Brixton Bugle March 2016

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BRIXTON BUGLE No 41 | March 2016 | FREE

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ARCHES: ‘IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY’

BRIXTON STRIKER

Rinsola Babajide in England squad 24

Pawnbrokers and betting shop can stay By Angus Peters

Traders in the arches owned by Network Rail in Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road have reacted with fury and frustration to a solicitor’s letter, telling them to get out by Friday 19 August this year. Network Rail had warned the traders to expect a letter in mid-January setting out details of planned refurbishment of the arches which, it claims, means they must be vacated. The infrastructure giant is yet to have its planning application approved, despite the eviction date already being set. Traders expressed frustration at the lack of information and written agreements, fearing that Network Rail could easily go back on its promise to let them return. “There is only one legal document that we have received from Network Rail,” said Malek Menad, Director at Denmay Fabrics. “There’s no documents about our new lease, as they promised us.” H&T Pawnbrokers are not included in the eviction, but declined to comment further. It is thought that betting shop William Hill are also not included. This exception sparked outrage amongst other traders. Ray Murphy, owner of Budget Carpets, expressed incredulity at the news: “The most morally decrepit businesses, the ones that leech off the poor, are the ones that are staying in the Railway Arches?” “It’s all about the money,” he said. Traders are now considering their next moves and were due to meet on Friday CONTINUED page 2

FINE ART ON DISPLAY Mayor at Hill Mead exhibition

23

WE’VE SEEN IT ALL BEFORE Brixton 45 years ago

Older Brixtonites wanting to cheerlead need look no further than their home town to get fit and have fun. The charity Silverfit has started running cheerleading sessions at Brixton Rec on Wednesday mornings and, following a trial session last December, by popular demand there will also be evening sessions on Thursdays at the Ferndale community sports centre. See page 4.

GREAT NORTH WOOD Putting the trees back

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9

2 NEWS

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Both website and newspaper are published by a not-for-profit community organisation run by a committed team of people from Brixton » 020 3730 1312 » @brixtonblog » @brixton_bugle » brixtonblog.com ADVERTISING Jenny Shramenko 07811 878394 jenny@brixtonblog.com Circulation 10,000 copies Readership: circa 15,000 EDITOR Linda Quinn linda@brixtonblog.com MANAGING EDITOR Lindsay Faller lindsay@brixtonblog.com NEWS EDITOR Anna McKie newsdesk@brixtonblog.com ARTS & FEATURES Barney Evison, Ruth Waters arts@brixtonblog.com FOOD Miss South food@brixtonblog.com SPORT Sandra Brobbey sport@brixtonblog.com David Gibson ISSUE 41 Writers: Nikki Griffiths Anna Guise Lucy Hook Yush Kalia Mamusu Kallon Chidi Ogundu Angus Peters Susan Sheehan Sub-editor: Jamila Omar Production: Alan Slingsby Crossword: Josie Gardiner A massive thank you to everybody involved in making this issue, and the Blog & Bugle project, a success If you would like to be a Bugle stockist please email distribution@brixtonblog.com

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Council tax to rise as more cuts are agreed Lambeth council approved a tough new budget at its meeting at the end of February. The council says government funding for Lambeth will have been cut by 56 per cent between 2010 and 2018, which means increases in council tax and tough choices about services. Since 2011 the council has identified £182m of savings – including more than £40m this year – with a further £55m be found by 2019/20. The number of employees has been cut by 1,000 people since 2010, with hundreds more to go by the end of this year. The number of council buildings is also reducing from 14 to two. But there will have to be further cuts to balance the books. Council leader Lib Peck, said: “This is undoubtedly the most difficult economic situation the council has ever faced with the current government imposing cut after cut. The idea that local authorities such as Lambeth can keep finding new things to cut is farcical. “But we are determined to get through it, protecting the most vulnerable and finding new ways to provide the basic services which keep our communities thriving.” Just over half of Lambeth’s budget goes on adult social care and children’s services – neither

March 2016

Windrush Square campaigners welcome progress on clean-up

of which can be cut because the council has a statutory duty to provide them, whatever the level of demand. Government has allowed local authorities to increase council tax by 2 per cent to provide additional funds for social care. This will be on top of an already agreed 1.99 per cent rise in Lambeth council tax. An extra £4m will be raised. The council says a family living in a typical Band D property will pay 36p extra per week. The council said crackdowns on fraud, anti-social behaviour and littering would help to save money, along with the renegotiation of contracts including environmental services, customer services and enforcement contracts. As well as budget savings, the council is keen to bring in money through growth and development. Cllr Scott Ainslie of Lambeth Green Party, who was not at the council meeting that approved the budget, accused Labour of “doing the Conservatives’ dirty work for them”. The three Conservatives on the council put forward an alternative plan that included demolition of Brixton Rec and its replacement with a new leisure centre on the site of Pop Brixton.

Brixton residents who are demanding action to clean up Windrush Square have reported some progress for their campaign. Annick Alet of Friends of Windrush Square said things are moving. “There is still much to be done but at least some environmental issues have been addressed,” she said. “Many square users have stopped by to acknowledge new planters being installed by the Bovril wall. “The square is less gloomy at night as some bulbs have been replaced. “The faulty bollards at the end of Rushcroft Road have been decommissioned and a barrier installed – and promptly repaired after it was broken by a vehicle that is said to have been captured on CCTV. Let’s hope there will be some enforcement. “Grass edges have been tidied up. Bin replacement has started: three sturdier bins, much more in keeping with the style of the area, have already been concreted in chosen positions.” Alet added that, at long last, it seemed that the council was considering refurbishing the toilets. Friends of Windrush Square, a sub-committee of the Brixton Society, as well as other interested parties, are still waiting for a meeting with council leader Lib Peck to hear more about the council’s plans for the square. The Friends are also following up on the local desire to see more community events in the centre

New planters are installed on the Bovril wall of Brixton. They invited users to come up with ideas for events and celebrations. Chair Marilyn Rogers said: “After a wellbeing event held jointly with Vassall and Coldharbour ward, NHS Lambeth and the council, library users are noticing a difference in the square and look forward to a spring event to share in the community celebration. I want to thank those who have responded to the call to get involved.” Alet and Rogers told the Bugle that, in response to community demands, the Friends are planning a celebration in April with community groups, regular users and residents to showcase what Brixton has to offer. ■■ Contact info@windrushsquare.org.

ARCHES: ‘IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY’ FROM page 1 evening (26 February) to discuss their campaign which has seen Network Rail move from its original approach, with an apparent “consultation” and promises that the traders will be able to return. But the uncertainty its plans have generated have already been a factor in the closure of A&C Deli, a

long-time Brixton institution, whose shop is now used by the Brixton Pound. Fishmongers L.S. Mash and Sons have also said that they will have to close if they are evicted, owing to the cost of equipping a new shop. Some traders, like the Moroccan Cafe and the Brixton Pound, are mobile enough to not depend on their shops, and plan to return once the

refurbishment is complete. Tom Shakhli, general manager at the Brixton Pound, said: “We’ve existed without a shop for years.” But he added: “We’ve been able to play a very social role in an otherwise commercial area. We want that to continue but it’s going to be difficult to get somewhere that allows us the same visibility.” He hoped the landlords

would preserve the arches as a space benefiting Brixton socially as well as commercially: “I’m adamant that this street should not just be sold to the highest bidder.” Murphy urged supporters of the traders to publicise this latest move by Network Rail to force the company to act responsibly towards its small tenants and Brixton itself. Calling the eviction

“economic and social cleansing”, he added that the disappearance of the Arches’ tenants could harm Brixton’s appeal to newcomers. “If you take the heart out of a body then it’s dead isn’t it? They moved here knowing what was there.” Menad, who moved to Brixton from Algeria 30 years ago, said: “If you remove me from Brixton, I’ll be a foreigner again.”

March 2016

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NEWS 3

Bowie mural to raise cash for cancer charities By Lucy Hook

The artist who created a mural of David Bowie in Brixton last month returned for the first time to see the tributes left by fans. Jimmy C, who painted the work in 2013, was away in Australia when Bowie died and his Brixton mural became an impromptu tribute site for thousands of fans and mourners. As the flowers mounted, pictures and videos of the site garnered worldwide attention. Returning to the site for the first time since Bowie’s death, Jimmy C, who lives in east London but grew up in Australia, described the events as “very emotional”. He told the Brixton Bugle: “I was just coming to terms with his passing, and this happened only hours later. People naturally started coming here, so that was amazing. By the end of the day there were thousands of people here.” Speaking of how he originally

came to create the piece, he said: “It was my idea to do Brixton. I’d started researching his life, and there’s not much street art out here, not compared to east London where I normally paint. I found the wall and got the go-ahead from Morleys.” After soaring interest in the mural, Jimmy is now in talks with the store to see if the work can be preserved. He has also released an official print of the artwork, and will donate 20 per cent of sales to selected cancer charities. He said: “The image of the wall has already been reproduced for commercial merchandising without consent, so I thought it was important to do an official version... It will help celebrate Bowie’s legacy as well as raise money for cancer charities.” ■■ The artwork is a limited edition Giclée print and can be purchased for £180 at http://jimmyc.arts-bureau.com.

Swim a width to uphold Brixton’s sporting honour

Splash barred over safety concerns, due back 2017

Brockwell Swimmers have again been invited to enter a team for the annual Tooting Lido Heron Invitation Gala on Sunday 20 March. The race is for all abilities and the distance is only one width. With Brixton’s honour at stake this is surely a challenge not to be refused. All ages and abilities are welcome and a sense of humour is essential. The event is free to enter and will start at 10am. ■■ For more information see www.brockwellswimmers. com

Organisers of Brixton Splash have launched a £100,000 fundraising campaign for the next Splash, which is due in 2017 after Lambeth council refused permission for the 2016 event. The council announced its decision to cancel the event because of concerns over public safety and organisation. But Brixton Splash director Shezal Laing said she and colleagues had been unable to discuss the 2016 event with the council before it was blocked. “We’ve been trying to ensure we plan a safe event, we’ve been seeking meetings with the council

Danny-Boy Hatchard, who plays Lee Carter in Eastenders, and Hussain Manawer, who won a trip that will see him become the first Muslim in space, discussed their experiences with mental health at the MeSearch event in Pop Brixton last month. The event, organised by the National Children and Young People’s Mental Health Advisory Group, had a number of talks about being involved in mental health research and the benefits it brings. Hatchard, whose Eastenders character is currently going through depression, said it was important young people did not feel afraid to discuss mental health.

We are a voluntary group of parents and carers of children and aged 0 - 25 in the London Borough of Lambeth. Our aim is to provide opportunities for parents and carers to influence the decisions that affect their families and to contribute to developing services that meet the needs of their families.

If you are a parent or carer of a child or young person aged 0-25 with additional needs and disabilities and want better services for them.....

CHARLES HENDERSON

EASTENDERS STAR AT BRIXTON HEALTH EVENT

and other stakeholders, including the police, and at every level we’ve been blocked,” she said. A letter signed by council leader Lib Peck, Ros Griffiths (a founder member of Brixton Splash), Devon Thomas (chair, Brixton Neighbourhood Forum and the Black Heritage Group) and others said that for the Splash to work successfully “we need at least a year to rethink the event, reach out to new communities to participate and to organise effectively. “We want Splash to return to its original objectives, to be a safe, community-led event, which is a positive boost for Brixton.”

Where to find us info@lambethparentforum.com 07903 248077 c/o Contact a Family Lambeth We are 336, 336 Brixton Road London SW9 7AA Check out our website for details of upcoming events in February and March www.lambethparentforum.com

4 NEWS

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March 2016

Libraries union considering strike by members in all areas The Lambeth branch of the trade union Unison is to ballot all its members in the borough to discover if they would be willing to strike over the council’s plans for its libraries. The union is also planning further days of strike action by library staff in March. A strike on 8 February shut every library in the borough. Unison accused the council of pushing ahead with its closure plans before announcing its attitude to alternative plans drawn up by the head of its own library service.

Unison said that if strike action spread across the entire workforce, housing, benefits, children’s and adult services would be affected. It said its members were angry at council plans to decommission five libraries, turning three of the five, Minet, Carnegie and Tate South Lambeth, into gyms run by GLL, the council’s leisure provider. Unison accused the council of unnecessary delay in responding to proposals by the head of the library service, Susanna Barnes, while details of a tendering

AWARD FOR MANAGER OF DOOMED LIBRARY A Lambeth librarian whose job is due to disappear at the end of this month has been presented with a Lambeth council award for her outstanding work. Caroline Mackie is library manager at Carnegie Library in Herne Hill – one of three Lambeth libraries due to be turned into gyms with no library staff. Her Lambeth Focuses on Citizens award was presented by mayor Donatus Anyanwu at a ceremony in the Royal Festival Hall. The citation said she had “significantly increased visitors and book issues and, not surprisingly, the library gets a lot of positive feedback from residents”. Jeff Doorn, chair of the Friends of Carnegie Library, said: “We are all delighted for Caroline, and are determined to keep campaigning so she and her excellent team can continue their good work here”.

process for the Waterloo Library building had emerged. Lambeth Unison joint branch secretary Jon Rogers said: “Unison hopes very much that Lambeth council will see sense and that, instead of escalating industrial action, we can resolve our dispute and pull together to campaign in the mayoral and Greater London Authority elections.” In a message to his Lambeth members, Rogers said the union’s branch committee believed that if the council could defeat the well supported campaign of its members in libraries – who are the most strongly organised group of council workers – “that will pose a great threat to all our jobs and conditions”. He said that even though hundreds of staff would be taking voluntary redundancy and leaving the council, it was refusing to guarantee that there would be no compulsory redundancies. “A positive result in the forthcoming consultative ballot will send a strong message to the council that they should be doing more to assure the job security of all council workers,” said Rogers.

Foodbank seeks donations and course co-ordinator Almost 60,000 people in Lambeth are living on the edge of poverty, according to the Norwood and Brixton foodbank. Some 7,000 food vouchers were distributed last year – more than any other London borough, says Brixton manager John Taylor. Norwood and Brixton foodbank is renewing its appeal for donations. Items needed include instant hot chocolate, tinned pies and toiletries (see list below). You can donate directly to the foodbank or drop items in the collection bins at supermarkets. Volunteers then sort the donations to check that they are in date and prepare parcels.

Professional care workers, including social workers and the police, identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. Vouchers can be redeemed for three days’ worth of emergency food. Foodbank volunteers meet clients over a cuppa or a hot meal and help signpost them to agencies who can offer help. The Norwood and Brixton foodbank is launching “Eat Well Spend Less” – a six-session course teaching people basic cookery skills an household budgeting tips and is looking for a coordinator to support the course delivery. ■■ Details at the website: norwoodbrixton.foodbank.org.uk.

FOODBANK SHOPPING LIST

■■ UHT milk, especially full fat ■■ Instant hot chocolate ■■ Tinned pies and corned beef ■■ Tinned sweetcorn ■■ Instant mash ■■ UHT sponge puddings ■■ UHT custard cartons/tins ■■ Sanitary towels ■■ Toiletries Items can be delivered to drop boxes at Tesco Brixton/Streatham, Sainsbury’s Brixton and at the foodbank and warehouse. Brixton foodbank is at St Paul’s Church, 184–188 Ferndale Rd, SW9 8AH and is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10am–1pm, Sundays, 10–11am and 12.30–1.30pm.

Rec cheerleading classes for over-45s By Chidi Ogundu When we think of cheerleaders we think of happy, bubbly high school-American girls doing complex tricks and chanting. So how about someone who is over the age of 45? Silverfit has started running cheerleading sessions at Brixton Rec on Wednesday mornings, promoting happier and healthier ageing for the over-45s. Following a trial session last

December, by popular demand there will also be evening sessions on Thursdays at the Ferndale community sports centre. “Cheerleading is good for us all, women and men – it’s brilliant exercise, strengthening the heart and lungs, reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and similar problems,” says a Silverfit spokesperson. “For over-45s development has stopped so we have to exercise to stay strong to avoid the pain that

comes with ageing.” Cheerleading counts towards government guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise each week, which helps maintain a healthy body weight and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers. ■■ Silverfit runs other events across London such as Bollywood fitness classes, walking football and Latin dancing. For more information about classes and venues visit www.silverfit.org.uk.

BRIXTON HOUSING PROTEST Young people and accompanying adults demanding action on the housing crisis will assemble at 1pm on Sunday 6 March at Windrush Square and march to Cressingham Gardens Estate on Tulse Hill, before marching back to Lambeth Town Hall for a rally and performances by young people. The protest is organised by Our Brixton, the anti-gentrification community campaign. Last year the group delivered free arts workshops at Cressingham Gardens Estate to provide an opportunity for young people in the area to discuss and understand the changes they are seeing around them. More information Twitter: @OurBrixton Facebook: goo.gl/0uhpLD

March 2016

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NEWS 5

Open Communities’ Ray Coyle addresses Cressingham residents

No let-up for Lambeth as housing crisis grows The measure of the housing and political crisis facing Lambeth council was clear at the launch of a new plan for the Cressingham Gardens estate prepared by its tenants. Angus Peters reports

redevelopments currently being undertaken in Lambeth will lead to a net increase of 73 homes, with the future redevelopment of Somerleyton Road alone providing 120 new houses. But elsewhere council redevelopment plans are meeting with fierce opposition from residents, who have taken issues with proposals to demolish existing buildings. The Cressingham Gardens community The difficulties presented by housing celebrated a victory against the council in Lambeth are clear to see. Over 21,000 before Christmas, when a judge ruled people are on the housing waiting list, unlawful its decision to halt consultation on while 1,300 families are living in severely the demolition of the estate. overcrowded conditions. The council will now have to consider a But progress in tackling this problem new proposal developed by the residents seems mired in disagreement between themselves, in conjunction with local opposing parties, councils and residents, architect Ashvin de Vos. many of whom feel they are De Vos, who grew up on not being listened to. the Cressingham Gardens New figures obtained from ‘We felt we needed to estate, says: “We felt we the GLA earlier this month come up with a solution needed to come up with by Green Party London a solution that didn’t that didn’t demolish Assembly Member Darren demolish people’s homes but Johnson appear to show that people’s homes but still responded to the area’s the borough is facing a net still responded to the housing needs.” loss of 420 social rent houses. Refurbishment would area’s housing needs’ Johnson lays the blame for not require residents to these figures firmly at the feet move to alternative homes, of London Mayor Boris Johnson: “Under the so would have a “much lower social and cover of tired stereo­types about sink estates, economic impact on this community and also the mayor is whittling away at homes that surrounding it.” are genuinely affordable to Londoners,” he The project could provide up to 33 said. “With a few exceptions, estate regeneradditional homes at council rate, by using ation has been a complete disaster in London “modular inserts” into underused car parks, and has made our housing crisis worse.” and by redeveloping “The Voids”, the name Lambeth council disputes the figures, given locally to the 14 homes on the estate saying: “We don’t recognise the figures which, according to de Vos, have lain empty provided and, almost three weeks since the and in disrepair for 15 years. original press release was published, we After the collective trauma of the judicial haven’t seen any further details to support review against the council, many residents them.” The council says that the four estate feel that the council will not take notice of

their plan. So they are now considering legal ways to take back control of their estate’s affairs, either by exercising their right to manage the estate, or their right to transfer their landlord. All tenants of council-provided housing (known as a secure tenancy) have the right to manage their own properties, by setting up a Tenant Management Organisation (TMO). Tenants still pay rent to the council, but the TMO receives an allowance from the council with which it can carry out the duties it has taken on. There are 270 TMOs in the UK at the moment, of which 10 are in Lambeth. Ray Coyle, from Open Communities, says: “They all perform better than the

local authority.” Open Communities is a training, advice and project management service specialising in social housing and community regeneration. Alternatively, tenants can choose a new landlord, either an existing housing association or a newly created organisation set up by residents. Whatever becomes of Cressingham Gardens, what is instantly clear is the feeling of discontent with Lambeth council and its management of the regeneration. Speaking at the public launch of the People’s Plan, one resident told us: “If anyone’s got a dog who’d like to campaign for Labour councillor, I’d like to vote for them instead.”

Join our partnership as

a parent volunteer

The LEAP (Lambeth Early Action Partnership) is an innovative programme that is transforming the lives of babies, young children and their families in four Lambeth wards: Coldharbour, Stockwell, Tulse Hill and Vassall. Working together with parents, carers, local workers and the community LEAP will provide a wide range of programmes to support parents and change the way services work with families. Who we are looking for: enthusiastic parents and carers, passionate about supporting families with young children and making a difference in their community. The role: this is a volunteer role where you can connect with other parents and carers to support families in your community and act as ambassadors in your neighbourhood. Expenses will be paid and training provided. James Coventry

Icon style To add consistency when using icons within our work, an icon style has been created. In order to give a clear sense of uniformity, each icon should be placed within a circle shape that is based upon the NCB logo. These icons add warmth to communications and make use of rounded corners, edges and thick outlines. They can be used to highlight sections or particular areas of our work and have a clear tie in with the brand that is instantly recognisable as NCB.

National Children’s Bureau – brand tidy up June 2015

+44 (0)7859920541 contact@jamescoventry.co.uk www.jamescoventry.co.uk

For more information please contact the LEAP team:

admin@ncb.co.uk 0207 582 4182 www.leaplambeth.org.uk

Lambeth Early Action Partnership

Architect Ashvin de Vos at the meeting LEAP ad PV portrait.indd 1

15/2/16 12:19:16

What’s happening at the B£ Shop?

Brixton Bonus Brixton Bonus is a monthly prize draw with two winners: you, and Brixton. It only costs £1 to enter, and every month someone wins B£1,000! All revenue goes to the Brixton Fund, which funds local groups and projects. Not bad eh? To enter, go to brixtonpound.org/brixton-bonus If you’re a B£ member already, you can play-by -text. Simply text ‘pay bonus [amount between 1-10]’ to the B£ number (07754832867). Next draw: Friday 25th March – get your tickets now!

We’re at 3 Atlantic Road every day – come and visit us! Almost all events that happen in the shop come as a result of people coming in and suggesting something they’d like to see. Got an idea? Come in for a chat or send us an email at info@ brixtonpound.org Opening hours: Monday – Friday 10am-7pm, Saturdays 10am-6pm, and Sundays 11am-5pm. Here are some regular events we’re

hosting at the shop: WEDNESDAYS, 10.30-11.30AM: NO KIDDING – a new alternative group for Brixton parents of all genders who love their kids but also want to talk about other stuff that’s happening in the world WEDNESDAYS, 6-8PM: MOSAIC WORKSHOP with Kes Young – learn something new! No mosaic experience required, all tools and materials provided (single class is £8, discounts if you book more classes)

SATURDAYS, 2 SESSIONS: 1011AM & 11AM-12PM: KIDS KREATE – a free art group for kids aged 5-10 EVERY MONTH: CHOCOLATE POETRY CLUB, an open mic show with performance poetry and spoken word, next dates 29th Feb and 29th March EVERY DAY: free shop – give and take whatever you like! Books, DVDs, and other miscellaneous items.

Brixton Fund: featured community group Each month we showcase a local group doing the kind of work that the Brixton Fund was set up to support. Young People Matter are a charity based in Stockwell Gardens. They create and run programs based around the needs of youth and the community. In November 2015, Young People Matter received £400 from the Brixton Fund. YPM founder Kemi told us: “The Brixton Fund money is going to be used to offer young children free space and access to the after school club.

Winners’ Stories On the last Friday of January the jackpot of B£1,000 went to Manda Glanfield, a longtime B£ user and supporter. Congratulations! Manda has told us lots of interesting things about her Bonus experience so far – have a look at brixtonpound.org/blog for more about her story and how she plans to spend the B£1,000. “I always use B£s to buy birthday or Christmas presents, but now I also want to try and use them as much as possible on everyday practical things. Although I do want to treat myself too: buy some art at Studio 73, try all these nice restaurants I’ve not been to, discover new places.. The draw actually happened two days after my birthday so my first spend was taking a group of friends out for a celebratory dinner at Negril!” See previous Bonus winners in our Winners Gallery: brixtonpound.org/winners, and if you fancy joining their ranks – get some Bonus tickets before the next draw on 25th March – who knows, it could be you next time!

“For parents who don’t work, their children wouldn’t usually be able to access the after school club, so this allows for them to do so. “Just because their parents don’t work it doesn’t mean their children don’t need to use it.

“Kids need to have something to do, and their parents might not be able to afford this for their kids normally. “Parents themselves need some spare time and a break from childcare.” The Brixton Fund is

funded by Brixton Bonus ticket sales (our monthly community lottery), sale of B£ merchandise in the Brixton Pound Shop, and a 1.5% business transaction fee on pay-by-text B£ payments. So – whenever you play to

win B£1000, grab yourself a snazzy B£ T-shirt or simply do your weekly shop in B£s, you’re helping fund local groups like the Young People Matter. Find out more about Young People Matter on our blog: brixtonpound.org/blog

Giveback scheme at Pop Brixton We work with Pop Brixton to help deliver their Community Investment scheme. All the small businesses working at Pop Brixton volunteer the equivalent of at least one hour a week of their time to a project or activity that has a community or social benefit, and we are helping them make it happen. Between 8-12th February, in partnership with local social enterprise Raw Talent, we arranged for eight pupils from The Elmgreen School to spend a week at Pop Brixton, being hosted by various businesses who also provided mentoring, training and careers advice. The students got hands-on experience of the world of small businesses, and were set a real life project to present to an audience of their mentors at the end of the week. The Community Investment Scheme also intends to benefit local community groups by offering free space for events and workshops as well as advice and resource donated by Pop Brixton and its tenants. If you are a community group that could do with a bit of support, get in touch.

3 Atlantic Rd | brixtonpound.org | @brixtonpound | info@brixtonpound.org

March 2016

NEWS 7

brixtonblog.com

Brixton landmark to celebrate 200 years Friends of Windmill Gardens is organising a series of events to celebrate the windmill’s 200th anniversary this year. They will include favourites such as Art in The Park and National Mills Weekend and a new events including a Beer and Bread Festival, a film screening and lightshow. Brixton-based fashion and design company Eley Kishimoto are the creative ambassadors for the bicentenary year and will be creating sound and visual installations around Brixton

and the Windmill. Events start at Easter when the windmill will be open for two days over the bank holiday weekend and there will be a treasure hunt around Brixton. There will be guided tours and demonstrations of how the windmill works. Bookings for tours during the weekend and throughout the summer can be made from 1 March on the Brixton Windmill website. Entry and tours are free, but space is limited. ■■ Visit www. brixtonwindmill.org.uk.

OPEN WEEKEND Saturday 26 March & Sunday 27 March 2–5pm ●●Guided tours of the Windmill ●●Sail Unveil installation by Eley Kishimoto ●●Brixton Treasure hunt sponsored by local businesses ●●Launch of the Brixton Windmill guidebook

CITY FARM PROPOSAL FOR WINDMILL GARDENS A group of Brixton residents who have been surveying the community to discover if there is interest in a small city farm in Windmill Gardens has published its Lottery-funded feasibility study. The Brixton City Farm is proposed initially as a three year plan to bring chickens, several sheep and a number of small animals into the park so children and adults could interact with animals,

learn about sustainable food production, and develop community spirit. More than half of the Brixton locals surveyed indicated they would like to be involved in activities related to caring for the animals, and/or supporting activities that bring young people and the rest of the community into contact with animals and issues related to food sustainability. The group says that

chickens were once kept in the area. A number of worries were raised about animal safety and welfare, but the report says that animals can be kept in a way that is both safe and does not impact on other park users. ■■ The full report is at http://bit.ly/BCF-report. ■■ You can also find a link at www.facebook.com/TheBrixtonCityFarm.

The Smarter Choice When Selling or Letting

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Photography student wins top award Brixton resident Jessni Teeluck won an award at the RealLife Vital Signs photography exhibition at the Menier Gallery in London Bridge. Lambeth College student Jessni won the award for most artistic photograph. “This is my first ever exhibition and for it to go so well is – without trying to be too cheesy – an honour and something I won’t be forgetting about,” she said. Jessni plans to be a travelling photojournalist – “My curiosity to learn about the different places in the world is what drives me to be the best photographer I can be,”

she said. Two other students from the college, Milton Furtado and Kiera Johnson-Liddle, won in the categories best on brief (space), and best technical. Winners got a cash prize and their work is at www. reallife.photography. ■■ S m i t h a S a d a n a n d a n , a student on Lambeth college’s fast-track magazine journalism diploma course, has won the Business of Magazines award, sponsored by the Mark Allen Group. “I am very happy and so is my husband, Rejeev, who coaxed me to enrol on the course,” she said.

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8 VOLUNTEERING

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March 2016

From Brixton to Malawi Anna Guise spent 12 weeks volunteering with a Brixton-based charity in Malawi last year

workshops, delivered training sessions on business management and village savings and loans schemes, as well as holding community events at schools. The aim was to help local people become self-sustaining and less vulnerable to My time in Malawi was as part of drought and its impact on their food source. International Citizen Service (ICS), a UK volunteers were housed with host government-funded programme giving 18 to families. This is a challenging aspect of the 25-year-olds the opportunity to volunteer in Progressio ICS programme. developing countries. After the initial excitement, fear and I volunteered with Progressio, a Brixtontrepidation of being in a new country, based international development charity there is the culture shock of being part that helps poor and marginalised people to of a family. But we soon settled into empower themselves. their routine. I – along with seven other Living with a Malawian UK volunteers and seven family gives a fantastic insight Malawian volunteers – was into their culture and customs. based in the small town We ate traditional meals of Rumphi in the north of with them each day, helped the country. with chores and attended Before I departed I knew community events as guests of little about Malawi, one of the family. Malawi the world’s poorest countries. Despite the poverty, Malawi An HIV/AIDS epidemic, poor is a beautiful country and economic situation and recent people are warm-hearted and corruption scandals have left welcoming. It is awash with it with many development issues. It relies beautiful colours and everywhere is filled almost wholly on its own agriculture for with music and dancing. food and recent flooding and droughts have I would definitely recommend volunleft millions of people facing famine. teering with the ICS programme to other Our team partnered with a local young people looking for a challenge. organisation, Sprodeta, to help local Spending 12 weeks outside your farmers and smallholders in the Mzimba comfort zone is a daunting prospect but a district to develop more resilient income-­ rewarding one. generating activities. I have made new friends, had many Working with local communities, our new experiences and learnt a great deal activities included digging fishponds, through working in a developing country. irrigating crops, building rainy season Progressio ICS placements depart in housing for goats and teaching techniques January, April, July and October. to make manure fertiliser. ■■ To find out more visit We led HIV/AIDS and gender-awareness www.progressio.org.uk.

Building a car park

Living with a Malawian family gives a fantastic insight into culture and customs

March 2016

BRIXTON BUGLE

COMMENT

OPINION 9

Brixton Hill ran alongside the Great North Wood for hundreds of years when it was part of the Roman road from London to the south coast. Illustrator Becky Brewis has created a stratigraphic diagram (stratigraphy is the study of rock layers) showing the layers under the St Matthew’s Church end of Brixton Hill with a few more layers thrown in for historical fact and anecdote …

Help bring our wood back to life London Wildlife Trust Great North Wood project development officer Sam Bentley-Toon on a campaign to bring back trees Last month London Wildlife Trust was joined by members of the public in Brockwell Park to plant a new generation of trees as part of its new Great North Wood project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The event was a success, with over 200 young trees planted. London Wildlife Trust was joined by local people, both young and old, including residents from the nearby Cressingham Gardens estate. The tree-planting was a big hit with families. Young people love the idea of planting a tiny tree that could grow to become a giant and live for hundreds of years. I hope people will revisit the trees they planted and watch them grow. Native British trees such as oak, hornbeam and hazel were planted in the form of whips, young trees that are just three to four years old. An oak planted now could live for up to six centuries. Some Brockwell Park trees are believed to be 500 years old, meaning they were saplings in the heyday of the Great North Wood. The event provided a platform to talk about the Great North Wood, a huge tract of woodland and wooded commons that once stretched between Deptford, Streatham and Selhurst; providing London with timber, charcoal, firewood and grazing land. The wood was divided and largely sold off in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Large fragments of the old wood can still be seen at more than 20 sites in south London, notably at Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Woods, where visitors can spot woodpeckers, wild flowers and fungi. The Trust believes the Great North Wood has the potential to come alive again, bringing nature back into the capital and enriching the lives of Londoners. Access to nature is really good for us; research has shown measurable benefits to

our health and wellbeing. We want to raise people’s awareness of this largely forgotten woodland on their doorsteps, and encourage them to get outside to explore, enjoy and value London’s nature. The Great North Wood project is now in a nine-month development phase which will see London Wildlife Trust working with volunteers, community groups and local councils to raise awareness of the woodlands, find out people’s views about how to improve them for both wildlife and people and to enhance the ecological value of the surviving parts of the Great North Wood and places in between. This part of the project has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund to the value of just under £100,000. The project is also supported by the Mayor of London through the London Tree and Woodland Community Grant Scheme with a grant of £9,400. The project will see the Trust working with five boroughs – Bromley, Croydon,

Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark and engaging with local landowners and other interested parties. London’s deputy mayor for environment and energy Matthew Pencharz says the city’s green spaces are among its greatest assets, which is why the mayor prioritised planting more than 100,000 new trees over the last eight years and invested in projects supporting urban forests. If the first stage is successful, the Trust will seek further funding of around £700,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to secure significant improvements to the Wood. By successfully securing funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Mayor of London’s Tree and Woodland Community Grant Scheme, the project will be able to work with people and nature across a large expanse of south London. ■■ Find out more about the Great North Wood project at: www.wildlondon.org.uk/ great-north-wood. LONDON WILDLIFE TRUST

History doesn’t repeat itself – or does it? This month we feature Brixton’s Own Boss, a community newspaper launched 45 years ago (p14-15). Done on a golfball typewriter and lovingly put together on the kitchen table, it’s still recognisable as good old community campaign style journalism. The stories it reported on may be dated, but the concerns are much the same. Housing, council skulduggery, town planning, health, race relations and the police all featured. This month’s Bugle news stories about the railway arches, Cressingham Gardens, the council’s budget cuts and the ongoing libraries campaign are all in the Boss tradition. Reporting on what our elected representatives and their officials are up to, concerns about regeneration and its impact on the area, giving a platform to community organisations, their events and activities are all at the heart of what the Blog and Bugle are about. And we will be celebrating another historical landmark. The Brixton Windmill will be 200 years old this year (p7). Watch out for more details of the fun planned over the summer. And if its fun you’re after there will be plenty to do in Windrush Square as community celebrations get under way in April. Who’d live anywhere else? There’s plenty to do and celebrate right here on our doorstep. And if you want to play a part in helping the Brixton Blog and Bugle carry on in Boss’s footsteps. Get involved. Help is always needed.

brixtonblog.com

Planting in Brockwell Park

10 INCREDIBLE EDIBLE

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March 2016 PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELAINE KRAMER

Before …

… and after

Estate managers plan to eradicate community farm Susan Sheehan of Incredible Edible Lambeth expresses her personal shock at the surprise destruction of a Brixton community farm Incredible Edible Lambeth social media has been buzzing this year as community gardeners all over the borough have been shocked at the “eradication” of Cowley Food Farm on the Cowley estate off the Brixton Road. To the horror of community gardeners the site of the farm, more than five years in existence, has been cleared by contractors and now faces permanent eradication, apparently due to “lack of interest”. Cowley resident Merry Brown

said that she received a note from housing managers that contractors would be “tidying up” the site, but she thought that this was part of a plan that the gardeners had been working on with the community gardener at Myatt’s Fields Park. She managed to get in with a day’s notice and recover some treasured plants and equipment, but the tidy up went much further than expected. “I thought they were cutting grass around the edges, but the whole garden was flattened. Plants and equipment such as watering cans were just thrown away.” Merry admits that some of the site had been untended for a while, mainly because some growers had been ill, but plans were being made to reallocate and

BUILD A BEE HOTEL AND LABEL YOUR VEG! Our friends at Mission Explore have partnered with us to provide some food-related ‘missions’ for children (although they would apply equally well to many adults I know!). This first challenge relates particularly to bees to link in with the article above, while the second one challenges us to think about where food comes from, and how it is labelled.

recover those sites. I have personally been involved with the garden at ad hoc intervals since it began. I have donated time and equipment, and would be very sad to see the garden disappear completely after all this time. I have posted a note on the Cowley Food Farm Facebook page in support of the project. Ann Bodkin, chair of Incredible Edible Lambeth, is particularly

concerned at the lack of consideration for biodiversity on the site. “We have seen this before,” she said. “It is so sad that contractors and managers do not appreciate the value of a diverse range of plants and that they bring the bees and create homes for insects and butterflies. This site even had frogs.” Ann would like to see contractors follow a biodiversity code. Events at Cowley follow shortly after contractors in Windmill Gardens in Brixton cut back a hedgerow so hard that they completely killed fruit bushes and vines that had been planted using hard-won IEL funds. “Contractors should know the difference between a bramble and a fruit bush, but they don’t.”

Save the bee campaigns are very high profile at the moment and widely supported. Yet the best thing we can do to save the bees is encourage planting of plants and flowers for the bees to feed on. Pristine, grassed areas that are easy for contractors to maintain are lifeless and unwelcoming. If we are to create a healthy environment in Lambeth, we have to learn to value biodiversity. ■■ Cowley Food Farm would like you to comment on their Facebook page before 14 March when the Board of Cowley Tenant Management Organisation will meet to sanction the eradication of the Cowley Food Farm project. ■■ There is a petition at https://www.change.org/p/ cowley-rmo-save-cowley-food-farm.

MEF044 Label unseasonal food

MEF023 Bee friendly Take these steps to help your local bees.

Make food

the sweet Plant nectar-rich wildflowers for bees. When they eat to reproduce. treat they’ll pick up and move the pollen plants need

Make habitats

it’s fresher Shops sometimes label food that’s in season to tell you at and more environmentally friendly. They’re not so good long way. labelling food that’s out of season and transported a below then try Use this space to design an ‘out of season’ food label their and persuade your local supermarket to display it on unseasonal food.

wood. Leave Create a ‘bee hotel’ by drilling holes into a piece of and parts of the garden untidy with long grass, piles of sticks good places for bees to hide.

Protect bees

to let them Try and stop scared people from killing bees. Ask them go or move away from them. Complete this bee resort with new happy residents.

www.mis sionexp lore.net

www.mis sionexp lore.net

March 2016

Pop Brixton helps students to swap the classroom for the world of work Eight school students swapped the classroom for hands-on day-to-day business experience at Pop Brixton last month. The five-day programme, run jointly by Brixton Pound and Raw Talent, was hosted by the community of independent entrepreneurs based at Pop Brixton. Students shadowed traders at work, attended group master-classes and received individual mentoring, getting hands-on experience of the world of small business – from restaurants to barbershops. The students, from Elmgreen School in West Norwood, were paired with a mentor from Pop Brixton and set a business project to complete. At the end of the week students presented what they had learned to an audience of their mentors. Daphne, from Brixton’s Baddest Skate Shop, asked her student Klaudia to solve a problem using market research and financial forecasting. “Klaudia was able to research prices by herself, get an understanding of expenses and calculate gross profit in a small start-up business,” said Daphne. Rik, from modern Indian restaurant Kricket, worked with Darsha for the week. He said: “Darsha experienced operations at Kricket from front to back. This included serving customers, taking payments, and preparing and cooking the food. “Additionally, she helped us research and

WORLD OF WORK 11

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Are you expecting your first baby together?

prepare for an event we are putting on at Pop Brixton as part of Holi Festival. “In Darsha we had a young and aspiring local talent. It was great to spend time with her and we hope she found her time at Kricket enlightening.” Abigail Melville, founder of Raw Talent, a social enterprise with a mission to empower young people to create their future, said: “It’s been wonderful to see these kids enjoying hard work, getting to grips with real business challenges and seeing the reality of running your own business. “The business mentors have been fantastic. I have seen some great relationships develop in a few short days which I hope will continue as a support network for our students in the years ahead.” Tom Shakhli, director of The Brixton Pound, said: “As part of our remit to manage the community investment scheme at Pop, creating opportunities for young people from Lambeth is at the forefront of our plans. “For many of the pupils who took part, it was their first taste of work and being given responsibilities for tasks. It was great to see them grow in confidence throughout the week and come away with a feeling that there is a place for them in Brixton.” ■■ Pop Brixton is hoping to roll out the work experience scheme to more students and aspiring entrepreneurs in Lambeth.

Family Foundations is a unique course which will help you and your partner build a strong family unit where your child can grow and thrive. Family Foundations is for couples expecting their

first baby together who are between 26 and 32 weeks pregnant at the START of the course. The couples must be living within one of the four LEAP wards (Coldharbour, Stockwell, Vassall,and Tulse Hill). Couples can also be parents with children from previous relationships who are expecting their first baby with their new partner.

Course details and locations Jubilee Children’s Centre, Brixton, SW2 2JE Starting Thursday 25th February Time: 4.15pm to 5.45pm Due date between and including 22/4/16 to 3/6/16 Lark Hall Children’s Centre, Stockwell SW4 6PH Starting Thursday 3rd of March Time: 5.15pm to 6.45pm Due date between and including 5/5/16 to 17/6/16 Both courses are for couples between 26 and 32 weeks pregnant at the start of each course

James Coventry

Get involved

National Children’s Bureau – brand tidy up June 2015

Icon style To add consistency when using icons within our work, an icon style has been created.

James Coventry

In order to give a clear sense of uniformity, each icon should be placed within a circle shape that is based upon the NCB logo.

These icons add warmth to communications and make Icon use style of rounded corners, edges andconsistency when using To add thick outlines. They canicons be used within our work, an icon to highlight sections orstyle particular has been created. areas of our work and have a In order to give a clear sense of clear tie in with the brand that is uniformity, instantly recognisable as NCB. each icon should be placed within a circle shape that is based upon the NCB logo. These icons add warmth to communications and make use of rounded corners, edges and thick outlines. They can be used to highlight sections or particular areas of our work and have a clear tie in with the brand that is instantly recognisable as NCB.

+44 (0)7859920541 contact@jamescoventry.co.uk www.jamescoventry.co.uk

Ask your midwife for a Family Foundations leaflet

National Children’s Bureau – brand tidy up June 2015

+44 (0)7859920541 contact@jamescoventry.co.uk www.jamescoventry.co.uk

Visit the LEAP website: www.leaplambeth.org.uk/familyfoundations Call the LEAP team on 0207 582 4182 or the Parenting Service Team on 0207 926 8662 Email: leapadmin@ncb.org.

Philippe introduces the students to Pop Brixton

Hannah from Pop Brixton gives a masterclass in event management

Lambeth Early Action Partnership

LEAP ad Brixton Stockwell 320.5x132mm.indd 1

17/2/16 20:15:11

EXQUISITE JEWELLERY IN BRIXTON VILLAGE FULL MOON DESIGNS

UPCOMING MEETINGS OPEN TO ALL BUSINESSES The Brixton Business Improvement District (BID) is a not-for-profit organisation that works on behalf of local businesses, funded by an annual levy of 1.5% of Rateable value. All businesses are invited to attend meetings, which happen every six weeks and are a forum for businesses to decide on how their money is spent. Contact us admin@brixtonbid.co.uk or come along to have your say. Brixton BID board members are business owners who volunteer their time to oversee the work of the BID. Get in touch if you represent a local business and would like to get involved.

ENVIRONMENT MEETING 10:30-11:30am Tuesday 5 April 2016 The Courtesan, Atlantic Road Six weekly meeting to input on environmental issues including Joint procurement, Green Infrastructure Audit, Public Wi-Fi, Street urination.

MARKETING AND PARTNERSHIPS MEETING 11:30-12:30 Tuesday 15 March 2016 Impact HUB, Pop Brixton, Popes Road Six weekly meeting about projects aiming to market Brixton businesses to consumers, provide training and events and set up mutually beneficial partnerships between businesses. Upcoming projects include Online directory, Brixton map, Brixton Design District 2016. Times and dates of meetings and other events can be found at brixtonbid.co.uk.

French-born Brixton trader Carole Mourier is the creative brains behind Full Moon Designs in Brixton Village. She designs and creates beautiful handmade jewellery for a range of styles and budgets. Carole’s business started over 15 years ago with a market stall on Brixton Road before opening her shop in Granville Arcade (Brixton Village) five years ago. She has also exhibited at Lambeth Country Show which she says has a wonderful vibe and has helped in showcasing the business. Originally from the French Alps, Carole’s organic designs are inspired by nature. One of the reasons the business made its home in Brixton is that she also finds the area here inspiring, with its strong community and buzzing, eclectic welcome. Many of Carole’s designs incorporate semiprecious stones and crystals, which she uses for both their aesthetic beauty and for their symbolic and healing properties. Materials are sourced wherever possible from small suppliers to support independent business, the majority of the stones used are from Fair Trade sources. Carole also produces custom design pieces tailored to individual taste – a service perfect for that special gift. The aim for the business during 2016 is to expand Full Moon Designs’ online presence and embrace the digital revolution. You will find Full Moon Designs at Unit 08, Brixton Village (close to the Atlantic Road entrance) Email: contact@fullmoondesigns.co.uk website: fullmoondesigns.co.uk Facebook: Full Moon Designs Instagram: fullmoondesigns Twitter: @fullmoondes

WELCOMING OUR NEW APPRENTICE

MOROCCAN CAFÉ BRIXTON STATION ROAD KHAMSA An intimate neighbourhood restaurant offering a warm, friendly atmosphere to share the Algerian experience. Khamsa is a family run business and provides the best possible service to guests in a warm and pleasant atmosphere. The focus is simple; to provide delicious and quality Algerian food at affordable prices. Khamsa is an unlicensed restaurant but you can bring your own alcohol (Wine, beer, champagne) with no corkage fees.

In partnership with Lambeth College, we are pleased to be working with our new apprentice, Reece Simwogerere. Reece is undertaking a Business Administration course at Level three. He completed his placement with Young Lambeth Cooperative at the start of 2016 and joined the BID team in February. He will form an integral part of the BID team and has already started work on the important task of updating and refining the database of member businesses so we can improve our communications. Reece is a passionate Arsenal fan and music lover. The team at Brixton BID selected him due to his past experience, willingness to learn and

PARTY MENU £15 per head, three courses with Fresh Mint Tea (10 people+) great attitude and we look forward to helping him to develop his professional skills. Brixton BID are leading by example by putting an apprentice in place. Apprenticeships are an opportunity to provide training for Lambeth’s local young people in a real life business environment. We think that Reece is an excellent example of why a business should hire an apprentice, and hope that other Brixton businesses will do the same.

020 3417 7373 admin@brixtonbid.co.uk

@BrixtonBID brixtonbid.co.uk

14 HISTORY

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March 2016

March 2016

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Brixton’s history not so different from present day Alan Slingsby leafs through copies of a community newspaper for Brixton launched 45 years ago this month Housing … black history … regeneration … local personalities … long-term planning … luxury flats … rubbish on the streets … policing … benefits. The issues are familiar to any reader of the Brixton Blog and Bugle. Forty five years ago this month another community newspaper was launched in Brixton that covered those same issues. “Brixton’s Own Boss” (known as BOSS) used the then-revolutionary IBM “golfball” electric typewriter and sheets of “rub down” Letraset type to lift it out of the duplicated leaflet category at a time when access to professional print production was still very expensive. Some things were different. Lambeth council was ruled by the Conservative Party and meetings of the libraries committee – like all other council committees – were closed to the public. But controversy over housing was the norm. Lambeth’s then chief architect Ted Hollamby, who had overall responsible for Cressingham Gardens and Brixton Rec, is now a revered figure. In 1971, BOSS was describing as “insane” a scheme that it claimed he was driving through. In apocalyptic terms it described what it claimed was a scheme for 12 blocks of luxury flats in the centre of Brixton, some as high as 54 stories.

Half-mile-long shadows

The 600-foot-high constructions would cast shadows half a mile long over much of the town and winds of over 100mph would suck unlucky residents out of windows at the top of the building. Even if they weren’t exiting via the window, their crockery would be smashed as the tops of the towers swayed several feet each way in the wind. “It will be like living in a ship,” said the BOSS with journalistic relish. And the paper also relished the council’s furious response which, with admirable chutzpah, it described as “sensational”. The claims, said the council, were “a completely unwarranted and baseless attack … deplorable in the extreme”. BOSS hit back, saying that it knew, based on documents in its possession, that either the council was lying or that it had been deceived by its director of development, Ted Hollamby. It claimed that there was dissent in the planning department and reproduced what it said was an architect’s drawing for the council showing the half-mile-long shadows the huge towers would produce. And, just as in today’s libraries controversy, there was an alternative

in-house plan. BOSS challenged the council to sue it and let the evidence be presented in open court. Another housing controversy was the future of the Raiton/Mayall/ Rattray road area which, the BOSS said, was to be demolished for redevelopment. Nothing happened until just short of ten years later when the area was redeveloped by the Brixton uprising.

Urban motorway

One plan that definitely was real was the plan for an “urban motorway” to run between the railway line linking Brixton and Loughborough Junction and Coldharbour Lane. Southwyck House – the Barrier Block, with its tiny windows that would have overlooked the carriageways – is testimony to how near it came to reality. “If enough people make known their collective disapproval of this waste of pubic money, the minister will think twice about approving the plans,” said the BOSS. While readers of any age would recognise how little has changed when it comes to the struggle to house the people of Brixton, other social issues that BOSS reported reveal radical change in less than 50 years and how Brixton and Lambeth, as so often, were at the forefront of change, The back page of issue 12 in March 1972 headlined: “Free birth control from April 1st”and explained how women in Lambeth could obtain free contraceptives. It was not until 1974 that “family planning” nationally was incorporated into the NHS.

Gay Liberation

The same issue reported on the Gay Liberation group that had been meeting for a month at the Minet Library in Myatt’s Fields. Numbers attending had risen from 15 to 30 and organisers expected 50 in coming months. ■■ The July 1971 issue of BOSS listed the people who produced it: Sean Robinson; Bob Bray; Roy Cornwall; Tony Phillips; Andrew Cowling and people from the Railton House community. Are any of these people still around? Were any Bugle readers involved or do you know someone who was? We understand that Viv Broughton was heavily involved. Please get in touch if you have any more information about BOSS.

HISTORY 15

16 MUSIC

brixtonblog.com

March 2016

Brixton hosts table-trashing rock knees-up At the NME Awards ceremony at Brixton Academy last month alt-rockers Wolf Alice won big and Coldplay’s table was trashed by Bring Me the Horizon during an energetic performance. The winners of this year’s NME Awards were announced at a ceremony in Brixton on Wednesday 17 February at a star-studded event hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens. North London rock quartet Wolf Alice took home two of the most coveted gongs of the night – Best Live Band and Best Track for their 2015 smash hit, Giant Peach. The Maccabees were also celebrating, having won Best British Band only a couple of weeks after they gigged at the venue. Foals, who opened the show with What Went Down, picked up the Best Album award. A highlight from the evening came when Oli Sykes, the lead singer from rock group Bring Me the Horizon, trashed Coldplay’s table during a high-octane live set. In an interview with The Sun after the event, Sykes said Coldplay frontman Chris Martin reacted badly: “I was going to try to say sorry,” Sykes is reported as saying, “but after his abusive and downright out-of-order reaction, I’m out. “They tried to kick us out. It’s

proper got out of hand.” It didn’t stop the Sheffield rock band picking up the NME Innovation Award. This also wasn’t the first time Bring Me the Horizon and Coldplay have had a public spat – back in 2013 Horizon accused Coldplay of copying the cover art of Horizon’s LP Sempiternal for their A Head Full of Dreams album. Despite this, Sykes insisted the table-trampling incident wasn’t targeted: “It wasn’t meant to be Chris Martin’s table at all,” he told the BBC. You perhaps can’t blame Chris Martin for being a bit miffed, as it was a big night for Coldplay too. They were presented with a Godlike Genius award (inset) by Kylie Minogue – a prize only given out to the absolute best and biggest artists in the world. After this high, the band closed the show with a set of career-spanning hits including Fix You, Clocks, and Viva la Vida. Donald Trump was named Villain of the Year while Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl was crowned Hero of the Year. For a second year in a row, 5 Seconds of Summer proved unpopular with the NME audience, voted Worst Band of the Year. After the ceremony Mike Williams, NME editor-in-chief, said: “The last 12 months have been massive for NME, so I’m delighted that we’ve been able to celebrate with such an amazing knees-up.”

SHAME

Real drive, quiet control, but still shamelessly punk Music contributor Yush Kalia caught up with young Brixton punk band Shame when they headlined the final Independent Venue Week gig at Windmill Brixton last month It’s a cold evening, and I’m at Windmill Brixton to meet an exciting young band called Shame. You can be forgiven for not having heard of them yet, as there’s very little online to listen to or read about. They’re a five-piece with all the attitude you’d expect from south London teenagers with a passion for punk. The band is Charlie Steen on lead vocals, Eddie and Sean on guitars, Josh on bass and another Charlie on drums. We sit outside the Windmill, have some drinks, and this is how we got on: I’ve read that you’re very much in the punk/Iggy Pop camp. Is that still the case? Steen: We’re still all about that. We’re happy with the punk sound and it’s something we’re working on. Is taking your shirt off still part of the act? Steen: Yeah man, it’s a fucking laugh. When you get in the moment. We’re really into giving people a performance, and it helps us get noticed.

WINNERS: Wolf Alice

picture: Holly Whitaker

What have you been up to in the last few months? Sean: Working on our sound really. We’ve been on tour as

well, which was awesome. Josh: Touring was really amazing, and performing in front of crowds in different towns was a real buzz. What were the highs and lows of touring? Eddie: Bristol was a real high. We smashed it, there was such a good vibe. People really went for it. Sean: The low for me was sleeping in the back of the van, it was fucking freezing! Finding your music online was almost impossible, why is that? Charlie: That’s mostly on purpose! We’ve been developing our own recording sound. Sean: Our playing is a lot tighter now, and we think it’s better.

Gig review: http://bit.ly/blog-shame We’re keen to have our recording sound heard in a way that captures the performance. We’ve worked really hard on it and want it to sound right. Eddie: We’ve been working on a few new tracks and we’re really happy with the way they’re coming on. We expect to have our new track released in May, it’s called Gold Hole. Who pens the songs? All: All of us! Josh: We all contribute, it’s not one person that sits and writes the songs. We all have something to say, and we then work together on making it sound good.

And where do you draw inspiration from? Sean: Everywhere really. It’s not all about girls and stuff like that but the funny stuff that we have done or seen. It’s how tracks like 1 Rizla came about. A lot of it’s about the performance, so the lyrics don’t always have to have a profound meaning. Are you signed yet? Sean: Not yet but we’re getting there. We’ve had some interest, which has been good, but we’re taking our time. What does the future hold for Shame? Steen: We’ll be doing loads more gigs, and we want people to come and have a listen. Eddie: We have a good number of tracks building, and looking to have our album ready by the end of the year or early 2017. Charlie: And we’ll get stuff online as well, so people can hear us! And that was that. The guys went off to play their set which had all the antics you’d hope for from a punk band looking to impress and thankfully with the talent to back it up. Watching them onstage it might be easy to be lulled into thinking this was a typical band all about the front man, with Steen’s larger-than-life character steering the performance. However, it was clear to me that there was a real drive and quiet control in the rest of the guys that will keep them focused on producing and performing their unique sound.

March 2016

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ARTS & CULTURE 17

Acre Lane enterprise gives grown-ups permission to play A curious shop has appeared on Brixton’s Acre Lane which does not seem to sell much at all. Instead of a swanky boutique enjoying the former Unison trade union offices, SW2 is now home to a pop-up room-escape game, Enter the Oubliette. Arts co-editor Ruth Waters reports Once the playground of members of gaming subcultures in the US, room-escape games have risen to mainstream popularity in cities around the world as teams test their puzzle-solving skills against the clock, interacting with props, prompts, locks, riddles, actors and more to escape a room and win the game. Enter the Oubliette was set up by south London couple and business partners Mink Ette and Dave Aldhouse (pictured right). Having both worked for a number of years in the games and performance industries, the pair decided to focus their efforts and, working with other adventuring friends, created a room-escape game. After running a prototype in

Portland, Oregon, Mink and Dave decided to crowdfund for a new space in Brixton and opened earlier this year. “Brixton is full of adventurous spirits, and a lot of our adventuring friends were based here,” Mink tells me. “We didn’t have to think twice about setting up our pop-up here.” Their game takes players into a dystopian near-past, where typewriters and filing cabinets loom large with state secrets, codes to crack and puzzles to untangle. “The puzzles only make sense within their own world – it’s like buying a train ticket in another country, you’re the alien and you have to work out the new systems,” Mink explains.

Dave, who usually remains secreted backstage, watching and prompting players, explains a bit more about the experience they have created: “We’ve tried to create something very atmospheric. Once people go into the room [after a short ‘decompression’ period] they’re very curious, and it’s natural to want to find the clues and win the games. It’s great watching

BookJam Bowie tribute Douglas John Thorp’s first book, Amateur of Life and Death, is a collection of 40 posts taken from Idle Eye’s weekly blog.

Brixton BookJam is free and brings together the best in south London writing – from A-listers to talented unknowns. The latest quarterly jam will have a Bowie tribute and readings from several authors, who will include:

Richard Skinner is the author of three novels, all published by Faber & Faber,

Ben Moor is an actor and writer whose screen appearances include The IT Crowd, Casanova and the forthcoming A Monster Calls. Three of his solo theatre shows were published as short stories in More Trees to Climb (Portobello, 2009). His writing has appeared in The Idler, The Guardian Guide and Wired. Martin Millar, a Scottish author living in London, is the author of Lonely Werewolf Girl, The Good Fairies of New York, and Suzy, Led Zeppelin and Me. He also wrote the Thraxas series under the name of Martin Scott, for which he won the World Fantasy Award in 2000.

festivals in the UK, Europe and South America. Liz Zumin’s experimental works include performance, video, sound, drawing and text based work.

STUART TAYLOR

Brixton BookJam is back this month at Hootananny on 7 March with a great line-up

Nathalie Dubruel is a sculptor and occasional writer with a heavy reading habit. C D Ross is writing her first novel. She works in education where she is fascinated and shocked by the insanity of the world in which London’s teenagers grow up. Her observations inspired her to write Gangland.

Author Darren Lee at a Brixton BookJam three books of non-fiction and two poetry collections. Hestia Peppe is an artist and writer who lives and works in south London. She writes a blog series and reviews experimental fiction for online literary magazine Full Stop. Christian Patracchini is an artist, writer and curator. His performances have been featured in exhibitions and

Kevin Cummins earns a living as one of the world’s most venerated music and portrait photographers. The burgeoning punk scene in Manchester dominated his early work and he quickly became one of the premier documentary photographers of the era. Kevin was instrumental in establishing City Life, Manchester’s what’s on guide, and was a founding contributor to The Face, the influential style magazine where he won an award for Magazine Cover of the Year.

people take on roles within their group.” (I imagine the two are becoming experts in group behaviour psychology). Although the game’s concept has been and will remain fixed, Dave tells me that they’ve found themselves in a constant state of improvement, as their players test their puzzles: “sometimes people come up with an idea which is brilliant and we ask ‘why didn’t

we think of that?’ It’s a delight to watch people trying to crack the puzzles – we want everyone to win and escape the room. “There’s a thrill in working in a physical space. Playing a room-escape game, or any kind of pervasive game, grants adults permission to play,” says Mink, when I ask what she thinks brings players into the Oubliette. The experience – “halfway between being in a film and watching a film” – runs in strange discord with our desire for increasingly virtual entertainment, living life through the screen of an iPhone. Players have to be totally in the moment, working together and only thinking about what’s in front of them to escape the room. “It’s something completely different which feels like an adventure. “Your experience will also be completely unique to your group and there’ll be so many stories you can tell afterwards.” Enter the Oubliette is open for group bookings every day except Tuesdays until 20 April. You can play the game in a group of up to eight. It’s designed as a group puzzle, so you need at least four people to have a chance of solving it in time. Optimum team size is six. ■■ Find out more at www.entertheoubliette.co.uk.

18 FOOD & DRINK

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March 2016

FOOD NEWS Spring cleaning is starting early in Brixton this month

NNMcDonalds is getting a facelift to make it feel nicer, friendlier and easier to deal with late at night. It’s re-opening on 3 March, hopefully with more manageable queues …

NNThe Phoenix Cafe is also getting a refurb and should have re-opened all bright and shiny by the time you read this.

NNThings are stirring at the old J-Bar on Stockwell Road. No news on what it’s going to become yet, but we’ll try and find out for you.

R ECI PE • JACKFR U IT U PSI DE-DOWN CAKE

Go retro with this rejig of a 70s classic Miss South puts the cherries on the cake Those who like both trivia and cake are in for a treat this month. The jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, weighing up to 35kg at its largest. Popular in South and South East Asia, it is eaten as both a sweet and savoury ingredient. Green jackfruit in brine has a meaty texture and makes great curries, but the ripe jackfruit in syrup is what we’re using here for a sweet and easy cake. It’s easily available in the Wing Tai or Nour Cash and Carry in cans and makes a lovely fragrant alternative to pineapple. I’ve gone retro with it as tinned fruit brings out that side in me and rejigged the 70s classic of upside-down cake, glacé cherries and all. It makes a large cake baked in a rectangular roasting tin so it’s even easier to make. Start by draining syrup from the jackfruit and setting the syrup aside until later. The

jackfruit will look like pods. Cut them into slices or strips to line the base of your tin with. I used equal amounts of jackfruit and cherries, setting aside 100g of the jackfruit to puree and add into the cake. Grease your tin lightly and line with greaseproof baking paper. Gently warm your golden syrup and pour into the lined tin, placing the sliced jackfruit and cherries in whatever pattern you desire onto it. Set aside until needed. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I find an electric whisk handy for this because I’m feeble. Beat the jackfruit puree into the creamed butter and sugar and add the eggs one at a time until you have a light puffy batter. Fold in the flour. The whole mixture will be very stiff and thick so add the reserved jackfruit syrup

a third at a time until it is a soft batter that will pour easily into the tin. You may need slightly more or less than the 100ml specified as each brand of flour has a different reaction to liquid. Fill the tin with the batter, making sure not to mess up the fruit on the bottom as you spread it to the corners. Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 180° oven. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. Use a skewer to prick small holes in the smooth side of the cake and brush a few times with any remaining jackfruit syrup to add extra flavour, fragrance and moisture. Once the cake has cooled for about one hour, carefully tip it out of the tin so the jackfruit and cherry-studded side is on the top and serve in squares. It will keep for two days in an airtight container.

JACKFRUIT UPSIDE DOWN CAKE (makes one 30 x 23cm cake) ¡¡1 x 400g tin jackfruit in syrup, drained and syrup reserved ¡¡200g glace cherries ¡¡100ml golden syrup ¡¡250g butter ¡¡100g sugar ¡¡100g jackfruit puree (see below) ¡¡6 eggs ¡¡300g self-raising flour ¡¡100ml jackfruit syrup (see above)

NNBrindisa are having a facelift this month with a refurb to create a new Ham Bar on Atlantic Road.

NNDefinitely the new kid on the block this month is Stir Coffee at 111 Brixton Hill, in the old Potts Antiques shop. Only just opened, they’ve sadly had their windows smashed twice in that time. I doubt anyone in Brixton is that much of a coffee snob, so hopefully it’s not anti-gentrification protesting. But pop in and show them some love while you caffeinate.

NNAnd speaking of doing the

JACKFRUIT: The largest tree-borne fruit in the world

community good, the recently relaunched Cafe Van Gogh at the Christ Church on Brixton Road are now running as Raw Ingredients Community Interest Company. A CIC is a form of non-profit that ensures living wages, community enrichment and, in this case, good affordable vegan and vegetarian food for the area.

March 2016

FOOD & DRINK 19

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R EVI EW: NAUG HTY PIG LETS

A little loving goes a long way Nikki Griffiths discovers a passion for pork belly and natural wines Once upon a time, French-born Margaux came to London to study wine, met Joe Sharratt, head chef at Trinity in Clapham, they got married and started up a restaurant where they could combine their passions. What better way to start a new business venture than with a love story? But that’s just one of the many reasons I love Naughty Piglets. There’s also its location away from the crowds on Brixton Water Lane, the to-die-for natural wine, its status as an independent and fairly priced restaurant nobly offering seasonal produce, and of course the fact it’s called Naughty Piglets. Right up there at the top of that list is the food. The interior is what you’d expect from somewhere like this – simple and no fuss, yet stylish and elegant. Décor follows a more personal take on the tried and tested combination of chalkboard paint, enamelware and Edison light bulbs and there’s a long galley-style bar with views into the kitchen at the rear. Its small size means it’s cosy and, with just 30 seats, booking in advance is a good idea. The wine sold here is all “natural”, meaning there are no chemicals involved in its making and in most cases is created with hand-picked grapes. As you’d expect from a restaurant with a wine expert at its helm, both the white and the red I sampled (guzzled) were divine. I took recommendations based on the food ordered, which I would encourage you to also do unless you know your Pouilly-Fumé from your Grüner Veltliner. Wine is Margaux’s passion and she’s pleased to give anyone a hand. The menu changes regularly and familiar items come and go, but it sticks to the general format of a few snacks, four medium-sized dishes and four more substantial ones. All are reasonably priced.

We were advised to order five to six plates between two but you could get away with the more traditional set-up of starters followed by mains if you preferred. You can keep up to date with latest menus via their Instagram account, @naughtypiglets. Following some delicious bread and butter, we nibbled on our first snack-sized courses of padron peppers – deeply roasted and generously salted – and ham croquettes which were crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside. We then moved onto the burrata, served with chunky wedges of roasted fennel and pistachio cream. This is such a great combination, mixing the creaminess of the cheese with the earthy pistachio and the lighter freshness of the fennel. Then it got meaty. The boudin noir (that’s black pudding to you or I) was probably the softest and crumbliest I’ve ever tasted, with not a hit of the dryness which is so often disappointingly present. It came topped with zingy, salty capers as well as cuttlefish, cut into such fine and silky ribbons that the texture suggested noodles. My personal favourite dish of the night was a generous slab of BBQ pork belly, topped with shredded greens. Served on the side was a well-matched and insanely rich miso paste, packing a punch from just the tiniest dot. The whole plate was peppered with sesame seeds, giving it a lovely nuttiness and taming that miso. Sad that it was coming to a close, we faced our final dish. A hunk of tender beef, lacquered in a deeply rich and reduced gravy packed full of flavour, came supporting a topper of earthy East-Asian shimeji mushrooms. A side of smooth celeriac lifted the dish whilst the parsnip chips on top added crunch. Naughty Piglets will turn one this March and I feel I’ve missed out having only just been there. This is without doubt some of the best food and wine I’ve eaten in Brixton and I’m already excited to plan my next visit. It just goes to prove that a little love really can go a long way.

Above: Padron peppers Right: Beef and shimeji mushrooms Inset: Boudin noir Below: Pork belly

Long-established and family-run, we provide the finest meat to Brixton’s best and award-winning restaurants. Enjoy our quality meat at home, Jones the Butcher now open to the public. Retail • Wholesale • Catering Orders • Butchery Masterclasses • 1 Dulwich Road London SE24 0NT T: 020 7274 4629 Monday to Wednesday: 5am to 12.30pm Thursday and Friday: 5am to 1.00pm Saturday: 9am to 1pm

20 WHAT’S ON

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TUES 1 @ CARNEGIE LIBRARY

Mummytime Ltd will be holding its next event Mummytime – a new pop-up event providing me-time for mums – at Carnegie Library. So head down for a morning of activities that will leave you feeling refreshed and replenished. You can enjoy one of three pamper packages (while your baby is being cared for in the on-site crèche), attend expert talks on postnatal fitness and life coaching, and chill out in the cafe with other local mums. £5. 10.30am to 1.30pm.

THURS 3 @ RALEIGH PARK CENTRE

Speedy Networking aims to empower small businesses , entrepreneurs, sole traders and start ups. Just bring a 60-second elevator pitch on who you are and what you do to this pilot event. Free. 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

FRI 4 @ THE PLATFORM

MUSIC NEWS Arts Co-Editor Barney Evison rounds up the latest music news from our corner of south London

DRAMA AT NME AWARDS IN BRIXTON ACADEMY

FRI 4 @ BRIXTON EAST

Brixton Academy hosted the NME Awards ceremony on 17 February. Altrock band Wolf Alice took home “Best Live Band” and “Best Track” and the Maccabees won “Best British Band”. Things got a bit interesting when rock band Bring Me the Horizon trashed Coldplay”s table during a live set – apparently not in a dirty protest though. Read more about it on page 16.

LEE SCRATCH PERRY CELEBRATES 80TH WITH FILM AND BRIXTON GIG

Often dubbed “the godfather of reggae”, Jamaican dub legend Lee Scratch Perry (above) is celebrating his 80th birthday this year with several live concerts, including a gig in Brixton, and an arthouse biopic by director Volker Schaner, screening at the Ritzy on Sunday 20 March. Don’t miss Perry at Electric Brixton on Saturday 12 March, which will include a performance of his classic Super Ape album with Mad Professor joining him at the controls.

DEBUT SINGLE FROM EXHAUSTER

The debut single “Too Dumb” from Brixton indie electro band Exhauster dropped into our inbox last month, and it’s rather enjoyable. Described on their Facebook page as “jerky dance music by effete boys”, it’s accompanied by a hypnotic and bizarre video, and has also been featured on Domino Records’ Best of Indie Spotify playlist. Give it a listen and let us know what you think.

NEW EP FROM LOCAL BRIT SCHOOL MUSICIAN

Local singer-songwriter Josef Pitura-Riley has released a new EP Regeneration. The songs were all written while he was touring the country and were then recorded upon his return to London. An alumnus of the BRIT School in Croydon, he performed at the Ritzy as part of Oxjam Brixton last year. Head to www.josefpiturariley.com to discover his music.

Clarkshaws Microbrewery is hosting a pop-up pub at the Platform SW9 throughout the first week of March, with events including beer and cheese pairing, a micro art exhibition and a pub quiz. On Friday there will be live music from local five-piece Americana band, the Champion Hillbillies. 8pm to 11pm. “Stand Up For Refugees Bollywood Night” is a benefit for the Calais camp . Choreographers from Jay Kumar Dance Asia team will lead a night of interactive Bollywood dancing followed by music from DJs Ms Feelgood and Micky Vespere. All money raised will go to the refugee camp in Calais. £10/£6 concessions.

AFRIQUOI REMIXED BY ANCHORSONG The first song of Brixton band Afriquoi’s album Kolaba – out September last year – has been remixed by Japanese producer Anchorsong, bringing a mellow 70s disco feel to “Kudaushe”. It’s well worth a listen – find it on SoundCloud and Spotify. If you don’t know about Afriquoi, you should – their website describes them as a “UK afro supergroup”, and that sounds about right; “Kudaushe” is named after ex-Bhundu Boys marimba player Kadaushe Matimba, who features on the track.

ICONS OF WU EXHIBITION AT BRIXTON EAST

Don’t miss this one-day exhibition of Eddie Otchere’s iconic portraits of the Wu-Tang Clan at Brixton East on 5 March. Photographed over the course of five years and never before exhibited in their entirety, these images capture each member of the US rap group in their most prolific years. Admission is free.

March 2016

TUES 8 @ WHIRLED CINEMA

Urban Lab Films presents a special screening of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Neighbouring Sounds, about life in a neighbourhood in Recife, Brazil, as part of an evening discussion on “Guarded Elites

and Paranoia in the Latin American City ”. The evening will include a panel and Q&A with Anna Minton (author of Ground Control), Tiago De Luca (University of Liverpool) and Rodrigo Firmino (UCL Urban Laboratory). £5 per ticket with a free drink on arrival. 6.30pm.

WEDS 9 @ BLUES KITCHEN

Swing the night away at or sit back and listen to big band classics performed live at the Blues Kitchen. Free. Until 12am.

THURS 10 @ BCA

To celebrate International Women’s Month , the Black Cultural Archives is hosting a discussion on what it means to be a black woman in the 21st century. A panel of women leading change in the local community, Linda Bellos OBE, former Leader of Lambeth council, gay rights activist and equality law specialist; Jade Jackson, writer and member of Women for Refugee Women; and Liv Little, editor-in-chief for Gal-Dem online magazine, will give a talk followed by an audience Q&A opportunity. £10, £7 concession. 7pm to 9pm.

SAT 12 @ HERNE HILL

SAT 5 @ ART NOUVEAU

Art Nouveau cafe is hosting a mindfulness retreat day, teaching people to appreciate the changing sensations and emotions around hunger, eating and digestion. No experience necessary. £55. 11am to 5pm.

Herne Hill’s shops are taking part in a sponsored cycle at the weekend to raise money for Sports Relief. Shops taking part are cycling 1 to 10 miles on an exercise bike. Each shop will either volunteer a relay team or their best individual. To sponsor or donate go into local shops or visit the Sport Relief giving page https:// my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/ffhernehill and head down on the day to support the bikers.

SAT 5 @ SIMULACRA STUDIO

SAT 12 @ JAMM

Derzak will take over Simulacra Studio equipped with a custom top-of-the-range sound system . Record label Melodus’s main artist will play his original blend of techno, house, IDM and electronica. Tickets £5 to £10. 9pm to 4am.

SAT 5 @ POP BRIXTON

Versus by Verses is an aspiring mental health charity for young people in London. It aims to help eradicate stigma through music and the arts. It is holding an event to boost moods and help tackle the stigma surrounding mental health with live music from an array of local artists, guest speakers discussing mental health and mindfulness, and an optional scavenger hunt including games and prizes. Free. 2pm to 6pm.

Stush make a big return to Brixton Jamm for the latest instalment of their Celebrate Life series. Starting the year as they mean to go on, their line-up features Booker T, Zacharia Soul, Jumping Jack Frost, Mikee B, Uncle Dugs + many more for a night of Deep House, Soulful, Afro, Techno, UK Garage, Jungle and more. £10 to £15. 11pm to 6am.

SUN 13 @ HOOTANANNY

Rootmaster presents Kyazi Lugangira , UK-based singer/songwriter/guitarist from Tanzania, leader of the band Kihaya Blues. The music is a mix of African highlife, manding and soul, blues, funk and Latin. Kyazi has also toured with Kora players Jally Kebba Susso and Sona Jobarteh. Free. 9pm to midnight.

BRIXTON PUNK IS ALIVE AND KICKING

Young Brixton punk band Shame are getting some attention locally, with gigs at the Windmill, the Bussey Building and Off the Cuff. Having spent time in the studio working on their sound, they’re now ready to put it out and about, and we expect to be hearing a lot more from them this year. Check out our interview with the guys on page 16

SATURDAY mornings, Windmill Gardens – tai chi

March 2016

SUN 13 @ THE WINDMILL

The second Sunday of the month is The Windmill Sessions . All musicians and all styles welcome, hosted by the No Frills Band. Free. 6pm.

MON 14 @ DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY

TUES 15 @ POP BRIXTON

Brave? Think you can sing? Then try Karaoke Rumble at Pop Brixton. Each contestant has two minutes to sing a song of their own choice with the possibility of being booed off by the audience or the host himself. Followed by karaoke disco. £8. 7.30pm to 11.30pm.

FRI 18 @ POP BRIXTON

Pop hosts a St Patrick’s Day shindig with an evening of live music across different stages, Irish dancing, Guinness punch and food specials. Monster Ceilidh Band, Josh Flowers, Boondock and more will be performing. Free. 7pm to midnight.

SAT 19 @ WINDMILL GARDENS

Friends of Windmill Gardens have been successful in gaining funding from the Mayor of London to organise free tai chi exercise sessions in Windmill Gardens, Brixton Hill, on Saturday mornings. Tai chi is a gentle form of exercise that helps with breathing, encourages movement among those who may not be able to access conventional exercise classes and is extremely helpful in dealing with stress. They started on 16 January and continue for 13 weeks. Free. 11am to 12 noon.

RITZY ROUNDUP Grappling with housing problems? Who isn’t? If you thought it could not get worse, wait until you see J G Ballard’s take on urban living. If you still struggle to escape the awful reality, you have two animations to choose from or a farce with George Clooney. Adam Marshall on what’s on at the Ritzy this month

A LONG WAY DOWN

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Watch Hollywood classic To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) at the Picture Gallery. The evening includes a complimentary glass of wine and snacks and film notes. £9, £7 Friends. Bar at 7pm, screenings at 7.30pm Linbury Room.

WHAT’S ON 21

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J.G. Ballard. To some, one of the most inventive and prescient novelists of the 20th century. To others, that pervert who done the book about people getting sexually aroused by car crashes. HIGHRISE (from 18 March), Ballard’s remarkable allegory of a near future London tower block gone to the dogs (or eating them), could well be his finest. And it’s difficult to imagine a more perfectly matched directorial eye than Ben Wheatley’s – the dark, sadistic creator of Kill List and Sightseers. Prepare yourself for intensity and/or the class of Tom Hiddleston.

BEWILDERING SEX

Talking of warped minds, Charlie Kaufman may have one of the odder perspectives of Hollywood’s screenwriters. And with scripts for Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Adaptation and Synecdoche, New York sitting proudly on his resume, his cult following is no great surprise. Whether you’re a Kaufman acolyte or not, make time to go and see his splendid animation ANOMALISA (from 11 March). To say too much about the concept would be to tarnish your

George Clooney in Hail, Caesar! enjoyment, but there’s a man in a midlife crisis, unsettling dream sequences, superb voice work from David Thewlis and one of the most bewildering sex scenes you’ve ever seen.

IT’S A FAIR HOP

Question: what does Disney do best? If you said “expose young impressionable girls to unrealistic and potentially harmful expectations of the acceptable

female form and what constitutes a rewarding adult life”, you’d be bob on correct, but just a little cynical in your viewpoint for this lighthearted column. I was looking for “animating animals dressed up in human clothes as if they were homo sapiens”. And so we have its latest big screen offering ZOOTROPOLIS (from 18 March). A city of the clothed critters, no less. And, in particular, Judy Hopps a plucky leporine (y’know … a rabbit)

cop working to uncover a heinous conspiracy.

HOLLYWOOD GOLD

Ever played Desert Island DVDs? Pick out eight films you’d want with you if stranded alone on a remote isle … with a TV, DVD player and reliable electrical supply. It’s never been proven, but roughly 83% of people would include at least one Coen brothers title. HAIL, CAESAR! (from 4 March) looks to have a shot of winning around the 17% of hanging chads. It’s a hilarious looking farce set in a Golden Era Hollywood studio. The Coens have enlisted regular collaborators Clooney, McDormand and Brolin, as well as going all Wes Anderson and cramming it with cameos. Two words – Dolph Lundgren.

OK, HOW ABOUT …

Nothing tickling your fancy? How about the lukewarmly awaited BATMAN vs. SUPERMAN (from 25 March), Blanchett-led neglected Oscar bait TRUTH (from 4 March), Hollywood legends talking about Hollywood uber-legends in doc HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT (from 4 March) and that film you didn’t quite get around to seeing last year BIRDMAN (27 March) at Pop Ritzy.

SUN 20 @ THE WINDMILL

After a sleep over the winter, Portals returns for an incredible lineup of alternative, experimental, math & postrock including AKDK + Wot Gorilla? + Alright The Captain. £7. All tickets include food from the BBQ, which runs till about 7pm. Starts 4pm.

TUES 22 @ EFFRA SOCIAL

Tommy McArdle hosts one of the most popular quizzes in Brixton, with a cash prize for first place and booby prizes for second and second to last place. £5 per team. Starts at 8pm.

WEDS 23 @ HOOTANANNY

Stax Dempsey presents a night of American blues and rock’n’roll with The Red 8 and Raleigh Rye. Free. 9pm to midnight.

SAT 26 @ PHONOX

Saturday nights at Phonox are run by permanent resident DJ Jasper James plus secret guests . £5 to £10. 6pm, DJ starts 10pm, closes 4am.

SUN 27 @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON

Global Rhythms returns to Brixton with a party across Easter Sunday day and night and an assemblage of world music . Romare will be joined by Dele Sosimi

Afrobeat Orchestra and DJ support from Crazy P, Bradley Zero, YAM Records, Container Records, and First World Records alongside Global Rhythms residents Elwood and Sam & Toby. £5 to £12.50. 10pm to 6am.

THURS 31 @ BRIXTON ACADEMY

Grammy winner Carlos Vives (above), a pioneer of Colombian popular music, makes his long-awaited UK debut with a show at O2 Academy Brixton, plus special guests. £43 to £70. Doors 7pm.

Horniman Easter Fair Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 March 10.30am – 4.30pm

Easter Egg trail | Arts and crafts markets Family activities | Easter Bunny Free entry Forest Hill horniman.ac.uk/easter

22 COLUMNS

brixtonblog.com

March 2016

GEMMA SINCLAIR

FRANKIE HOLAH

Top of the crops

Whatever you do, get walking

When I started The Gardening Girl, just over three years ago, the thing that worried me most about becoming a super gardener and giving the best service to my prospective clients was the unbelievable amount of flowers, plants and shrubs there were to learn. As I was preparing to launch The Gardening Girl, I trawled through books night and day trying to memorise and learn as many as I could. And the thing that I have realised over these years is that you don’t need to know them all (certainly the more the merrier) – just be familiar with the ones common to London gardens. So, here is the top ten to help you get to “Know Your Garden …”

CEANOTHUS – the baby blue flowers make this a delicate feature in any garden. It should be cut to keep a good shape.

HEBE – the varieties of hebe are endless and, in my opinion, all equally charming. Useful for brightening up any garden. Evergreen.

WISTERIA – this climber is a favourite in London gardens … don’t be deceived by its delicate appearance. This plant can easily get way out of control.

LAVENDER – the British favourite. Gives off a wonderful scent; good idea to cut back once it has flowered.

HYDRANGEA – I have yet to find a garden without one of these … great cut flowers as well … dead head and cut back at the end of summer.

I’m all about being able to work out anywhere and injecting more activity easily into the day – especially when so many of us live busy, demanding lifestyles. On-the-go fitness is a great option for fitting it all in. A big part of this for me is using my surroundings and being creative. So, I thought I’d give you lovely readers some ideas to get you moving more in your daily life whether it’s during your commute, at work or at home, there are opportunities everywhere to get moving more. On the tube: The simplest option here is to STAND! Far too much of the day is spent sitting and as it has been described as the new smoking, let’s make an effort to be more upright. Make an effort to focus on standing tall, tightening your core, putting your shoulders back and standing with your feet shoulder width apart. As well as helping your posture, being stood up uses more energy and recruits more muscles than your fellow seated commuters (cue smug face). If you’re feeling brave, try not holding on to anything and give your balance and core a challenge. I bet your journey will pass more quickly too … win! When it’s less crowded, those hand rails make for great hanging out time … who cares what anybody thinks? You’ll be the one with the stronger shoulders and abs. Try out simply hanging with your knees raised and if you’re feeling strong turn them into reps. I tried this between tube stops the other day, got a few looks and then casually strutted off the tube – Break

ROSEMARY – the cook’s staple – perfect for herb gardens, beds and borders or in patio pots. Evergreen. RHODODENDRON – perfect in any type of garden but perform particularly well as borders or as a hedge. VIBURNUM – perfect and often found in shady gardens – keep it neat by cutting off dead flowers or “dead heading”.

ANEMONE – these little beauties spread like wildfire, so the chances are your garden has some. Dead head once flowered. Can often flower twice in one year.

ROSE – this is the plant that just keeps giving. Dead head regularly and you can enjoy flowers in spring, summer, autumn and, if it is mild enough, winter. So next time you are out in your garden why don’t you have a look around and see how many you can identify. 66As always, if you need a hand in your garden feel free to give me a call on 07826 551353 or thegardeninggirlat82@gmail,com.

the mould fellow Londoners, you’ll feel good for it! At the office: Definitely too much sitting going on here. Challenge yourself to move more during your work day. Get up every 30-45 minutes, stretch, walk around and maybe even get in some squats … hello pert toosh – how many can you do in a day?! If you’re feeling adventurous, set an office trend and try out some incline or decline press ups using your chair. Compete with your colleagues to see who can do the most in 60 seconds and make it an office challenge … Get the blood flowing and use those muscles. Out and about: Using the escalator? Work or live above the ground floor? Use the stairs, walk, run, sprint the escalator (obviously take care with this one). Even just walk and simply miss a step each time. Whatever you do, get walking! It really is the simplest way to inject more movement into your day and it doesn’t even need to include steps. Get off your bus a stop earlier and walk the remainder of the way. Little and often really does make a difference. I try to run up the stairs at my tube stop every time and week on week it gets a bit easier … Have a think about your day, pick one extra activity to inject into it and tweet me what you choose @frankieholah. Go forth and MOVE!

Quick Crossword ACROSS 1. Fully satisfy (7) 8. Least brief (7) 9. Circled (7) 10. Oval (7) 11. Pulse (5) 13. Adamant (9) 15. Exhaustion (7) 18. Spill (5) 21. Error (7) 22. Excluded (4,3) 23. Badly behaved (7) 21. Incessant (3-4)

D OWN 1. Teapot feature (5) 2. e.g. a potato (5) 3. Memoir (13) 4. Small trees; seniors (6) 5. Base for eggs benedict (7,6) 6. Conical tent (6) 7. Avenue (6) 12. Hawaiian hoop (4) 14. Conk, snoot, hooter (4) 15. Scarcity of food (6) 16. 50:50 chance (4-2) 17. ___ Waugh, author (6) 19. Game (5) 20. Add (3,2)

Hill Mead HERALD MARCH 2016

Lambeth mayor Donatus Anyanwu was much in demand for pictures with the artists

Just take a pen and a paper … Mamusu Kallon visited Pop Brixton to see Hill Mead Fine Art Club’s exhibition For one evening last month Pop Brixton’s Greenhouse was buzzing with enthusiastic pupils, proud parents and impressed onlookers as Hill Mead primary school pupils exhibited stunning pieces of fine art. The private view, held on 23 February, for an exhibition that runs until 7 April was a retrospective of work produced by Hill Mead’s Fine Art Club members over the last three years. Vivid reds, greens and blues jumped out from the 14 pieces on show. It was easy to forget that some of the children were only six years old when they produced sophisticated work that would not look out of place in the National Gallery. Reezah (left), 9, who painted a striking blue vase and flowers against a red background, said, “I feel like I can do anything when I paint. It’s total fun. It makes me really happy.” Ellie, 8, talked excitedly about the trips the club go on, which has included a trip to the Royal Academy of Art. She said: “We went to an exhibition and saw paintings, and showed our own work and there were prizes. It was a good experience.” The club meets every Thursday under the instruction of Fiona Reed, an artist in her own right. During classes pupils work on one piece over a number of weeks and explore different techniques, processes and media while sharing ideas. Ms Reed, whom the children describe as “fun and helpful” highlighted the importance of art for children. She said: “Art is thinking and seeing, it’s about maths, near and far. It’s about science, the refraction of light, light and dark and this thinking can be taken into other areas of school. The children also learn to trust themselves.” Reezah’s proud mum said: “When you haven’t seen

their work for a few weeks and you see the difference, you realise how talented these children are, I couldn’t believe what my daughter had produced!” As the exhibition came to an end, it was clear that children, parents and teachers were all feeling inspired by what they had seen. Deputy Head Becky Lawrence and Ms Reed said they hope to share the children’s work with the public again via a series of community exhibitions in the future. Before leaving, I asked one of the expert artists what advice she would give to someone who didn’t think they were very good at art: Reezah said: “Just take a pen and a paper and do something, even if it’s just a little dot, it can grow and become something bigger.” ■■ The Hill Mead Primary School Fine Art club picture gallery is at www.hillmead.org/artwork_artclub.html

BRIXTON

Brixton striker gets England under-19 nod

Bugle SPORT

by Sandra Brobbey

TOPCATS BOSS HAILS TEAM AFTER NARROW LOSS TO SHEFFIELD HATTERS Brixton Topcats coach Steve Vear hailed his team’s performance after their narrow loss to Sheffield Hatters earlier this month. The home side dominated the WBBL Trophy holders for long periods at the Brixton Rec with Jenaya Wade-Fray and Kyla Nelson racking up 43 points between them. A late fightback by Sheffield, led by Georgia Gayle, was enough to see the visitors turn the game on its head in the final quarter. The contest ended as an 82-76 win for the Hatters. Topcats coach Vear said the loss was “tough to take” but complimented his side’s performance. “It’s always tough when you lose after playing that well”, said Vear. “Players feel they didn’t do well but I really genuinely believe we lost that game. I don’t think Sheffield came here and beat us outright I think we threw it away. “We had a moment where it was probably a minute of too many turnovers and Sheffield are such a good side who will capitalise on that. They are renowned as the best team in the league and they have just won the WBBL (Women’s British Basketball League) Trophy Final. “I told my players we had to be at our best for the whole game to beat them as they win all the time. They have got the MVP of the league and they’ve got Great Britain players. It’s tough to take because we were up the whole game and then we lose it right at the end. “But we’ll learn from this and get better. We have young players like Megan Haines who is only 15 and she’s closing the game out for us in the top league in England. There are others like Jenelle Grant, she’s 17 and had a good game. “We gave Sheffield a scare and I’m really proud because we had a bad loss last week and we had to bounce back. The result wasn’t the way we wanted things to go but I’m really happy as I think we put in a really good performance.” The Topcats head to Sheffield on 5 March for the Betty Codona Classic. Their next big home game will be on Sunday 20 March against league leaders Nottingham Wildcats. “Nottingham are top of the league so it doesn’t get any easier at home”, Vear added. “If we put in a performance like we did today I’m confident of our chances. For us it’s game-by-game and this season we are getting better as a team and as a coach that’s what I want to see. We started the season a little bit shaky, but we’re finding our identity and getting better so I’m happy with our progression.”

Coach Steve Vear (far left) with Brixton Topcats women’s team

ABOVE: Rinsola Babajide in action for England under-19 side (PHOTO: TONY MARSHALL/FA)

The FA Women’s Super League (WSL) season kicks off in March with teams such as Arsenal Ladies, London Bees and Chelsea Ladies competing for honours. One up-andcoming footballer aiming to take the Super League by storm is Millwall Lioness player Rinsola Babajide (pictured left). Brixton Bugle caught up with the highly rated centre-forward ahead of her club’s opening game against Oxford United. Here Babajide shares her reflections on her fledgling career and her recent call-up to England’s Under-19 squad. 2015 was an exciting year for women’s football, with more than a million viewers watching England’s Lionesses in action at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Their heroic run, which ended with an agonising own-goal exit at the semi-final stage, led to a surge in support for players who rarely get the plaudits they deserve. Last year was also a memorable one for a Brixton-bred striker who hopes to leave her own mark on the women’s game.

‘My aim is to keep training hard and break into the England women’s senior team within the next five years’

Rinsola Babajide (left) playing for Millwall Lionesses (PHOTO: MILLWALL FOOTBALL CLUB)

Aged only 17, Rinsola Babajide has been touted as “one to watch” by coaches at Afewee, a local football training centre that nurtured Liverpool fullback Nathaniel Clyne. Babajide, who trained with Afewee before joining Crystal Palace Ladies Development Team at the age of 13, signed for Millwall Lionesses in January last year. Her pace and prowess earned her a scholarship with the south London side, whose alumni includes former England women’s team coach Hope Powell. “Millwall is a real family orientated club and I love playing for them”, says Babajide. “The atmosphere is great when we’re playing at the Den. While the men’s team gets a much bigger crowd at their games,

I’m starting to see more and more fans turning up to our matches. We are up against Oxford United in our first game of the new season. I’m pretty confident we’ll win.” Babajide got off to a flying start for her new club last season scoring 11 goals in the Women’s Super League. This year she hopes to double her goal tally and help the Lionesses win promotion to the top division.

Highest levels

Her mentor Steadman Scott, founder of Afewee, who Babajide describes as a “big inspiration”, has high hopes for her future. Scott and his fellow coaches believe the striker has what it takes to make it at the highest levels of the women’s game. “Rinsola has technical skills similar to those talented Japanese players who reached the finals of the women’s World Cup last year”, says Scott. “She reminds me of Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez with her movement, coordination and the way she picks up the ball and beats her opponents with her pace. “We watched Rinsola in five-a-side and worked with her on cardio and strength training. I have never seen a female striker like her. She’s a fantastic role model for our young people. It would be great to see her break into England’s senior squad in the future.” Babajide’s talents as a finisher caught the attention of England coaches who recently gave her first taste of international football with a call-up to England’s under-19 camp. The young striker will be among the squad taking part in the La Manga tournament in March with games against Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA. The Millwall Lioness, who dreams of emulating Rachel Yankey, England’s most capped player, hopes her international call-up will be the first of many. “Getting called up to England was absolutely amazing”, says Babajide. “I played in a match against Norway for England under-19 in January and was pleased to be part of the game.

Trained with Afewee

“My aim is to keep training hard and break into England women’s senior team within the next five years. “Rachel Yankey, who is England’s most capped player, is one of my inspirations. I remember playing against Arsenal Ladies when she was in the team and she was excellent in attack and defensively. “She’s a top footballer and I know I can make it at that level if I keep going and doing what I am doing.” ■■ The FA Women’s Super League season starts on Wednesday 23 March.