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BRIXTON BUGLE YOUR FREE
No 51 | MARCH 2017
Published monthly in and for Brixton
ISSN 2397-852X
BRIXTON SCHOOLS POLLUTION SHOCK By Anna McKie
Children in at least six Brixton primary schools are every day exposed to illegal levels of air pollution that risk causing lifelong health problems, an official report reveals. Commissioned by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, it identifies 802 educational institutions across London that are exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide that breach European Union legal limits. Pupils as young as three breath polluted air that the government accepts is harmful to health. The research shows that a large number of Lambeth schools are exposed to more than 40 micro-
The pollution meter on Brixton Road grams per cubic metre (µg/m3) of air of nitrogen dioxide, the EU legal limit. They include: ●● Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School (44.5 µg/ m3) ●● St John’s Angell Town (43.3) ●● Sudbourne Primary (42.8) ●● Stockwell Primary School (42.6) ●● Hill Mead Primary School (40.7) ●● Christ Church Primary SW9 (40.4). Older students at Lambeth
College and Lambeth Academy in Clapham are also in areas that breach the limits. Mayor Khan said the figures were an outrage. “This is an environmental challenge, a public health challenge but also – and no one talks about this – it is fundamentally an issue of social justice. If you are a poor Londoner you are more likely to suffer from illegal air,” he said. A new poll for the Greater London Authority found that 88 per cent of Londoners think that air pollution is a big problem, with 66 per cent citing air quality as bad in their local area and 72 per cent calling on ministers to do more. Khan said: “The message to Government is crystal clear. Londoners want them to step up to the plate and take urgent action. “I’m doing everything in my power to tackle the shameful state of our air quality and boroughs are making real progress on local measures. However, without adequate support from government, Londoners will continue to be scared of the air they breathe. Now is the time for Government to step up and deliver a national vehicle scrappage fund and the new Clean Air Act we desperately need.” On 5 January, Brixton Road became the first street in the capital to reach the pollution limit for the whole year. Brixton has exceeded the legal limit for a whole year in January for the past three years. Lambeth council is considering charging more for parking permits for diesel vehicles than for others.
COMMUNITY PAPER
A DUCHESS IN BRIXTON
Royal visits for local landmarks 2
ICE CREAM FROM HEMP?
Yes … Shaine will make it here 6
GOT AN ACT?
… get a commission
16
HAPPY 90th IRENE!
Irene Kelley, whose family has run a fruit and veg stall in Electric Avenue since the 1870s celebrated her 90th birthday recently. The Market Traders Federation presented her with a birthday cake and flowers. Back on the stall, it’s business as usual for this legendary trader.
BE A GREEN INTERN
… and earn while you learn
7
2 NEWS
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ADVERTISING Jenny Shramenko 07811 878394 jenny@brixtonblog.com Circulation 12,000 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 Nick Buglione food@brixtonblog.com SPORT Sandra Brobbey sport@brixtonblog.com ISSUE 51 Contributors: Kaylene Alder Dirk Bischof Lilly Blanchard Stephen Blanchard Pam Douglas Frankie Holah Nicola Jones Gemma Pasha Eric Schloss Susan Sheehan Simon Still Marion Turner
BCA director Paul Reid (right) and chair Dawn Hill explain a display to the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall
Royal visits for Black Cultural Archives and Ebony Horse Club The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Brixton last month. At the Black Cultural Archives they saw material focusing on the African and Caribbean contribution to World War I and World War II. During the visit they met veterans from the West Indian Association of Service Personnel, staff, volunteers, students and community groups. The Prince and Duchess also saw extracts from the recent and upcoming BCA exhibitions, including Pilots of the Caribbean which tells the story of the AfricanCaribbean personnel, commemorating and celebrating their
contribution to the defence of Britain. The exhibition highlights the RAF’s success in embracing integration and how the diverse nature of modern Britain owes much to those black service men and women. The Duchess, president of the Ebony Horse Club, then visited its stables in Wyck Gardens where local families, notables and celebrities packed in to meet her and to watch displays by its young members. Natasha Williams, 19, who escorted the Duchess around the club, explained how it is not only a successful jumping off point for people wanting to work with horses
Crossword: Josie Gardiner
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and in similar industries, but a centre for all local young people to visit and enjoy – even if they do not want to ride. Natasha started learning to ride at Ebony from the age of 14 and is now studying for a BSc in equine performance and business management at Writtle University College near Chelmsford in Essex. 2017 marks the 21st anniversary of the foundation of the club in 1996 when five children from the Moorlands estate went for a first riding lesson. Now the centre teaches 400 local children and young people to ride each year.
Upstaged for once – Pedro the pony waits to be introduced
Sub-editor: Jamila Omar Production: Alan Slingsby Distribution: Philip King
A massive thank you to everybody involved in making this issue, and the Blog & Bugle project, a success
2017 MARCH
Natasha Williams introduces a young rider to the Duchess
Council counts the cost of cuts Extra parking charges for drivers of diesel vehicles and the loss of half-term playgroups are among a long list of measures that Lambeth council is planning as it prepares to balance its budget for the next two years. As well as large and small cuts, the council is looking to raise money. The diesel resident parking charge, which could raise £150,000 a year, is only one proposal that could affect motorists in Brixton which suffers dangerous levels of vehicle-generated pollution. There are also plans to introduce more controlled parking zones (CPZs) in the borough, possibly turning the whole borough into a CPZ, raising a planned £1 million that would go towards highways expenditure. Another £300,000 is expected to come from early implementation of CPZs in Myatt’s Fields and Brixton Hill. Many of the proposed savings in other areas will affect many of the most vulnerable people in the borough as well as its own staff. In the current financial year, 2016/2017, the council has a budget of £281,901,000. To deal with cuts in central government funding, increased demand for new and existing services and other issues, it plans to reduce this by £46,617,000 by the financial year 2019/2020. Large parts of the savings are planned to come from the budgets for adults and health (£9,065,000), children (£8,903,000) and a saving of about £11 million on staffing. Planned increases in council tax are also included. As well as the very large sums involved in health and running the whole council, dozens of smaller changes are planned, including £10,000 off the mayor’s budget; reduction in funding for Lambeth Youth Council from £81,000 a year at present to £40,000 in 2019/20; and increasing the fee for garden waste collections from £45 a year to £60. Nearly £1.5 million will be saved by the end of a programme of grant funding for youth and play sites and bringing forward planned savings from later stages of the programme. The council’s document warns that half-term services at Max Roach Park and Dexter Road play project on Railton Road are likely to be lost. ■■ We all need these clubs – page 9
MARCH 2017
brixtonblog.com
NEWS 3
Sophia Yates, owner of Brixton’s Hootananny venue, has called for users and supporters to get involved in the campaign to stop the huge rises in business rates that are due to take effect in April, warning that businesses might not survive them. The government has said that it will help businesses affected by increased business rates valuations. Details are expected in the Budget, due on 8 March. “There is a national debate about business rates, but with the wrong numbers,” said Yates. “We small businesses need your voices to be heard on our behalf. We need help. “Just go on the Valuation Office Agency website, plug in 10 local business postcodes and see for yourselves. These rises are on top of a new requirement to pay pensions and increase wages year on year.” Yates has written to government ministers; Lambeth council leader Lib Peck; London Mayor Sadiq Khan and his Night Czar Amy Lame; and her local MP Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) to ask for help. She told them that “town centres are being crucified in favour of out of town storage and internet businesses”. She backed up her call with shocking figures from Brixton which not only show some huge rates increases but, also, that they are not consistent or fair. ●● Prince of Wales, club, Coldharbour Lane, has a 84% increase on its valuation, £225,000, and will have to pay the Cross Rail supplement. ●● Brixton Jamm, club, (listed as Bar Lorca pub), Brixton Road, has a 34% increase on its valuation, £43,000 ●● The Florence, Dulwich Road, (listed as Brockwell Park Tavern) pub, has a 27% increase on its valuation, £175,000. Will have to
ANTONIO SANSICA
Hootananny owner warns rates Stars back for Ritzy increase could close businesses call boycott
pay Cross Rail supplement. ●● Hootananny, Effra Road, pub/venue, has a 61% increase. £120,000, same size pub as Brixton Jamm, will have to pay Cross Rail supplement. ●● The White Horse, pub, Brixton Hill, 69% increase. £143,000, will have to pay Cross Rail supplement. ●● The Dogstar, pub/club, Coldharbour Lane, 1% increase, (bigger pub than the White Horse) £102,000. ●● Market House, pub, Coldharbour Lane, 116% increase, £151,000, will have to pay Cross Rail supplement. Any of the venues listed that pay more than £55,000 rates must also pay £2,000 for the Cross Rail levy for the first time this year as well.
The actual rates payable are calculated by multiplying the new rateable value by 0.48. “Hootananny, for instance,” said Yates, “will have to pay £57,600 business rates plus £2,000 Cross Rail: total £69,600. We were paying £35,760! Crippling increase – and that is after I appealed. “I wonder why the huge variation for these pubs? Apart from the rises being astronomic, they are erratic. “The rises are meant to be against fair, maintainable rents. Venues in the same district or street are being treated differently.” She said that, as well as rate increases, businesses must, for the first time, begin paying pension contributions for staff this year. They were also being squeezed by year-onyear increases in the legal minimum wage. Businesses like the Hootananny employed and contracted large numbers of people, she said. Her venue “puts money in the pockets of 120 young people a week, including all the band members”. Year-on-year wage rises would cost the Hootananny at least £20,000 per year more. The new requirement for small companies to pay pensions will require businesses to pay at least a 3% contribution if a member staff is earning over £192 a week. But half of Hootananny staff “dip in and out of earning this sum”. Yates told the politicians: “You can imagine what stress all these extra financial burdens are to our small businesses. I wonder if you think our businesses will survive. I wonder how you will feel if all our staff are dismissed? Lambeth council has started a petition on business rates and the Brixton Business Improvement District has sent an open letter to chancellor of the exchequer Phillip Hammond highlighting the pressure of business rates increase on local businesses.
Slow start to crowdfunding for Bowie memorial Fundraising for a permanent memorial to David Bowie planned for Tunstall Road opposite Brixton Tube and adjacent to the Aladdin Sane mural of Bowie has got off to a slow start. A crowdfunding campaign has only a month to raise the £990,000. As the Bugle went to press with 19 days left to raise the full amount, only £47,150 – about 5% – had been pledged. Full details of the appeal are
at crowdfunder.co.uk/bowie. Speakers at the launch included Binki Taylor, chair of the Brixton Pound, the artist Charlie Waterhouse of creatives This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll, together with Zac Monro of Channel 4’s Grand Designs and the project manager Tomas Carter. This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll designed the “David Bowie” Brixton Pound notes. Binki Taylor said: “This
is an incredibly exciting moment. There has been a huge amount of work going into this behind the scenes, and we are delighted to have developed the plans in consultation with David Bowie’s team in London and New York. It’s a spectacular and very fitting tribute, in Brixton where the star was born.” Charlie Waterhouse, of This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll, said: “It’s a monument that’s at
once baffling yet immediately familiar – a reminder that there’s always another narrative. Startling, stupid and utterly joyous in equal measure this is a piece of public art that the whole community can be proud of. It’s totally Brixton, utterly Bowie. Where the Man Who Fell to Earth fell to earth, a heartfelt tribute, from one London character to another.” ■■ Find out more at www.davidbowiecommunity.
Giants of the UK film industry have rallied to the cause of low-paid London cinema workers fighting for a living wage. Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Patrick Stewart, Richard Curtis, Lindsay Duncan and local Oscar winner Sir Mark Rylance are just a few of the stars backing the campaign for the Living Wage at Picturehouse cinemas. The campaign, which began at Brixton’s Ritzy, is now calling for a public boycott of all Cineworld and Picturehouse cinemas – the owners of the Ritzy and other cinemas. Cineworld Group plc is the second largest cinema operator in Europe and owns the arthouse chain, Picturehouse, of which the Ritzy is a part. The leading creatives have written to Moshe “Mooky” Greidinger, Cineworld’s CEO, telling him they support the Picturehouse workers’ call for a boycott, and urging him to pay his staff the Living Wage. More celebrities pledge their support every day. Among the latest are writer Caitlin Moran – “So vexed I can’t go to the otherwise brilliant Picturehouse cinemas” – and comedian Mark Thomas. Paying the London Living Wage is not a problem for other cinema companies like the arthouse chain Curzon cinemas, the BFI Imax and BFI Southbank – all of which also recognise the cinema workers’ union BECTU (a sector of the 140,000-strong Prospect trade union).
One in three Lambeth cars runs on diesel
Almost one in three of the cars owned by Lambeth residents runs on diesel, an analysis of Department for Transport figures by local London Assembly Member Florence Eshalomi shows. Of the 64,500 cars owned in Lambeth, 18,674 (29%) use diesel. The London-wide average is 31%. Eshalomi, the Labour Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark, backed London mayor Sadiq Khan’s call for a national diesel scrappage scheme and urged the government to act quickly. “Having almost 19,000 diesel cars on Lambeth roads undoubtedly poses a significant risk to the health of residents,” she said. “Many car owners will have bought diesel cars in good faith when the evidence suggested diesel cars were better for the environment. With more recent evidence showing diesel to have numerous public health risks, it’s only right that we do everything possible to reduce the number of these cars on our roads. “I welcome the Mayor’s call to introduce a scrappage scheme, and I urge the government to act quickly. This is a serious health risk which demands a serious – and timely – response.” The World Health Organisation classified diesel exhaust as a “definite carcinogen” in 2012. A 2014 report from Transport for London cited the popularity of diesel as a factor in London’s failure to comply with EU air pollution limits. The campaign group Doctors against Diesel said in a letter to the Prime Minister that diesel vehicles could cause “irreversible lung damage” to children. The mayor’s proposals include a scheme offering up to £2,000 to help low-income households to scrap up to 130,000 old diesel cars.
4 NEWS
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2017 MARCH
Hotel development threatens another Brixton favourite By Alan Slingsby Yet another Brixton institution is threatened by a development that could sweep it away without adequate recognition or compensation. SW9, the bar behind Superdrug and a source of peace, rest and refreshment for shoppers, local business people and pre-gig visitors for 20 years, will disappear into a new four-storey 96-bedroom hotel if a planning application is successful. Discussion of plans for a hotel with its entrance on Dorrell Place, which runs between Marks & Spencer and Superdrug, has been going on for about 18 months with the council set to back the application.
Council involved The council itself is involved in the planned redevelopment. The main developer is the Colliers Wood-based Miraj Investments. It was created in October 2014 and in the following month bought the Superdrug site for £7.6 million with money borrowed from Lloyds Bank. Miraj directors are 39-year-old British national Abdul Aziz Mohamed and 49-year-old Indian national Balaji Perukkaranai Madashushi. In recent correspondence with SW9, Mohamed has used the name Reality Holdings – a company with the same address and directors as Miraj. Miraj/Reality does not own 11
Dorrell Place, home of SW9. It belongs to a shadowy Isle of Man-based offshore company, Yelloway. The planning application was made in October last year and recently revised after discussions with Lambeth council’s planning department. It is being handled by a planning consultancy, Metropolis. SW9 owner Alan Culverhouse’s account of the first approach from the developers’ lawyers is uncannily like those of other small Brixton businesses facing eviction to make way for development. “They told me there was no point even consulting a lawyer of my own,” he says. They said they had the money, resources and experience behind them to make pointless any resistance to their plan to terminate his lease with compensation that falls many tens of thousands short of his own view of what would be appropriate. Metropolis organised 150 minutes of consultation on the hotel plan through an exhibition between 3.30pm and 6pm on Saturday 29 October 2015 at the Ferndale Sports Centre on Nursery Road which runs past the SW9. Fifteen people visited. The website of the Brixton Society, which noted the exhibition, said: “SW9 bar on Dorrell Place is not part of the redevelopment”. But a Metropolis planning and heritage statement dated 21 October
NEWS IN BRIEF Poppy appeal
Alan Culverhouse and the SW9 2016 that is part of the planning application said: “11 Dorrell Place sits on the corner of Dorrell Place and Nursery Road and is currently occupied by a bar/restaurant at ground floor … The proposed scheme will comprise the change of use of 11 Dorrell Place from A4 [planning shorthand for drinking establishment] to C1 (Hotel) to provide ancillary restaurant facilities for both guest and public use and additional bedroom space.”
Consultation A Lambeth council spokesperson told the Bugle: “The planning application for this site is currently live, and there is a public consultation being carried out as part of this process.” Lambeth council’s involvement is
through its ownership of a passageway at the side of the SW9. The bar had used it only for storing chairs and tables. SW9 had paid rent for the space until the lease expired without any action from the council. But last October council staff secured the passageway and warned Alan Culverhouse that any attempt to use the space would lead to a fine. A fourth party in the plans is Network Rail whose lines run either side of the proposed hotel. In its June 2015 letter to Metropolis indicating likely support for the planning application, Lambeth council urged Metropolis to consult residents on the scheme, adding: “It is officers’ view that the Network Rail should be involved in all negotiations”.
Carnegie library gym gets planning go-ahead Lambeth council’s planning committee has backed an application to dig out the basement of the Carnegie library in Herne Hill so that it can be used as a gym run by the council’s leisure provider GLL. Other changes to the building the committee agreed include a new entrance and a reduction in size of the library’s garden. It also imposed a “specific use condition” on the ground floor to say that its only use must be as a library and “community space”. Campaigners have said that community use of the ground floor, which used to house the regular library, could involve “high impact” exercising and other activities likely to distract from any use as a library. The committee agreed that there should be a community liaison group that would monitor the conversion work and other issues like increased traffic, noise and disruption.
Community hubs The council closed the Carnegie and the Minet library in Myatt’s Fields last year after an occupation of the Carnegie and, it said, to prepare them for conversion to “community hubs”, with some library provision and gyms. Protesters (above) silently held up signs urging committee members to “listen to the people”, but did little to disrupt the meeting. This was left
be nearer £1m than £2m. He said the building needed investment to enable it to be used in extra ways to bring in the money needed to keep it open. Estimated income from new uses for the building enabled by the conversion would be £180,000 a year, meaning that the cost would be paid back over six or seven years and preserve the building and library provision in it.
Liaison group
to the committee’s lone Conservative party member, Bernard Gentry, who repeatedly interrupted a contribution in favour of the planning application by Herne Hill Labour councillor Jim Dickson. Dickson spoke of the effect of central government cuts on council finances, but Gentry stopped him several times, saying that this was not an issue that the planning committee should or could consider. Committee chair Claire Wilcox briefly adjourned the meeting. It
continued uninterrupted after a few minutes, apart from unsuccessful attempts to intervene by the council’s only Green party member Scott Ainslie (Streatham, St Leonards). After the meeting the Defend the Ten campaign, which has led the fight against the council’s plans for its libraries, said that work on the Carnegie building would cost the council £3m. But, speaking after the meeting, Dickson said that the cost of the conversion of the Carnegie building would
He pointed out that the new community liaison group was his suggestion and said that it would be particularly for people living near the building and who were concerned about the effect the changes might have on their lives through increased traffic, noise, disruption and similar issues. It would meet regularly and have dialogue with the council and GLL, enabling local residents to object and get changes to plans for the building. Two groups, the Carnegie Community Trust and Friends of Carnegie Library, are competing to take over the Carnegie library building and run the parts of it not used as the GLL gym as a community trust. Dickson said he regretted that there had not been a united single bid. The council’s decision on which group will be chosen, taken with the help of an independent assessor, is expected in a few weeks.
The Royal British Legion is looking for a new Brixton poppy appeal organiser and volunteers to ensure poppies continue to be sold in the community. On Remembrance Sunday, Brixton veterans honour the fallen at the memorial in Stockwell and at the UK’s first African and Caribbean War Memorial at the Black Cultural Archives. Last year Brixton volunteers raised over £6,000. Organisers and volunteers receive full support and training from the local community fundraiser. Contact Mark Bishop, community fundraiser for the Poppy Appeal in South West London on 020 3053 7236, or mbishop@ britishlegion.org.uk.
Charity award
Pop Brixton-based charity Bounce Back has been highly commended in a national award for helping Brixton prison inmates into employment. For prisoners nearing the end of their sentences, the charity provides training, mentoring and support in the skill-shortage areas of painting and decorating, dry lining and scaffolding. It was highly commended in the 2017 Robin Corbett Award for Prisoner Rehabilitation. Since 2011 the initiative has supported more than 600 prisoners – 87% of whom achieved their qualifications with 55% of those supported into employment or further training after release. The reoffending rate for prisoners on the scheme is 12% compared to an average of about 50%.
Mentor appeal
The Family Action charity is recruiting volunteers to mentor children and young people in Lambeth who have limited social interaction outside the family home. It is looking for dedicated people who are able to give long-term support to a young person through taking them on regular outings. The extension to the scheme to Lambeth was made possible by a grant from the Walcot Foundation. Visit friendshipworks.org. uk/volunteer.
MARCH 2017
NEWS 5
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Party welcome for new Syrian refugee families Ruth Burge-Thomas, parish priest of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Clapham, welcomed members of local faith groups, the mayor of Lambeth and two newly arrived refugee families from Syria to a party. They bring to nine the number of Syrian refugee families the borough has welcomed. “Although we find things different and we may find things strange about one another, with God’s will and with goodwill, we will be a source of blessing to one another,” Mother Ruth told the event organised by Citizens UK, which began the multifaith campaign to welcome refugees with a meeting in Windrush Square in 2015. Richard Cheetham, Bishop of Kingston, said the party was a wonderful occasion and an example of people working together locally “amongst all the different faiths represented here and the great diversity of this wonderful community of Lambeth”. He said he was “very aware that we keep hearing statistics about the size of refugee flows across our globe and that this is one of the biggest issues facing us globally. “But one thing a party like this reminds us of is that although those huge statistics are there, we are talking about families – brothers and sisters; mothers and fathers. People who need homes and to be welcomed and sheltered.” The party also saw the beginning of a Lambeth “Refugees Welcome” quilt. Mother Ellen Eames, chaplain of St Gabriel’s College in Myatt’s Fields, invited everybody to write their name or draw on a square of fabric. “We will add all the squares to our quilt now and next time there are more people coming. It can keep growing and growing.”
Pam Douglas is a solicitor with local firm Wainwright & Cummins. Each month, she will take a common enquiry and ask one of her colleagues from the relevant department to answer it for readers This month, we’re tackling the question of what to do if your child is arrested and my colleague, Dominic Geodjenian, who’s part of our criminal law team, answers it below:
London’s deputy mayor for social integration, social mobility and community engagement, Matthew Ryder, a lawyer and Brixton resident, visited St Saviour’s Church of England primary school to see first hand the work pupils are doing to help refugees as part of the Team London Young Ambassadors Programme. He said that: “In stark contrast to those who unfairly demonise migrants and refugees, these London schoolchildren have chosen to prepare care packages for them and to welcome those in need. It’s an example to us all.” 2,000 London schools are signed up to the Team London Young Ambassadors Programme.
NEWS IN BRIEF Foodbank challenge
Lent began on 1 March, the start for Christians of 40 days of fasting until Easter. Norwood and Brixton Foodbank is asking people to collect 40p a day for 40 days and then, on 13 April – the end of Lent – donate the money to the foodbank. You can do this through a bank transfer: Norwood and Brixton Foodbank Ltd Lloyds Bank, sort code 30-92-89 Account number 29431060. Don’t forget to send a completed Gift Aid form so the foodbank can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give. To find out about volunteering, the foodbank is hosting an information meeting at 7.30pm on Wednesday 15 March at St Margaret’s Church, Barcombe Avenue, Streatham, SW2 3BH.
Vintage voices
Older people with a story about Brixton to tell are invited to a series of workshops that will map the town’s recent past and develop the writing skills of people taking part. Vintage Voices, run by Sixteenfeet Productions, will take place at Brixton Community Base on Talma Road for seven Thursdays beginning 23 March. Work from the project will be part of this year’s Lambeth Readers and Writers Festival at Brixton library. Sessions run by Sixteenfeet Productions will explore writing styles and how stories are crafted. The aim is to have fun, share experiences, flex creative muscles and make friends. Sessions run from 1 to 3pm with lunch from 12.30 (free, but donations welcome). Contact info@sixteenfeet.co.uk Caroline 07958 448690 brixtoncommunitybase@gmail.org Jane 07941 624247.
BRIXTON LEGAL
Hill Mead headteacher Richard West with Hill Mead Herald reporters
Brixton primary in last four for UK-wide literacy award Hill Mead primary school has made it to the last four in the Literacy School of the Year Award. Assessors from the UK Literary Association visited the school to meet pupils and teachers and to present a “Roll of Honour” certificate to the school for making it this far. It will be competing against three other schools to win the UK Literary Association’s
award – one is in London and the others are in Aberdeen and Bristol. After the assessors’ visits, the winning school will be announced in July. The award celebrates schools providing exciting, innovative curriculums in English at the same time as achieving good outcomes for their pupils. Hill Mead head teacher Richard West said: “This
nomination is testimony to what makes Hill Mead a truly outstanding school. I’m so proud that we give our pupils such a love for words and language.” One of the many ways that Hill Mead encourages literacy is the Hill Mead Herald, which appears in the Bugle each month. Student reporters work with our staff to produce it – see page 23.
So, you’ve received the dreaded phone call from police telling you that your child has been arrested. What do you do? First of all: don’t panic! At this stage, the police are only investigating an allegation of a criminal offence and they generally have 24 hours to do so. They can make an arrest if they have “reasonable grounds” to suspect that a crime has been committed – most commonly a statement from a witness, CCTV or forensic evidence. It’s important to remember that your child has rights while in custody, including the right to let a person of his choosing know that they have been arrested – which is the reason you received a call. But, crucially, your child also has the right to free and independent legal advice. They can be represented by any solicitor of their choosing. I would always suggest that
it should be someone who is local and has an awareness of community issues. If you can’t get there, you should ask another responsible adult to go instead. During the interview itself an “appropriate adult” (possibly you), who is able to help your child understand the proceedings, should be present with the solicitor. You should attend the police station as soon as possible and ensure that your child has proper face-to-face legal advice before they answer any questions in interview. The reason I say this is because, even if your child insists that they have done nothing wrong and wishes to explain that to the police, they could inadvertently make a comment which suggests otherwise or, if there are other people involved, could lead to a charge under “joint enterprise”. This is where a person is present at a crime and is deemed to have encouraged or assisted in the commission of the offence. Obviously being able to explain to police why you were in the wrong place at the wrong time can be tricky for a child under emotional stress. After the interview, police may either decide to charge your child with an offence and send them to court, bail them to come back on another date to give them time to continue their investigation, or drop the case and take no further action. ■■ For further information please send an email to info@wainwrightcummins.co.uk or telephone 020 7095 5700.
6 COMMUNITY
brixtonblog.com
2017 MARCH
This summer, look out for Shaine’s hemp ice cream Dirk Bischof of Hatch Enterprises checks in with Shaine Williams to see how his dairy-free ice cream business is doing
Regular visitors to Brixton Soup Kitchen who turned up for a hot meal were met with a surprise last month, when their food was dished up by local MP Chuka Umunna. The MP said: “Brixton Soup Kitchen does fantastic work in our community and far beyond, stretching as far as Brighton. It was great to visit, help serve food and learn about the outreach work they do in getting people back to work and providing support to those in our community who need it most. Local business in Brixton have been generous with their giving of leftover food, but the Soup Kitchen needs cash too.”
Stefania and Pietro invite you to . . . 1. enjoy breakfast Sicilian style
- a double shot of dark delicious coffee to accompany Pietro’s just baked cornetti filled with fresh sweet ricotta cream and the best Sicilian pistachios ever!
2.
2. share schiticchioo!
Sfincione focaccia - panelle chickpea fritters and croquettes potatoes aubergine balls, polpetta di melanzana with pinwnuts and mint and finally – THE GREAT CAPONATA
3. drop in for a classic light lunch of perfect
hand made pasta and sunny Sicillian wine
49 BRIXTON STATION ROAD SW9 8PQ. PHONE 07802 473 444 @ POP BRIXTON INFO@FRANZINATRATTORIA.CO.UK LUNCH - DINNER - APERITIVO - TAKEAWAY - CATERING
Shaine Williams first had the idea to start a dairy-free ice cream business when he ventured into a vegan diet and noticed a lack of vegan-friendly options. After much experimenting with ingredients and processes, the 24-year-old finally landed on an organic, vegan, dairy-free, hemp-based ice cream. At this stage, says Shaine: “I was an idealistic kid with a pipe-dream”. He had no money, no direction and no resources. “I enrolled in a ‘business launchpad’ programme, but abandoned it soon after because I could not relate to the general, classroom-style teaching.” But this did not discourage him from trying another one and, this time, he found a fit with Hatch Enterprise. As a young entrepreneur in Lambeth, Shaine received full bursaries for Hatch’s Launchpad and then Incubator programmes. These helped him to clarify his idea, create a business model and test both his product and business. Shaine reflects fondly on his time at Hatch as an important period for learning and personal growth.
Since graduating, Shaine has devoted himself to finalising branding and selling Hemp and Williams. “It’s been a learning curve. I never knew how many steps were involved,” he says, He has been in contact with retailers and restaurants around south London and hopes to secure markets for the summer. “Ice cream isn’t the easiest sell in winter so I’m gearing up for summer when I can make the best impression.” Despite living at home, he, like so many other entrepreneurs, works part time to sustain himself and his business. But he is looking forward to the day where he can invest all his energy in his business. “I truly believe that people should be doing what they are passionate about.” Shaine was awarded £800 through Hatch’s Opportunity Fund, which he intends to put towards branding and insurance costs. He also recently had investment offers from his mentor at J.P. Morgan – an incredible accomplishment so early on. As is the case with young entrepreneurs, Shaine has no shortage of spirit, energy and dedication. Now equipped with practical business knowledge, mentors and a supportive community, he feels he can stand as an entrepreneur and follow his passion.
Charity seeks volunteers for a work experience revolution A new Brixton-based community business with an ambitious plan to revolutionise the fraught issue of work experience is looking for local volunteers to help it. Raw Talent founder Abigail Melville says the standard week-long work placement works neither for young people nor for employers. She is seeking local people to help build an alternative that will have real value both for students and for employers. And she points out that families already plugged into work and social networks are always going to get the most out of the current set-up. “Placements are fixed up through parents’ personal connections, so it is socially divisive,” she says. “For employers, work experience can be a real headache. Someone has to ‘babysit’ the student and there is usually no real work, so they have to invent tasks. “Quality work experience matters. Research shows employers value it above qualifications when recruiting. It also reduces the likelihood of future unemployment.” She says that, these days, high-value work is project-based – a creative, problemsolving challenge with a beginning, middle and end. “These are the skills employers want to see and this is what we need to
teach our kids.” The plan is for organisations to commission a project through Raw Talent, which will then organise young people seeking work experience into teams to deliver the project – coaching and supporting them while they complete the brief. Managers in the commissioning organisation no longer have to invent things for work experience students to do and the students don’t spend a week making coffee and staring out of the window. Melville says: “So far we have had great interest. Our first projects are two films and a research assignment. “Our ambition is to scale up over the next five years to reach every disadvantaged 16-19 year old in Brixton, about 600 each year. “But we need help! We need enthusiastic volunteers to help us through the next stage, including local networkers to develop and deepen our community relationships and commercially astute individuals to engage potential investors.” Raw Talent is organising an information evening on Monday 20 March from 6 to 8pm at the Impact Hub in Pop Brixton. ■■ Find out more at rawtalent.london, or contact abigail@rawtalentlondon.org.
MARCH 2017
COMMUNITY 7
brixtonblog.com
Green charity seeks Brixton interns to earn and learn
RAW MATERIAL HAS NEW PLANS
Innovative London energy charity Repowering is expanding its quest to provide young Londoners with the opportunities and skills to become the city’s future green leaders in Brixton, Eric Schloss explains A successful community energy organisation is offering local young people the chance to gain qualifications and experience in green energy – seen as a vital and expanding industry in the UK and the world. Repowering has been generating sustainable energy through locally owned projects in Brixton and Hackney since 2012. The community benefit society also works to tackle fuel poverty. It provides paid internships for young people in the neighbourhoods where it has installed energy generating solar projects. Programmes have been offered at the Loughborough Estate and Roupell Park on Brixton Hill as well as in Hackney. Now Repowering is launching internships for young people in Brixton who want to help the community and the planet; get paid and learn. Repowering interns have already achieved amazing things. Victoria Omubuwajo was the Solar
High expectations – an earlier generation of Repowering interns
Power Portal Intern of the Year in 2015. Interns Ziggy and Israel had their concerns about the government’s change in support for renewables raised in Parliament. Kemal Callender from Roupell Park used his Repowering experience to jump start a media enterprise with supercars. Last year as part of Repowering’s energy garden internship young people from all over London learned about community empowerment through gardening. They discovered how to use food waste to generate electricity and how to identify community needs as well as the ins and outs of setting up a social enterprise. These sessions were rewarded with certificates from the AQA – the largest provider of academic qualifications in schools and colleges – and all interns received six certificates each.
They will boost the holders’ employability in any sector – although environmental champions are what London needs most. Being able to offer this stepping stone for young Londoners was a Repowering exclusive. Now the organisation wants to build on these successes by launching a Brixton-wide internship for all young people who are motivated to help the community and the planet; get paid and earn qualifications whilst doing it. Repowering will return to its roots in 2017 by focusing on developing energy efficiency models as part of Brixton Energy along with the Transition Town Brixton group and the Brixton Impact Hub. ■■ If you are under 26, live in Brixton and are keen to be involved in the internships coming up this year, send an email straight away to info@repowering.org.uk.
Brixton’s Raw Material charity, now 24 years old, is looking forward to even greater successes after developing new long-term plans for its work to improve the lives of young people. The annual report of the charity, which uses professional arts projects to develop talent and find routes into employment, records plans to keep its finances healthy despite a 100% cut in local authority funding in 2015. An Arts Council England grant in the same year enabled refurbishment of its building in Robsart Street off the Brixton Road opposite Brixton Jamm. It raised more than £19,000 in earned income in the year to 2016 and is working hard to find new sources of money. Charity patron Dr David O’Flynn, consultant psychiatrist at Lambeth and Maudsley hospitals, says in the report that, after he had talked about the charity’s Raw Sounds gigs on Community Channel TV that led to the filming of one of the gigs. “As I was leaving, the director said to me: ‘Were some of the musicians really patients from your ward? I could not see any difference from anybody else here’. I replied: ‘That’s rather the point’.”
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What’s on in our cafe It’s a very busy season at the B£ Cafe, where we host all sorts of community events. We hope you can join us for a morning cuppa, a bite to eat during the day, or some of the activities in the evenings and weekends. And if you’d like to put on your own event or exhibit your art, please get in touch!
Girl Power by Mariainpaint
Fashion sample sale
We believe that businesses have a responsibility and a role to play in strengthening and supporting the communities in which they operate. At Brixton Pound we have a vision of an alternative, more social economy – one that works for everyone. As part of this we run a scheme through which local community groups, charities and schools can access workshops, talks,
On Sunday 5th March, 3-7pm the B£ Cafe basement will host a sample sale from Religion Clothing and Prey London. A percentage of the profits will be donated to a local charity supporting the increasing amount of homeless people, many of whom are young women.
Coming up next: Tim Stocks Opening night: 16th March. Open until 1st April. Tim Stocks describes his art as a celebration of how he honestly sees life. His paintings are big, bold, colourful and immediate. AA Visit the B£ Cafe at 77 Atlantic Road, open every day. More on brixtonpound.org/cafe.
skillshare sessions and other activities run by local businesses – for free! The scheme is based at Pop Brixton, covering Pop’s 59 member businesses, each of which invests at least an hour a week to strengthen and support community, with a particular focus on hard to reach and disadvantaged groups.
So far traders have helped local groups to set up a website and social media presence; facilitated work experience; led guided skate sessions for local kids; run workshops on starting your own business and sales; run pizza, pasta and pancake making workshops; offered business mentoring to new startups; put on fundraiser events … and more.
Big things coming up in 2017: Brixton Fund round 3 The Brixton Fund is B£’s grant scheme started to support grassroots work in Brixton. To date, the Fund has given out just under £10,000 of small grants to 13 local organisations who strengthen and benefit communities, take action for social justice, or increase local employment opportunities. MIKE URBAN/BRIXTON BUZZ
Until 5 March we are showing the work of Mariainpaint, self-taught painter specialising in portraits in figurative styles with surreal twists. The exhibition showcases her works celebrating femininity and womanhood. Part of profits from sold artwork will go towards the Brixton Fund.
Calling all Lambeth schools, community groups and charities!
There are no limits to the scheme, so send through your ideas. The theme for the April-June quarter is Supporting the Arts. If you’re a community radio station, a local musician, fine artist, or dancer; if you run a local activity session or club, working with young or old people, skilled or just for fun, with some artistic element; if you’re putting on a local festival of music, dance, art in any form – we want to hear from you! AA Get in contact with Lucy to indicate your interest and talk through how the scheme can help your organisation: lucy@brixtonpound.org.
In 2016, we increased Brixton Fund’s reach and impact massively by tripling the number of applications received as well as funding granted. For the second round of the Brixton Fund, we also trialled a more open and democratic voting process, where we invited the public to vote on how to distribute the awards between shortlisted projects. In 2017, we would also like to open the Fund Panel to volunteers from the community. Would you like to give your time and expertise to the Brixton Fund application scoring? AA Find more details on our blog: brixtonpound.org/blog. We would love to have you on board!
77 Atlantic Road | brixtonpound.org | @brixtonpound | info@brixtonpound.org
MARCH 2017
OPINION 9
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BRIXTON BUGLE
COMMENT Planning – it’s time for change
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Brixton Urban Jungle was created by Bugle illustrator Kaylene Alder for the Brixton Design Trail street gallery last September. “The idea was that the plants were growing things you might find in the markets of Brixton.” Drawings and such at kaylenealder.com
We all need these clubs As Lambeth council prepares for yet more cuts across the whole range of its services, Laura Silva warns that the end of children’s one o’clock clubs would harm us all
Like other parents and carers I was in tears saying goodbye to Swinda Mark, a children’s facilitator at the Max Roach one o’clock club at Wiltshire Road in Brixton. Swinda had worked there for years, greeting everyone with a warm smile, playing with our children and often making a much needed cup of tea for exhausted parents. She was the reason why many came to the club and felt so welcomed. With the withdrawal of Lambeth council funding for the Max Roach club, Loughborough Community Centre, which runs the club, was faced with a tough decision – cut staff numbers or possibly close completely. Sadly, Max Roach will not be the only one faced with difficult decisions as Lambeth council is making drastic cuts to its children’s services, including the withdrawal of funding to all its adventure playgrounds and one o’ clock clubs. So why should we be upset that one o’ clock clubs are disappearing from Brixton – quietly, slowly and without fuss? For those who don’t know, one o’clock clubs offer stay-and-play sessions where children under five can play freely in a safe stimulating environment. For many parents and carers in Brixton like me who live in small flats with no garden, they are a godsend and a sanity saver. A place
where my toddler can experiment with sand, get creative with paint and learn to ride a tricycle safely outside. It’s a place where they can meet other children from all sorts of backgrounds and learn to interact and, hopefully, share. It’s a place to play but also, importantly, to learn. Obviously the council will say there are other activities available for under-5s in
KAYLENE ALDER
Amidst all the hoopla and brouhaha that accompanied the launch of a campaign to fund a three-storey-high bright red steel lightning bolt costing just under £1million slap, bang in the middle of Brixton, we listened for, but did not hear, a mention of planning permission. Perhaps we missed it, or perhaps the idea has the backing of so many of the great and the good that approval is a foregone conclusion that we need not worry our heads about. But planning laws and their implementation have been the arena for battles about the soul of Brixton for some time now. Cressingham Gardens, the Carnegie library, the Network Rail arches and Club 414 have all seen local people take or consider legal action in last ditch attempts to stop the disappearance of much-loved local communities, shops, libraries and clubs. But planning law and committees, of course, are just the foam on a massive wave of money that is pouring into Brixton, not to benefit local people, but to make money for people who may never have been here or who may not even live in the UK. Caught between the rock of big reductions in central government funding for local services and the hard place of people’s inability or unwillingness to pay more council tax, our local authority would not be doing its job if it did not seek to get what little it can from this wave of money. The laws on planning are skewed so far in favour of developers and re-developers that local people and small businesses have little chance of using them to preserve what they want of the neighbourhoods and communities. So spare a thought for the SW9 bar and its proprietor. It’s just a few seconds stroll from the proposed site of the giant zig zag and for 20 years it has helped make Brixton Brixton. Now, the anonymous owner of its site, hiding behind the laws of an offshore jurisdiction, wants to turf him out with the minimum of compensation and substitute a hotel chain café for the SW9. No doubt we will learn that planning law means there is little that can be done using that approach. If that is so, it is time the law was changed.
Brixton. There are. But these activities are not always affordable or that accessible to all. The beauty of the one o’ clock clubs like Max Roach is that they are free. It’s open to all children and their carers without questions or any terms and conditions. There are no barriers; you just turn up with your child and let them play. Everyone is welcome. For the past year I’ve been grateful to Max Roach one o’clock club for welcoming me and introducing me to my community and neighbours. Becoming a parent for the first time is hard. Through Max Roach I met some amazing mums and dads and learnt a lot. At a time when Brixton is dividing socially and the community seems to be fragmenting, we need clubs like Max Roach to act as community centres that bring everyone, especially children, together. I do not know whether Lambeth council has considered the long-term consequences of its decisions for families in Brixton. Or if Young Lambeth Cooperative (YLC), which now makes decisions on children’s services, truly understands the benefits of play to development in early years and what play can do to improve the life chances of our kids. Nor do I understand how the “other providers” will plug the gap in funding as every sector seems to be squeezed. All I know is that, as a mum who is proud to be a part of this vibrant and diverse community, I can’t help feel that the demise of the one o’ clock clubs ultimately hurts us all and we should fight for them as much as we fight to keep our libraries. ■■ Max Roach one o’clock club, Wiltshire Road. Open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.
10 INCREDIBLE EDIBLE
brixtonblog.com
2017 MARCH
Make a living – make a life Incredible Edible Lambeth is amplifying the voices of food growers and food activists. Please contact Sue suesheehangcc@ gmail.com if you would like to amplify your voice here
Got an idea for a food business? We can help Are you looking for help to start your own food business? Join CREATE, a series of free workshops starting in April at the Sunshine International Arts Café in Loughborough Junction. Loughborough Junction locals will provide practical advice, support and networking for future food entrepreneurs. Find out what it really takes to run a business in
Mich Thill, a local permaculture teacher with Social Landscapes, explains what it is and how its principles relate to our lives
Taye Tsega in the greenhouse, making a start on 30,000 seedlings that will be grown for community gardeners this year
Get growing with help from Myatt’s Fields Park greenhouse The Myatt’s Fields greenhouse has a long history of supporting local people to grow food. Community gardeners Taye Tsega and Fabrice Boltho share what they are up to and explain how you can get involved …
Don’t sit at home, come along and garden A former greenhouse volunteer himself, Taye Tsega now runs a new gardening group for retired people. I’ve loved gardening since I was a child. In Ethiopia, my father had a farm supplying fresh food to all the hotels. I had a small plot in the garden where I grew my own vegetables. One day in 2010, I was walking through the Myatt’s Fields Park and I saw people gardening outside the cafe. They told me about the greenhouse and the rest is history.
I volunteered there for six years until I started working at the park last year as a community gardener. Now, with funding from London Catalyst, I’m running a group for over-60s to get involved in gardening in the greenhouse. We meet every Friday from 9.30am-12.30pm. As well as doing general gardening, from mid-March we’ll be creating beautiful displays of edible plants in the beds around the Roundhouse. We’ll plant beetroots, radishes, mizunas (Japanese mustard greens) – using lots of different colours and different leaf shapes. They look nice – and you can eat them!
If you have spare time, don’t sit at home, come along and take part. Gardening contributes to your wellbeing. Even if you don’t know anything about growing food, you can learn. In the city, many people don’t have gardens. We can show you how to grow your own food even if you don’t have much space – on windowsills or in pots. All you need is interest! The club is mainly aimed at retired people but volunteer helpers of any age can join. Everyone is welcome. ■■ To find out more, email Tori: community@myattsfieldspark.info
Free seedlings for community projects our panel discussion – it’s your chance to discuss the questions you have always wanted to. In the weeks that follow, we’ll take a tour of Brixton market, meet local vendors, hear from Lambeth council advisors, take the Level 2 food safety exam and test your idea and get feedback from local industry experts. ■■ If you would like to take part or want to find out more, email lambethfoodcreate@ gmail.com or call 07841 830463.
Fabrice Boltho tells us how the plant nursery can support your growing project When you don’t have a greenhouse, or lots of experience, it can take a lot of effort to get the most from your plants. In the early stages you’ve really got to watch the watering carefully and the plants are susceptible to pests and weeds. With a plant that’s already five or six weeks old, the tricky bit has been taken out – you’re halfway there. That’s the idea behind our new plant nursery, funded by the London
Community Foundation: to take the pressure off people running community growing projects. We’re giving out 30,000 seedlings for free to 50 groups in Lambeth – from estates to schools to street gardens. Often the people leading these projects can realistically only get groups out to work in the garden a few times a year. Having plants ready to go means you can get the most from a small space. We’re growing over 70 different kinds of vegetables, herbs and flowers this year. We’ve already got the peppers and aubergines and other slower crops started, but will be growing most plants to order.
The aim is to support groups throughout the growing season with plants available for collection from April to September, Groups already on board include Minet Library, the Remakery, Windmill Gardens and Loughborough Farm – and we’re looking for more! It doesn’t matter how small your project is, so long as you’re getting out there and growing for the good of the community. ■■ To sign up for the scheme, email fabrice@myattsfieldspark.info ■■ Myatt’s Fields Park website myattsfieldspark.info ■■ twitter.com/myattsfields
In my work as well as on Permaculture courses, I have been exploring the topic of livelihood. Livelihood is often described as “that which sustains us” and, for us in the west, more often: “that which brings in an income”. In our culture, work, or certainly employment, is more often than not reduced to income. In a permaculture sense, spending that much time of our lives working for the sake of income alone seems highly inefficient. It leaves us little time to look after our other needs, such as health and wellbeing, companionship, belonging, purpose and self-fulfillment. Working with others to improve public space is a great way of building relationships, connecting to place and looking after our own health … One of the core principles of permaculture is “Every Element Performs Multiple Functions”. If we look at a fruit tree and call it an element in our garden, we can quickly see that the fruit tree does more than just provide fruit. It gives us a nice shady place to rest, it serves as the habitat for many creatures, turns carbon dioxide into oxygen, and reduces the effects of climate change; With its roots it holds the soil and prevents erosion, it cycles nutrients, turning them into foliage which in turn fall in autumn to again provide food for life in the soil. The fruit tree performs multiple functions. Can we directly meet our needs through our work? Wellbeing, belonging, purpose, self-fulfillment? Although the tree does so anyway, as a permaculture designer, following the above principle, we are able to integrate these functions into the working of our garden and be so much more efficient than if we did not. Work can also have multiple functions beyond providing an income. Often it helps us build relationships, sometimes it gives us a sense of belonging and, for some of us, it makes us feel healthy and come alive. Could good design using the principle “Every Element Performs Multiple Functions” help us make a living, while making a life? We believe it can.
NATIONAL OFFER DAY 1 MARCH 2017 If you are still undecided, choose Ark Evelyn Grace Academy. We will work with you to support your child to achieve their best, ensure they experience the best opportunities and become Leaders in every walk of life.
EGA hosts South London Panathlon Ark Evelyn Grace academy is proud to have welcomed schools from the London boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth, Croydon and Lewisham as they competed in the start of the multi-sports season of the Panathlon challenge. Panathlon is a charity that provides sporting opportunities to over 10,000 disabled young people every year. Over 500 schools across the country take part in “mini Paralympic” multi-sport competitions for secondary or primary school children. Panathlon has in recent years also trained thousands of young leaders, aged 14-19, who act as sports officials for its competitions. And our
academy has been fortunate to be a part of this. For this occasion, our GCSE, PE students acted as the sports officials. They were fantastic Young Leaders as they assisted students in various games. It was truly a wonderful show of sportsmanship, team work and collective achievements from all involved. James Tinney, event manager for Panathlon, said: “Many thanks for hosting us. The children attending had a great day and the work & commitment your leaders put in, made that happen.” ■■ Visit www.evelyngraceacademy. org to see pictures and read more testimonials about this event.
Two year partnership with Trinity Laban conservatoire of music and dance Our music department recently enlisted the prestigious Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance to work with students and staff over the next two years. Students will learn from expert musicians and gain access to amazing opportunities, including performing at the BBC Proms. We look forward to all the great achievements to come from this partnership.
Message from the Principal
KS4 DANCE CREW HOST YOUR SCHOOL GAMES DANCE COMPETITION AND WIN FIRST PLACE Well done to our KS3 and KS4 dance teams, who hosted the Sainsbury’s School Games Lambeth Dance competition 2017. Our teams met some fierce competition from schools such as Durand, Elmgreen and Platanos College. We are glad to announce that our KS4 dance team stole the show by winning first place with their amazing performances. They move onto the next round which will be at The Copper Box arena in the Olympic Park later this year.
Exclusive! Our reporters at top international conference
EGA sixth formers win Formula1 award Our sixth form team won the award for their team “identity” and their marketing strategies in this year’s Formula1 In Schools competition. Over six months our sixth formers designed a drag racing car using computer-assisted design (CAD) and computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM). They then used a router at an outside manufacturer which produced the 3D design of their car.
This was an exciting project. Thank you to all our sponsors who backed our students and made it possible for them to take part.
Their journey will be showcased on the popular YouTube channel “WordontheCurb” and on our school website. Well done team!
New York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu visited EGA to help inspire our students to love reading and writing. It was lovely to have Taran, author of books like The Novice and The Inquisition, at EGA. Our students were extremely excited and inspired in all his workshops for the day.
EGA student reporters got their first taste of journalism when they attended the first ever International Conference on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking at St Mary’s University in West London. In preparation for the forthcoming BBC News school report day, our talented and aspiring Year 10 reporters Kyla Hamp, Tioluwani Ajao, Rebecca Wells and Remmel Oduro-Sanniez, watched and heard important delegates from the UK government, the Roman Catholic Church and European Union as well as key lectures from representatives
of countries such as Nigeria and Algeria. They were the only secondary students in attendance – reporting the speeches of people like Home Secretary Amber Rudd. Our students were professional and represented the Academy really well. To top it all off, they also managed to secure an interview (below) with the wonderful Dr Carole Murphy, Senior Lecturer at St Mary’s university, which will feature in their final news report which goes live on our school website on Thursday 16 March at 4pm. Well done.
Dear Brixton, We encounter change every day, our very community is a testament to this. This transition at times is difficult, but with every encounter is the opportunity to educate, to share and to inspire those around us. In embracing such moments, we evolve and become pioneers of change in our everyday lives. At Ark Evelyn Grace academy, our motto is “To Raise Leaders of Tomorrow in Every Walk of Life”. To achieve this, we cultivate an atmosphere filled with opportunities for our students. At times, these opportunities are challenging, but they are embraced by our parents, staff and students. Every school day we see our students becoming better; academically and creatively. John C. Maxwell said: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Let this be our mandate for creating a better quality of life for our young people and our community. National offer day is fast approaching, and you may still be undecided as to a secondary place for your child. It is not too late to choose our academy. Together we can ensure your child achieves. Kindest regards Devon Hanson Principal Ark Evelyn Grace Academy
Year 9s get into character to study Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
As part of their English lesson, our Year 9 students created some fantastic masks to get into character, as they studied Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing.
Evelyn Grace Academy, 255 Shakespeare Road, SE24 0QN | Tel: 020 7737 9520 | Email: info@evelyngraceacademy.org | Website: evelyngraceacademy.org | Twitter: @ARKEvelynGrace
BUSINESS RATES
We must fight to repeal a process that is neither fair, open, nor fit for business purpose 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.
MEETINGS
BUSINESS RATES WORKSHOP
MONDAY 6 MARCH, 2-4pm, Wahaca on Atlantic Road Brixton BID will be running a session on business rates, explaining how businesses can appeal their rates, apply for transitional relief, and what it means for their businesses financially. The session is the first we will be running over the next month and will be led by a chartered surveyor from Evans Pearson. Refreshments and light snacks will be provided.
NIGHT TIME ECONOMY MEETING
TUESDAY 7 MARCH, 1 – 3pm, Club 414 on Coldharbour Lane. Amy Lamé, London’s Night Czar, will be in attendance. This is a opportunity for businesses to discuss night time economy issues and to raise them with the Night Czar.
Lime – friendly, relaxed and great value Lime Brixton, perched on the corner of the Coldharbour Lane arcade entrance to Brixton Village, is a welcoming Caribbean cafe that was opened a year ago by three Brixton locals. It serves quality Marley coffee and a good selection of natural teas. Lime has just introduced a new brunch menu – vegetarian, full English or Caribbean – along with great value jerk chicken wraps or £5 patty meal deals consisting of a choice of 3/4 patties, coleslaw/salad & sweet potato fries – all freshly prepared and served piping hot. There is a great selection of home-made vegan and non-vegan cakes and brownies as well. Noted for its friendly staff and relaxed vibe, Lime is a cosy and affordable stop-off, hiding in plain sight.
By Michael Smith, Director, Brixton BID
With both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor now wading into the debate about business rates, town centre economies like Brixton can begin to anticipate some adjustments in the proposals for business rates from April 2017. Any positive hopes that the interventions from the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer might bring however will be severely curtailed by the nature and structure of the current business rate formula which leads to the subjective valuation of business premises by the Valuation Office Agency. In Brixton we are seeing the impact of the subjective valuation of premises. Small high street retailers, local pubs and restaurants are facing massive rises simply because they are in the town centre or other locations where rateable values are higher. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has identified the nationwide revenue to be accrued from business rates in 2017 as £28bn. Their research also suggests that, without concessions, London businesses would be particularly adversely affected by the pressures of business rates on businesses in the capital and beyond. 74% of businesses responding to their survey suggested business rates would be the single biggest issue
affecting their business. In addition to calling for inner and outer London thresholds on business rates for small businesses, they also want to see more Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR). Brixton has seen a significant increase in the value of its “bricks and mortar” since the last valuation in 2010. Now some small businesses are facing the totally unheard of situation of facing business rates demands sometimes matching and even exceeding the rental values of some properties. Business rates, although having a severe impact on small businesses, are not a phenomenon affecting only small businesses. The lack of uniformity in the business rates formula is also impacting on rates being paid by medium and large businesses. Some of these businesses are afraid to appeal their evaluation, fearing that any appeal could adversely impact on their evaluation. Others are spending “lots of money” with organisations appealing the valuations on their behalf. Whatever is happening, the impact of business rates will close some businesses. Town centres like Brixton could be devastated. The accumulating impact of business rates on businesses across London, if significant help is not forthcoming, could be even more devastating for London’s economy, as well economies across the UK. We must fight to repeal a process that is neither fair, open nor fit for business purpose. ■■ More information on the work of the Federation of Small Business and advice on Business Rates can be found at www.fsb.org.uk
AFTER AND BEFORE – above and below, computer generated images show the completed orchard – left and right, the site before work began
Brixton gets its own orchard – a cleaner air oasis from spring 2017 The Brixton Business Improvement District is creating the Brixton Orchard, a new community space designed to make use of forgotten land and to provide greening and better quality air on one of the most polluted roads in the capital. It will be on a green space south of St. Matthew’s church on Brixton Hill – the A23 – at the end of Rush Common and directly opposite Lambeth council’s “Your New Town Hall” development. The project is funded by local businesses with match funding coming from the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund. About 30 trees, producing a wide range of fruit, will be underplanted with bee-friendly flowers. Seating will encourage people to spend time in a beautiful, biodiverse area with cleaner air. Access to the Brixton Orchard will be via a new gateway allowing easy access across the site. The BID is delivering the orchard in partnership with Urban Growth Learning Gardens and Open Orchard – Lambeth-based social enterprises that work with a range of communities to improve their outdoor spaces, growing food, learning new skills and improving
their wellbeing through connecting with nature in the city. Brixton has long had a problem with air pollution on the A23 in particular. The BID is delivering a variety of solutions to tackle this
serious problem affecting residents, shoppers and visitors. The initiative is part of a wider strategy to promote Brixton as a destination and to raise awareness about sustainability in the city.
The BID has already invested in an audit to identify more opportunities and is working with local stakeholders to keep Brixton vibrant, clean and safe. Gianluca Rizzo, Brixton BID operations manager, said: “The Brixton Orchard is one of the various initiatives we are implementing to tackle the huge issue that Brixton and the rest of London is facing with air pollution. “The BID is delivering various solutions including increasing the amount of green infrastructure, running no-idling campaigns, encouraging businesses to jointly procure their goods and services, and influencing the behaviour of local employees to reduce the number of local deliveries to slash traffic and congestion.” Bruno Lacey, Urban Growth London said: “This orchard will be an enduring community resource for future generations to enjoy. The trees here will produce literally tonnes of free fruit, to be enjoyed by thousands of local people. “It provides an opportunity for people to learn about the natural world on their doorstep, and is an example of how we can design our urban spaces to be more beautiful, biodiverse and sustainable.”
14 NEWS MARCH 2017
MARCH BRIXTON2017 PEOPLE 14
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Brixton student tackles social taboos with her own TV channel she launched her EyeSpeakTV while studying international tourism and event management. Hulda Adao, a student from Brixton, The channel hosts videos aimed is using the internet to encourage at 16-25 year olds. Hulda then uses others to better themselves and blogs and podcasts to provoke to battle against environmental further thought and discussion. problems and social taboos. The first video focused on the Hulda’s channel EyeSpeakTV debate surrounding social media, which is now a year old, posts “I wanted to discuss something I videos that tackle issues such was particularly passionate about. as bullying, Why do our problems generation seek with social such validation The whole point of every media, discrim from social ination and piece of content we produce media? Are we sexual identity. it to make is to provoke thought rather using Having moved our dreams than immediate action from Portugal a reality or to Newcastle other people’s and then to realities south London, Hulda explains how our dreams?” outsiders’ preconceptions of Brixton Hulda says that “most of the may have led her to challenge content is something we have existing social taboos as a late teen. experienced personally, such as “Brixton had always had this bullying or discrimination but I’m reputation. I saw how important it is keeping it broad so I can focus to challenge discrimination … other on anything that I feel affects views are never going to be changed our generation”. or erased if people don’t know “EyeSpeakTV also discusses about them.” and raises awareness about issues Hulda is a student at the which are often seen as taboo, and University of Northampton, where are therefore something that cannot
By Lilly Blanchard
easily be discussed, comfortably. This could include issues around religion, and pronouns for the LGBTQ+ community, for instance.” Hulda added: “We have created a platform that inspires people to better themselves. This is done by provoking thought and encouraging people to take action and control of their goals and pursue them.” Once EyeSpeakTV becomes established online, Hulda and her
team of volunteers hope to branch out, firstly with a regular online magazine and conducting talks in secondary schools and then a major documentary with the final aim of having a weekly television show. EyeSpeakTV’s talks and videos exists with the aim of challenging people’s ideas, breaking down social taboos, and opening a discussion space where people can talk about the social and environmental issues
that affect them. “The whole point of every piece of content we produce is to provoke thought rather than immediate action. In turn this will hopefully help young people to make the right decisions in life.” ■■ Visit the EyeSpeakTV website eyespeaktv. co.uk, blog site eyespeaktv. blogspot.co.uk, and YouTube channel youtu.be/k_LLZ-56iTk.
From Beethoven to Beyoncé via raves, riots and revolutions Brixton musician Dave Randall gains inspiration and collaborators from venues like the Effra and Hootananny. Simon Still spoke to him as his first book was due to be published
String theory and ceramics Brixton resident and theoretical physicist Nadav Drukker produces ceramics using the two kilns in his home studio and will be exhib iting some of them at the Knight Webb gallery on Atlantic Road from 17 March. With a first degree from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a PhD from Princeton University in New Jersey, he now studies at Kings College, London.
His subject is string theory – a big topic that is at the cutting edge of our understanding of the universe. He combines the intensely abstract nature of his theoretical work with the ceramics he produces as a way of communicating his research and engaging a wider audience with science, and the boundaries between science and art. The exhibition continues until 8 April.
Long-time Brixton resident Dave Randall (inset) has played Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage as a member of Faithless and has toured with Dido, Sinead O’Connor and Roland Gift. Always active in left wing politics, guitarist Randall’s own band Slovo explored themes of social justice and political struggle, mixing rap, dance beats and influences from world music. His first book, Sound System – The Political Power of Music, is out this month and was inspired by the interactions of music, commerce and politics that he became aware of in his years in the music industry. Some of this is negative – “When Faithless played in South Africa in the early years of Mandela’s rule we discovered the tour was sponsored by a cigarette company”. But later, visiting West Africa, he became aware of the positive role music played in Ghana following independence. Looking at how music has been used politically through history “there’s a line that goes from Beethoven to Billie Holiday, though Syria and the
Arab Spring and on to Beyoncé and the Black Lives Matter movement,” he says. With stories of raves, riots and revolutions, he tells how music has been used both to keep people in their place and as a force for social change. Randall, who has lived in Brixton since 2000, says he continues to find creative innovation in “the mix of ages, nationalities and the fighting spirit that gentrifi cation can’t stifle”. He sees live music as a celebration of community that brings diverse people together – “It happens here in Brixton at nights like Alan Weekes’ Thursday sessions at the Effra Hall Tavern where you’ll see people of all ages and backgrounds.” he says. Slovo Soundsystem, his current musical project, is a collaboration with Venezuelan drummer Lya who he met after seeing her on stage at the Hootananny. Randall’s book ends with what he calls his rebel music manifesto – “Those of us who want to see a better world have a fight on our hands and one of the battlegrounds is culture”. It’s intended as a call to action – “what’s currently happening politically in the UK and in the US means there’s an urgency now and it’s incumbent on us all to do something.” It’s a positive message of music as a force for good. ■■ The London launch of Dave Randall’s Sound System – The Political Power of Music, published by Pluto Press, is at Rough Trade East (Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL) on 9 March at 7pm.
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BRIXTON PEOPLE 15
Boogie Woogie Queen with a Brixton hair salon Not everybody knows that pioneer popular music performer Winifred Atwell performed at the Brixton Empress theatre and ran the then town’s first Black hairdressers, both long gone … Stephen Blanchard takes a nostalgic trip down Railton Road The modern housing development on the corner of Chaucer and Railton Road (right) doesn’t exactly attract the eye, but in the 1950s the site was occupied by a hair salon owned by a lady from Trinidad who was also a best-selling recording artist. Winifred Atwell was born in February 1914. Her father was a pharmacist and her mother a nurse. They expected her to follow them into medicine, but she showed precocious skills on the piano. She became a popular performer on the island and gave concerts for US servicemen stationed at the airbase. When one of them asked her to play in the boogie-woogie style she wrote the tune she would later record as Five-fingered Boogie. Winifred came to the UK in 1946, enrolling at the Royal Academy of Music. To support herself she played at London clubs. She was spotted by the promoter Bernard Delfont and signed for Decca Records in 1951. Her exuberant playing was just what post-war Britain needed. She had a string of hits and performed before the new Queen at the Royal Variety Performance. Later she was invited to the Palace to give a private performance, including Her Maj’s favourite Roll Out the Barrel (!) PICTORIAL/ALAMY
Winifred went on to host a TV series. Always appearing in a glamorous gown with her hair beautifully styled, she got fan-mail asking for advice on hair and make-up. There were few cosmetics available for Black women at the time and most cut and styled their hair at home. She had identified a need and opened her salon in 1956. She knew Brixton, having lived there and performed at the Empress Theatre, on the corner of Brighton Terrace and Bernay’s Grove. Her salon may have been the first in the country catering for Black women. Newsreel shots show a luxurious interior with windows along Railton Road. By the late 50s Winifred’s music was out of favour in the UK. She spent more time in Australia where her concerts were still sell-outs. In 1961 she sold the salon so that she could keep up her touring. The “White Australia” policy meant she was not allowed to settle there until 1971, when it was relaxed because of her “good character and special qualifications”. The site of her salon was gutted during the disturbances of April 1981. The target may have been a nearby pub which operated a colour-bar, but the anger and the flames spread. Winifred died in Sydney in 1983.
Winifred Atwell makes use of her own salon
The Band Formerly Known as The Thirst, who all grew up in Brixton, are now Baytrees and will play their relaunch gig at the Hootananny on Friday 10 March. Expect a revamped and unique rock soul sound. ■■ facebook.com/ thethirst/
Crowdfunding for new music and poetry CD A Brixton resident for 30 years, composer and classical music blogger (planethugill.com), Robert Hugill is crowdfunding for his latest CD, Quickening: songs to texts by English and Welsh poets, which will be released by Navona Records later this year. His opera The Genesis of Frankenstein was premiered in 2015 at the CLF Art Café in Peckham. Quickening features
Hugill (centre) with artists (l-r) Johnny Herford (baritone), Rosalind Ventris (viola), Anna Huntley (mezzo-soprano), and William Vann (piano) a first musical setting for Winterreise: for Gillian Rose, 9 December 1995, a powerful poem by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, as well as poems by A E
Housman, Ivor Gurney and Christina Rossetti performed by an exciting group of young British artists. ■■ crowdfunder.co.uk/ quickening.
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2017 MARCH
YOUNG FILMMAKER WILL PASS THE PASSION ON Nicola Jones sat down with Brixton filmmaker Matthew Lawes, whose animated five-minute short The Song of Wandering Aengus is winding down its award-winning film festival circuit
Brixton City Festival seeks artists Ovalhouse theatre’s Brixton City Festival returns in September, planning to fill our streets with radical entertainment. Small scale commissions for site-specific work and outdoor performances that respond to Brixton in some way – the place, its communities or its future are on offer. £1,000 to £2,000 could be awarded to theatre makers; installation artists; aerial artists; circus acts; musicians; dancers; spoken word artists; and others. Ovalhouse is seeking plans for something new, or to present an untested piece of work that is
Award-winning storyteller Danyah Miller’s Perfectly Imperfect Women, part of Ovalhouse’s spring season, will celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday 8 March. It tells the story of five generations of women in one family and what drives them to want to live perfect lives as mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, and breadwinners. Performances: Wednesday 8 – Friday 10 March, 7.45pm, at Ovalhouse, 52-54 Kennington Oval, SE11 5SW, £14/£8 concessions. ■■ perfectlyimperfectwomen.co.uk.
performance ready. It is also interested in existing work that could be reimagined in a Brixton venue. Suggested venues include pop-up restaurants, Brixton Village, St Matthews Peace Garden, the Tube station, Windrush Square; market stalls; and shop doorways. The first festival last year saw 23 artists perform in six Brixton locations, including a mass hula hoop performance (above) in Windrush Square. ■■ Submissions and enquiries to BrixtonCity@ovalhouse.com. Deadline midnight Monday 27 March.
The Song of Wandering Aengus is based on a W B Yeats poem of the same name. It is read by BAFTA-winning Irish actor Liam Cunningham. Known for his role in Game of Thrones, he provides a rich reading that is complemented by Lawes’ focus in the film on metamorphosis. It has an original score from 2016 Ivor Novello winners David Holmes and Keefus Ciancia and took Lawes 12 months to complete. Producer Marlena Hellebø brought the Yeats poem directly to Lawes. Hellebø runs the Ex-Animo Foundation and had previously worked with Lawes through their online film fund that is co-funded by the Roundhouse. Roundhouse provided additional support to this short, which has now been in 42 festivals and been nominated for 15 awards, winning eight of them. Lawes’ production company, The Other Brothers (otherbrotherstudios.co.uk), has launched a 2017 Film Fund to support a younger filmmaker on their creative journey – much as he has been helped along the way. “I feel as if it’s very important to keep that going. I was very fortunate to meet someone who was willing to invest and make a film, I feel a responsibility to pass that on,” he says. The fund is for £400 and will include mentorship from Lawes and access to a filmmaking kit. Deadline for applications is 30 June. Details at www.otherbrotherstudios.co.uk/film-fund-2017. ■■ The Song of Wandering Aengus will be released online this spring, so check brixtonblog.com for more coverage. ■■ Nicola Jones is a freelance writer whose website asophisticatednoise.com has reviews, trailers, and industry news. She can be found tweeting @MzJones.
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Long-established US indie four-piece Frontier Ruckus from Detroit, Michigan will perform their lyric-based folk rock at the Windmill in Brixton on Wednesday 15 March. Their fifth album Enter The Kingdom is just out. It takes listeners into stained American living rooms where dads search for work on Craigslist, drunken ex-spouses return with dubious motives
and megachurch rec rooms are marked by lust and disrepair. Songwriter Matthew Milia says the album is a rather literal depiction of his father losing his job and relying on disability cheques to retain a fragile grasp on his childhood home. It’s harrowing, but with a dark and balancing sense of humour, he says. Frontier Ruckus are on YouTube.
Fugitive desire on Railton Road Fugitive Desires is a new exhibition at 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning at the Herne Hill end of Railton Road until 28 April. It brings together the work of international and UK-based artists, placing material from 198’s archive next to new work “to consider how the use of archives can be not just reflective, but also inspire future ways of being”.
Artists have shown in the gallery over the past 28 years. In 198’s back gallery video works will look into different forms of being, future imaginings, geographies of pleasure, queer desire and loss. ■■ A number of events and showings are planned to complement the exhibition. Details at 198.org.uk/node/276.
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brixtonblog.com EOIN CAREY
Black people and police – how far have we come? Changing Face, the Brixtonbased theatre company that premiered the Brixton housing production, Where Will We Live? in 2015, is producing It Is So Ordered at the Pleasance in April. Where Will We Live?, set in Brixton’s Network Rail arches and Lambeth council estates, brought to life the challenges of gentrification through its unforgettable characters. Artistic director Lucy Curtis says the new play, developed with the Park Theatre (up the Victoria Line in Finsbury Park) and Old Vic New Voices, “explores historical and systematic racism in our justice systems and responds directly to the Harlem race riots of 1964. “More than half a
century later, officers put in place to protect citizens are still unjustly persecuting African Americans. “It Is So Ordered asks how far have we actually come since those hot July nights?”
South London author Sarah Mussi’s latest book Here be Witches, the second title in her Snowdonia Chronicles trilogy, was published on 1 March. An award-winning writer of children’s and young adult fiction, Mussi spent more than 15 years in West Africa as a teacher.
Unsettling and joyous, humorous and desperate South Londoner Adura Onashile’s play Expensive Shit, currently touring Scotland, features an all-woman Black cast who explore female empowerment to a backdrop of Afrobeat. It journeys from the toilets of a Glasgow club to the toilets of Fela Kuti’s Shrine club in 70s Nigeria – and shortly to loos nearer you. It will run at Soho Theatre London from 4 to 22 April – book early as this Edinburgh Fringe winner is already a hot ticket. It revolves around Tolu, a toilet attendant, and her relationship to the women around her, and moves from Glasgow, where Tolu is working in the toilets for tips, with flashbacks to the Shrine club, where a young Tolu dreams of being a dancer in the band of Fela Kuti. Writer and director Adura Onashile said: “Expensive Shit is an exploration of a set of contradictions, a private space that is actually a public space. A toilet attendant, exploited and hidden, is really a barometer for the politics of gender, power and class and a giant of African music whose revolutionary politics were inspiring but believed women were not equal to men. “Growing up in south London, between Kennington and Brixton, I was acutely aware of the forgotten or hidden stories and histories of the communities around me and their representation in theatre.
“Stories that could not easily be seen in black and white or right or wrong terms, where uncomfortable truths sit side by side. “Expensive Shit was my attempt to give voice to those kinds of stories. I wrote the piece to highlight the similarities in gender equality from a specific point of view both in Glasgow and in Lagos and felt that both stories could highlight global issues that are still facing women today. “I love Fela Kuti’s music and politics and what they stand for in general, but also want to scrutinise that his revolutionary politics still had women as second class citizens. “The story in Glasgow is inspired by the Shimmy Club where, in 2012, a story broke about male punters spying on unsuspecting users of the female toilets. “It amazed me that with all the advances that have been made about gender equality in Britain, women are still grappling with issues of objectification. “The men behind the mirrors in the toilets in Glasgow signify to me a part of society where some men still have power over women’s bodies and privacy. “Ultimately my hope was to create a piece that was as unsettling as it is joyous and as humorous as it is desperate.” ■■ Tickets fromsohotheatre.com/whats-on/ expensive-shit-2017.
Simon Mokhele
Faaiz Mbelizi
Changing Face’s cast includes Simon Mokhele and Faaiz Mbelizi. ■■ It is So Ordered is at the Pleasance Theatre in North London (Carpenters Mews, North Rd, N7 9EF) from 5 to 16 April. http://bit. ly/2gISPdp.
Set in the Welsh mountains and steeped in their mythical history, Here be Witches follows the adventures of Ellie, a modern teenager raised on the slopes of Mount Snowdon, but embroiled in an ancient battle between good and evil. ■■ The book is available from publishers Shrine Bell’s website (shrinebell.com) at £6.99.
Brockwell Art Services Quality Picture Framing 232-234 Railton Road, Herne Hill SE24 0JT Telephone 020 7274 7046 Open Monday to Friday 11am-7pm, Saturday 10am - 6pm Drop in and browse our large selection of frames and mounts and for any framing advice you may need. We also stock a large selection of contemporary work by local artists, including paintings, limited edition prints, giclées and greeting cards.
www.brockwellart.co.uk 38 Years in Herne Hill This year Jim Davidson of Brockwell Art Services and Andrew Baker are tackling the 300 mile bike ride from London to Paris to help raise much needed funds for St Christopher’s Hospice. Jim would very much welcome your support at
www.justgiving.com/J–Davidson1
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FOOD & DRINK NEWS Nanban’s charity solution New booking deposit system cuts no-shows and raises cash for Mosaic Clubhouse Restaurant reservations for charity
NNNanban on Coldharbour Lane has introduced a new booking system that not only reduces the amount of “no-shows” (guests failing to honour a reservation) but raises money for a local charity. You secure your booking online with a £1 deposit, then choose whether to have it refunded after you have dined or donate it to Nanban’s chosen Brixton charity, the Mosaic Clubhouse. Nanban manager Mark Robertson, who devised the system, believes this is a first for restaurant reservations. The response to a pilot has been extremely positive with more than 98% of guests choosing to have their booking deposit donated. Nanban will be rolling out this system to sister companies Satay Bar and Market House, also on Coldharbour Lane. It will also make a matching donation for all those made by guests. For more information contact Mark at contact@studio120.co.uk.
Half Moon to reopen
NNHerne Hill’s Half Moon pub is to reopen after closing in August 2013 after a burst Thames Water pipe flooded the area. The Half Moon has hosted a string of famous acts in the past, including U2, Billy Bragg, and even an impromptu performance from Frank Sinatra. In March 2016, campaigners, local bands and Jo Brand put on a pop-up music festival to save the pub as a music venue described as a “hub of the community”. Jonathan Swaine, managing director for Fullers, which owns the pub said: “We are pinning everything on March 20 – as long as the gas installation goes smoothly.”
RECIPE: DIY KITCHEN SALT BEEF
Take the cure Nick Buglione cures his own salt beef I’m not sure if anything beats a good salt beef sandwich for comfort food. True disciples should head for Katz Deli in New York, but closer to home, Pop Brixton’s Bell & Brisket do a very decent effort. Turns out it’s easier than you think to DIY. Here’s my go at a classic “wet” cure.
The cure
¡¡ 1kg brisket (available in Brixton Market or supermarkets) ¡¡ 500g salt ¡¡ 300g sugar ¡¡ 2.5g Prague Powder (I got mine from smokedust.co.uk) ¡¡ Star anise, bay leaf, rosemary (all optional)
First the cure. Easy peasy. Dissolve everything in a
large pan of boiling water. Allow to cool. Get a bowl/ pan and pour the brine liquid to completely cover the meat. Cover with clingfilm and place in fridge or cool place for one week, turning daily.
The cook Take the brisket and place in slow cooker/covered casserole dish with 2L vegetable stock (add carrot, onion and a couple of cloves of garlic optional). Cook on a low heat (Gas mark 4/5, 160c) for about 180 minutes, until the meat is almost falling apart.
The serve Slice meat (into chunky slices) and serve with English mustard, pickles and rye bread. Wrap the rest of the meat in clingfilm (tight to compress) and keep in fridge. Enjoy.
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NYC hears all about Brixton Hill’s offerings
NNThe Alkaline Juice Factory, Negril, Fish Lounge, F.Mondays and Kata Kata all got some publicity across the pond after the New York Times published a piece on Brixton Hill, the road “proving that cool doesn’t have to come with a high price tag”. The road is “successfully eschewing the onslaught of gentrification” of nearby Brixton Village with small, locally run businesses, the article says, although it notes that a spike in property prices can’t be far off …
Soul food fit for a King & Co
NNSoul Food Sisters are bringing their European and Caribbeaninspired cooking to south London this March, with a kitchen residency at Clapham pub The King & Co. Launching on Monday 27 February and running daily until Sunday 2 April, the five-week pub popup will showcase the “duo’s much-loved fun fresh dishes influenced by Caribbean and European flavours”, as well as new Saturday brunch specials and Sunday roasts.
Farewell Fujiyama?
NNThe building housing restaurant Fujiyama on Vining Street off Atlantic Road has been put up for sale for £2.1 million and could potentially be turned into flats. An advert for the restaurant on estate agency Stiles Harold Williams’ website says that there is scope for residential development with the potential for five flats with ground floor commercial space. If you’re a fan of their sushi better head there soon!
Caribbean food and drink conference in Brixton
NNBrixton food entrepreneur Levi Roots has been announced as
a speaker at a Caribbean food and drink conference on 18 August at Lambeth College in Brixton. It will be followed by Grace Foods’ Jus’ Caribbean festival on 19 and 20 August, which is in partnership with Lambeth council, the college and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation. Alongside the food on offer there will be a live band, comedy, cooking competitions, mixology contests, folk dancing and more entertainment.
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Now I have my feet under the table here at Bugle Towers, the plan is to make these pages even more about your thoughts, opinions, recipes and favourite places
to eat. So keep your eyes peeled on our website and social for the first in a series of mini-polls finding out what you think. For example, ‘what’s the best breakfast
in Brixton?’ Then we’ll print the results. Gastro democracy and south London word of mouth in action. Nick Buglione food@brixtonblog.com
REVIEW: CLINK@BRIXTON PRISON
Lunch on the inside Simon Still eats at Brixton Prison’s The Clink Eating inside takes on new meaning at The Clink at HM Prison Brixton. The gastro challenge of eating at Her Majesty’s Pleasure is to ensure the dining isn’t just an accompan iment to an offbeat venue and worthwhile rehabilitation project. There are some obvious upsides. The bane of modern dining is having your meal interrupted by a fellow diner loudly taking a call or a social media obsessive tweeting every plate but there’s no chance of that happening at The Clink – a visit begins with a security check at which you place all your all electronic devices (and other banned items) in a locker. Once through an airlock gate, you’re escorted to the restaurant in an octagonal building that was built as the Governor’s House in 1819, now styled as a modern “city hotel” dining room. It sits in the centre of the prison with the tall cell blocks and barbedwire-topped walls clearly visible through the large windows. Where possible prisoners have
contributed – chairs and banquettes have all been made by prisoners at other training institutions and the art on the walls comes from inmate artists. It was my first visit to a prison and it’s certainly a sobering experience, and not only because the restaurant is (necessarily) alcohol free. Starters kick off at £6.25, main courses around £15 and desserts £6.50. Of our starters, pork and apricot terrine was high quality cuts of meat served with a delicate smear of shallot puree and finely sliced radishes. A baked savoury cheesecake had its creaminess offset with a sharp cranberry sauce and herby shortbread biscuits (had they done thyme, we wondered?). A main course of slowly braised ox cheek on a bed of leek and potato gratin came with deliciously rich gravy, the result of two days of simmering down, we are told. A side order of (now industry standard) triple-cooked chips had the desired balance of crisp shell and soft interior. If we were forced to nit-pick … while the loin of cod was perfectly cooked, the Thai inspired cockle broth could have done with a
little more seasoning to accompany the sharp hit of chilli. Desserts again demonstrated the variety of techniques the chefs are trained in, with home-made white chocolate and cherry ice cream accompanying a classic chocolate mouse and slithers of walnut praline. I took our waiter’s recommended of cardamom spiced rice pudding. Both were a comfortingly indulgent end to proceedings. The aim of The Clink project is to provide prisoners with training and mentor them into work. It succeeds on that front with research showing an impressive 41% drop in reoffending rates. With inmates rotating through front and back of house roles during their training, we had been “warned” that some elements could be rough around the edges. But that wasn’t our experience. The service was attentive, friendly and unpretentious, the food well-cooked and well-presented. The Clink succeeds as a restaurant in its own right and is well worth a visit. ■■ Clink Restaurant at HM Prison Brixton is open for breakfast (8.15 – 10.30am), lunch (12 – 3pm) and afternoon tea (2 – 4pm) Mon-Fri.
HM Prison Brixton, Jebb Avenue, SW2 5XF | 020 8678 9007 | theclinkcharity.org
REVIEW: PIZZA BRIXTON
Pizza without clichés Marion Turner checks in at Brixton’s latest homage to sourdough At the risk of enraging our fave local foodie Jay Rayner, the vogue for “artisan” sourdough in Brixton continues apace with the arrival of imaginatively titled Pizza Brixton. A rival to the over-subscribed Franco Manca and my very “local”, Mama Dough. Altogether the modern stripped back diner with possibly reclaimed rustic chairs and tables, naked bulb lighting, whopping specials blackboard, neutral utilitarian tones and a funkily byzantine wood-fired oven blazing away. Curiously the New York Times recently described Brixton Hill as “eschewing the onslaught of gentrification and proving that cool doesn’t come with a high price tag”. One thing is for sure, even in the days of “artisan” renditions, a pizza doesn’t break the bank, while there are few clearer markers of gentrification than the installation of wood-burning pizza ovens and authentic coffee makers in former corner shops. As you would hope from a local pizzeria, the staff are Italian and (child) friendly. For having reclaimed two famished terrors from after-school club, we were here in the late afternoon, early evening slot. Offspring #1 has heat-loving taste buds so for him the fiery diavola, all spicy sausage and salami. Offspring#2 was a little more conservative with her margherita, classic tomato, mozzarella and basil. Both from a
small, compact menu alongside an even more compact wine list. Essentially this is classic Neapolitan pizza with the occasional twist. There is no kid’s menu, but the staff had that Mediterranean panache with kids which makes it a quality pit stop for tired and irascible parents. The Sicilian cook was happy to talk offsprings through the pizza-making process, while I had a good Americano and fennel-savoury Tarallini (basically toroidal Italian crackers. And for those of you without a Maths degree, toroidal means doughnut-shaped). Offspring#2 was thrilled to be presented with a heart-shaped pizza, and health-conscious mums and dads will approve of the fresh juices (rather than unlimited buckets of Coke). As we parents surely all do, I plundered a slice from both and, yes, that all-important dough is just the right combination of chewy, crispy and pleasingly salty. Accompaniments and nibbles come in the form of buffalo ricotta with honey and walnuts, salads and Cerignola olives as well as the aforementioned Tarallini. We’ll be back. Gentrification or not, Pizza Brixton is a genuinely useful new arrival. Simple, classic and tasty. No indulgent sideways reinventions, just good pizza. What will come in its wake up Brixton Hill may not be as popular with local residents, despite the New York Times’s dictum that Brixton Hill is “keeping it real”. For the record, to my knowledge, Jay Rayner has nothing against pizza, just the gastro cliché that is “artisan”.
Pizza Brixton | 105 Brixton Hill, SW2 1AA | 020 3417 0471 | pizzabrixton.co.uk
Now electrifying Electric Avenue Healthy Eaters is now open
until 11.00pm in the evening so now you can enjoy our warm Caribbean vibe with a Jamaican
rum, a tropical cocktail or local beer and authentic jerk chicken to the sounds of sweet
reggae music. Mmm...mmm
So, come on and rock down to
17 Electric Avenue Brixton SW9 8JP and let the fun begin!
020 7274 4521 www.healthyeaters.co.uk
20 WHAT’S ON
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2017 MARCH
Jamila Omar rounds up a March selection of what’s on in Brixton and nearby FRI 3@ PRINCE ALBERT
THUR 16 @ HOOTANANNY
SAT 4 @ BRIXTON BARNADOS
FRI 17 @ WINDMILL
The Bashy Beats crew are excited to announce their first party at the Prince Albert, playing sets that cross genres from bashment to DnB, bringing the bashy PARTY VIBES to Brixton! 10pm till late. Free.
Gearing up for London Fashion Week later this month, Love Your Clothes, Barnardo’s and Charity Fashion Live offers a free and customisation workshop, HOW TO DRESS UP DENIM, teaching skills like free machining style embroidery and patching. Midday to 3pm. Free.
RITZY ROUNDUP
At the time of my monthly round up deadline I am still basking in the innocence of the 2017 Academy Awards, says Nicola Jones. How has it all panned out? Hopefully in a way that regardless of politics reminds us all why we love cinema and why it is so intrinsic that all types of stories get a moment in the spotlight March is a busy month for the Ritzy and begins with a growl and some howls as Hugh Jackman returns to the claws of Wolverine. LOGAN (from 1 Mar) will be director James Mangold’s take on the famed X-man. This is Jackman’s final bow as the imperviously immortal and cantankerous anti-hero. Joining it is the Michael Fassbender and Brendon Gleeson two-hander TRESPASS AGAINST US (3 Mar). Here’s hoping it’s better than its title suggests. The Sundance festival film CERTAIN WOMEN (from 3 Mar) and VICEROY’S HOUSE (from 3 Mar) are also out. Finally for us cinephiles the masterful ELLE (from 10 Mar) arrives in the UK. Paul Verhoeven directs French grand dame Isabelle Hubbert in what is certain to be a memorable piece of work. Do not miss it. Big releases also arrive this month. Leading the pack (even over Wolverine) is Disney’s live action adaptation of their 1991 animated hit BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (from 17 Mar). Go, enjoy it – it cannot be as bad as CINDERELLA. A beast of another kind arrives with KONG: SKULL ISLAND (from 17 Mar). If that is not enough exploring for you go see THE LOST CITY OF Z (from 24 Mar) based on David Grann’s book about explorers in the Amazon. Rounding out the month is director
Ben Wheatley’s FREE FIRE (from 31 Mar). The film is his follow-up to High Rise, last year’s adaptation of the J.G. Ballard novel. Free Fire is an original script set in Boston in 1978. Bellbottoms and handlebar moustaches adorn a meeting of two gangs that erupts into a survival shootout. Starring Brie Larson, Armie Hammer and Cillian Murphy to name but a few, the film should make your monthly must-see list. Also releasing this month is science fiction thriller LIFE (from 31 Mar) starring Rebecca Ferguson, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds in space. Controversial GHOST IN A SHELL (from 31 Mar) arrives that weekend as well. Will the Scarlett Johansson film beat out its situation?
SUN 5 @ BRIXTON POUND CAFE
London Mime Workshop. Warm up, stretch and relax, then learn MIME TECHNIQUES. Finally, improvise with the skills you’ve learned and work on clown, pierrot and jester characters. Every Sunday. 5.15 for 5.30 – 7.30pm. £10/£5 concessions.
MON 6 @ HOOTANANNY
With a showcase of 12 writers, BRIXTON BOOKJAM returns, with each author reading five-minute excerpts from their work. 8 – 11pm. Free.
TUE 7 @ WHITE BEAR THEATRE
Opening of play Bunny by AWARD-WINNING PLAYWRIGHT Jack Thorne (until 25 March). Starring Catherine Lamb, it’s an interrogation of the mind of one young girl struggling to find her place within a modern world lacking intimacy and connection. 7pm. £12/£10 concessions.
WED 8 @ MARKET HOUSE
Come take a walk on the weird side at House of Idiot, ALTERNATIVE COMEDY open mic show. This week’s performers are Gary Tro, Heather Minor, Robert Copland, Bad Clowns, Martin Willis, Johnny Wardlow, Annie Bachini and Claire Benjamin. From 8pm. Free.
THUR 9 @ LOST THEATRE
In the acclaimed emotional rollercoaster ONE-MAN PLAY Wisdom of a Fool, Jack Lane takes you behind Norman Wisdom’s well-known character to reveal a tough and lonely childhood, playing 30 characters in a tour de force at this Wandsworth Road theatre. 7.30 – 10.30pm. £20.
Do The Right Thing … Ritzy staff and others employed by the giant Cineworld corporation are calling for a boycott of the Ritzy and other cinemas in the Picturehouse chain that do not pay the London Living Wage – see page 3
SAT 18 @ DOGSTAR
AudioSushi is one of Brixton’s longest-running Saturday nights, spinning deep house, bass bangers, classics and shouts from the floor – a non-stop full on HANDS IN THE AIR PARTY mix. 9pm – 3am. Free before 10, £5 after.
SUN 19 @ BAR 414
Grassroots Live Music. A weekly Sunday night (with new opening times), that looks set to encourage and inspire LOCAL GRASSROOTS TALENT. UB40 trumpeter Patrick Anthony leads the experienced house band, with resident DJs and Caribbean food available too. 10pm – 3am. Free.
MON 20 @ POP BRIXTON
Come along to Tunstall Studios and have a SHIATSU treatment from one of the students at a supervised clinic. 7 – 9pm. £15.
SAT 11 @ BRIXTON JAMM
TUE 21@ RITZY
Adrian Sherwood & Pinch album launch party. Man Vs. Sofa is the latest step in a five-year journey undertaken by two undeniable heavyweights in UK BASS MUSIC. 10pm – 5am. £8.
Discover Tuesdays is a new weekly film slot offering the chance to see a CULT CLASSIC art-house gem or riveting documentary. This week it’s Sweet Dreams, starring Berenice Bejo and Valerio Mastandrea. 6pm.
SUN 12 @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON
WED 22 @ WHIRLED CINEMA
With over 10 years of live performance experience, selling out intimate venues around the world, plus a stream of mixtapes, TEEDRE MOSES, aka the Lioness, returns to the UK. 7 – 11pm. £26.50.
The Light Between Oceans is a beautiful, HEARTRENDING ROMANCE based on the bestselling Australian novel by M.L. Stedman, with Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. 8.30pm.
MON 13 @ POP BRIXTON
THUR 23 @ BRIXTON JAMM
Daddy, Mummy & Me TODDLER YOGA. Focusing on the children with the encouragement of parents. Includes breathing games, yoga postures, singing, stories, yoga games and music. Suitable for parents/ guardians and children. 11 –11.45am. Free.
■■ Nicola Jones is a freelance writer whose website asophisticatednoise. com covers film reviews, trailers, and industry news. She can be found tweeting @MzJones
To celebrate ST PATRICK’S DAY, the Windmill will be decked out lurid green and transformed into Paddy’s Pub from sitcom It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. There’ll be a talent show featuring live covers of Irish artists, with members of London bands Dead Pretties, Fish and HMLTD putting on their best Irish accents, as well as a freeform Irish dancing competition and other shenanigans. Dresscode: Green. 8pm til late. £5.
Held every Monday, a fun, challenging and exhilarating CAPOEIRA-inspired bodyweight conditioning class called i.flo (i.feelove) – filled with efficient exercise routines and techniques, designed to aid beginners into the art of Capoeira. Led by Baris. 7.45 – 9.15pm. £10.
FRI 10 @ BASS BRIXTON Lastly, this month’s international arrivals include the Iranian Academy Award-nominated THE SALESMAN (from 17 Mar).
ROOTS ROCK REGGAE special JayJayBorn2Sing Birthday Show, featuring Frederica Tibbs, Kitty Corbin and Audrey Scott, with The Foundation Band. 9pm – 2am. £3.
TUES 14 @ PRINCE REGENT
The Prince Regent PUB QUIZ is held every Tuesday. Big cash prizes, free drinks questions and a rollover jackpot question that grows each week. Get there early because it’s first-come, first-served. 8pm.
WED 15 @ BLUES KITCHEN
Swing Night and Double Down. Jump, JIVE and wail your night away! 8pm – midnight. Free.
Fronted by soulful vocalist Benjamin Willis and Grime MC Levi Gordon, Shanty brings DUBWISE BASS and rhythms with a UK twist. 7.30 – 11pm. £8.
FRI 24 @ BRIXTON ACADEMY
One of the UK’s most exciting and influential British groups, THE STRANGLERS, hit the road again with the Classic Collection tour, coinciding with the re‑release of the band’s entire catalogue from 1977 to 1982. 7.30pm. £31.50.
SAT 25 @ HOOTANANNY
Stranger Than Paradise present Johnny Kowalksi and The Sexy Pranksters, raucous Balkan CARNIVAL PUNK, plus support. 9pm-3am. Free before 10, £6 after.
MARCH 2017
brixtonblog.com
WEST NORWOOD’S FIRST FREE FILM FESTIVAL
SUN 26 @ UPSTAIRS AT RITZY
Massive Arms presents a 15th anniversary tribute to THE STREETS’ album Original Pirate Material. Expect a full album playback then some right nasty garage, a sprinkling of house and a splash of grime. 8pm – 1am. £7.
MON 27 @ BLUES KITCHEN
Juke House Blues. Succulent and juicy ribs paired with a side of SEXY BLUES TUNES. 8pm – 2.30am. Free.
TUE 28 @ POP BRIXTON
Each Tuesday, take the “work” out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and highintensity moves for an interval-style, calorieburning dance fitness party, otherwise known as ZUMBA. 6.15 – 8.25pm. £10.
WED 29 @ UPSTAIRS AT RITZY
A live music night, LAID BARE, hosted by local musician Rami Radi, presenting the best musicians, singers and poets south London has to offer. Based around two featured local acts. 7.30pm. Free.
THUR 30 @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON
With a gloriously rich mix of psychedelic guitars, cruising vocals and kaleidoscopic sounds, TEMPLES were considered the best new band in Britain by Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr. 7pm – 11pm. £16.
FRI 31 @ B45
South London friends and family Field Work (from NTS Radio) return for a party in a Brixton basement on Tulse Hill with top sound, light show, draught beer and a late finish. They are joined by Elena Columbi with the BEST OF TECHNO, industrial EBM, cold wave and weirdo electro. 10pm – 4am. £5.
SCIENCE EXPLOSION
Richard Atkins Primary School in New Park Road, SW2, has gone science mad in preparation for Science Week (10 – 19 March). Parents and community can see pupils in a live science show presented by actor Mohammed Mansaray from 3.30 to 5pm on Friday 17 March when the school is organising a “science explosion”. Budding scientists will be making electric circuits to power propellers, blow up balloons with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda and create volcanic eruptions … plus giant bubbles, giant origami paper planes, soap-powered mini-boats, secret garden fossils excavation, parachutes and more. ■■ Details from Valentina Castaldi – VCastaldi@RichardAtkins.org.
WHAT’S ON 21
MUSIC TO FIGHT TRUMP’S MUSLIM BAN A group of activists is putting on a gig on Saturday 11 March at B45 (45 Tulse Hill SW2 2TJ) in Brixton to raise funds to fight President Trump’s Muslim travel ban. All proceeds from Musicians Against the Muslim Ban(d) Aid, or MAMBA, will go to the Council on American Islamic Relations (www.cair.com) – a civil rights organisation that supports Muslims who suffer state abuse of their human rights. Five local acts will play from 7.30 pm: Mohammed Yahya, The Infinite Three, The Tuts (acoustic set), The Awkward Silences and Daniel Pascal – it’s a rich mix of Afro hip hop, female punk-pop, gonzo alt-folk and melodic electronica. Headliner Mohammed Yahya (above) is a Mozambique-born rapper/spoken word artist/ youth mentor and a hip hop activist who was forced to flee his home country during its civil war. He has received publicity through global collaborations and appearances on mainstream TV in the UK and across Europe. He said: “There are people working to incite hatred and create division instead of celebrating our vast diversity of cultures, faith
and race. “But whilst they work, we work twice as hard, diligently building bridges of love, understanding and empathy whilst supporting one another in the face of fascist and racist propaganda.” Hywel Roberts, a journalist and charity worker who is organising the gig, said: “After attending the protest against Trump’s state visit I was inspired to do something that could make a real difference to the fight. “Raising money for organisations that are helping Muslims, as well as showing solidarity with a superb line-up of Muslim and non-Muslim artists, sends out a strong message that we are on the side of the oppressed and against those that seek to cause division between us. “Live music has both the power to bring people together, create positivity and raise money for voluntary causes that can make a real difference.” ■■ Facebook event page: facebook.com/events/1268245113265301. ■■ Advance tickets £9 plus 90p booking fee at http://www.wegottickets.com/event/389888.
West Norwood is keeping up with posher neighbour Herne Hill by hosting its first free film festival from 25 March to 1 April. The opening night at St.Luke’s Church has a screening of Spielberg’s eighties classic Back to the Future. Quirky museum The Clockworks (3 Nettlefold Place) home to historic clocks from across the centuries, will play host to Christopher Nolan’s time-bending thriller Memento. The Book and Record Bar will stay true to its roots with a showing of Northern Soul – the tale of two Lancashire teens and their discovery of American soul dance culture in the sixties. It will be followed by a DJ night inspired by the film’s soundtrack. The festival will also feature a trademark 48-hour film competition – Aspiring and established filmmakers are invited to create a short film inspired by the local area. At the launch on the eve of the festival in Knowles of Norwood, entrants will be given a line of dialogue, a prop and a local location and challenged to create a short film in 48 hours. Shortlisted films will be screened on the closing night of the festival and judged by a panel including experts from the BFI.
PROGRAMME
FRIDAY 24 MARCH, 48-hour film competition launch, Knowles of Norwood SATURDAY 25, Back to the Future, St. Luke’s Church MONDAY 27, The Goonies, Knowles of Norwood TUESDAY 28, Memento, The Clockworks WEDNESDAY 29, Babette’s Feast, Otter Café THURSDAY 30, Paterson, Parkhall Work Space FRIDAY 31, Northern Soul, The Book and Record Bar SATURDAY 1 APRIL, 48-hour film competition gala, Portico Gallery ■■ For more information, visit freefilmfestivals.org/westnorwood or follow @WestNorwoodFFF.
MIME WORKSHOP
At Brixton Pound Café, 77 Atlantic Road – weekly sessions every Sunday, 5.15 for 5.30 to 7.30pm. £10 per session £5 concession. Warm up stretch and relax. Learn mime techniques and improvise with clown, pierrot and jester characters. Teacher Ima would like to collaborate with any existing mime artists. Call 07851 519590.
JEWISH ROM COM, MUSIC AND FOOD The next South Social Film Festival on 18 March will feature Jewish culture. The event starts at 6.30pm at the Cinema Museum in Kennington – 2 Dugard Way SE11 4TH. Through The Wall by Rama Burshtein (right) explores a universal topic – a wedding, dating and all the rules that go with it. It is a romantic comedy that transfers
elements of a typical Bridget Jones romp to an ultraorthodox Jewish setting. Expect a soulful night of live Klezmer music that will make you dance your socks off and a foodie paradise of Jewish cuisine. Film, food and music – £25; film and music only £18; students and seniors £10. ■■ Tickets at billetto.co.uk/ en/events/177955.
SAM THE WHEELS’ FILMS OF BRIXTON ON SHOW IN SHOREDITCH It may be the other side of London, but Shoreditch’s Autograph ABP photography gallery in Rivington Place EC2A 3BA has some must-see exhibitions. On now until 22 April is Sam the Wheels: The Great Conflict, Brixton Riots and Other Films. Mounted in partnership with Railton Road’s 198 Gallery, the free exhibition consists of nine short films with rare footage of Brixton from the 1960s to 1980s by Clovis Salmon – Sam The Wheels.
A self-taught filmmaker, Salmon began filming in Brixton in 1959. His unique archive of Super 8 celluloid films includes church and community events, activism, local struggles and the aftermath of the 1981 Brixton Uprising. Running simultaneously at the gallery is Making Jamaica: Photography from the 1890s. Also free, the exhibition explores how a new image of Jamaica was created through photography in the late nineteenth century. More than 70 archival images are exhibited
in London for the first time, courtesy of the Caribbean Photo Archive, alongside a new commission by contemporary artist Ingrid Pollard. Another short trip – staying south of the river this time – is needed to see Vron Ware: 13 Dead, Nothing Said. In a free exhibition running from 9 March to 27 May at Goldsmith’s college in New Cross, Vron Ware’s photographs document the 1981 Black People’s Day of Action which followed the fire in the early hours of 18
January 1981 at 439 New Cross Road in which 13 young black Londoners died. In response to public indifference, negative media coverage, and apparent police inaction, thousands of people came together to protest against racist violence with an historic march on 2 March 1981. Ware’s pictures of it will be on public display for the first time in this exhibition. It is in the Richard Hoggart building of Goldsmith’s at New Cross. The main entrance is at 8 Lewisham Way SE14 6NW.
22 COLUMNS
brixtonblog.com
GEMMA PASHA
FRANKIE HOLAH
Yukky slugs and snails …
Get off those scales
As the shoots start to poke through the soil and we start to see the first signs of spring, the slugs and snails in your garden are on the war path, ready for their first green meal in a long time. While most of us don’t want to throw down toxic slug pellets there are more humane and effective ways of keeping them at bay!
Traps
I don’t own a set of scales! You can’t weigh happiness with scales, you can’t weigh confidence with scales and you can’t weigh bad ass skills with scales … When I am asked how much I weigh I usually reply: “The most I’ve ever weighed”. So what does a number on the scales mean? Well, it’s Frankie + gravity… bones, water, fat, muscle, peanut butter – everything basically! If I didn’t know anything about my body I might panic and think that I must instantly lose weight as I’m heavier than I used to be. But here’s the thing. Increased or maintained weight doesn’t always mean something terrible, as we are often made to think. Want to know why? Muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less room on your body. When you train, your body fat should decrease and your lean muscle mass should increase. So the little number blinking up at you on those darn scales can often be misleading. If tracking progress through measurements is your thing, then I’d advise sticking to a good old tape measure and taking progress pictures. Even if they make you cringe at first, you will thank yourself when you start seeing results. There have
ones already on the plants.
Believe it or not snails are attracted to beer… so sink a jar part way into the ground (not all the way to avoid other insects falling in) and part fill with beer … the slugs and snails will fall in and drown.
Remove by hand Snails and slugs are nocturnal, so the most effective way to catch them is by torchlight at night. Pick them off the plants and dispose of them in your regular waste or free them to kill them.
Mulch barrier Surround the most vulnerable plants with a mulch of sharp grit, bark or moisture-absorbent material such as wool. These can discourage snails and slugs on the soil surface but obviously isn’t tackling the
2017 MARCH
Copper Significant research has shown that slugs and snails don’t like to cross copper, so try copper tape, copper collars and copper impregnated matting. The most effective way to use copper to prevent snails is on pots. So, let the war on our slimy enemies begin and let our new shoots grow into beautiful new plants for you to enjoy this spring and summer. Good luck and where possible avoid using harmful and toxic products. øø If you need any help with your gardening, please call Gemma, The Gardening Girl, 07826 551353 thegardeninggirlat82@gmail.com
Quick Crossword ACROSS 1. Poet from Lesbos (6) 4. Thump (5) 7. Fix (6) 8. More proximate (6) 9. Fruit of the blackthorn (4) 10. Adventure (8) 12. Lazy bones (5,6) 17. Learned (4,4) 19. Oh no! (4) 20. A Venetian gold coin; sparkly decoration (6) 21. Under cover (6) 22. Component (5) 23. Heart of a nut (6) DOWN 1. Lacquer (7) 2. Levelling-off (7) 3. Lucky charm (5,4) 4. Dance; dot (5) 5. Young gun (7) 6. Lour (6) 11. Bliss (5,4) 13. Aslant (7) 14. Disney’s street rat (7) 15. Continually winning (7) 16. Confesses (4,2) 18. Elevate (5)
Solution on the Brixton Blog website at http://bit.ly/Bugle-Xword-Mar17 from 20 March
been many occasions a client doesn’t believe the amazing progress they’ve made until you place pictures side by side and notice all of those significant changes … achieved through their own hard work! So, if you are tempted to step on a set of scales, remember this before you do … and then walk away from them. You are more than a number on a screen… You are the sweaty morning workouts that you always feel better after finishing. You are the hard-earned sub-30-minute 5k. You are the one extra rep you didn’t think you could do. And, guess what, none of the happiness or pride you feel can be measured on weighing scales. And to be honest until, the scales say: “Well done Frankie – that was a bad ass workout and you look super strong and healthy”, I ain’t buyin’ a set! Be more than a number! 66 For personal training or advice: frankie@frankieholah.com Follow me @frankieholah.
WHERE TO GET YOUR BRIXTON BUGLE We hand out copies at Brixton Tube station on publication morning but, if you miss that, our main stockists are: Healthy Eaters, Electric Lane Brixton Library, Windrush Square Brixton Recreation Centre, Station Road McDonalds, Brixton Road POP Brixton, Station Road Cornercopia, Brixton Village Brixton Pound Café, Atlantic Road You will also usually find us at more than 200 spots around Brixton, including: CENTRAL BRIXTON: Beehive Pub, Black Cultural Archives, Brixton Blend, Brixton Mosque, Brixton Wholefoods, Café Brixtonia, Effra Hall Tavern, Ferndale Sports Centre, Karibou Centre, Lounge, Morleys (Nero), Parissi Café, Photofusion, Ritzy Cinema, Seven Bar, Shawl Café, Stuart the Watchman, Trinity Arms, 20 Storey Gifts, Urban Heart Café. COLDHARBOUR LANE: Book Mongers, Brixton Soup Kitchen, Caribbean Spice, Chestnut Nursery, Diverse, House of Bottles, Nail Spar, Satay Bar. BRIXTON VILLAGE: Cafe Sibilla, Circus, Federation Coffee, Studio 73. BRIXTON HILL: Café Tana, Corpus Christi Church, Eden Harper, F Mondays Café, Fish Lounge, Kwik Stop, Pempamsie, Stir Coffee, White Horse Pub, Windmill Pub. EFFRA ROAD: Effra Social, Eurolink Business Centre, Hootananny. HERNE HILL: Archway Cafe, Florence Pub, Kaya, Dugard & Daughters Butchers, Prince Regent; Seasons of England Greengrocer. Also at: Angel Delight Community Centre, Brixton Advice Centre (Railton Road), Brixton Cycles, Brockwell Blend Café (Tulse Hill), Loughborough Estate Office, Minet Library. If you are interested in becoming a Brixton Bugle stockist, please email distribution@brixtonblog.com
MARCH 2017
Hill Mead HERALD Hill Mead’s super spelling sensations By Saphire and Jordan Years 5 and 6 were set the challenge of learning lots of really tricky words for a spelling bee, which is when lots of people have to learn lots of words and compete against each other to see who knows the most spellings. Our teachers asked us to do it to improve our spelling, but it also improved our confidence as we had to stand up in front of the whole school and spell out lots of words. At first we were nervous, but once we got started we really enjoyed it. Jordan said: “At first I thought that it would be really, really hard, but then as I learnt more words I became happier and more confident.” Our spelling bee started with the first round in class and we narrowed it down to the top seven in each class – I (Saphire) was lucky enough to make it. Next we went head to head with the other class in our year group. which was even more nervewracking. Just six Year 6s and six Year 5s were left after this round. The most terrifying round took place in front of the whole school and we had to stand on stage! Miss Harris asked Jordan “How do you spell aggressive?” He said that his heart was beating faster as he replied … “A.G.G.R.E.S.S.I.V.E.” And the audience went wild! The prize for winning was to go to Tales on Moon Lane in Herne Hill and choose our own book, followed by hot chocolate and cake. None of us had been to the bookshop before. Its walls lined with amazing children’s books. We couldn’t believe our eyes. The staff at the shop were kind and knew a lot about books so could help us choose one that was right for us. Gavin said: “I really enjoyed the whole experience and it was a great reward for working so hard”. We didn’t have to wait long as we went next door for delicious chocolate cake and hot drinks. It was such a great treat and made all the practice worth it. The whole experience has improved our spelling and made us much more confident in our own ability.
Creating and acting in a Nelson Mandela opera By Edem and Abdishakur, Year 5
We worked with Brixton’s Pegasus Opera last term to create an opera based on the theme Black Heroes. First we went on a trip to the Black Cultural Archives to learn all about the life of Nelson Mandela. There we learnt about Mandela’s involvement in the ANC (African National Congress). We also learnt a little about the history of South Africa and the conflicts that happened. After our visit to the BCA, we had five workshops to prepare, rehearse and perform an opera on Mandela’s life. Aga and
Valentine from the Pegasus Opera company each week gave us thrilling and energetic exercises to warm up our vocal chords and to get our bodies moving! Bit by bit, we created and retold the story of the life of Mandela, from when he was nine years old, until the day he finally became the first Black President of South Africa. The opera was split into two parts. Year 5 Blue told the story through songs from the moment his father died, to becoming a member of the ANC and finally being arrested for treason. I, Abdishakur, played the lead role in this part of the story. At
first I was shocked I was chosen to play Mandela out of the whole class, but when I got into it I felt as if I could have been the man himself. Year 5 Red picked up the story from when Mandela was held in captivity until his release up to the day when he became leader of a free nation. The people of South Africa celebrated the fact that they had a new President who was willing to fight for their freedom. I, Edem felt proud to play this heroic figure on stage, someone who has stood up for equality and human rights in South Africa and all over the world.
WE LEARN FROM RUSSIAN COMPUTER ENGINEERS AT TATE GALLERIES By Nashiye and Jheyson, Year 5
We were honoured to be part of Digital Makers at the Tate Modern gallery on the South Bank of the River Thames. Digital Makers are children who are allowed to go on computer trips so they can programme robots. At the centre of the event is a large Base Camp, a space to develop projects led by members of the Collective. An Electr“o”active Grid (pictured)
let us get hands on experience with coding at most levels of ability. We used Pound Shop toys and created open source interactive projects that will populate the grid which is made of interconnected polypropylene tubes. It will be programmed to become an interactive participatory platform. There were no other schools there, but there were people from the Chelsea and Wimbledon Schools of Art (C/WSA). We were also supported by Russian engineers from CYLAND
MediaArtLab in St Petersburg. We have been working at Chelsea School of Art and have visited Tate Britain, but this was our first visit to Tate Modern. It was very, very exciting. We all had our own adult assistant. My (Nashiye’s) assistant, Lucy (CSA), and I made two motors, using Arduino coding, that turned backwards and forwards. We also programmed lights to go on and off in sequence. Jheyson’s assistant, Zoe (WSA), was new to Digital Making so we needed to
Discovering how democracy works By Aaron and Jenniel, Year 6 Red We were learning this term about democracy and how it works. We visited the Houses of Parliament (the Palace of Westminster) to learn about its history and to learn about Sadiq Khan (the Mayor of London) and the MPs who work there. Sadiq Khan was the MP for Tooting before he was elected Mayor of London. We learnt that his father was a bus driver and he had a normal life like us. In the House of Lords the Queen is
not allowed to go past her throne. She is also not allowed to go into the House of Commons because King Charles I kicked down the door of the Commons and wanted to arrest everyone. But luckily the speaker stood up and bellowed to the king: “I’m in charge here, you are not!” The UK public elects Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent us. MPs consider and can propose new laws as well as raising issues that matter to you. When we visited the Houses of Parliament, we were split into two groups and had a tour
around the building. When we had left, Teresa May (the prime minister) had gone for a visit to the House of Lords. (This was the first time for many years that a prime minister had been in the House of Lords).
Fun facts/fake news The Queen has a robing room just to put her robe on. In the robing room she also has a secret toilet with golden toilet paper! One day Michael Jackson was so amazed with the bling, he tried to buy it off the Queen.
get some help from MediaArtLab. Our motor only went from side to side but he helped me to go in the direction I wanted it to go. Before we came back to school we all had a chance to have a go at the virtual reality area. When you were in VR you really believed you were there whether it was the forest, space, rocky island or even the city’s skyscrapers. This was such an adventure and we learned about some of the amazing things you can do with a computer.
BRIXTON
Bugle SPORT
Austin Kentebe (left) and Percy Hutchful (right) at the 2017 Canary Wharf Sports Personality of the Year Awards
Brixton wheelchair basketball coaches win sports personality gong By Sandra Brobbey
Ashley Carew: late strike
Dulwich Hamlet face FA Trophy replay Dulwich Hamlet will face Macclesfield Town next Tuesday in a replay of their FA Trophy quarterfinal tie, following a dramatic 2-2 draw at Champion Hill last Saturday. Although the south Londoners kicked off the game in confident fashion with fullback Nathan Green making good use of his searing pace in their attacks, Dulwich went behind by two goals in the first 30 minutes. The second goal, scored by Silkmen midfielder Luke Summerfield, followed a misplaced pass from Dulwich keeper Preston Edwards. Summerfield took advantage with a wonderful strike curled into the top corner past Edwards’s outstretched hand. Despite the two-nil deficit Dulwich upped the ante and applied pressure on Macclesfield’s defence, spending the latter stages of the first half in
their opponents’ half of the pitch. The home side were rewarded for their efforts with Quade Taylor scoring his first ever goal for Gavin Rose’s team in the 25th minute. Buoyed by their goal, Dulwich Hamlet went straight into attack in the second half. The south Londoners were initially kept at bay thanks to some fraught defending by the Macclesfield back four and keeper. Dulwich eventually got their equaliser thanks to a late strike by Ashley Carew. The goal in the 87th minute came off the back of some neat one-touch interchanges involving Carew and substitutes Jacob Erskine and Dumebi Dumaka. Gavin Rose’s side will travel to Macclesfield next Tuesday for their replay against the Silkmen. A win would see them take on Tranmere Rovers in the semi-final stage of the FA Trophy.
Coaches from the Brixton Ballers were honoured at a glitzy sports awards ceremony backed by Sky Sports pundit and former West Ham striker Tony Cottee. Austin Kentebe and Percy Hutchful were joint winners of a Volunteer Commitment prize at the Canary Wharf Sports Personality of the Year Awards last month. Kentebe and Hutchful, senior coaches of the Ballers who currently compete in the British Wheelchair Basketball League’s South and East Third Division, were joined by nominees and award-winners representing sports groups around London. Hutchful, who was a torch bearer at the 2012 Olympic Games, hopes their award win will help build more public interest in wheelchair basketball across the capital. “It was an honour to win this award. Canary Wharf Contractors have been doing a lot of work in south London and it’s thanks to them and the South London Procurement Network that Austin and I were nominated,” said Hutchful. “One of the company’s officials took an interest in the Brixton Ballers and what we have been doing as a team. They were looking for causes to support, so we told them about our history and our players. “We are certainly seeing a lot more faces at our games at the (Brixton) Rec, but I still don’t think we are there yet in terms of getting more awareness of the sport
in London. The 2012 Paralympics helped to push things in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go in terms of getting more funding, support and recognition.” “Percy and I were shocked to be shortlisted”, said Hutchful’s colleague Austin Kentebe. “It was a big surprise. But it’s great for the club and our players. “We were up against six finalists in our category so it was good to win and have our efforts recognised. We will continue to do what we do with the Brixton Ballers.” Brixton Ballers have had a decent season so far and recently
beat third division hotshots the London Titans 44-23. The Ballers have won five games out of nine so far this season. They will face Hackney Sparrows away on 25 March before they take on the Leicester Cobras at the Rec on 8 April. “We’re in the top half of our division and we’re doing well compared to last year,” said Hutchful. “Two of our players have experienced injury problems, so we have had to bring in some reserves to take their place. “If we can continue with our winning form and keep that continuity going, I have high hopes for the rest of the season.”
Brixton Ballers training at the Rec