like to buy a scotch bonnet pepper. But asking oblivious children to act as sandwich boards for your own hypocrisy… I can’t see that I would ever stoop so low. I for one would never want my kid to be the standard bearer for beliefs they couldn’t possibly understand, and I certainly wouldn’t want them getting punched. Perhaps Brixton has, in fact, now hit a perfect equilibrium and any further influx of wealth will ruin the place. It’s an easy position to take when you’re the one benefiting from the presumption. But you can’t freeze a place in time when it best suits you. A certain amount of change is inevitable. It’s how you manage that change that is the issue. It’s a very complex situation that I certainly don’t fully understand, but local and national government, policy makers, seem like a better focus for energy. Telling the next generation of yuppies to piss off is, at best, misguided and when delivered by their predecessors, hypocritical in the extreme. I love living in Brixton and would like to, if not now, at least one day, consider myself a local. Until then I will continue to contribute to the local community and look forward to the day that I don’t feel guilty for moving here. What I won’t do is wheel my children out waving placards, lambasting people for doing the exact same thing I did to help me feel that quicker.
10 INCREDIBLE EDIBLE
brixtonblog.com
2016 SEPTEMBER
Brixton’s Levi Roots has fun and advice in The Myatt’s Fields Park Cook Like a Caribbean film
Food is key to building communities by Susan Sheehan When Incredible Edible Lambeth was first founded six years ago, we came up with the idea that community gardeners and food activists should network at a sub-borough level. We described this as a “village” and Lambeth as a series of inter-connected villages. Our villages don’t have physical boundaries and our knowledge of the areas we live in is limited only by ourselves – our village is the school playground, the park, the walk to the bus stop or station, our local shops or our GP surgery. For any network to be lasting it has to reflect this reality. That’s why we have been working closely with the Vassall and Coldharbour Forum. Myatts Fields Park is in the heart of Vassall ward and the food growing, cooking and eating projects that have taken place there have taught Tori Sherwin (right), one of our Incredible Edible Lambeth directors, how to develop the projects further, so that they have a meaningful impact on the local community. Local residents have set up Vassall and Coldharbour Forum to do that. There are a lot of food projects in the two wards. Myatts Fields Park has supported 20 community food growing projects in the local area over the last few years. The high level of grassroots community activity is one of the reasons that Lambeth won £36m of funding from the Big Lottery
Fund for the Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) project which aims to transform the lives of babies and children in four of the most deprived wards in Lambeth, including Vassall and Coldharbour. Tori and many of the local food activists involved in the LEAP funding application process got thinking about how they could improve their area by “greening”. They identified huge opportunity for greening on estates and public realm, not just in parks and gardens.
Food is the key. To be able to realise these opportunities the community needed to find ways to come together. “Vassall and Coldharbour Forum is using food as a way of building the community,” explains Tori. Local residents have developed a variety of related projects listed below. All of them are hugely inspiring and are now forming the basis of some big funding applications. Food Heroes – Pays a local person to lead
the preparation of a community meal, while telling stories about where the recipes have come from and any meaning they may have. Retired People’s Lunch Club – “A good opportunity to have a healthy meal and thoroughly enjoy my retirement,” says one participant in a short film that you can see here: bit.ly/MFP-RPLC. Cook Like a Caribbean – Brought together 12 people to share their stories of food from the Caribbean and beyond. Watch their film here: bit.ly/MFP-CLAC. Vassall and Coldharbour Forum has been going for nearly two years and is starting to develop more food and greening projects. Tori Sherwin says: “We are taking our time by focusing on doing it right to build and grow a solid foundation for development.” The vision goes way beyond starting more greening projects – it includes creating a local food economy, local transport infrastructure and improving the public realm. For more information about Vassall and Coldharbour Forum visit bit.ly/VasColFor. Incredible Edible Lambeth aims to share the learning from Vassall and Coldharbour across the borough. We have recently been working with a council Flagship Food project in Gipsy Hill where we have been networking community food activists. ■■ To find out more visit our website wwwincredibleediblelambeth.org
How can we harvest Brixton’s food surplus? We’ve been looking at food waste and surplus food in Brixton over the last few months and there have been some exciting developments . They include the new pay-what-you-feel cafe serving food generated from local surplus opened by the Brixton Pound on Atlantic Road and the successful crowd-funding of a community fridge, The People’s Fridge, that is due to appear soon on Pope’s Road. Brixton Pound has talked to many businesses and there is clearly a lot of surplus when it is all added up.
Gazpacho from surplus tomatoes donated by Local Greens “Brixton has an amazing food offering, but trying to be sustainable in an urban environment is difficult,” says Tom Shakhli, general manager of Brixton Pound. “We want to make food surplus more accessible through the use of a cafe.” But the ambition of Brixton Pound is already growing. Because of the conversations they have been having with food businesses, they think that a more coordinated approach is necessary. Not all food businesses are in a position to give surplus to a cafe or a fridge, for example. ■■ Brixton Pound and Incredible Edible Lambeth are hosting a conversation at the Brixton Pound Cafe at 77 Atlantic Road on 20 September, 6.30-8.30pm – all welcome! Sign up at localsurplus.eventbrite.com
UK’s first Library of Things opens in West Norwood by David Moftakar Library of Things, a social enterprise that enables people to borrow useful items cheaply, has opened its first outlet in West Norwood. Membership is free with a range of goods available for a small fee, including DIY tools, gardening equipment, camping gear and kitchenware. Donations of items have come from various sources, including B&Q, and sportswear manufacturers Patagonia and Berghaus. Since opening last month, 150 people have joined. There are plans to reach 500 members in the first year. So far the most popular
items have been carpet cleaners, tents, lawn mowers and, perhaps surprisingly, ukuleles. The project was set up in 2014 and is run by social entrepreneurs Rebecca Trevelyan, Sophie Wyatt and Emma Shaw, who plan to open five more libraries of things. Rebecca is clear on the benefits: “It enables people to save money by not needing to buy so much stuff. There are also the societal benefits of bringing people together within a local community to get to know one another.” The initiative has already provided a forum for people to share skills, with demonstrations taking place on how to use power tools and gardening advice.
Library of Things is based outside Community Shop on Vale Street in West Norwood, itself a social enterprise that aims to reduce food waste by redistributing produce approaching its expiry date. Mel and Tom Dinwiddy were among the first to sign up, borrowing a lawnmower for £1.50. “We found out about the project at the West Norwood Feast,” said Tom. “It’s a great idea and illustrates the way West Norwood is changing. We’ll certainly be using it again.” The project has been funded by almost £15,000 raised through Kickstarter and a £10,000 grant from the Royal Society of the Arts. ■■ Find out more at www.libraryofthings.co.uk.
Discover Brixton & the design trail Brixton has been a centre for creative talent since the 1800s, when the town was full of theatres, concert and music halls. Today venues such as the Academy, The Black Cultural Archives and the soon to arrive Ovalhouse Theatre, keep the cultural mix rich in one of London’s largest outlying centres. Now, paintings on shutters and hoardings reflect the thoughts of the community on everything from the current re-generation debate to our musical legends. Brixton Design Trail returns for a third year, this time as London Design Festival’s newest district for 2016. With an ambitious line-up of over 40 events including public art installations, a Youth Trail and workshops for families — discover Brixton today as a thriving cultural hub with some of the most notable street art in London.
View online for more information: brixtondesigntrail.com
Jostle through the indoor and outdoor markets, sample some of the best food in the capital and visit our landmarks new and old.
A taster of what’s going on... Animating Brixton will showcase commissions that bring life to a series of public spaces, creating new cultural landmarks for the town. Guided walks will document the area’s rich collection of new & established street art in key sites during London Design Festival Week. Public venues include The Black Cultural Archives, Brixton Village & Market Row, Pop Brixton, St Matthew’s Peace Gardens, the Brixton Windmill and Stockwell Avenue. Our Rebel Rebel theme, features in a number of installations, including a very special exhibition at Photofusion gallery, where Rockarchive present a rare collection of photographs of David Bowie that have never been exhibited in the UK before. Pattern, print and politics literally take to the streets on hoardings, road markings and the various art trails across town.
The people have spoken -
Keep your eyes peeled!
Skate your way down The Brixton Street Gallery on Stockwell Avenue to the skate park, and beyond to O Cantinho and a special exhibition from the Portuguese creative community. Fancy a spot of shopping? As well as a host of design-led shops in Brixton Village, Pop Brixton and on Coldharbour Lane, London’s favourite craft market The Crafty Fox, will present a Brixton Design Trail special two day market curated by Lesley Thomas, Brixton local and editor of The Times’ Weekend magazine. In Open Studios, we represent our diverse design community. Underneath the arches, nestling in one of Brixton’s oldest studios and down towards Stockwell, you will find international craft, performance, and designers and makers working in a number of disciplines. Check out our events and talks section for happenings throughout the week at the Chocolate Museum, Pop Brixton and Impact Hub.
Under a theme of Rebel Rebel, the Trail will pay homage to the enduring influence of one of the world’s creative icons, David Bowie, a Brixton local who redefined the boundaries of creativity & identity.
Where to eat & drink Our shortlist of food partners leads you to independent bars, restaurants and cafes all over Brixton serving food and drink from all corners of the globe. We take you to old favourites where locals hang out and share their love of food, and to some of the newest arrivals in town. Wherever you are on the trail, you won’t be far from one of our best-loved places.
Visit the food & drink section of our website for more info.
View online for more information: www.brixtondesign Brixton Design Trail Hub @ Brixton Pound Café – Visit the café for more information and Brixton Pound merchandise
Brixtopia – Friday 23 September Visit www.brixtondesigntrail.com for more informa
Brixton Design Trail Events 1. Re-imagining Urban Life – Impact Hub Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ
6. Into The Trees – Elli Popp Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ
2. in-'Habit '– Animali Domestici 1a - 1b Saltoun Road, SW2 1EN
7. Brixton Mural Walk – The London Mural Preservation Society Brixton tube station, Brixton Road, SW9 8HE
3. Crafty Fox Brixton Design Trail Special – Crafty Fox Market 389 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LQ
8. Walking Tour: Animating Brixton Brixton tube station, Brixton Road, SW9 8HE
4. Arches Brixton Creatives – Bureau of Silly Ideas and Valentia Studios Arch 18 Valentia Place, SW9 8PJ
9. Bean-To-Bar: Make & Design your Brixton Chocolate Bar – The Chocolate Museum 187 Ferndale Road, London, SW9 8BA
5. REVIVAL – Diverse 390 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LF
10. Silhouettes and Shadows – Photofusion 17A Electric Lane, SW9 8LA
11. Wood on Concrete – Skapa Woodstuffs and B Woodcraft Brixton Windmill, Blenheim Gardens, SW2 5EU
12. Imagine. Think.Make.Grow – Tinkamel Edmundsbury Community Hall, 171 Ferndale Roa 13. Brixton Mash Up – Circus Brixton with B2B 79, 5th Avenue, Brixton Village, SW9 8PS 14. Brixton Bag – Studio MelB Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ
35. 2Qubits – O Cantinho de Portugal Restaurant 137 Stockwell Road, SW9 9TN & 146-148 Stockwe
Animating Brixton
* Projects are not on the map but you will find them all arou
15. Design Unboxed – Pop Brixton Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, London, SW9 8PQ
19. Brixton Street Gallery – Squire and Partners Stockwell Avenue, SW9 9SY
24. Olivia the Ostrich – Magdalen Rubalcava Public Toilets, Pope’s Road, SW9 8PE
20. We Stand As Living Monuments – 2MZ X Black Cultural Archives 1 Windrush Square, Brixton, SW2 1EF
25. Breaking Down the Barriers – The Edible Bus St 354, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8QH
21. Blooming Brixton – Will Kerr St Matthews Church, Brixton Hill, SW2 1JF
* Lansdowne School Poster Project BYDT / Lansdowne School, around central Brixton
22. Flash Crossings – Eley Kishimoto with Dolman Bowles Junction of Coldharbour Lane/Atlantic Road, SW9 8LQ
* Rebel Corners – Ovalhouse/Zac Monro Architec Around central Brixton, SW9
23. Day of the Pinata – Casa Moria and Juan is Dead 9 Market Row, SW9 8LB
* The People's Posters – The Champion Agency Around central Brixton, SW9
26. Brixton Pound Open-Source Fashion Challenge Brixton Pound, 77 Atlantic Road SW9 8PU
29. POWER – Lambeth Council Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RW
27. Rebel Space – Resolve St Matthews Church, Brixton Hill, SW2 1JF
30. Educating Local Engineers – Southbank UTC 56 Brixton Hill, SW2 1QS
32. Experimental Typography Workshop – Dalton Maag Floor 9, Blue Star House, 234-240 Stockwell Road, SW9 9SP
28. All's Gold – Remakery 51 Lilford Road, SE5 9HY
31. Windows of Brixton – Hustlebucks Brixton Ritzy, Brixton, SW2 1JG & around Brixton
16. The Fabric of Brixton – Fourline & BRIXI Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PR 17. PAJAKI – ‘Spiders of Straw’ – BRIXI & Bobbin and Bow Unit 7 Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PR 18. Brixton Windmill – Friends of Windmill Gardens Windmill Gardens, SW2 5EU
Brixton Design Youth Trail
33. Studio Moross x Philip Normal: T-shirt Print Workshop Studio Moross, 1 Jeffreys Rd, SW4 6QU
Food & Drink 34. O Cantinho de Portugal 137 Stockwell Road, SW9 9TN
37. Three Little Birds 412 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LF
39. Parissi 76 Atlantic Road, Brixton SW9 8PX
36. Brixton Village & Market Row Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PS
38. Okan Ramen 338 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8QH
40. Courtesan 69-73 Atlantic Road, SW9 8PU
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Bring the family
Championing youth talent
For young families, Brixton Design Trail offers a variety of opportunities to get creative.
Brand new this year, Brixton will host a Youth Design Trail curated by local 16-25 year olds, tasked with giving young people the opportunity to showcase their talent in a range of creative disciplines.
Visit the Windmill for woodcraft workshops, make your own Brixton chocolate bar, create your own electronic pop up cards, or go on a Piñata treasure hunt.
Projects include partnerships with Studio Moross, typeface design studio Dalton Maag, special school Lansdowne, upcycling co-operative Remakery, Lambeth Council, youth enterprise Hustlebucks, Southbank UTC and Brixton Pound, who are hosting an open-source Brand Fashion Challenge.
For full listings please visit our website
Get involved in a brief – go to the website NOW!
View online for more information: www.brixtondesigntrail.com
“The Trail will bring vibrancy, creative energy and a host of unbelievable designs to public spaces all over Brixton. There will be something for all. Footfall will increase and local businesses will benefit as a result. I’m looking forward to a great week.” Michael Smith Director of Brixton BID
Late night party-time welcomes you to Brixtopia Join us for a very special event on the evening of Friday 23rd September in St Matthew’s Peace Garden as we launch an important social experiment. In the context of Lambeth being the UK’s most passionate Remainers, we directly
challenge the debate around the international flow of money and people, in creating an Independent Nation State-ofMind. This welcomes all comers to a glorious new era of selfidentification to be celebrated and cherished in a uniquely Brixton style.
We launch with an 18 point manifesto and the official unveiling of the flag, in a rabble rousing celebration of song, dance, debate and performance from some very special guests.
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Come join the party – Expect the unexpected! The team who made this happen “What an accolade for Brixton to be officially recognised as a design district this year! This gives us a real chance to celebrate, honour and showcase all the creativity, making and doing that goes on unnoticed and unacknowledged in Brixton’s back alleys, archways and squirreled away studios - bringing it to the streets for everyone to enjoy. We feel incredibly privileged to have been on this year’s committee and to have been involved in putting together an incredible programme. This is just the start for Brixton’s recognition as a design destination!” 1. Binki Taylor Co-producer of BDT / Coach & creative consultant 2. Julia Nicholls Co-producer of BDT / Head of Public Relations at Squire & Partners 3. Oscar William Opoku-Banful Taylor Brixton Youth Design Trail Co-ordinator / Gardener 4. Phil Dolman Creative interior & spatial design consultant
5. Leila Touwen 2MZ Director
10. Margherita Poggiali Experience designer
6. Jon Daniel Independent Creative Director, designer & artist
11. Charlie Waterhouse This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll - Graphic designer
7. Emy Gray Brixi founder & creative stylist
12. Florence Fair-weather Brixton Youth Design Trail Co-ordinator / Graphic designer
8. Mark Eley Eley Kishimoto - Designer 9. Sarah Henderson Rocketship Digital Creative Director
13. Scott Leonard Champion Agency Creative Director
We would like to say a big thank you to all the businesses that have offered to sponsor or host exhibitions and events. Special thanks to the Ritzy, Bugle and Brixton Pound for their fantastic support. Designed by Rocketship Digital and Carolyne Hill
SEPTEMBER 2016
brixtonblog.com
PEOPLE 15
MP Helen Hayes, centre, with Academy members
A voice on the big issues Meet the Advocacy Adademy – young people on a mission to tackle some big problems. Founder Amelia Viney invited Brixton Bugle’s Linda Quinn to Parliament to hear their campaign pitches to local MP Helen Hayes Amelia Viney, founder and director of the Advocacy Academy, wants to empower young people to make a difference in the world. The Academy aims to give students the tools, skills and confidence to tackle thorny subjects. The issues they chose to tackle are big ones – domestic violence, sexual harassment, racism, body image, bullying, homelessness and mental illness. Although the topics are diverse, the common threads running through the speeches are confidence, passion and eloquence. The students are year 12 school pupils from Lambeth and Southwark. They worked with mentors at evening sessions and at three residential retreats while preparing their campaigns. Viney says: “There is nothing inevitable about inequality and injustice. Young people can make the best advocates because they take the problems of the world seriously and want to do something about them.” Below are extracts from four Brixton students’ parliamentary debut speeches. MPs had better watch their seats.
Erica Da Silva
Erica moved to Brixton from Madeira when she was three: “My first memory of London is shopping at Brixton market. I remember going with my mum to buy groceries, but because none of us could speak English, my mum had to
point at things to ask for them. It would have been easy for the people on the market stalls to charge us too much, but they were fair and respectful. “Seeing my mum being treated so well set the tone for what I hoped to expect as an immigrant child, but once I went into education – and specifically secondary school – I experienced the total opposite. “It started in year nine when the school secured a handful of work experience placements. However, very few – if any – immigrant children got selected. Negative feelings toward immigrant students continued throughout my time at school and even when I was picking AS Levels one teacher told me to ‘be realistic’, and disregarded my desire to go to a top university. He dismissed my ambition. I felt completed condescended.” Erica is campaigning to educate teachers and intends to write to Lambeth School’s Forum and Teach First about how to teach migrant children.
“I think that speaking to these two groups of educators could have a fundamental impact on how welcome migrant children feel in our education system. I will do my best to ensure that those younger than me have a better experience than I did. I would really appreciate your support.”
diverse workforce.” Darren’s campaign aims to identify five large companies in Lambeth and persuade them to create new paid internships which are targeted at local people.” He asked Helen Hayes to secure a debate in Parliament to stop unpaid internships.
Darren Keenan
Sarah Adesikun and Ariana da Silva
Darren, who lives in Brixton is campaigning against unpaid internships: “When I started looking for jobs I found out about unpaid internships and I thought, ‘how can I do this and afford to live at the same time?’ “This made me realise – you can have the same qualifications as someone else, but who your parents are determines the opportunities you get. Internships are a perfect example of opportunities open to people from wealthy backgrounds and not to others. Top companies and top jobs are only open to people who can afford it. “This means areas like law, politics and media, especially in London and in Lambeth, are very difficult to get into, which means many people are locked out of those areas and no longer have aspirations for the best jobs. “I want to see an end to unpaid internships across the UK, so we can have a more
Bookmongers’ dogs are back on Coldharbour Lane By David Child The mural Dogs Of Bookmongers, commissioned by Patrick Kelly, the founder of Brixton’s favourite bookshop almost 25 years ago, has finally emerged, having been hidden behind scaffolding for much of the past year. The piece – a trompe l’oeil window into the bookshop – was painstakingly painted by Wendy Coyne in honour of Leo, Patrick’s beloved dog who has since passed away, and also of Rosa, his current companion and best friend to all Bookmongers’ customers. The building works either side of the bookshop are part of the wider redevelopments which have been rapidly changing the face of Brixton, though the essential character of Bookmongers has remained undiminished. Rob, Wendy’s husband, who has worked alongside Patrick for 15 years said: “The shop is very well loved by
our old customers and we are seeing an increasing number of new regulars.” With books on every subject, the shop caters to all tastes and provides a quiet haven for all booklovers – a respite from the local hustle and bustle. The painting’s reappearance on Coldharbour Lane is a welcome one, adding vibrancy to one of Brixton’s central arteries. Wendy’s work also features in the shop, and she continues to draw inspiration from places and people in Brixton. For those familiar with the presence of Rosa, the ever-watchful dog in the window of the store, her next project is a lifesize canine sculpture designed to stand guard when Rosa’s off greeting customers. Reflecting on the painting and on Brixton life in general, Patrick said: “So heart-warming to see Bookmongers’ and Brixton’s longtime canine companions portrayed in such a loving, thoughtful manner. I would like to say ‘for
posterity’. But if living in Brixton during the last few years has taught me anything it’s that nothing lasts forever. “A wise friend once said to me ‘you can find a silver lining in anything if you look hard enough’. Me being a cynical bugger dismissed my friend without serious contemplation. But maybe I was wrong. If there is a so-called silver lining here perhaps it’s just a simple thing called appreciation.” The next time you wander through Brixton take a closer look, a longer look and marvel at the subtle beauty of this unique place because – like Wendy’s painting – these precious things may not last forever. With the onwards march of change, it feels all the more important that we treasure local institutions such as Bookmongers and the vital space they occupy in the neighbourhood. Why not pop in to browse the shelves for reading material this summer, and say hello to Rosa while you’re at it.
Sarah and Ariana (left) are from Streatham and Brixton and they are campaigning against sexual harassment: “‘Catcalling’ now seems so normal on the streets around where we live. Just to give some context, there is general acceptance that if I were to walk down Electric Avenue in Brixton, I am entering a zone where I am exposed to derogatory and sexual comments from men. It is expected and it is accepted. “It is this general acceptance that is one of the things that worries me. I feel girls and women are becoming immune to comments. It so sad that the way we dress or act is seen as likely to impact the potential for rape, and the potential for victim blaming. “All rape and sexual assaults are wrong and should not be an issue that we, as young people have to live in fear of. ‘Catcalling culture’ is part of a bigger culture that makes women and girls feel unsafe on the streets. This is not acceptable. Women and girls have as much entitlement to walk on these streets as anyone else.” Sarah and Ariana want to convince head teachers in three schools to allocate a full assembly each year to charities that deal with these issues. They also want to make teaching consent in the school curriculum clearer and mandatory
16 ARTS & CULTURE
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Brixton start-up band wins video contest Brixton band Zennor Keys is the winner of Remember the Projector’s competition to win a free music video shoot. Chris Acton from the production company said: “We’re really happy that Zennor Keys
won. We’re big fans of their dirty blues style. Their winning track, Sun Goes Up reminded us a little of Queens of the Stone Age. “They’re a relatively new band, but very dedicated, they recorded Sun Goes Up specially for the competition and It’s great to see their hard work rewarded. “It’s all still very fresh for Zennor Keys. They’ve only been together since 16 March and only just found a name. The three-piece band rehearses every week in Balham and pulled off their first gig in France with excellent reviews. “James is the lead guitarist and also plays bass on his guitar, influenced by Interpol, he likes to work with different guitar sounds which gives the main colour and feel to Zennor Keys tracks. Ashley is on drums and creates beats that complement James’ guitar sound. Clelia is the singer/frontwoman of the band and focuses on melodies and lyrics. “The band was created when Clelia messaged James and Ashley on a music website, suggesting they should meet up for a jam. Instead, they went for a pint.” Acton adds: “At the moment we’re in the brainstorming stage of the production, we’re collaborating with the band to pin down an idea that we really suits the song. Once that’s done, it will be full steam ahead; we’ll be hoping to shoot in a couple of months’ time.” ■■ Check out Remember the Projector at facebook.com/remembertheprojector
2016 SEPTEMBER
Artists from around the world in Brixton
A gift for Angell Town Angell Town’s Newbury House was transformed into a high-end gallery, when urban-pop artist Lhouette visited Brixton to unveil the bespoke piece of art he had created for the area. Lhouette, real name Ciaran Robinson, first visited Angell Town in April and decided to create a piece of art to brighten up the estate for the residents. In August, he ran a free workshop where 60 residents created their own art and brainstormed ideas with Lhouette for the Angell Town artwork. Lhouette returned to Angell Town to present residents with his artwork. Although not officially confirmed yet, it is hoped the
artwork will go on display in the new Angell Town School, due to open on 17 September this year. Helping children from estates is something Lhoeutte is keen to do. Although a successful artist, his life has not always been easy. As a youngster, Lhouette was raised on estates around Luton, becoming involved in graffiti and petty crime, and so he recognises the struggles that children can face. When he first started out, he used borrowed car aerosols from mechanic friends and discarded forklift pallets and sheets of plywood that he found on the street. These days, his art is more lavish, using carpentered wood, resin panels and silk screens to create his designs.
Cape Town artist helps to mark end of Thrayle House Street artist Falko Starr from Cape Town, South Africa, was recently in Brixton to display his unique art at various locations with the Watch This Space project. He created some of his signature elephant images on the side of Thrayle House in Stockwell, former home of Brixton Cycles which is soon to be demolished. Project artists Lovepusher and Solo used more than 20 litres of paint and 100 tins of spraypaint to decorate the old community trust offices in the building over 12 hours. Watch them at youtu.be/UpmphqMtWoE. Falko also took time out to paint a mural at Tia Ana’s Nursery in Stockwell. His work can be seen on Instagram @falko1graffiti. His recent work in Brixton is at www.claptwn.blogspot.co.uk.
Jeanette Gunnarsson of the artist collaborative Armstrong & Gunnarsson who briefly showed works by Israeli artist Shai Yehezkelli at Salon in Market Row. The show coincided with the restaurant’s new casual dining /street food project called Shalom – inspired by the lively restaurant scene of Tel Aviv.
SEPTEMBER 2016
ARTS & CULTURE 17
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You can’t change change. But it must be managed. Photographer Honey Salvadori, a long-time local resident talks to Anna McKie about her new book, coming home and what Brixton was really like 30 years ago Honey Salvadori has seen a lot of changes in Brixton: she has been living here, with the Brixton Housing Co-op, since 1982. A photographer and journalist who has documented the area throughout her career, she decided the time was right to create Pull it: Pull it, stories from the archive of Honey Salvadori. There are two reasons why Salvadori decided to create it now, she tells me. “One: I thought there would be some interest in it because of what’s currently happening in Brixton,” she says. “I thought there’s an awful lot of people lamenting the past in Brixton but an awful lot of people who also don’t know what the past was like. So I thought I’d create something to actually show what it was like.” The other reason is partly personal, she says. “I spent the last few years working outside London, and I got very fed up of not being at home, so it is my way of saying ‘I’m home again now’, I’m not going to commute up and down the country any more!” she laughs. In her introduction, Salvadori is very clear: this is not a book about riots. “This book will not be documenting the damage caused on the mythic weekend of April 10th to 12th 1981,” she writes. “There will not be pictures of the debris from the 28 buildings that were damaged or destroyed by fire. “This book is about Brixton and the people who live here. It is about what happened next and how Brixton evolved,” Salvadori explains. To create the book, Salvadori pored over her personal archive of pictures and interviews. “The pictures come from a few things I did,” she says. “Firstly in 1983 when I was really a beginner, and my interviews with Greta Brooks, from the police consultancy group, and the commander of the police at the time – those are from that year.” In 1986 a youth magazine asked Salvadori to do a project on drug addiction which, she says, was a breakthrough for her career. “But it always got used as kind of gruesome pictures of people doing drugs, and I always thought the pictures were also about character and humour and that king of thing. So it’s nice to use it in a way that I like.” The final picture is from 1991 when she was photographing the poll tax events for the
Telegraph. So in a way it follows her career too, she says. The book mingles Brixton’s changes and history with her personal experience. There are a few more recent pictures, such as a shot from last year’s Reclaim Brixton march. “The sign says ‘Brixton is my home’ and that’s how I feel,” she says. She also did a few interviews more recently too; speaking to Andreas Demetriou and Henry Pim about the legacy of the South London Gay Community Centre and Julie Connolly, who squatted in Brixton in the mid-1980s, as she worked on the book. Salvadori says the hunt through her archives and subsequent research for the book not only reminded her of what happened before, but also allowed her to learn more about Brixton’s history. “I vaguely knew the origins about the Barrier Block and the motorway that never happened, but I didn’t know that it was a London-wide thing, it seems completely mad now! I see why they never did it. But I also see now why it was so derelict around here, because it had this planning blight hanging over it.” What’s happening in Brixton is emblematic of the gentrification that’s been occurring across London, Salvadori says. “You can’t change, change,” she explains. “But change needs to be managed and with sensitivity,” she goes on. There are some good aspects as it appears to be generating more prosperity for people here but there’s too much imposing things from outside, Salvadori says: “What’s happening under the arches is shocking!” In the 80s Brixton did seem on the edge of gentrification, she says. “In the conclusion of the book I say that in the 80s change was more pragmatic and inclusive, it considered the people here.” “I hope this book speaks for itself,” Salvadori says. “It’s nostalgia for people who were there then and interest for people who only arrived here recently so they can find out what we’re all feeling so nostalgic about.” ■■ Pull it: Pull it, stories from the archive of Honey Salvadori is available from September 8, £9.95, at www.honeysalvadori.com/ pull-it.html.
RAILTON ROAD: Anarchist squat
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RAILTON ROAD: All quiet on the frontline
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18 FOOD & DRINK
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2016 SEPTEMBER
FOOD NEWS Animals are not the only food There’s been a lot of change in Brixton’s food scene while we were on holiday recently so let’s catch up
NNThe gentrification of North Brixton continues apace. Local sticky floored Chinese takeaway Hot Wok has been replaced by the bleached wood floored BOOMA which promises craft beer and Indian food. A sit down restaurant rather than a takeaway, the food might be interesting but as it’s next door to both the CROWN AND ANCHOR and BXT FRAT HOUSE, I think we have peak craft beer at that end of town.
NNSpeaking of peaking, you didn’t think there would be
no burger news this month did you? Admittedly it’s in the shape of a chicken burger this time as FANCY FUNKIN CHICKEN is set to open at 441 Coldharbour Lane in September. Promising memorable fried chicken, cocktails and more burgers, it will have be impressive to stand out in the area.
THREE LITTLE JARS: All you need to preserve summer
NNThere’s a new joint in town at Pop Brixton too with
LATE SUMMER RELISH
the arrival of BELL AND BRISKET selling salt beef. Specialising in bagels, they’ll also be doing all-day brunches. Probably still not one for the vegetarians in town at least it makes a change from burgers.
Store some sunshine LATE SUMMER RELISH (Makes 6 x 200ml jars so simply halve all amounts if needs be) ¡¡ 1 medium red onion, finely diced ¡¡ 1 x 300g tin tomatillos or same weight of tomatoes ¡¡ 3 medium peaches or nectarines ¡¡ 2 ears fresh corn ¡¡ 2 teaspoons mustard powder or grain mustard ¡¡ 75ml cider or white wine vinegar ¡¡ juice of 2 lemons ¡¡ 100g brown sugar (not honey or any sugar substitute) ¡¡ generous pinch salt ¡¡ 2 chopped red chillies ¡¡ 1 whole Scotch Bonnet chilli ¡¡ juice of 2 limes
It’s not only the perfect relish, it will help you through the winter, says Miss South
As I write this it stills feels like summer will never end. Brixton is baking hot and absolutely groaning with beautiful fruit and veg in the market and people’s allotments and gardens. But by the time the Bugle is published, summer might feel like a distant memory – so this relish will help prolong the flavours at least. I used a tin of tomatillos I got recently in Brixton Foods (Casa Morita also stock them) but you could use those end of vine green tomatoes you grew or simply substitute ripe cherry tomatoes. In went some over ripe and bruised peaches for sweetness and some fresh corn for crunch and in 25 minutes I had the perfect relish for hot dogs, grilled meats, sandwiches or roasted veg. It should give you the feeling you’re eating your packed lunch in the sun in Brockwell Park and not at work. Start by preparing your jars. Any glass jam jars will do, although I ordered matching ones online. Wash them well and put in the oven at 160C for 25 minutes to sterilise them. This means your relish will last unopened for six months. Prep your ingredients by dicing the onion and stripping the corn off the kernels with a sharp knife straight
down the side of each ear. Peel the peaches by scoring the tops and bottoms and pouring boiling water over them. Cool slightly and use the back of a knife to peel the skin away. Chop them into a rough dice and add to a large pan along with the corn and onions. If you are using tinned tomatillos, drain well and add them to the pan squashing the fruit slightly with your hands. Neither they nor small green tomatoes or cherry toms need to be peeled here, but if you have larger tomatoes, follow the instructions for the peaches and chop them roughly. Add the mustard, sugar, salt, vinegar, lemon juice and chopped red chillies to the pan. Prick the whole Scotch Bonnet once or twice and add to the pan to infuse its lovely fruity flavour to the whole thing. Don’t add any extra liquid even if it looks dry at this stage and bring the whole pan to the boil, stirring occasionally. The fruit will release its juices and the sugar will melt creating enough liquid to cook everything. Once it comes to the boil, reduce the heat to a rolling simmer for 25 minutes until the peaches and tomatillos have collapsed into a thick pulp and the onion and corn are tender. Simply spoon the relish into the straight from the oven sterilised jars and place the lids over them straight away. Allow to cool enough to be able to screw the lids on tightly and then store in a cupboard until needed. Eat within seven days of opening and store in the fridge until you’ve used the jar up.
NNOffering a much wider variety on Acre Lane is
new cafe bar bistro BAR 160. In an area that needs a neighbourhood based place to get a drink and a bite to eat, they will be serving modern cuisine, classic cocktails and light brunches. Look out for a review from us soon.
NNNANBAN chef Tim Anderson continues to garner
fame and appreciation, having recently been named as one of the “12 most exciting chefs in London” by Time Out. Curried goat ramen sounds bonkers … but it has its fans.
NNAnd last but not least, some meat-free news for the area. CAFE VAN GOGH on Brixton Road is now open on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6-10.30pm with a completely vegan menu. Currently BYOB, they are proving that a lack of animal-based ingredients doesn’t mean a lack of fun.
SEPTEMBER 2016
FOOD & DRINK 19
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ETTA’S SEAFOOD KITCHEN
Long live Etta’s – ceviche and all Some Brixton change can be for the better says Nikki Griffiths after trying a made-over Etta’s
Everything’s changing. I realise, having only made the move from Bradford to Brixton four years ago, that I don’t have full rights to comment on the long-term evolution those born here are seeing and that’s certainly not my intention. But even in the short space of time I’ve lived here, the amount of new is staggering and I struggle to keep up. I loved Brixton circa 2012 and, with all that’s going on around, have found myself trying to relive it of late. So I spent Friday night at Etta’s Seafood Kitchen in the heart of Brixton Village. Etta’s has recently undergone a bit of a make-over which has really brightened the place up. The investment has made it much more inviting and there are noticeably more butts on seats. We chose to sit on one of the tables “outside” which double capacity to around 30, at a guess. The vibe was great and only enhanced by the DJ next door at The Joint and the booming welcome from Etta herself. Her smile is catching. The menu too has undergone a facelift since the last time I checked in. One thing Etta really nails is the pricing
with most of the mains, bar the specials, coming in under a tenner. As the name would suggest, it’s pretty much solely seafood. Etta’s is no longer bring your own booze and we decided it would be rude not to try the rum punch that was on offer. In fact, it was a bit sweet for me and so I reverted back to the decent sauvignon blanc from their wine list. If you are a beer drinker, you’re looking at a can of Red Stripe. The kitchen is at the back of the unit and whilst I think it’s bigger than it used to be, it’s still pretty compact. Amazingly, though, the starters turned up quickly. A purist plate of golden calamari is a great sight to behold and happily, Etta’s had been perfectly cooked and left well alone. Crispy, crumbly and seasoned, with a seriously-chilli mayo on the side for dunking left a smile on my face. Salmon ceviche was a surprise menu listing that inches away from the mainlyCaribbean take on seafood. Chunks of soft and citrus salmon, mixed with onions and peppers and seasoned with a soy dressing are accompanied by avocado and coriander to produce the perfect, light starter. The main menu is a line up of huge catches of seafood cooked in different ways. You can also order a whole sea
bass or lobster, and there’s a scallop salad if you’re on a diet. The spaghetti frutti di mare arrived tumbling with a generous helping of mussels, prawns and squid which made up for the slight lack of seasoning in the tomato sauce. Thankfully, salt was on hand. There was one dish I’d been really looking forward to having heard and read so much about it. The Caribbeaninspired fish soup is, I’m sure, one of the reasons Etta’s has stood the test of time. The delicate broth is infused with herbs and spices with a hot pepper kick. It’s not one of those hearty, smokey soups. It’s more nourishing than that – think bone broth or a really good minestrone, but more exotic. And it’s got a serious amount of soft, flaky chunks of white fish, mussels and prawns to boot. My only disappointment was that my bowl didn’t have any of the advertised cockles swimming around in it. Maybe next time. Our total bill came to just over £40 without service charge automatically added which, by the by, I would have happily paid for such friendly and warm smiles. Long live Etta’s! ■■ Let me know what your favourite Brixton stalwart is on Twitter or Instagram @feedingnikki and I’ll try to head there for next month’s review.
SEAFOOD SOUP: Exotic
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20 COLUMNS
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GEMMA SINCLAIR
FRANKIE HOLAH
Effort now means more to enjoy
Reclaim your body
With the kids on their way back to school, it is now time to take stock of all the things that have been left unattended during the lovely long break. The first thing to get put to the bottom of the “To Do” list is the garden … and this is for many reasons. But now you have reclaimed your house, it’s the perfect time to take stock of the garden and make the most of it for the rest of the summer/autumn. We’ve had some strange weather this summer with intermittent rain and warm weather and then a heatwave over the past couple of weeks and it has played havoc with our gardens! So, here are some handy tips to get you started … No doubt there is some weeding that needs to be done. This won’t be as easy as normal as the ground is like concrete after being cooked by the sun in recent days. Try to dig out as much as possible (including the root), it might be more productive doing this after giving it a good water. Have a go at dead-heading all your plants, flowers and shrubs. Personally, I find this is an excellent way of giving the garden a quick burst of life. Not only will you get rid of the unsightly dead heads, but it will breathe extra life into the plants for the remainder of the season. Have a good, and relatively substantial, cut
Ladies. It’s time to take our power back and reclaim our bodies. A new season is around the corner … let’s make it the season of the Warrior Woman! For too long we’ve been sold the wrong message about what female fitness is. The simple truth is that it’s about health, strength and dedication. Happiness, confidence and the body you deserve are just the great by products. When it comes to fitness, there’s an athlete in all of us and it’s definitely time for her to shine. We need to train her well, feed her well and treat her well – the rest and recovery matters as much as the sweat and reps. It is so easy to be hyper critical of bodies with so many Photoshopped and filtered images flying around, which makes it even more important to remember that we’re all unique in shape and size. Not only should we celebrate this, but our baseline objective should be to live healthfully and not for the next fitness fad or trend. Throughout my training journey, experience has shown me that I am happiest and healthiest both in mind and body, when my goal is not based on achieving a look, but running a faster time than last week or adding one more pull up than I
Quick Crossword
back. Make sure plants haven’t compromised each other by growing into one another – be especially aware of climbers getting tangled up together. Don’t leave apples and fruit dropped from trees on the ground, especially lawns, they will rot and kill the ground underneath. They also attract lots of insects and can become quite smelly if you don’t keep on top of this. And finally, give the whole garden a good old rake over and sweep. Get up the dead leaves and debris and if possible turn the soil over to aerate it and help the plants along. There’s a good few weeks of nice weather and light evenings left, so it’s worth putting in some extra effort now so you and your family can enjoy the garden for as long as possible. If this all sounds a little bit daunting then feel free to call Gemma, The Gardening Girl on 07826 551 353 for some professional and affordable help. ■■ thegardeninggirlat82@gmail.com
ACROSS 1. Worktop; token (7) 8. Country music festival (7) 9. Place to put a butt (7) 10. Cavalry solider (7) 11. Body without head or limbs (5) 13. Instant (9)
2016 SEPTEMBER
thought possible. Nothing beats that feeling of achievement and when you are making progress and enjoying what you do, the rest just follows … So, whatever your fitness level and whatever your shape, train to suit what YOU want to achieve, with YOUR health and happiness at the heart and in a way that YOU enjoy. Train and eat well, not because you hate your body but because you LOVE your body! Channel that inner Warrior Woman! Coming up in September – A bootcamp for the new mums out there….for more information follow @frankieholah or register your interest via email – frankie@ frankieholah.com ■■ For more information and personal training enquiries you can get in touch on frankie@frankieholah.com – let’s build that all year round body!
Book that could open a door 15. Method for fading jeans (9) 18. Go in (5) 21. Not one or the other (7) 22. Radioactive element (7) 23. Coincide in time (7) 24. The crime of betraying one’s country (7)
DOWN 1. Skilfully make by hand (5) 2. Groomsman (5) 3. Looser thistle (anag); mottled pattern (13) 4. Beat (6) 5. Unacceptable (6,3,4) 6. Fairground game (6)
7. False (6) 12. Leave out (4) 14. Kind (4) 15. Older (6) 16. The boy who wanted more (6) 17. Sudden (6) 19. Rugby scores (5) 20. Ancient togawearer (5)
“Books in Nicks” is the brainchild of Special Constable Steve Whitmore (above, left), who has worked closely with the charity Give A Book to offer detainees in all 43 Metropolitan Police custody suites the opportunity to choose from more than 30 titles, which they can then take away with them free of charge. The project was piloted in south London. Inside every book readers find a leaflet advertising free education courses and advice on how to register for them. SC Whitmore said: “The aim of this scheme is to provide easy-to-read books that are familiar, tangible and can be kept. “It also provides a possible alternative pathway for young detainees by flagging up free educational opportunities.” Earlier this year, Steve arrested an 18-year-old man for assault and possession of
drugs. Knowing he was going to be in custody, the young man asked if he could borrow a book. “The range and type of books available didn’t appeal to him, so I offered him my own book, Catcher in the Rye, and told him to keep it. “The look on his face was amazing, his attitude and hostility towards me completely changed and it created common ground for us to talk about. He said he’d never been given a book before to own, and that really moved me.” Victoria Gray, trustee of the Give A Book charity – which also provides books to schools and prisons – said: “We just thought it was a brilliant idea and right up our street. I truly believe that reading can open a door and help turn people’s lives around.”
Go all out for people affected by cancer and take on Macmillan Cancer Support’s very own sponsored swim
Brockwell Lido, London 08-09 October 2016 Distance: 1.5k (under 18’s only), 2k and 5k Registration fee: £25 (Under 18’s £17.50)
‘The support from everyone around is amazing and you feel absolutely no pressure. There’s every swimmer you can think of in there!’ Sam Brett – London 2015
Enter as an individual or as part of a relay team. We will be with you every stroke of the way and you will be helping us to ensure no one faces cancer alone. For more information and to sign up visit macmillan.org.uk/alloutswimbrockwell email swimming@macmillan.org.uk call 020 7840 4937
Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604) Photos copyright of and used by permission from A Z Kadir (Instagram: @azedkae)
1246255 AOS Brixton Bugle 320 x 259.indd 1
10/08/2016 17:26
22 WHAT’S ON
FR1 2 @ DOGSTAR
Regular Friday night Magicrobot is on again. 10pm to 4am. £5. Try free entry guestlist on website.
SAT 3 @ SIMULACRA STUDIOS
Simulacra are putting on an exhibition: Saturday’s Kids is a visual history book tracking and defining UK SUBCULTURES by minimalist illustrator Marcus Reed. To celebrate the launch of the book, Simulacra are showcasing Reed’s work with a free exhibition from 3pm until 7pm, followed by a DJ line up featuring NYC legend Victor Simonelli.
SAT 3 @ BRIXTON COMMUNITY BASE
Outlandish Arts is working on the development of a play called Motherlode by deaf playwright Sofya Gollan. It is a collaboration with UK deaf actors. Public reading at 11am. See www.facebook.com/ OutlandishArts.
SUN 4 @PAPA’S PARK
The community garden on Pulross road is running free sessions to looking at how to increase beneficial wildlife in the garden. The first is on Sunday from 1 to 3pm. Watch out for long-term changes to the garden like a pond and a mini-orchard.
SUN 4 @ HOOTANANNY
Sambroso Sambroso presents a daytime event featuring all things CUBAN with DJs, traditional Cuban food and dance Rumba dance class with Homero Gonzales. Free. From 2pm.
SUN 4 @ RITZY
Learn Balboa SWING-DANCE, the most elegant of swing dances, Upstairs at the Ritzy with host Eleanor at Pink Swing: Gender-neutral Swing Class. Pink Swing is an inclusive safe space for people of any gender or sexuality to dance. £8. Class: 2pm – 3pm, Social dance 3pm – 5pm.
MON 5 @ POP BRIXTON
Everybody’s doing it – and now kids can get in on the Yoga act with Daddy, Mummy & Me toddler yoga from 11:00 - 11:45am. Suitable for parents/guardians and children. Free.
TUES 6 @ POP BRIXTON
Pop Ritzy Local Shorts hosts an evening to showcase filmmaking talent south side of the river with a mix of genre shorts (both fiction and documentary) plus “friendly mingling and thought provoking entertainment”. A chance for local producers, directors, writers or actors to meet emerging filmmaking talent. To get involved or submit your film, email: popritzylocal@picturehouses.co.uk. £6. Doors 6.45pm, films from 7pm.
WED 7 @ ACADEMY
The Libertines and Rat Boy play to raise funds for anti-racist campaign Hope Not Hate. Part of Unity Rocks, an organisation of musicians, artists and writers founded by Gary Powell of the Libertines, hoping to unify the United Kingdom through music. The show is planned to be the first of many such events. £35 – all proceeds to Hope Not Hate. Doors 7pm.
THURS 8 @ RITZY
Feature film One More Time With Feeling will screen in cinemas for one night only, launching the new NICK CAVE and the Bad Seeds album Skeleton Tree. The first opportunity the public will have to hear any of the songs from it, will be
brixtonblog.com
2016 SEPTEMBER
to watch the feature film, directed by Andrew Dominik. £17.50. 9pm. Also at Clapham Picturehouse.
THURS 8 @ TURPENTINE
Want to get into drawing, but find life drawing and naked people a bit too daunting? Or want to learn something new as you relax with friends over a drink? Then join Turpentine’s alternative drawing class: Drink and Draw. For anyone of any ability. BYOB. £15. 7.30pm to 8pm.
FRI 9 @ PLATFORM SPACE
Join Clarkshaws microbrewery for a three-day weekend to celebrate their third birthday. Clarkshaws and The Platform Cider Bar are teaming up to offer a weekend of quality CRAFT BEER AND CIDER at the Platform Space, Brixton. You can try out the brewery’s full range including the new Steam Beer and an exclusive Birthday Pale Ale. Also available will be a wide selection of real cider from small manufacturers across the country. Free. Times: 17.00-23.00 Friday, 12.00-23.00 Saturday, 12.00-22.00 Sunday.
FRI 9 @ HOOTANANNY
Hoot Comedy presents Pete Firman: “The new poster-boy for British COMEDY magic” according to The Telegraph. 8.45pm to 10pm. Also, from 9pm Movimientos are back with another spectacular night filled with rhythms to keep you DANCING all night long. Free before 10pm.
SAT 10 @ JAMM
Eight hours of multiple genres from big names in the scene for an end of summer blow out across Brixton Jamm’s terrace and club with old skool boombox, carnival décor and a terrace bbq. With Deadboy, Marcus Nasty, Madam X and more. 2pm to 10pm. £8.
SUN 11 @ CHOCOLATE MUSEUM
To celebrate Roald Dahl’s birthday the Chocolate Museum is hosting a drop-in kids CHOCOLATE bar making workshop inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. £4 per person. 12pm to 5pm.
SUN 11 @ JAMM
Billy Daniel Bunter & Uncle Dugs bring their unique atmosphere to Brixton Jamm’s newly refurbished space for the first time. The parties have been dedicated to their love for OLD SKOOL & JUNGLE music, and this time will be no different. Expect an outdoor barbecue too. £10. 2pm to 10pm.
MON 12 @ IMPACT HUB
Open Project Night at Impact Hub is about remaking the local economy. Transition Town Brixton will relaunch its REconomy and Enterprise group that invented the Brixton Pound back in 2009. If you are interested in having a more interconnected, cooperative, gamechanging LOCAL ECONOMY then come along and get stuck in. Free. 6.30pm to 9.30pm Impact Hub Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, back of PopBrixton. Bring some food to share.
TUES 13 @ DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY
The Dulwich Picture Gallery’s contextual lecture series Taking Liberties will be happening on Tuesday mornings. From Magna Carta to mass-surveillance, the new contextual lectures series is a wide-ranging examination of rights, freedoms and CIVIL LIBERTIES. This Tuesday it’s The Magna Carta and Parliament from Baron Butler of Brockwell. £12 or £10 Friends. 10.30am
SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE: Bridget Jones’s Baby
RITZY ROUNDUP
As September descends upon us like those holiday relatives you were never prepared for, there is at least time to prep for award season. Soon the weather will cool down and seeking out a cinema will not feel like a betrayal of the precious sun here in London. Nicola Jones previews brings what’s worth watching at the Ritzy this month.
LEARNING AND WOOING IN LA
Starting things off is the much talked about new Woody Allen penned and directed film Café Society (from 2 Sept). The film stars Jesse Eisenberg as an aspiring Hollywood type in the Golden Era of movies. Guided (thankfully only from behind the scenes) by the divisive Allen, he attempts to woo the likes of Kristen Stewart and learn the LA ropes. Eisenberg’s own play The Spoils that he wrote and performed in has just closed at Trafalgar Studios.
ROBIN HOOD GOES WEST
Next up is Hell Or High Water (from 9 Sept) the Western set film starring Ben Foster, Chris Pine, and
Jeff Bridges. Foster and Pine play brothers who pull a Robin Hood scheme and steal from banks in order to save their dying farm. Getting rave reviews and spawning comments on Pine’s handlebar moustache, the film is a nice alternative to the action films of this summer.
TWO FATHERS, V BAD, BRIDGET
Rounding out the month is the long awaited third film in the single life saga of London’s own Bridget Jones. In the new Bridget Jones’s Baby (from 16 Sept) Renée Zellweger returns to the big screen. Bridget now finds herself caught between two potential fathers for her baby. Even if you are not a fan surely it is worth seeing for the pro that is
Emma Thompson who will surely steal a few scenes as Bridget’s gynecologist.
INSIDE THE RIOT PANEL Q&A
Other options this month include a screening of Inside The Riot (from 17 Sept) that will feature a panel and Q&A. Also a screening of Akira (from 21 Sept) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Manga Entertainment.
POP BACKS LOCAL FILMMAKERS
POP Ritzy will screen shorts across genres on 6 Sept to support local filmmaking. The pop-up space will also conclude its season on 15 Sept at 6:30pm with a screening of 500 Days Of Summer followed by a Karaoke after-party.
■■ Nicola Jones is a freelance writer whose website asophisticatednoise.com covers film reviews, trailers, and industry news. She can be found tweeting @MzJones.
– 11.30am.
WEDS 14 @ POP BRIXTON
(£5 discount on group bookings). 6.00pm7.30pm
Like raw fish? Then you’re in for a treat with the chance to master its preparation with sushi master Ron Laity, head chef at Kyonocha – and you can eat your handiwork afterwards. From £15. 6–7.30pm.
FRI 16 @ BRIXTON FIRE STATION
THURS 15 @ BCA
FRI 16 @ SIMULACRA STUDIOS
The Black Cultural Archives’ community archive heritage workshops present physical preservation. Are you not sure what items are part of an archive collection? Would you like to know how to preserve your own personal archive collection? This workshop focuses on the preservation of archive material, with the emphasis on traditional, paper-based collections. Learn from the collections team as they share insider knowledge that will make it easier for you to look after your own collection. Individuals £7, £5 concessions, community groups of five: £30
Join a free but ticketed tour of Brixton Fire Station on Gresham Road as part of London Fire Brigade’s 150th anniversary celebrations. 6:00pm. Tickets: bit.ly/ BrixtonFire. Make and Create is a two-day community arts event at Simulacra Studios. There will be nine creative workshops with 10 places available on each one. There will also be free food and an exhibition of artwork. The purpose of the event is to bring the local community together to learn free creative skills and network with other artists. Free. Email makeandcreate@gmail.com for more info. Also Sat 17.
SAT 17 @ POW
The Prince of Wales hosts a Deep into Soul Summer closing party. £12 Early Bird, £15
SEPTEMBER 2016 members and then £17.50. 5pm – 5am.
SAT 17 @ POP BRIXTON
Design Unboxed is in partnership with the London Design Festival and Brixton Design Trail. In a week-long special event Pop will be debating and showcasing the role design plays in this “community within a community”, with a series of interactive events bringing together fashion, architecture, food, music and more. Free. Head to Pop Brixton for daily timings. Until 25 September.
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SAT 24 @ ARCH 504
The Revolutionary Communist Group is showing Soy Cuba (I am Cuba, 1964) in a fundraiser followed by a social at this Loughborough Junction venue. With a script by Yevtushenko, the Soviet film’s choreographed camera set-ups are said to be without parallel in film history. From 7pm. Suggested donation £5.
SUN 25 @ HOOTANANNY
Headlining their biggest show to date, punk rockers Fat White Family play O2 Academy Brixton as they support their new album, Songs For Our Mothers. From £18. From 7pm.
Hear Dakar 2 London, an album of contemporary and traditional West African percussion composed by Khalifa Conte and produced by Everyone’s Climbing Tree. Eight tracks recorded in Dakar, Senegal and two with teenage drummers excluded from mainstream education in North London. Free. 9pm – 12am.
SUN 18 @ S LONDON BOTANICAL INST
MON 26 @ RITZY
SAT 17 @ O2 ACADEMY
The South London Botanical Institute is hosting an open house event. Come and visit the house and garden and learn more about its founder and the institute while enjoying tea and cake. The library and herbarium collections will be on display as well as activities for children. Free. 1pm to 5pm.
MON 19 @ WINDMILL
Wolves & Wolves & Wolves & Wolves along with The Run Up, Mixtape Saints and Devereux are at Windmill Brixton for a Monday night punk special. £7. From 8pm.
TUES 20 @ POP BRIXTON
Space Jam will be screened at the Pop Fields Outdoor Cinema, which is showing the world’s favourite sporting hits on South London’s biggest outdoor screen. £2. Doors open at 5pm for games, grass lazing and music before the film starts at 7pm.
WEDS 21 @ HOOTANANNY
The Floor Rippers’ regular free monthly Element Jam supported by Universal Zulu Nation showcases hip hop culture with music, dance and word play. Live band and DJ. Free. 9pm – 12am.
THURS 22 @ DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY As part of the Dulwich Picture Gallery’s Art for Young people, five-week event, examine different ways of mapping . Explore sketching and surveying, memory maps and photomaps. 11- to 14-year-olds can enjoy sessions in the grounds, gallery and studio using a variety of materials, with artist Kim Jacobson. £75. Thursdays from 22 September to 20 October, 4.30pm to 6pm.
FRI 23 @ RITZY
Upstairs at The Ritzy will be hosting another Alan Partridge disco, after the sold out success of the last one. As well as the disco, there will be a choir singing some of Alan’s favourite songs and also a Partridge Quiz. £6. 8pm to 1:30am.
SAT 24 @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON
Milkshake clubbing brings its all-nighter concept to Electric with The Freshers all nighter featuring Ms Dynamite and So Solid Crew. £7 to £17. 10pm to 5am.
Take in live the new production of Bellini’s classic opera Norma from the London Royal Opera. Àlex Ollé of Catalan theatre group La Fura dels Baus directs, bringing a modern edge to the timeless tale of love, rivalry and betrayal, set against a backdrop of war driven by the extremes of a fanatically religious society. Screen 4, 7.15pm
TUES 27@ RITZY
For What We are About to Lose, a documentary about the evicted housing co-op in Carlton Mansions on Coldharbur Lane. Part of Lambeth Heritage festival. Free, booking: bit.ly/LHF_Carlton.
WEDS 28 @ CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
Simon Hudson of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ mills section on the significance and history of windmills in Lambeth, with a focus on Brixton Windmill and its flour production from 1816 to 1934. 7 to 9pm, Corpus Christi Church Hall, 11 Trent Road, SW2 5BJ. Details:info@brixtonwindmill.org.uk.
THURS 29 @ JAMM
After five years, the annual search for the UK’s heaviest lyricist returns to Brixton Jamm with Battle Scars – Lyrical Combat 2016, The Wizards of Skill. Do you write verses, rap, sing, spit or chat? Are you a lyricist, a rhymer, a hip-hop old timer, a wordsmith, a hypnotist, a crafter of one liners? If you are, then enter the UK’s premiere lyricism tournament. battlescars.co.uk. Cash prizes. £5 to £8. 8pm to 1am.
FRI 30 @ PHONOX
Dekmantel Soundsystem are a Dutch collective spearheaded by Thomas Martojo and Casper Tielrooij responsible for a revered underground label, a much loved three day festival and a Soundsystem DJ crew. Free before 9pm, £5 adv. 8pm to 4am.
FRI 30 @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON
After two consecutive sell-out shows at Electric Brixton earlier this year, London’s number one UG party-starters, Garage Sessions return o with yet another stellar all-star line-up, “that reads like a who’s who of the Garage scene”. £8 to £20. 10pm to 6am.
BAYTREE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS IN STYLE To mark its 25th anniversary the Baytree Centre is putting on a birthday party on Friday 30 September with music and food. All proceeds go to the charity. On 26 and 27 September Baytree are hosting
an art exhibition at Brixton East featuring local and international artists and will include an online auction.
WHAT’S ON 23
Discover Brixton with the Lambeth Heritage Festival Lambeth’s fourth Heritage Festival this month has a programme of events put together by Lambeth Archives and the Local History Forum, including talks, films, music, theatre, exhibitions, walks and workshops covering everything from the Dangerous Women of south London to the Radical Politics of Clapham. There’s plenty to do in Brixton. You can walk along the course of the river Effra, tour Brixton Fire Stationand and visit the 200 year old Brixton Windmill. There are more than 60 events to choose from. Check the programme at www.lambeth.gov.uk/heritagefestival. Here is just a selection of the events in Brixton: Brixton Hill Heritage Walks Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 1pm. See some of the area’s oldest surviving houses, glimpse the Brixton Waterworks Company’s 1834 reservoir and discover some celebrity prisoners. £5 adult, £3 concessions, children free. Free guided tours of Brixton Windmill Tours lasts 20 minutes; last one starts at 4.40pm. Saturday and Sunday 1011 September 2pm-5pm. Saturday and Sunday 17-18 September 1pm-5pm. No booking required but you may have to queue. The River Effra River Effra, South London’s Secret Spine, Talk by Jon Newman. Friday 30 September Brixton Library. 7pm. Jon Newman will also be leading a series of history walks along the vanished course of the river. High Effra Sunday 11 2.30– 5pm. Middle Effra Sunday 25 11am-1pm. To book free places contact archives@ lambeth.gov.uk or call 020 7926 6076 Architecture and landscape Brixton Buildings and People. Monday 5, Woodlawns Centre, 16 Leigham Court Rd, SW16 2PJ. 8pm-10pm. A review of buildings in and around Brixton and the people who lived in them. Illustrated talk by architect and local historian Alan Piper. £1 on the door. Now You See It, Now You Don’t – Magic! Thursday 8. Vida Walsh Centre, Saltoun Roadd. 7–9pm. Talk on lost buildings of Brixton illustrated with a modern data projector, a 35mm slide projector, and antique Magic Lantern. Free.
Brixton Market Heritage Saturday 10. Meet at Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PB. 2.30pm-3.45pm. A guided walk taking in the Brixton market area. The history of the markets mirror the history of Brixton – learn about both on this walk. Organised by the Brixton Society. Booking essential. Email marketwalks@brixtonsociety.org.uk. £3. Brixton Heritage Regeneration walking tour Wednesday 21. Meet outside Brixton Library, Brixton Oval, SW2 1JQ. 6.30pm-8pm. Ellie Cook, council officer responsible for the Brixton Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), leads a walk around Brixton with a focus on the THI. Places limited to 20. Email ecook@ lambeth.gov.uk or phone 020 7926 9588. Black Cultural Archives Heritage centre tours Friday 23. Black Cultural Archives. 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Find out what goes on behind the scenes of Black Cultural Archives. Booking essential, email archives@bcaheritage.org.uk or phone 020 3757 8510/8511. Black Music in London Thursday 1. Black Cultural Archives. 1pm-2pm. Lloyd Bradley will be providing insight the research for his book Sounds Like London. £3.00 per person, booking not required. Community Murals of Lambeth Wednesday 21. Brixton Library. 7pm Talk by the London Mural Preservation Society. Brain of Lambeth Quiz Thursday 22. Vida Walsh Centre, 2B Saltoun Rd, SW2 1EP. 7.30pm-9.30pm A pub quiz style event for teams of four. Contact John Moore moore309@hotmail. com or 020 8677 6490. £3 per team. A Fighters’ Archive During opening hours, Lambeth Archives, 52 Knatchbull Rd, SE5 9QY An exhibition of artwork by Wijnand de Jonge commemorating the Black Women’s Movement in Brixton during the 1970s and 80s. 17 bronze casts will be displayed of the clenched fists of influential women involved in the movement. Free, no booking required. www.fightersarchive.uk.
CRAFTY FOX IS ON THE DESIGN TRAIL Crafty Fox Market will join the Brixton Design District as part of London Design Festival on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September 11am-5pm at the Dogstar with a free-entry event bringing together a changing line up of creative traders selling homeware, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, art-prints and gifts. There will be design-focused workshops throughout the weekend for anyone wanting to try their hand at a new craft. Curated by Lesley Thomas editor of Weekend The Times’ lifestyle supplement – a long-time Brixton resident and lover of great design – the line-up of designer-makers has been picked to represent Crafty Fox’s involvement in festival, and includes East London design studio Alfred & Wilde, screenprinted homeware from Sarah Capel Printing and geometric ceramicist Design K. More info at www.craftyfoxmarket.co.uk.
OPEN PROJECT NIGHT, IMPACT HUB BRIXTON Brixton Economy Melting Pot – Remaking our local economy. On Monday 12 September Transition Town Brixton will be relauching its REconomy and Enterprise group that invented the Brixton Pound in 2009.
If you are interested in having a more interconnected, cooperative, game-changing local economy then come along and get stuck in alongside some amazing people. Bank of Lambeth anyone? ■■ 6.30-9.30 Impact Hub Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, back of Pop Brixton. Free. Bring some food to share. www.facebook.com/events/1130396653692525.
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BRIXTON
Bugle SPORT
Lionesses present trophies at Brixton’s first women’s 5-a-side league by David Moftakhar
Millwall Lionesses Leanne Cowan and Jordan Butler ran a training session and presented trophies at the conclusion of the inaugural Leagues Ahead women’s 5-a-side football season at the Marcus Lipton Community Centre in Brixton. “Women’s football in London is growing,” said centre-back Butler. “There are more opportunities than ever and it’s a great way for women to socialise, have fun and do something they enjoy.” Hannah Sheath of league winners Miss Kicks is one of those to get involved with the sport recently. “I’d never played football before, but I wanted to join a sports team when I moved to London. There are people of all levels here – from absolute beginners like myself through to experienced players. It’s been really inclusive and I’ve always felt confident coming along.” Leagues Ahead was set-up by Ian Horne and Mike Carre with the aim of increasing female participation and making football more affordable. It’s the first women’s 5-a-side league in the Brixton and one of few in South London. “It’s an exciting time for women’s football and I hope it continues to grow,” said Horne. “With clubs like Millwall getting involved, and with more opportunities for women to play, I’m very confident that it will. “Our whole ethos is to provide affordable leagues as people are being priced out of 5-a-side in London. A lot of places charge what they can rather than what they should.” Leagues Ahead is open for registrations ahead of the new season with sessions costing £5 for individuals and £35 for teams. ■■People interested in joining can find out more at www.leaguesahead.net, or by contacting the league direct at admin@leaguesahead.net.
Joshua Bohui (left) in action for Brentford’s youth team
Afewee: We aim to inspire as many kids as we can A TALENTED Lambeth-bred footballer who trained at Afewee Academy in Brixton has signed for Premier League juggernauts Manchester United. Joshua Bohui, a 17-year-old winger who featured in England’s under-17 squad, has been added to the Red Devils’ under-19 side currently managed by former United star Nicky Butt. Bohui spent two years playing for the youth squad of the West London Championship side Brentford. His former mentor Steadman Scott, who founded Afewee, has hailed his success. “It’s great to see another one of our former players making their mark and it’s really good for our young people to witness this. “I first came across Josh when I met his mother at the Rec. She was looking for a sports programme for Josh to take
part in. He was only seven years old at the time. “Josh is an inspiration to many of our kids here and a role model in the community. We’re glad to see him progress.” “From a young age I knew I wanted to be a professional footballer. I’ve been progressing really well at the moment”, says Bohui in a video interview conducted by the Brixton Rec User Group. “I used to come the Rec with my Dad I remember going into the gym one time and I saw Steadman. I was watching him lead a training session and he invited me to join in. Steadman kept on encouraging me throughout my journey. Former Afewee members include Liverp ool defender Nathaniel Clyne and Millwall Lionesses striker Rinsola Babajide.
In the next decade Academy coaches hope to see more their young trainees achieving success at higher levels within the game. “I’m happy we have players like Joshua or Rinsola (an England Under-19 striker) breaking through and we hope to see more of our young people do the same”, says Scott. “We hope to put photos up in the Rec of Josh and our other former members who have made that step up to the next level, whether they are playing or coaching. ‘We have so many primary school kids who use the Rec and some come to our training sessions. “We want to inspire as many kids as we can so it would be great to see pictures of the former players and coaches who passed through our training put up around the centre.”
Hamlet hoping for return to form Dulwich Hamlet hope to see a swift reversal of their fortunes following a mixed start to the season that has seen the club drop 10 points in their first six games. The South Londoners, currently in eleventh place in the Ryman Premier Division, hope to see a return to the winning form that took them close to promotion in the play-offs last season. The Pink and Blues are due to face Burgess Town at home in their the next game on 10 September “We always want to finish top of the division. Our goals this year are no different than last year. The key for us will be consistency,” said Dulwich boss Gavin Rose “Our playing staff need to be consistent on the pitch and we have to be consistent
as a management team. If we can get that consistency going that should get us there or thereabouts.” Off the pitch Hamlet are looking boost the funding of their fast growing ASPIRE Academy and football in the community project.
The academy, established in 2002, has seen more than 200 young players successfully pass through its system with more than 90 per cent securing contracts with other non-league teams. “Things are going really well with ASPIRE. although
it’s lacking in funding and we have the highest numbers we have ever engaged since we started,” said the club. “We started the academy with Southwark council, but after three years it fell out of their remit. “At that time we were engaging 16 to 18 year-olds, but now we reach young people aged eight to 18. We’re trying to keep abreast of what the requirements are to access funding and making sure what we do as a provision matches these requirements. “Through our football in the community scheme, which runs alongside our academy work, we’re reaching a lot of boys and girls in the area. “We’re hoping to get more funding in but our work doesn’t stop and that includes the work of all our volunteers.”