Brixton Bugle November 2015

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No 37 | November 2015 | FREE

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>> ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 16 >> RECIPE PAGE 18 >> WHAT’S ON PAGE 20 >> SPORT PAGE 24 >>

REC USERS VOICE FEARS OVER FUTURE OWNERSHIP

VICTORY for Afewee boxing’s

The creation of a new Lambeth cultural board and trust, which will give private non-profit Green­ wich Leisure Services (GLL) greater control of Lambeth leisure facilities, has sparked fears that Brixton Rec is under threat.

GLL already manages the borough’s leisure centres and is planning to install gyms in some Lambeth libraries, but the Brixton Rec Users Group (BRUG) fear that there will be no elected councillors or community representatives on the new Lambeth Cultural Board, which is due to be introduced in January next year.

The board will consist of two Lambeth officers and two GLL representatives.

NHS providers, Lambeth College and Southbank representatives may be added.

Robyn Dasey of BRUG said the decision raised major questions of

BRITISH LIBRARY exhibit from

democratic accountability and community and user involvement.

“Rec users had to campaign to save the Rec until the council leader Lib Peck, in 2012, gave assurances at a packed public meeting that the Rec would be kept under council control.”

“The council is responsible for major maintenance, and users are worried about what will happen in the future”.

The group said it had not been consulted, despite having agreed consultation arrangements.

It is demanding that the council now discuss the impact of its proposals on the future of publicly owned leisure facilities with users and the wider community.

There are fears that GLL could restrict community club access.

Steadman Scott of Afewee community-led football CONTINUED PAGE 2

Loughborough railway arches ARTS PAGE 16

WINDRUSH Square to Calais

LIVES IN CRISIS PAGE 14

SEE YOU IN COURT: Club 414 leaseholders Louise Barron and Anthony Pommell outside the High Court in London. Story page 2

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CURRY in the Greenhouse

INCREDIBLE EDIBLE PAGE 10

⨀渀漀 猀琀爀椀渀最猀 愀琀琀愀挀栀攀搀

By Angus Peters

first competitive amateur fighter SPORT PAGE 24

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2 NEWS

BRIXTON BUGLE brixtonblog.com Proudly edited in Brixton

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 DEPUTY EDITOR Lindsay Faller lindsay@brixtonblog.com NEWS EDITOR Anna McKie newsdesk@brixtonblog.com ARTS & FEATURES Barney Evison, Ruth Waters arts@brixtonblog.com

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November 2015

Network Rail to push ahead with arches ‘refurbishment’

By ANNA McKIE

Network Rail is moving forward with its plans for the refurbishment of Brixton’s railway arches and has asked for local views on its proposals.

The plans will mean the eviction of tenants in the arches bounded by Atlantic Road, Brixton Station Road and Pope’s Road while the work takes place. Once completed, businesses will face large rent increases.

Network Rail will be submitting its planning application to Lambeth council in December and ahead of this is mounting a “drop-in” consultation exhibition for the local community.

It will be at Brixton Rec on Friday 6 November from 3pm to 7pm and Saturday 7 November from 10am to 2pm.

Jose Cardoso, owner of A&C Continental deli which closed in October, told the Bugle that tenants

have been told that on return rent will increase by 25 per cent in the first few years, then to 100 per cent, then will eventually triple.

Most of the current business owners, many of whom have come together to form the Save Brixton Arches campaign, have said they will not be able to afford the increased rents.

According to Network Rail, prime locations closer to Brixton Road will command a premium rent whilst arches further along Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road will have a lower rent. Tenants have apparently been offered compensation and “relocation support”.

Network Rail says it will be looking to attract “a good mix of businesses” which will “maintain the area as a popular visitor destination and serve the local community’s needs.” It says it wants “to enhance the arches, not change them.”

In a leaflet sent to local residents

laying out its plans, the company said that, despite some suggestions, it will not be renting out any of the refurbished arches to national supermarkets or food and drinks chains.

Refurbishment will apparently take a year and will include reconfiguring the arches’ layout and redesigning the frontages.

The Save Brixton Arches campaign had pushed for phasing of the work to relieve some of the pressure on the affected businesses, but this has been rejected by Network Rail.

Tom Shakhli from Brixton Pound urged Network Rail to act responsibly with the power that is has.

“Network Rail needs to appreciate its role as a major landowner and the impact it can have on communities,” he said. “You risk causing community havoc. I would like it to consider the implications of that and be guided by that as much as getting the best monetary value for itself.”

Artist’s impression of the refurbished arches.

Where are the cars?

FOOD Miss South food@brixtonblog.com SPORT Sandra Brobbey sport@brixtonblog.com David Gibson ISSUE 37 Writers: Nikki Griffiths, Susan Sheehan Mark Wadie Helen Reid Tom Sasse Leonie Rousham Angus Peters Marco Cillario Sub-editor: Jamila Omar Designer: Agnes Graves Production: Alan Slingsby Crossword: Josie Gardiner A massive thank you to everybody involved in making this issue, and the Blog & Bugle project, a success

Brixton Pound moves in to A&C deli

By ANNA McKIE Brixton Pound has set up shop in the former A&C Continental Deli and is hoping to transform it into an information point for the community – as well as provide the localised currency.

Tom Shakhli, engagement manager at Brixton Pound, explained the move is only temporary until it finds out more about the future of the street.

B£ is taking care of the space after A&C closed its doors for good. The deli had faced a long-running battle with Network Rail over its refurbishment plans and a change in the demographic of the area forcing it to

stop trading in October.

Number 3 Atlantic Road will now be used to provide information about Brixton, exchange sterling into B£, sell Brixton Bonus tickets and limited edition B£ notes and T-shirts – it will even be selling A&C’s legendary custard tarts. One wall will feature shops, cafes and restaurants who accept the Brixton Pound, as well as profiles of the local businesses owners.

B£ said it was grateful for Jose Cardoso, A&C’s owner, for allowing it to use the space.

“We’ve known Jose for a while and after we found out A&C was closing he invited us to do something there, so we’ve set up our office here”

Shakhli said. “It’s nice to have the door open and have people come in and start conversations with us.”

“We’re trying to demonstrate the potential of running a shop for the community. You can’t replace what was here before, but hopefully we can do something that also has value. We’ve already got local groups who’ve signed up to use it as a meet­ing space.”

Shakhli said: “There’s an element of promoting the Brixton Pound, obviously, but we’re also here for people who use the high street, people who arrive in Brixton, to show them what goes on in the area, outside of what’s easily visible.”

Club 414 to fight closure in High Court

By Mark Wadie The leaseholders of Brixton’s Club 414 are taking their battle to the High Court to save the venue from closure.

Anthony Pommell, 59, and Louise Barron, 58, are challenging Lambeth Council’s decision to approve the application to convert the premises at 414 to 416 Coldharbour Lane into a retail outlet and flats.

They said: “We are shocked and disappointed the application was not put before committee despite over 450 letters of objection and three petitions with over 2,300 signatures.”

Pommell and Barron believe that the council has not adequately followed guidelines laid out in its own statement of community involvement, and the unitary development plan (UDP).

The UDP states that: “Public involvement is a key component of the planning process. If strategies such as the new plan are to reflect the priorities of local people and local businesses, then there needs to be genuine engagement from the outset.”

The 414 has been a fixture of Brixton nightlife for 30 years and currently hosts weekly techno, hard house and psychedelic trance nights on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as 24-hour parties.

A judge at the High Court will review the documentation presented and a date for a hearing is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Lambeth Council said that as legal proceedings are now live it was unable to comment at this stage.

Rec users voice ownership fears FROM PAGE 1

and boxing club said: “We had to shame GLL to allow our community club to use the Rec. The Rec is the only safe place for our youngsters.”

Fears are also growing among Rec users that the facility could eventually be sold.

“The council has left the door open for GLL to become the ultimate owner of the Trust, and presumably the public asset that it would control,” said Dasey.

Cllr Jane Edbrooke, Cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, attempted to reassure opponents of the proposals that

there would be a strong community presence on the Board.

“Further discussions about the structure and role of the board will take place and no decisions have yet been taken,” she said.

“But I would expect democratically elected councillors to be board members, representing the

interests of local people.”

A Lambeth Cultural Trust, proposed by GLL, is also to be set up, and will oversee three new gyms in the Carnegie, Minet and Tate South Lambeth libraries (see page 5).

Income from the leisure centres will subsidise the library gyms and £2m will be immediately transferred

to set them up.

Cllr Edbrooke said: “The idea of the Lambeth cultural board was always as a ‘stepping stone’ towards the creation of a Lambeth Cultural Trust, as detailed in the cabinet report, working within the parameters of GLL’s established business governance.”

November 2015

Lawyer seeks people affected by Brixton’s deadly air pollution

By Alan Slingsby People living in central Brixton may be having their most fundamental human right – the right to life – breached by traffic pollution, a human rights lawyer has warned.

Jocelyn Cockburn, a leading human rights lawyer, is investigating ways to use the law to stop the toll of deaths and illness caused by pollution and how to bring together the community to mount such a challenge.

“Our lives are being shortened,” she told the Bugle. “If dirty water was being piped into our homes there would be a national outcry.

But dirty air, which causes many deaths, does not get a similar reaction.”

Legal action is one way that pressure can be brought to bear on the authorities to clean up our air, Ms Cockburn says.

“In tandem with local pressure, legal action can help to bring change quicker than otherwise

would happen. It also helps highlight the issue publicly and raises awareness of this threat to our health.”

She wants people who have been and are being affected to consider how best to use human rights legislation – itself under threat – to protect their most precious human right: the right to life and health.

“I am looking to speak to individuals who are affected by pollution. Perhaps a loved one has died and the family do not feel the link with pollution has been properly investigated.

“Or else, someone who has a particular vulnerability to pollution such as an asthma sufferer or someone with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who would like advice on possible remedies. Children are also particularly affected in respect of lung development.”

“I’m happy to discuss possible redress on a confidential

Jocelyn Cockburn on the Brixton Road no-obligation basis.”

Air pollution prematurely kills far more people than alcohol, obesity and road traffic accidents put together, and is second only to smoking as a cause of death in the UK. It also worsens conditions like asthma or chronic bronchitis and

LET

By Angus Peters Brixton Village and Market Row and 13 of its independent traders have been nominated for The Time Out Love London Awards 2015, which ask Londoners to vote for their favourite restaurants, shops, bars, cafés, and local culture.

Brixton Village and Market Row traders The Agile Rabbit, Fish Wings and Tings, Franco Manca, Brixi, Cornercopia, Woo Woo Boutique, Mama Lan, Okan, The Joint, Seven at Brixton, Federation Coffee, Ms Cupcake and Studio 73 all made it through to the voting stage.

Last year 250,000 people across London voted, selecting the best of their local area.

Winning venues will be showcased in Time Out magazine and on timeout.com/london in November, where they will be seen by more than six million Londoners.

Eva Sykes, owner of Woo Woo Boutique and founder of the website

wearebrixtonvillage.london, said that Brixton’s covered markets owed their success to the vibrancy and enthusiasm of local traders, the support of local clients, and cooperation between traders and managing company Group Geraud.

“There wouldn’t be a Brixton Village without the traders, and there wouldn’t be traders without Brixton Village”, she said.

Survival of the markets was threatened in the late 2000s when Lambeth council announced plans to

people a year and “particulate matter” which causes the deaths of about 29,000 people a year.

In April the Supreme Court ruled that the UK is in breach of EU standards on nitrogen dioxide levels and that the government must draw up a plan to tackle it.

“The consultation on the revised plan launched on 12 September is woefully inadequate,” says Jocelyn Cockburn.

Pollution on Brixton Road – one of the streets worst affected by pollution in the entire country – hit the headlines when it broke legal limits for annual pollution that should cover a whole year in early January.

In 2014, Brixton Road had the highest number of hours where

BRIXTON BREATHE

can permanently harm children’s lung function. Links have also been made between air pollution and heart conditions, autism and schizophrenia.

The main pollutants causing deaths are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which in the UK kills about 23,500

Local businesses figure in Time Out awards vote demolish them in favour of private flats.

They were saved in 2009 by a campaign led by Friends of Brixton Market, and were rejuvenated by local traders under the stewardship of Space Makers Agency.

The nomination of both independent traders and the managing company, now owned by Group Geraud, will help the markets to flourish in the face of current economic challenges.

Carole Mourier, jewellery designer and owner of Full Moon Designs, explained: “Being shortlisted for the award is great, and will be very beneficial for everybody here. In the last year there has been a slowdown in terms of passing trade, especially during the week”.

Adrian Flower of Unit 73 said: “What makes the market so vibrant is the mix of independent traders.”

■■ You can show your support at: www.timeout. com/london/things-to-do/ the-time-out-love-londonawards.

NEWS 3

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the recommend NO2 levels were exceeded – 1,732 hours. Oxford Street in London’s West End reached only 1,361 hours.

Clean Air in London found that Brixton Road’s average concentration of NO2 in 2014 was 149 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m3). This is far above the annual mean limit of 40 µg/m3, and even tops Oxford Street’s 139 µg/m3 per year.

Children are particularly at risk from air pollution. In 2014 the Green Party wrote to 63 schools in Lambeth about the risks of high road pollution to local schoolchildren.

A report by Public Health England last year said that Lambeth recorded more deaths (at 112) over the past year linked to pollution than The City of London, Camden, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea or Westminster.

London mayor Boris Johnson has announced an “ultra low emission zone”, due to come into force in 2020 but Brixton is outside the proposed zone. ●● If you think that you are particularly affected and want to discuss potential legal remedies against this deadly menace, please contact newsdesk@ brixtonblog.com and, if you want, we will put you in contact with Jocelyn Cockburn.

Calling all Brixton Traders who want to advertise before Christmas! It's DOUBLE DECEMBER in the

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BRIxTOn Bugle

We are bringing out the January Bugle in time for last minute Christmas shoppers and new year party goers.

So there are TWO December Bugles and two more chances to catch the festive trade.

Don't miss out on our special double advertising deals December issue deadline Thurs 19 november

publication date 27 nOvEMBER

Christmas+new Year deadline Thurs 10 December Size

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1 ad

2 ads

measurement width x height

Small Ad

£60

2@£50 =£100

64 x 81mm

Eighth

£110

2@£75 =£150

132 x 81

Quarter

£200

2@£140 =£280

132 x 166

Half

£450

2@£260 =£520

268 x 155

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The next Bugle after that?

February 2016 deadline Thurs 21 January publication date 29 JanUaRY

Contact Jenny 07811 878394 jenny@brixtonblog.com

4 NEWS

brixtonblog.com

November 2015

Don’t lose your vote, campaigners warn Campaigners from Momentum, a grass roots social movement backing the Labour Party, were in Windrush Square last month to warn people that they could be losing their right to vote.

“In the past, one person could register everyone in a household to vote, but now every single person has to do it for themselves – and if they don’t do it correctly, they could lose their right to vote,’ said Momentum member Steve Tooze, out campaigning with his son Fin, 8.

‘It’s a total scandal. It means millions could find they can’t vote and areas like Brixton, where there are loads of private renters and young adults who move home a lot, will be worst hit.

“We’re worried about all the students that live here too.

Universities used to register them automatically to vote.

“But now they have to do it themselves, and we’re sure that many won’t realise that.”

Brixton Cycles hits first crowdfunding target Tooze added: ’We’re getting the word out – get registered or find you won’t have a say in the next general election, or even in deciding who London’s next mayor is.”

Momentum was set up to harness

the enthusiasm of those who engaged in politics for the first time during the Labour leadership election.

■■ To find out more about how to register to vote, go to www.gov.uk/ register-to-vote.

Join our partnership as a

parent representative

The LEAP (Lambeth Early Action Partnership) is an innovative programme that will transform 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 who live in the LEAP areas.

The role: together with other parents you will take part in six meetings year and act as ambassadors in your neighbourhood.

This is a voluntary position but expenses will be paid and training provided.

Matt

Writtle © 2015

For more information please contact the LEAP team via LEAP admin@ncb.co.uk or 0207 582 4182

www.leaplambeth.org.uk 0207 582 4182

Lambeth Early Action Partnership

GRANTS FOR THOSE IN NEED

The Thrale Charity is inviting Brixton organisations “who help people in need” to apply for a grant of up to £5,000.

Every year the charity, which provides and manages almhouses in Lambeth, gives out around £40,000 from its endowment.

Past recipients include Lambeth Women’s Aid and Age UK Lambeth.

Grants are available to organisations that are seeking to help people in need, hardship or distress in the SW2 postcode area, as well as Herne Hill, Tulse Hill, West Norwood, Streatham, and some parts of Wandsworth.

■■ The deadline for responses is November 30. For more information visit www. thralealmshouses.org. uk

Brixton Cycles, London’s oldest worker-owned bike cooperative, crossed the line in its £40,000 crowdfunding campaign in less than a week with more than 900 people contributing.

Its premises are to be demolished and replaced by luxury flats.

The cooperative estimates the total cost of securing, renovating and moving into a new space as between £120,000 and £150,000.

The initial crowdfunding target of £40K was the minimum Brixton Cycles’ needed to proceed with phase one of the move.

Now support is still needed to help cover the total cost of moving. The campaign now has a new target of £80,000 with 28 days left to go.

Brixton Cycles said: “The more money that can be raised, the better the new shop will be and the sooner it will be able to open in a new home.”

Lincoln Romain, who has been with the shop for 26 years, and is the longest serving coop member said: “The generosity shown so far has been overwhelming.

We’re humbled by the awesomeness of everybody who’s supported us – from the smallest donation to the largest.

“But we still need help to secure our future premises and to continue our presence in the community. We don’t want to just survive, but to thrive.”

■■ The campaign is live on crowdfunder.co.uk until 25 November: www.crowdfunder. co.uk/save-brixton-cycles.

Groce family say police have stopped talking The son of Cherry Groce, who was shot and seriously injured in her Brixton home by police 30 years ago, has accused the Metropolitan police of going back on a promise to properly make amends for their actions.

The shooting left Mrs Groce seriously disabled and led to rioting in which a young photographer, David Hodge, was killed.

Her death four years ago was a result of her injuries.

Now her son Lee Lawrence says that, while Metropolitan commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has apologised publicly and in person to her family for

the “years of suffering” caused by police failings, he has instructed lawyers dealing with the case to cut off communication with the family who remain open and committed to resolving the issue.

“As her children – aged 8, 11, 13, 18 and 20 at the time – we lived through the profound trauma of the raid and the ensuing torture over the decades while we tried to look after our mother until her death: this trauma will never leave us and all we want is closure.”

■■ The family has launched a petition at http://bit. ly/c-groce

November 2015

NEWS • LIBRARIES 5

brixtonblog.com

Libraries: Our children cried “Both our children cried, properly,” when we told them the library was at risk,”Alex Hegarty a user of the Carnegie Library in Herne Hill, told the Bugle.

The library is one of those affected by Lambeth council’s decision to turn them over to its leisure provider GLL so that they can double up as both community gyms and libraries.

Unions are angry at the loss of jobs involved, but the council, hit by extremely large cuts in central government funding, is struggling to keep its libraries open.

“We use the library when we can and it’s a great resource for them to choose their own books,” says Hegarty.

“Our local primary school’s library is very small and as the school is short of space, it is often in use for break-out classes and doesn’t serve as a sanctuary the way I remember my school library being.

“The library is a huge asset to the community. Our children love it and the children’s section is always full – in fact the library is always busy, with a huge range of people using the reference books and computer

as well as borrowing books, attending classes.

“We love the events the library organises and try to attend – for example the Alice in Wonderland day earlier this year and the Fun Palace.

Candida Gubbins, another Carnegie user, said she was “upset, angry and depressed at the thought of an expensive gym ripping apart the heart of Carnegie Library.

“Surely it will cost millions to install and it is extremely unlikely to be used when there

are so many others in the area much nearer a station.

The government inflicts all these cuts which affect children who are keen to come to Carnegie to read and be read to.

“Isn’t this what the government keeps banging on for us to do with our children?

“Gyms have cropped up all over the place and we don’t need any more. They are soulless and narcissistic and expensive to attend. It’s also important to feed our minds by reading not pumping iron.

Lambeth library chief appeals for opponents to work with council Cllr Jane Edbrooke, the Lambeth council cabinet member responsible for libraries, told the Bugle that, since 2010, the government has forced the council to cut its budget by 56 per cent, and more cuts were expected.

And she appealed for all people interested in the service to work with the council to overcome the effect of huge cuts in funding, “We’ve protected key services by making significant savings in others areas – we’ve lost nearly 900 members of staff and reduced the number of council buildings.”

But the scale of cuts and the fact that more than half of the council’s remaining budget goes on the 10,000 most vulnerable adults and children in the borough, meant the council could not avoid “really difficult decisions” about other services.

“It goes without saying that if I had the choice, we would be keeping our libraries as they are and investing more in them – but that is not the reality we face.”

Cllr Edbrooke said the council had come up with “innovative ways of maintaining our libraries, following extensive consultation”.

The plan protected the most popular and well-used libraries like Brixton town centre and would see the five town-centre libraries open for at least 54 hours a week.

“If I had the choice we would be keeping ten libraries across the borough to serve Lambeth residents,” she said.

“But, instead, we have been tasked with saving £4million pounds from our cultural services budget. To help make that saving

our leisure partner GLL has agreed that it will take over the running of three of our other smaller libraries, running gyms from them alongside lending services.

“I’m aware this has caused concern in some quarters, but let me assure you that I will be heavily involved in making sure our re-organised library service continues to meet the needs of our community.”

Cllr Edbrooke repeated that: ●● There will be no change to statutory town centre library services in Brixton, Streatham, Clapham and West Norwood. ●● Minet Library will not be sold. ●● A new town centre library in West Norwood would be developed.

Cllr Edbrooke said it was also proposed that the home visiting service would continue.

“I ask that the community, friends of library groups, unions, council staff and all other interested parties work with us to make this difficult transition to what I will believe will be an affordable, re-shaped service, that will keep our libraries open at a time when hundreds of others around the country have closed.”

She said she knew there were more questions people had about these plans.

“We have a Q&A online that gets into the real nitty gritty of how and why these decisions have been made, and what happens next.”

The Q&A is at www.lambeth.gov.uk/ culture2020.

■■ This is an edited version of a statement

by Cllr Edbrooke, the full statement will be published on the brixtonblog website.

“I can’t see how installing a gym costing millions in such a historical building bequeathed to be a library can be anything but another shocking waste of money and just another nail in the coffin while this government remains in power.

Nora Merritt, now in her eighties uses South Lambeth Library in Oval.

“I find it very handy to pop in to enjoy and help in various events that are held in the library. I don’t want to be travelling too far to get a book out or enjoy what is available.

“Our library is a hive of activity most days. People on computers or getting together for knitting groups or an over-50s club, children learning to knit or listening to some one reading to them doing homework.

“Evenings there are many things going on, but to turn it into a gym – that’s unrealistic.

We have four gyms in the area already and with all the new sites being built on which have gyms included in the plans why do we need another one?

Vicky Northey, another South Lambeth Library user said it had

been a “life saver”.

It not only helps her do her job search each day, but she had also received help from staff.

“To change the library service would be a disaster for me, as I will have to travel by bus to other libraries.

“There is also an invaluable community spirit at South Lambeth when numerous groups would be lost.

Kate Taylor, another libraries user said: “Never have libraries been more important than now, in this current economic climate.

“With the majority of people’s disposable income diminishing (or becoming non-existent) at an alarming rate, where else can people access books/DVDs for free or at a reasonable rate, and also participate in the many community activities that libraries provide?

“We have to stop catering purely for the rich and privileged, which is what the councils are doing when they are selling libraries off to be developed into gyms/cinemas.

“Surely free access to knowledge and learning should be prized above all else?

Appointment

Chair of Trustees

Lambeth and Southwark Mind We are growing.

We have recently launched an inner city psychotherapy service, in addition to our well used groups and information service.

We are looking for someone who has a real interest in attending to mental distress, and who enjoys providing strategic guidance and insight.

This is a voluntary role, but expenses will be paid.

Applications are particularly welcome from BME communities.

Contact Ajay Khandelwal director@lambethandsouthwarkmind.org.uk Closing date 30 November

The Brixton Pound is a powerful statement of intent

Using the Brixton Pound says: “I give a damn about my local area.”

It says: “I know there’s more to Brixton than a corporate High Street.”

It says: “I want my spending to make the world a better place, not simply a richer place.”

It says: “I want to make choices about how and where my money makes a difference.”

The Brixton Pound is Happy Money. It turns financial transactions into social interactions.

Whoever said money can’t buy you love must’ve been spending the wrong money.

www.brixtonpound.org

November 2015

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NEWS 7

Age UK at the palace Brixton-based charity Age UK Lambeth received £2,677 from an event with more than 370 guests at Lambeth Palace in October.

The charity provides services for old people in Lambeth, working to reduce loneliness and improve quality of life.

The event was part of October’s Celebrating Age Festival, with over 100 events organised by Age UK Lambeth to promote

the “richness and diversity of Lambeth communities”.

Guests, including Lambeth mayor Donatus Anyanwu, watched local musician David Whitlam perform, while local bakeries donated cakes and pastries.

Age UK Lambeth chief executive Lenny Kinnear said: “I was delighted to see so many people turn out.

Their support is invaluable to our work.”

Joshua meets the Duchess Joshua, 10, from Tulse Hill, and his mum Yasmin met the Duchess of Cambridge last month, along with his Chance UK mentor, Craig.

Children, mentors and parents from Chance UK’s early intervention child mentoring programme took part in the event in late October.

Chance UK’s programme works with over a third of schools in Lambeth and more than 40 children.

They receive one-to-one mentoring from trained adult volunteers as well as family support.

The programme is designed to change the challenging behaviour of primary school-aged children through intensive individual mentoring and

family support.

Joshua said: “It was spectacular to meet her, quite exhilarating. She acted like a normal person, when she walked in we didn’t even notice it was her.

“Having a mentor is good because you can share your ideas and it is someone to talk to. It has helped me to speak out loud in front of a group of people. I have been working with Craig on speaking out loud.”

Yasmin said meeting the Duchess “was daunting but brilliant at the same time. As a parent having Chance UK means someone was able to listen to my concerns, that there was something going on with his

behaviour. It has helped me to see things from a different perspective and get things back on track.”

Craig said being a mentor for Chance UK was “a terrific experience”.

“You get to learn new skills, see things from a child’s point of view and, most importantly, feel that you a making a difference to a child’s life at one of the most important stages in their development.”

■■ T h e c h a r i t y i s l o o k i n g f o r volunteers to mentor in Lambeth.

Training takes place on Saturdays in November. For more information go to: www.chanceuk.com/ become-a-mentor.

Stockwell man pleads guilty to manslaughter AWARD WINNERS: Rob Goacher, first left and Anthea Massey, fourth left

Community heroes honoured Brixton residents were among those honoured for their work in their community at a ceremony last month.

Lambeth Community Awards celebrate people who make the borough a better place through “selfless hard work.”

Rob Goacher from Brixton won the “Bringing your Neighbourhood Together” award for the support he provides for vulnerable people in the area. He liaises on their behalf with the council, doctors and landlords, helps with the shopping, and introduces them to each other so there is a mutual support network.

Lambeth mayor Donatus Anyanwu, hosted the ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall. He said he was inspired by the award winners. “Their selflessness and commitment are commended and we can all learn from them.

“Lambeth would not be the

wonderful place it is, without people like this and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

These people have made our lives beautiful and meaningful.”

Other winners included the Loughborough Junction Action Group who received the award for “Voluntary or Community Organisation of the Year”.

Anthea Massey, collecting the award on behalf of the group, said: “We have just such fantastic people in Loughborough Junction, all coming together to make something wonderful.

“Our biggest project, Lough­ borough Farm is bringing together people to grow healthy food for the neighbourhood.”

Presenters on the evening included Lambeth police borough Commander Richard Wood, cabinet member for neighbourhoods Jane Edbrooke and Lambeth youth mayor Jacqueline Gomes-Neves.

Twenty-year-old Evan Edwards, from Stockwell Road, SW9, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Babafemi Junaid, who was stabbed to death near Stockwell Tube last year.

He will be sentenced in November.

The victim was found last February suffering from a stab wound to the chest. He was taken to hospital but died that evening.

According to police, Junaid had become “the inadvertent focus of an attack by a group after a disturbance on a 155 bus spilled out onto the street”.

He was near a bus stop when the fight moved onto the pavement.

As he attempted to get away he was attacked by the group.

Junaid managed to get to his car but as a result of his injuries, then crashed it into the back of a bus.

The group then opened his car doors, kicking and punching him until bystanders intervened.

Carolyn Cripps OBE (left), Age UK Lambeth Trustee; Donatus Anyanwu, Mayor of Lambeth; and Diana Kahn, Age UK Lambeth Chair of Trustees

8 MY BRIXTON

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How many banners are we going to have to make?

Leonie Rousham is an 18-year-old design student who lives in Brixton. She puts her ideas about gentrification into words and images We can rant, we can criticise and we can complain.

SO WHAT? How long will we have to shout until we are listened to?

How many banners are we going to have to make until someone acts?

This got me thinking, thinking about communicating the ideas of the disillusioned.

Now it seems that even talking about gentrification is an act of gentrification; it’s trendy, topical and alienating.

We’re all sick of it. For the past couple of years I’ve been trying to document every placard/demonstration I’ve seen in Brixton and photograph and interview some of the people who have been involved.

Perhaps if we created a platform whereby all of our single attempts to communicate discontent came together someone would recognise the effort and creativity gone into ‘Reclaiming Brixton’?

This is what I’ve always hoped. Well here is a platform to do so. So why not start with celebrating the places and the people that shape our community.

This process is, in itself, a visual political demonstration, a bid to recognise and clarify what it is that makes Brixton so distinct.

I’ve created collages which try to recreate the atmosphere of the Reclaim Brixton protest and bring together all

of the unique contributions which went into it. The focus for these pieces is not so much who the protestors are but what they stand for and so this, collectively, creates a patchwork description of our protests.

Inspiration for this project came from the Black Cultural Archives Exhibition that I went to in May 2015 –From Protest to Progress.

When I was looking round a couple of people came in and found their younger selves in the photographs.

They immediately turned and talked to their friends about this and we all started chatting.

So that is what sparked this idea. The battle to Reclaim Brixton continues and documenting our own protest along the way is a means of carrying on this dialogue.

It is through records like this exhibition that we remember how Brixton was. So let’s continue to document/exhibit our protests as change happens around us, as a way of leaving our mark for future generations and of reclaiming the Brixton that we want for ourselves.

November 2015

November 2015

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OPINION • GENTRIFICATION 9

BRIXTON BUGLE

Bugle

COMMENT

The extent of the problems that face Brixton are highlighted throughout this issue of the Bugle.

Our libraries and Brixton Rec, poverty and isolation surrounded by gentrification, and the highest levels of traffic pollution in the country, are all vying for attention.

Behind many of the problems are huge cuts in public funding that make unpopular change inevitable. There is no easy or simple way to run services with money that is not there.

Lambeth council’s brave words about a “co-operative” approach when the cuts first loomed have not been transformed into a successful policy. Its messages on libraries, trial road closures and other public services are not getting through.

But to heap abuse on it for not making the best of a bad job is futile.

Those who demand an instant “fight back” should look at what happened 30 years ago when Lambeth councillors joined others around the country in fighting back by refusing to set a legal rate. Without powerful and mass public backing they were singled out and picked off by a government as ruthless as the one we have now.

We will never have agreement on what is best for Brixton – it wouldn’t be Brixton if we did.

But we face several more years, at least, of cuts, gentrification and changes to and closures of much-loved institutions.

To get through these difficult years and to begin to roll back the policies that are inflicting them on us, everyone who cares about Brixton must keep and open mind and open ears; and our council must explain clearly and exactly why it is doing what it is and what are the alternatives.

JOSH, 27 I quite like it, but at the same time it’s quite sad to see lots of people come into an area, and prices go up because of it

MR MALIK, 24, FISHMONGER In 2008 or 2009 it was so dangerous. We weren’t safe.

Now we can stay open until 3 o’clock tonight and we won’t have any problems

LEONA SIMMS, 38, DESIGNER The shops are changing. We’re getting a different clientele.

Prices are going up, the rent’s going up. As a business owner, I know that change is inevitable, but at the same time I feel for the people that live in Brixton. Where have they gone and what are we doing to help them?”

WILLIAM, 52, CONSCIOUS PRINCE KATE, 26 I welcome gentrification as long as Brixton still keeps its character. As long as there’s a balance it’s fine

Change is good, but you must not forget the people that were here for generations, especially from the West Indies, that came here to work. They’re getting pushed away, the prices are getting high. If you can’t afford to pay the rent, you’re out

BABA, 38, LKR ASSOCIATES We’ve seen property prices go up, we’ve seen a lot of new buildings coming up. And at the same time, we’ve seen displacement of locals living here for quite some time

Gentrification: What do you think about it. ANGUS PETERS picked up his camera and notebook to find out

A right to the city – and how to win it Italian academics Natalia De’ Carli and Zeno Leoni – who live in Brixton – have looked at gentrification in a new and abstract way – and came to the conclusion that we need a ‘right to the city’ for all and a political coalition to fight for it There are two ways of looking at the dramatic developments that are creating an apparently peaceful counterrevolution in Brixton.

One is to believe that local politicians are self-interested pursuers of profit and political power and that many politicians – from councillors to members of parliament – are landlords and that, therefore, they support property speculation.

The other is the perspective adopted by members of the critical geography movement.

This sees the expansion of cities as a consequence of the trillions of dollars generated by world economy each day that are in need of a “spatial-fix”, as it is called in

the jargon of academia.

What does that mean?

Readers will recall TV images and newspaper photographs of farmers in southern and continental Europe throwing away respectively oranges and milk to try to avoid a catastrophic drop in the price they receive for their products.

The same iron law applies to money. If it cannot be invested with a good return, it has to be destroyed to maintain levels of profitability. And “suburbanisation” – housing – is a way for the global economy to scare away value loss. What Brixton has to do with all this is also the answer to why gentrification – “filtering” – is happening here.

Since the 1970s London has seen an increasing number of high-income residents living in suburban gated communities organised around private transport, while part of the low-income population has been concentrated near the city centre in shared, poor-quality housing.

Brixton remained ignored for decades, because of the

legacy of WWII bomb damage, low income immigration and a lack of security.

When gentrification began in Brixton – the 2006 refurbishment of what is now Windrush Square was a symbolic watershed – the “rent gap” became ripe for exploitation by people with too much money.

The difference between the actual price of a property and the potential one was wide enough to unleash greedy real estate investors who make “buy cheap, sell dear” their mantra.

The offer of these speculators was welcomed by yuppies interested in living in a neighbourhood whose “hedonic value”, as estate agents call it, is high (parks, fast connections to the centre, a colourful and rare traditional atmosphere).

For cash-thirsty councils, deprived by government cuts of £9 billion, extra cash is welcome.

In some ways, embourgeoise­ ment or imborghesimento – French and Italian for gentrification – are more appropriate to describe the

political meaning that lies behind the English term with its implication of the landed gentry moving in.

We want to assert that there is a “right to the city” which cannot only be one for the bourgeoisie. This could be a mere slogan but, in a society where power is classdriven, it is up to the victims of socio-spatial segregation, privatisation of public life and territorial stigmatisation of communities to make it real and “regenerate” the city – and not through posh bars and markets.

But we also believe that campaigners should act less as destructive impulses and more through organised politics.

For the mayoral elections on May 5 next year, we suggest the creation of a coalition of those movements which across London are combating the collateral damage of the frenetic logic of profit – from evicted citizens to cyclists, from low-paid workers to residents in unsafe areas.

■■ Natalia De’ Carli nataliadecarli@gmail.com ■■ Zeno Leoni zeno.leoni@kcl.ac.uk

10 INCREDIBLE EDIBLE

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November 2015

Sue Sheehan rounds up the latest and greatest food initiatives

Curry in the greenhouse

By Kate Sebag

Growing local Angell Town has a

small food-growing space facilitated by community gardener Simon Ghartey (above).

Simon runs a small charity called Progress, which works with young people who have struggled at school to provide experience that will give them confidence to get work.

They build community gardens and run food growing workshops and activities.

The space at Angell Town is mainly used by a group who are part of the Indo-American Refugee and Migrant Organisation (IRMO), based on Overton Road.

However there is space for others to get involved.

■■ For more information contact IRMO director Lucia on lucia.vinzon@ irmo.org.uk or Simon Ghartey at progress.g@ gmail.com.

Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses (BPCG) treated more than 100 people to a free curry lunch in October.

The day was a celebration of a six-month project growing exotic spices and herbs in one of the two greenhouses at the charity’s one-acre site in the centre of Brockwell Park.

Home-grown ginger, cardamom, chillies, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, curry leaves, turmeric, fenugreek, black mustard seeds, coriander and cumin all featured in the delicious dishes on offer.

For those with a sweet tooth there were fruit crumbles made with gooseberries, and rhubarb from the perennial, edible plant bed. All the

eating was accompanied by live music played by volunteers.

BPCG is open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm for drop-in volunteer gardening and visiting. Plants and produce are also available for sale.

Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are for booked childrens’ education sessions with learning themed around nature and growing plants.

BPCG also holds weekend, half term and holiday family and adult learning sessions.

Visit www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk/ welcome/events to find out what’s going on.

■■ BPCG is part of the Incredible Edible Lambeth network, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

It’s your local market – back in November

BACK TO EDEN: Chicken wraps with veg stir fry – healthy and nutritious pop up food and completely sold out by the end of the day

This page has been created Incredible with Edible Lambeth – a collection of people and organisations who work together to make sure that healthy, sustainable, locally produced food is available to everyone living in Lambeth, regardless of income, both now and in the future.

Our aim is to increase healthy sustainable food grown, produced, sold and eaten through transforming our local food system, by celebrating, supporting and strengthening community food activity and the connections between local people and local food.

Incredible Edible Lambeth was just one of many local organisations to take part in the launch of a new social enterprise It’s Your Local Market, at Angell Town in October.

Founder Andrea Brown has a vision for a market that can pop up in different places and provide opportunities for the local sale of green and sustainable produce, including organic fruit and veg, locally made meals, and home-grown crafts.

It is a chance for community organisations to showcase their offer and find out about other groups operating in the local area.

Many of the stall holders agreed the market provided a great opportunity for networking, as well as demonstrating how resourceful the local area is.

Stalls ranged from boxing, drama and karate workshops, to the Lottery-funded Big Local programme.

Architecture students were there developing an undercroft garage space for community use.

Brixton Pound, Makerhood, Tree Shepherd and Myatt’s Fields Park Greenhouses were also there, as were local entrepreneurs selling home crafted products and food.

■■ The next It’s Your Local Market will be at the end of November. To find out more visit itsyourlocalmarket.co.uk or email Andrea at itsyourlocalmarket@gmail.com.

We are not bigger than our active members who are out there doing projects under various scopes and names. You can join by becoming a member. Help us by being active. Discuss with us on twitter @edible Lambeth or on Facebook. See more at:

www.incredibleediblelambeth.org

November 2015

BRIXTON PEOPLE 11

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Heritage, home and PBERIXTON OPL a Brixton E Museum TULSE HILL T ANCHOENANTS & RES R & MA GNET IDENTS

Brixton-based artists’ Anchor & Magnet project have just finished production on a short film, Brixton Conversations, that brings together five pairs of Brixtonites, to talk around ideas of heritage and home.

The participants have lived here for various lengths of time – from more than 40 years to less than two – and they all bring their own stories and perspectives to the mix as they share a one-to-one chat with a fellow local they have never met.

As the conversations unfold, so do

Tulse Hill Tenants and Residents Association’s Hazel Turay (centre) with Desica Benjamin (r) and TraceyAnne Munroe

We always tackle the issues Andres Posada and Fan Sissoko feelings, fears and hopes about this place we call home, and that hard-to-pin-down thing we call heritage.

All 10 participants in the making of the film were asked to bring along an object that spoke of home and belonging.

These objects have been reinterpreted

by Katy Beinart, the lead artist on this project.

Together they form a collection to be housed in The Brixton Museum, an installation piece inspired by Brixton Market traders’ trolleys and the original architecture of Electric Avenue.

The Brixton Museum will be on display in the Ritzy foyer on the day of

Nick Dunn and Sandra Rhodes the screening before moving on to the library, Station Road street market and other venues in central Brixton. So keep an eye out!

■■ The public screening of Brixton Conversations is at Upstairs at The Ritzy, Saturday 27 November; doors 2pm, 3pm screening (30 minutes), followed by discussion and bar.

FREE but booking recommended: Go to http://bit.ly/brix-con.

■■ For more information contact anchorandmagnet@gmail.com

When Linda Quinn visited the Tulse Hill estate she found a community that is a long way from the stereotype of Brixton social housing If you read mainstream papers, you could be forgiven for thinking that our housing estates are crime-ridden no-go areas.

The women of Tulse Hill Tenants and Residents Association (TRA) don’t recognise that stereotype. Although there is some anti-social behaviour, there’s a lot more community spirit.

When I went to visit, long-time residents Hazel Turay, Desica Benjamin and newcomer Tracey-Ann Munroe were busy planning an ambitious event for Black History Month to celebrate the achievements of black people in Britain.

Organiser Hazel Turay is at pains to point out this is a multicultural event – on Friday 30 October – and everyone is welcome, no matter what their colour.

Hazel is a human force of nature. She left Jamaica 37 years ago and has lived on the estate ever since. She has four children and six grandchildren, the oldest 26 and the youngest six. Yet she still makes time for her community activity, which has become a full-time job since she retired.

“I came here to study and work and I loved it,” she says. She did not intend to stay, but met her husband and laid down her roots in Tulse Hill.

She says the residents’ association is strong and Lambeth council is very supportive. “We see the weaknesses in housing, childcare and elderly support, but we always try to tackle the issues.”

Hazel has been on the committee for 25 of the 37 years she has lived here.

“When I was working I was only able

to do the meetings, but since I’ve retired I have been a full-time volunteer.” The range of activities on offer is staggering.

In the three halls across the estate, (Jubilee Hall, Purser House and Elm House) you can find apprenticeship training, childcare, computing classes, a women’s group, bible studies, a weekly church service and an over-50s group.

Hazel says: “Especially when the children are at school, there’s an opportunity for parents to do further education while they’re away. If English isn’t their first language there’s an

BL ACK HISTORY MONTH

TULSE HILL ESTATE

presents the Annual Black History Month Exhibition and Showcase Celebration

Guest Speaker: Khareem Jamal – celebrated lecturer on African History

#BHM2015

Theatre Presentation: Linstead Market – a celebration of Jamaican Folk Tradition Traditional Dance performed by local community Exhibition of Traditional Artefacts Stalls and Cultural Dishes

FRI 30 OCTOBER 3-7PM

JUBILEE COMMUNITY HALL TULSE HILL ESTATE SW2 2LU For more local #BHM2015 events, visit www.lambeth.network > events > BHM

opportunity to get the basics.”

She has been coordinating the over-50s group for over 10 years. It meets every other week. “We do a lot of chatting, eat, share newsletter stuff and do exercise.”

The council helps with some funding, so they are able to run an annual coach trip for the elderly to the seaside. “Christmas Dinner is a ritual”, she adds. I got the feeling Hazel doesn’t know the meaning of retired.

Jubilee Hall was closed for a long time but since it re-opened two years ago it is

the centre of the community.

“We do hiring out and any money we get goes back into the community.

There’s a Tuesday lunch club and a café run by a trained chef on Thursdays and Fridays and a play scheme in the summer months and at Easter.”

Every Monday there’s a tutor in the IT room doing courses for computing, while in the small hall adjacent on Thursdays there’s a “play and stay” scheme for the under-fives. It’s also hired out for birthday parties with bouncy castles and barbecues.

There are 882 dwellings on the estate and Hazel says: “We’d like to invite more people into the TRA and to come with ideas so we can expand our services.

The play scheme also took 28 children to see Inside Out at the Streatham Odeon.

And there was a trip to Bognor Regis Butlins. “We want children to have experiences, then go to school and write about it,” says Hazel.

The volunteering spirit has always been at the heart of who Hazel is. When she was a young mother she told the school she wanted to volunteer. “I helped out in the school library, then as a parent governor for seven years and then I started spreading my wings.”

It is important to Hazel that the Black History event being planned is a celebration that everyone can join in.

These women don’t do things by halves.

The exhibition will have a massive display of arts and craft; a theatre play – Linstead Market – celebrating Jamaican traditions; traditional dancing and Caribbean food-tasting and a lecture on African history. There are future plans to develop a community-wide WiFi system and to create a residents’ social enterprise.

The final word goes to Hazel who says: “Any resident interested in getting involved is welcome.”

■■ The monthly Tulse Hill Tenants and Residents Association meeting is held on the first Wednesday of each month.

We are a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening Brixton’s diverse business culture. We represent 656 levy-paying businesses in the local area and work to develop new and exciting opportunities for Brixton.

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS All businesses are invited to attend meetings, which happen once every six weeks and are a forum for businesses to decide on how their BID levy budget is spent. Please contact us or come along to have your say.

Environment meeting 10:30-11:30am Thursday 3 December 2015 The Courtesan, Atlantic Road Six weekly meeting open to all businesses, to input on issues such as waste, cleaning, public realm and cost saving for businesses.

Partnerships and Marketing meeting 11:30-12:30 Tuesday 1 December 2015 The Greenhouse Community Space, Pop Brixton, Popes Road Six weekly meeting about projects to market Brixton businesses to consumers, provide training and events and set up mutually beneficial partnerships between businesses.

Times and dates of meetings and other events can be found at brixtonbid.co.uk 020 3417 7373 admin@brixtonbid.co.uk @BrixtonBID brixtonbid.co.uk

A FUTURE OF PARTNERSHIP FOR BRIXTON’S NIGHT TIME ECONOMY A workshop for Brixton’s Night Time Economy was well-attended by local businesses last Friday. The lunchtime event was organised by Brixton BID and held at one of Brixton’s newer venues, Pop Box, in Pop Brixton on Popes Road.

The purpose of the meeting was to gather speakers from the police and local authority for a discussion together with owners and managers of Brixton’s growing community of bar and restaurant venues.

More than 30 businesses attended the discussions, which were led by Jack Hopkins, Chief Inspector Roy Smith of the MET police, Jamie Akinola of Lambeth Council and Michael Smith from the BID. Alan D. Miller also attended and spoke on behalf of the Night Time Industry Association. The NTIA works to influence the decisions of policymakers and ensure that the night time economy continues to flourish, supporting regeneration, creating jobs and enhancing the UK’s international reputation.

The theme of the session was one of collaboration and partnership. Night time businesses contribute to the local authority’s objectives by creating places that people want to live and visit. The Lambeth night time economy creates around 4,500 jobs for local residents.

A number of businesses already meet on a regular basis to discuss and tackle issues associated with the night time economy, such as crime. There is an appetite among local businesses to build relationships with local police and enforcement teams, working to ensure that Brixton remains a safe and popular destination for night time visitors whilst considering the needs of our residents and day time businesses.

The public consultation drop-in sessions will be held in the Conference Room at the Brixton Recreation Centre on Brixton Station Road on: Friday 6th November from 3pm to 7pm Saturday 7th November from 10am to 2pm To contact the Network Rail team, please email property@networkrail.co.uk or call and leave a message on 0800 231 6036.

NETWORK RAIL ARCHES UPDATE A hot topic of discussion in for many months, all those in Brixton and beyond are acutely aware of Network Rail’s plans to refurbish the arches around Brixton Rail Station which are home to many of Brixton’s long established and well-loved businesses.

After a long period of discussion with tenants about the planned refurbishments, Network Rail is now preparing to submit a planning application for the works. A letter has been sent to local residents and traders inviting them to attend a public consultation before the application is made. We encourage you to attend the November exhibition so you can see the proposed plans and put your opinions forward.

BRIXTON WINTER FESTIVAL

As a result of conversations with the business community, Network Rail is offering relocation support, temporary accommodation and compensation to its tenants who will be disrupted by the works, which are estimated to take one year to complete. Importantly, we are told that tenants will have the option to return to the arches after the works, at stepped rents.

Brixton BID are pleased to announce that we are working in partnership with the local authority to ensure that Brixton looks sparkling during December.

The letter from Network Rail states “We want to retain the unique character of Brixton. So, in addition to those tenants wishing to return, we will be looking to attract a good mix of businesses which will maintain the area as a popular visitor destination and serve the local community’s needs.

Look out for further details soon at www.brixtonbid. co.uk and @BrixtonBID and let us know if you are planning an event and would like to collaborate.

Despite some suggestions, we will not be renting out any of the refurbished arches to national supermarkets and national food and drinks chains. We manage 4,000 businesses in our London estate; fewer than 20 are let to national chains.”

The arches proposed for refurbishment are those on Brixton Station Road and Atlantic Road, between the junctions of Brixton Road and Popes Road.

A Christmas lights switch-on event will take place on Saturday 5 December alongside festivities at the market on Windrush Square.

14 LIVES IN CRISIS

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November 2015

A stolen generation As controversy raged about Angell Town, gangs, deprivation and isolation, Brixton resident Saara Hadadj,13, asked the Bugle to publish her views. Here they are with minimal editing

carry Mac-10 machine pistols around with them? Where are they getting these resources from?

Why is it that we are foolish enough to pick them up and use them against our community, the people we should be helping. We are destroying their lives.

People we once had love for – but because of their postcode we no longer have that connection.

I believe that the youth feel that if they A gang is a group of people who commit are not part of a gang they don’t belong crimes for money and power. They anywhere because gangs are their family, use fear to control their members and the people they trust and have love for intimidate other. I feel that broken homes them. Without them they would feel a trigger young teens to be involved in sense of fear as the gang protects and gangs as they feel it is their family and watches over them. feel safe around the “gang members”.

I feel that money plays a big part in The stories of young people living on these boys’ lives. They usually come from estates usually go like this: A young broken homes and feel that it is their girl falls pregnant and has loads of baby duty to bring money in as they are the daddies; boy joins gang then ends up dead only men in the house. or in jail.

As they say money is the root of all evil We need to change the future for young – and it is. Their crimes are mostly based teenagers: more youth clubs, social hubs on money. Why do these gang members and places for the youth to reach their decide to end a life? full potential.

As a community aren’t we ashamed of Looking around in Brixton what I see is the talk that is said behind our back? We run-down football pitches – empty spaces need to turn over a new leaf and change. that should be filled with laughter and Change for the better because, at the end joy and you wonder why youngsters sit of the day, it isn’t going to matter what on walls and stand in alleyways hurting gang you were in, what shoes you wore, others because there are no services for or how your hair looked. All that’s going the youth so what do you expect them to matter is how you held yourself and to do? what you learnt.

I feel that there should be a change. A Most gang problems are home-grown bright future for the youngsters of South – meaning they were caused by home London. We have issues of some These young people need potential doctors and sort which refers scientists roaming back to my feeling somewhere they can get their around the streets and that broken homes we are just going to let minds off things. A place they trigger young teens them go. No. We need to be involved in can socialise and relax without gangs. to show them that they can be whatever A gang member fearing that they will be attacked. may feel that he they aspire to be if they put a little effort is protecting his Somewhere for them to forget into it. As they say, a family but, really little goes a long way. about the past and create a new and truly, he is Brixton is a diverse putting them in future. A place to spread their danger, as gang area. A place that accepts people with wings instead of joining in sins members from different cultures and different areas may colours of their skin. We need to show the want to hurt his family as they cannot get younger generation that there is a chance to him. and that they don’t have to go through What are we doing to keep our young bloodshed to see their mothers smile. people’s minds fortified? Dragged into I feel that our youngsters are driving gang crime, fights and weapons, these on the wrong side of the road and their boys don’t know what they are getting life is shattered. They feel isolated and themselves into. They need someone to the only way out is crime. Gang members show them the right path. lead a very dangerous life – they are very These young people need somewhere territorial and if you are not from their they can get their minds off things. A area and you are caught “slipping” then place they can socialise and relax without they will attack you. fearing that they will be attacked.

The older generation of gangsters Somewhere for them to forget about the will get their youngsters to do the more past and create a new future. A place dangerous stuff as they would get less to spread their wings instead of joining time in prison. Young teens feel that in sins. I feel these young people are being in a gang is a way to get a status in alienated, angry and clearly in search the streets so that others will be scared of of their identity. These youngsters have them and fear them. been misguided.

Why is it that 11-year-olds are able to I call them the stolen generation.

From Windrush Square to The Jungle in Calais Marco Cillario joined a Brixton delegation to Calais’ Jungle refugee camp A solidarity delegation left Brixton’s Windrush Square last month to offer support to people fleeing war and poverty who are stranded in the Calais refugee camp, known as the Jungle.

The Brixton convoy, organised by Rahul Patel, chair of South London Stand Up To Racism, and promoted by Lambeth Trades Council, met up with 500 people coming from all over the country at the Eurotunnel in Folkestone and approached the camp during the afternoon.

“There is a huge refugee crisis across Europe. European leaders need to wake up to that” said Rahul Patel as he approached the camp.

“In the 21st century, in probably the highest developed countries of the world we are finding a camp where there is no sanitation and no ordinary living conditions.”

He said that most of the refugees in the camp (around 5-6,000 people) have connections with Britain. “That’s why they are here. Britain has a moral, political and economic responsibility to what is happening to those migrants.”

The convoy delivered money to the three main French charities helping the refugees in the camp, L’Auberge de migrant, Secours Catholique and Salam, and handed in winter clothes for the migrants at the distribution centre of the camp.

Over £12,000 had been raised from

communities wanting to show their support in the weeks before the crossing.

Francois Guennoc, of L’Auberge de migrants, said that part of the money would be used to build shelters for refugees: “It is rather simple but better than that”, he said, pointing to the tents were migrants live now. “It is very important for winter”.

Those on the Brixton delegation joined with refugees in a rally (above) to demonstrate support and call on the British government to allow in more asylum seekers.

Lukman Mustafa from Iraq addressed

BETTER THAN TENTS: French charity volunteers erect winter shelters the rally and said later in an interview: “Everything in the Jungle is a problem: there is no good water, no good food and it is very, very cold.”

After travelling for a year, across seven countries, Khan Aziz from Afghanistan is still in Calais. He has been trying every day in the last two months to cross the Channel heading to Scotland, where some of his relatives live. “More than 20 times I was caught by the police on the train and sent back to the Jungle,” he said.

A further delegation is planned for Christmas.

EARLY START: the delegation outside the Black Cultural Archives

November 2015

brixtonblog.com

What they don’t necessarily teach you at school – campaigning and confidence Brixton resident Amelia Laney is getting young people all fired up about things. Helen Reid found out how and why These aren’t your usual A-Level students. They have a passion and a mission, and an understanding of the hard work required to change things in their lives and those of others.

Jemmar, John-Paul and Jessica are three of the students selected to take part in the Advocacy Academy – a social enterprise which teaches students how to campaign on issues close to their hearts, giving them the confidence to make their voice heard.

The Academy is a series of workshops throughout the year, in which students are presented with experts in certain fields, and taught how to debate and discuss important and topical issues.

The students made use of new-found speaking skills by preparing a speech for Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, which they delivered to her in Parliament.

Jessica, who attends Lilian Baylis Technology School, chose to champion mental health. She

was made aware of the issue when the recently shut Kids Company diagnosed her with anxiety. She aims to improve awareness of teenagers’ mental health locally and nationally.

She was scared her anxiety would take over as she made her speech to Ms Hayes, but she succeeded.

“The Advocacy Academy has brought me so much self-esteem, and the power and ability to talk confidently and stand up for teens’ rights.”

Jemmar Samuels, 19, who goes to Chestnut Grove Academy Sixth Form, is challenging the mainstream representation of women of colour. Born in Brixton, she moved to Jamaica when she was 12 and in the four years she spent there she discovered the extent of the beauty standard against blackness.

“I got compliments from people as soon as I started bleaching my skin, but I felt crap, it felt so wrong and made me so angry. When I came back here I realised you can like your natural hair.”

She then got into black feminism and intersectional feminism, which encourages discussion of gender alongside race and class. Jemmar says: “I get free school meals and a bursary to go to school, but in

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION 15

Jemmar: Why aren’t we all political?

John-Paul: I want to be Prime Minister some countries it’s against the law for women to attend school!

That’s what intersectionality means to me – awareness of your privileges as well as your disadvantages.”

She found out about Advocacy Academy through her work with Young Lambeth Cooperative, and knew immediately it was for her. In the groups she is able to talk and debate, even though she says she’s used to being

shut down. “At school, people say ‘Jemmar’s so political!’

– and I just think why aren’t we all political? I’m tired of being seen as weird for being politically engaged.”

John-Paul is from Lough­ borough, and wants to be Prime Minister. Far from being intimidated by the exclusive atmosphere of Parliament and the BBC’s Question Time, he sees it as an inspiration to change

it. “A lot of people go into politics because they want to be a politician,” John-Paul says.

But he wants to join Parliament because he’s passionate about changing things.

Joining the Labour Party, John-Paul attended events and applied to the Advocacy Academy when he found out about the opportunity.

His speech in Parliament was about funding opportunities for young people in Lambeth, and for the Advocacy Academy to continue. “Young people with potential just end up hanging out, and their biggest dream is to become a rap star!” Jean-Paul says.

Raising awareness of politics in schools and creating campaigners, is the vision of founder Amelia Laney – American-born and a Brixton resident. She aims to get young people fired up about political issues affecting them, and trained to campaign effectively.

“Anger is good,” she says. All too often anger is seen as a flaw, whereas it’s actually, channelled in the right way, a weapon to change things.

The next Advocacy Academy meeting, in November, is about race and feminism. “I can’t wait for it,” says Jemmar. “When Amelia said this was going to be the theme, I was like ‘this is my event.”

This is the second year of the Academy with 16 pupils, up from the 12 last year.

Amelia’s ambition is to have 25 next year.

■■ The Advocacy Academy is looking for funding from Lambeth businesses and meeting space in which to hold its workshops.

■■ If your business is interested in helping, contact Amelia Laney at theadvocacyacademy @gmail.com.

Angell Town: Education can and should be free Academics are leaving their ivory towers to build community foundations in Brixton.

Marco Cillario visited Angell Town to find out more Brixton’s Angell Town, in the news as a “problem” estate, is also making waves with a pioneering scheme that draws together residents and academics in a Free University.

The Free University of London has opened its doors in the Angell Delight Community Centre in Overton Road.

Every Thursday from 6 to 8pm, lectures are given by academics from Oxford University, the London School of Economics (LSE) and Goldsmiths.

The lectures are free and open to the community. The aim is to create a university which does not charge fees and is engaged with the social issues

people face every day.

Lectures take the form of engaging and provocative questions: “Why are the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer?” “Why is there still gender inequality?” A discussion on “Education as liberation” is planned for 5 November.

Subjects for discussion are chosen by participants.

At the core of the project is the idea of an open discussion: academics speak for no more than 30–45 minutes and then the debate is opened, with people of all age groups and origins asking questions or sharing their personal experience.

During a session on immigration and austerity last month, teenagers were eager to learn more about the difference between migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, and a man from Pakistan in his fifties told of his struggles to obtain a visa for his wife.

The Free University was an idea by a group of LSE graduates and teachers.

“It all started from a conversation in a pub,” says Matt Wilde, a teacher

of anthropology. “We were dissatisfied with the way higher education is going, particularly with the way it became increasingly exclusionary and a way of talking to itself and not engaging with local communities.

“If you come from a background where not many people go to university, there is this idea that academia is really boring and it’s a world you don’t really have a place in” says Jasmine Holland, who graduated in anthropology and is now working for an educational project helping people from marginalised backgrounds.

“What we are doing here is an

example of how academia is relevant to everyone. People ask for those topics and we have loads of specialists from within the university who teach those topics already, so why not bring the two together?”

Ayden Kabbo-Hector grew up on the estate and, through Jasmine, got to know about the project. The Angell Delight Community Centre, run by Mary Ekenecha, was the ideal venue, it already offered free access to the internet, support with applications for housing and recreational spaces for kids.

“We literally came here and asked people passing by what they were interested in,” Ayden says. “We try to tie the micro and macro and relate general topics to the estate.”

Giulia Liberatore, who was a PhD student at the LSE and is now research fellow at Oxford, says: “It was never meant to be a kind of charitable or pro bono initiative. It was also meant to be a statement: Education can and should be free.”

16 ARTS & CULTURE

brixtonblog.com

November 2015

‘I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT I DO, HOW I DO IT AND WHERE I DO IT’ Arts Co-Editor Ruth Waters discovers how an exhibit on show at the British Library was created in Loughborough Junction railway arches

TOBY KEANE

A major exhibition, West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song, opened earlier this month at the British Library, celebrating West African culture and literature.

Alongside drum language, manuscripts and a room devoted to Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, the exhibition includes a specially-commissioned carnival costume created by Brixton-based designer Ray Mahabir.

Already an esteemed carnival costume designer, Mahabir’s intricate costume does not disappoint in terms of either flamboyance or rich multicultural significance. Marrying folk and carnival history, his costume is loosely based on the tradition of Bele or Bel Air, a drum dance and song closely linked to Caribbean history and a douietter, an 18th-century dress with a starched white cotton petticoat, embellished with lace and edgings.

The bespoke creation took two weeks to make and comprises different elements and fabrics from African, European and Caribbean traditions.

Mahabir created the costume with the help of two

‘The very essence of the railway arches and the personality of the Junction is such an inspiration’ – Ray Mahabir at work on the costume

assistants in his studio under the railway arches in Loughborough Junction where he also runs a café (C.A.F.E – Carnival Arts for Everyone) and holds one-to-one sewing workshops.

Mahabir described his enthusiasm for what he does, whether it’s for the British Library or with local people during a workshop: “I’m passionate about what I do, how I do it and where I do it. When you come to C.A.F.E, I can guarantee you an informal and pleasant experience and I can chat with you about food, culture, art, carnival and much more!”

Mahabir originally worked as a self-trained fashion designer and draws inspiration not only from his personal heritage, but also from his surroundings: “[Brixton] exposes me to such a diverse mix of cultures.

I especially find inspiration in its markets… from the more traditional food stalls to the more creative art markets and even to the modern concept of Pop Brixton. In every market and around every corner in Brixton, there is such a variety of friendly people ready to interact with and gain inspiration from, whether they are the traders or fellow customers.”

A huge advocate for the Loughborough Junction community, he describes the area as his “new village” comparable in community spirit with the small village of Penal, South Trinidad which he grew up in. “The very essence of the railway arches and the personality of the Junction is such an inspiration… with the promises of gentrification looming over Loughborough Junction, I am proud to say that I run a cultural community arts centre for the local residents that is unique and that celebrates carnival – and [it’s] not going anywhere.”

Ray Mahabir’s carnival costume will be on display at the British Library from Friday October 16 until Tuesday February 16. For opening hours and admission prices visit www.bl.uk/west-africa-exhibition.

■■ To book a workshop with Ray, visit www.sunshineiarts.co.uk

Opens 9 October A surprising, sometimes shocking, and inspiring picture of Georgian Britain.

Free admission #BlackGeorgians

TUESDAY-SATURDAY, 10AM-6PM

WINDRUSH SQUARE, BRIXTON. SW2 1EF

020 3757 8500

bcaheritage.org.uk

Brixton

@bcaheritage

Black Cultural Archives is funded by:

November 2015

ARTS & CULTURE 17

brixtonblog.com

50 ACTS FOR JUST A TENNER STEPHANIE BUSARI: Get the community involved

HYPERGLOCAL KALEIDOSCOPES Over 600 people gathered at Brixton Rec on October 10 for TEDxBrixton, a day of talks on a range of issues. Barney Evison spoke to organiser Stephanie Busari to find out how it went, and her plans for next year

high levels of depression among black men, and how barber shops can offer ways to combat the trend. He travelled all over Africa, speaking to different barbers and discovering how their shops are far more than just a place for cutting hair.

From further afield was Sabah TEDxBrixton, an annual series of Choudrey, self-labelled as “brown, talks taking place in Brixton under Muslim and queer”, who spoke the TED banner, was started by of his struggle to claim multiple a “motley crew” of 13 volunteers identities which “aren’t supposed back in 2011, says Stephanie, to co-exist”. The audience were founder of the initiative. gripped. “Several people were It now draws audiences from in tears after his talk,” says across the capital and beyond and Stephanie, “he made himself has snowballed over the past three very vulnerable”. years from humble beginnings Local contestant of the BBC’s into a major highlight on Brixton’s The Voice and spoken word artist cultural calendar.

Lara Lee also appeared, closing This year’s event boasted the day with a performance lectures on a huge range of weaving together themes from subjects – from perceptions all of the talks. She left of black masculinity and audiences with the post-gentrification mantra “My cultures Brixton, to “brain don’t clash / They hacking” and bring cohesion”. futuristic ways to The overall cure cancer using theme for protein crystals. the day was Stephanie’s team ‘kaleidoscopes’, INUA ELLAMS: how barber received more than referencing shops can help to 300 nominations for Brixton’s famous combat depression speakers, so whittling diversity. “I don’t that list down to just believe in melting 16 was a tremendous pots,” says Stephanie, challenge. But one that paid off. “for me the thing that Brixton “All the speakers put their embodies is not a melting pot, it’s hearts and souls into it,” says a salad bowl; where individual Stephanie, “everyone was elements co-exist side by side to spellbound”. The TEDxBrixton become part of the whole.” team coaches the speakers for six TEDxBrixton is a way to bring weeks before the event, with a those different elements together professional voice coach donating and shine a light on the many time to run weekly sessions ways people are innovating to craft their talk and hone in Lambeth and beyond. their idea.

“TEDxBrixton is about sharing Many of the speakers were and spreading good ideas,” well-known local names, such says Stephanie, “it’s a local as Steadman Scott, founder of conversation and a national one – Afewee Boxing Club, and Binki we call it a ‘hyperglocal’ event”.

Taylor, chair of the Brixton So what’s on the cards for 2016?

Pound, who spoke on the theme Definitely another TEDxBrixton, of belonging. She recounted her says Stephanie, and they’re childhood growing up a black also working on a new youth girl in a white foster family and version to be completely run and then her move to Brixton, where organised by young people (with she said she felt a strong sense of support from the TEDxBrixton belonging for the first time. team “as a sounding board”).

There was also poet and For Stephanie, each event playwright Inua Ellams, who has comes back to an all-important only recently moved to the area. question; “How can we get His talk addressed the worryingly community more involved?”

Occupying six venues and promising over 50 acts, Brixton welcomed Oxjam to some of its most popular night spots on Saturday October 17.

A £10 wristband meant access all day to all venues, with an eclectic mix of music, comedy and DJ sets. I managed to visit most of the hosts and was reminded how rich and diverse our Brixton venues are.

Everything kicked off in the stunning Blues Kitchen with a mix of blues, folk, jazz, soul, rock and psych. My two picks of the day were The Untouchables and The Robert J Hunter Band.

Upstairs at the Ritzy opened at about 3pm.

With billed performances from acoustic acts, comedy and electro, the venue was bursting at the seams every time I popped in. I was lucky enough to catch three of the acoustic acts: Natalie Shay, Ayelle and Zak Whitefield.

The Market House offered a much edgier experience – open from 2–10pm with a variety of pop, indie, rock and folk bands. I enjoyed a very energetic performance by The Black Sparrows.

Just across the street the 414 provided DJ sets all day – including funk, techno, house and trance. This was my first visit to 414 – a gorgeous little club now threatened with closure.

The White Horse and Windmill supplied entertainment for the nightbirds, with the live music until 1am and DJ sets continuing until 3am.

Congratulations to all involved for a vast array of artists and excellent organisation.

Really looking forward to Oxjam Brixton 2016!

PETRA GENT

By Petra Gent

Paul ‘Chuck’ Green of The Untouchables at Blues Kitchen

FRANKENSTEIN THE OPERA IN PECKHAM Not many people will have seen the story of Frankenstein told through opera. Now Brixton-based composer Robert Hugill has provided us with exactly this. Grace Waters met the contemporary classical music composer to find out more Robert Hugill’s eclectic opera, The Genesis of Frankenstein, made its premiere at the CLF Arts Café in Peckham last month. An esteemed classical composer, Robert staged his opera with the Helios Collective, a socially and politically motivated group who specialise in keeping opera and theatre relevant and exciting to today’s audiences.

The Genesis of Frankenstein traces the roots of Victor Frankenstein’s haunting obsession via three soloist singers and four instrumentalists, using words from Mary Shelley’s novella.

Hugill told me that the idea for the opera began to take shape when he was writing a piece about resurrection; finding himself stuck for words, he decided he would use

other people’s perspectives, specifically Victor Frankenstein’s at the moment he creates his monster.

Robert Hugill first came to Brixton in 1986 as a director of a cabaret group. Having had two operas premiered to date (When a Man Knows and Song for David on his Birthday) he is no stranger to London’s music scene. He credits his success, at least in part, to living in the hustle and bustle

Robert Hugill: I have to be somewhere exciting

of SW2: “I couldn’t live in a little terraced house in the middle of nowhere – I have to be somewhere exciting and diverse. When you come out of the tube station, you know you’re in Brixton, you can’t mistake it for anywhere else.”

One of the most important things for Hugill is the cultural diversity of Brixton,

something which he tries to reflect in his work with the Helios Collective. When he first arrived, his neighbour was in a reggae band and influenced his own work.

His own compositions strive to provide something for everyone that is completely accessible. Asked whether he thought opera was an elitist art form, Hugill assured me that his work with Helios is a celebration of variety and different cultures, a far cry from your standard opera fare.

While his work may have wide appeal, it is still very difficult to produce. Hugill’s own advice is “to write good operas, do it badly and then learn from it”. The best opera composers are the ones who have been invested in and have been allowed to learn from their past mistakes.

What’s next? “Probably a bit of time to take stock,” he laughs, as well as completing a set of 72 pieces (a whopping 45 hours of music) that he hopes to put on his open-access website, “for choirs all over the world to perform”.

■■ Find out more and listen to Hugill’s work online: planethugill.com

18 FOOD & DRINK

brixtonblog.com

FOOD NEWS

MISS SOUTH

RECIPE A WINTER WARMER THAT’S PERFECT AS IT GETS COLDER

Let’s do brunch

NNBrunch is quite literally the new

going out these days and Salon are at the forefront in Brixton. They have brunch offers in Market Row each day and selected dishes on the menu at Federation and the Hatch at the Piano TIM MITCHELL

As the nights draw in and the temperature gets colder, the vegetables get brighter and more orange. From a variety of squash to plump pumpkins to sweet potatoes, you can’t escape them at this time of year. So, after a week or two, you might be looking for new ideas for using them which is where this pie comes in.

It’s a version of the better known pumpkin pie but the soft sweet potatoes combine with evaporated milk, eggs and spices to make a light sweet custard-filled pie that’s perfect for either a Halloween or Bonfire Night party.

I’ve given a recipe for homemade pastry but if you’re in a rush you can buy a good all-butter shortcrust version and go from there. Or if you don’t eat wheat or gluten, simply put the custard filling in ramekins and bake in a bain-marie to serve instead. Just don’t do what I did and drop the pie part way through baking or it’ll be a very simple but show-stopping dessert.

Start by making your pastry as it needs time to chill well. Put the flour in a large bowl and add the butter. Using a potato masher, break the butter up into the flour. This keeps the butter colder and therefore the pastry lighter and crumblier. When the butter is almost totally broken up, use your fingertips to rub it in completely so it looks like fine breadcrumbs.

Add the yoghurt or buttermilk a tablespoon at a time, bringing the mixture together with your hand to form a soft, slightly sticky pastry that comes away cleanly from the bowl. You may not need all the yoghurt as you don’t want wet pastry or you’ll get the dreaded soggy bottom on the pie.

Wrap the pastry in clingfilm, flattening it out into a disc and chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. When you are ready to roll it, put it between two sheets of greaseproof paper first. The softness of the pastry makes it impossible to roll even on a floured surface.

Roll the pastry out to about 1/4 inch thick and use greaseproof paper to lift it

November 2015

GORGEOUS CUSTARD: and it smells amazing

SWEET POTATO PIE (MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE) For the pastry ¡¡240g plain flour ¡¡120g cold butter, cut into small cubes ¡¡4 tablespoons yoghurt or buttermilk

For the pie filling ¡¡250g sweet potatoes, peeled and boiled ¡¡2 tablespoons golden syrup ¡¡25g butter ¡¡½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¡¡½ teaspoon ground allspice ¡¡½ teaspoon ground ginger ¡¡¼ teaspoon ground coriander ¡¡¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¡¡¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¡¡1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¡¡25g sugar ¡¡250ml evaporated milk ¡¡2 eggs, separated

up and into a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart tin. Cut a bit of the excess pastry off and use it to press the pastry into the edges of the tin. Pop the lined tin in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill again. Keeping the pastry cold and not handling if possible keeps it from shrinking in the oven.

Line the pastry-filled tin with one of the sheets of greaseproof paper and fill it with raw rice or dried beans and bake at 180°C for 25 minutes. This is called blind baking and means the pastry is nice and crisp before you add the filling. After 25 minutes, take the pie out of the oven, remove the greaseproof paper and allow to cool.

You can now turn your attention to the filling. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add to a large pan and boil for 15-20 minutes on a medium high heat and then drain well. Put back in the pan and mash well. Beat the golden syrup and butter too and then add all the spices.

Allow to sit for 10 minutes and use a stick blender to get the whole mixture as smooth as possible.

Keeping the sweet potato mixture just warm, add the sugar, vanilla, evaporated milk and the egg yolks to it, beating well until you have a gorgeous smooth custard that smells amazing. Take off the heat and set aside.

Using an electric whisk, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks and then fold them into the sweet potato mix. Use small quick motions instead of stirring to keep the air in and make the custard light and fluffy.

Pour the custard mix into the pie shell and bake for 25 minutes on 180ºC until it is just set and smooth and shimmering on the surface.

Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature for best results. The pie can be made the day in advance and stored in the fridge and any leftovers will keep for a day or two. I had no leftovers from mine, just a few crumbs and a lot of appreciative guests.

This is a much better winter warmer than a pumpkin spice latte for sure!

House. You can even try the new app Wriggle to have their wonderful ways with eggs and avocado delivered to your workplace if they frown on you nipping out while on the clock.

NNSpeaking of business minded,

former Miss Jamaica Universe and current candidate on The Apprentice, April Jackson is opening a new restaurant and boutique Three Little Birds at 412 Coldharbour Lane on October 29. It plans to give Jamaican ingredients a new twist with dishes like sweet potato and yam gnocchi with oxtail ragu.

NNAlso giving old favourites a new

Brixton twist, the team behind Brixton Village Grill are opening Chip Shop Brixton opposite the Dogstar offering grilled fish, proper fish n’ chips and old school hip hop. There are rumours of late licences, dancing and takeaways for decent food post pub as well as being a neighbourhood style restaurant.

NNThere’s been great news for

another Brixton institution recently with The Clink restaurant at HMP Brixton scooping the Observer Food Monthly Award for Best Ethical Restaurant. Serving local produced food in a training college environment, The Clink helps retrain inmates into new skills in food and hospitality to help prevent re-offending.

November 2015

FOOD & DRINK 19

brixtonblog.com

FRIED CHICKEN: Needlessly enormous

MARGARITA: Likely suspect

REVIEW LOUISIANA MEETS THE QUEEN VIC Mark Muldoon finds a new friend and more than he can eat in Brixton’s Blues Kitchen

I know I won’t be alone in saying that anyone promising to fly in 12-hour smoked brisket and fall-off-the-bone 16-hour beef short rib direct from Texas to my local neighbourhood, is a friend of mine. Well, meet my new buddy The Blues Kitchen.

Owned by The Columbo Group (which also owns new Brixton nightclub Phonox), The Blues Kitchen has delivered an almighty facelift to the old Electric Social premises. The three Bs which sum up this place are clearly stamped on the outside – blues, bourbon and barbecue.

And through the large steel-framed doors, the mood is intimate.

A floor of rich woods draws you towards cosy, dark leather booth seating. Clearly keen on making this place genuine, the walls are adorned with artwork imported from the Antieau Gallery in New Orleans and reclaimed Tiffany lights salvaged from Pennsylvania and New York. Teamed with the stained glass windows and copper tables, it feels like a cross between a downtown Louisiana hangout and Eastenders’ The Queen Vic. Alongside the restaurant, there’s a beautifully tiled bar which boasts

BURGER: Big Shorty

London’s largest selection of rare and vintage bourbons. There’s a fitting cocktail menu listing the likely suspects of margaritas and old fashioneds. Worthy of particular mention is the Cali-inspired Fourpure pale ale which acts as a well-needed zingy refresher for what’s about to come.

The Blues Kitchen has three iterations of their menu – brunch, dinner and appetisers – meaning there’s no bad time to go.

But be warned – this place isn’t for the faint-hearted. The portion sizes are gluttonous and it’s just not the place to order the superfood salad.

If, like me, you love ‘big’ food then the dinner menu is one of the most heavenly sides of A4 you’ll see and is bound to cause your eyes to dart back and forth with indecision.

We decided to get a couple of appetisers whilst we ummed and ahhed. It’s a bit of a ritual that I always try the buffalo wings in a deep south eatery and, here at The Blues Kitchen, they were as good as any others I’ve had.

The juicy wings possessed the right level of tingly heat and came with a creamy blue cheese soother. The Cajun blackened shrimp was well-seasoned and expertly cooked and came with a Creole mustard sauce which achieved both smoky and sharp. Though the flavour and

texture can’t be faulted, we couldn’t help but feel a little stung paying £9.50 for just four prawns – jumbo as they were. We’re still in Brixton.

Eventually we ordered mains and when they descended, you could barely see the table. The portion sizes here definitely aren’t in question. The largest was a barbecue bonanza of brisket, burnt ends and pulled pork.

Each meat was tender in its own right and the brisket was lovely and buttery, but the hands-down stars of this board were the burnt ends. The much higher fat content meant they were creamy, velvety and collapsed on the tongue. They’re glazed in a wonderfully smoky-sweet beer and hickory barbecue sauce.

The fried chicken is needlessly enormous and fed two of us for a second

Portion sizes are gluttonous and it’s just not the place to order the superfood salad

CHICKEN WINGS: As good as any

night, and it’s yummy. The juicy chicken sits inside a super crispy and crunchy buttermilk and ‘secret recipe’ seasoned coating, and in a neck of the woods where we aren’t short of good fried chicken, it held its own.

The burger of the month is cutely named The Big Shorty. It’s got lots of things inside it to make you happy such as brisket, pulled short-rib, slaw and pickled chillies. It’s the size we’ve greedily come to expect in a burger. All the mains came served with staples – generously (in a good way) seasoned fries and slaw.

But The Blues Kitchen isn’t just about the food. Somewhat smartly, they double up as an evening destination and are very proud of their live music which comes in two shapes and sizes.

There’s a small stage on the ground floor restaurant level where blues, swing, gospel and bluegrass musicians will croon to carnivorous diners. Upstairs you’ll find Mississippi bluesmen, Louisiana-style brass bands and a “tightknit family of resident musicians and DJs” playing until 2am every Friday and Saturday.

It’s already a bustling night-spot so, as they say in Louisiana, why don’t y’all head on down and let the good times roll?

■■Dinner for two including drinks: £50

20 WHAT’S ON SUN 1 @ RITZY

Kick off November with Catch a Fire, a roots reggae night with vocalist Ras Nestar and Ana Rebel Joseph on melodica, backed in fine style by the Crucial Roots Collective. DJ Zinc Fence on the decks, serving up the Jamaican 45s. Free, 8pm- midnight.

SUN 1 @ WEST NORWOOD

West Norwood Feast is a volunteerpowered street market and more on the first Sunday of every month.

Includes free bike repair by professional mechanics. Visit westnorwoodfeast.com for more info.

MON 2 @ ART NOUVEAU BRIXTON

77 Atlantic Road. Martin Espindola is organising a free weekly tango class every Monday. There will be free taster classes from 7.15 until 8pm followed by free practice until 10. If you’re interested call him on 075089 33251.

TUES 3 @ BLOC

Check out the Life Drawing and Film Club, every Tuesday at Brixton Bloc. All materials included for a donation. 6.30pm8.30pm. From 8.30pm each week there will be short films – arthouse or feature – on the giant projector screen with snacks and drinks in the licensed bar. Full listings on the Facebook page.

WEDS 4 @ EFFRA HALL TAVERN

Trulosound will bring soul and reggae anthems to the Effra Hall Tavern, which also hosts jazz nights every week.

THURS 5 FIREWORKS @ ?

No more Brockwell Park fireworks, but the Trinity Arms, Trinity Gardens, Brixton, is putting on its own show – but on November 7. The council recommends checking out the Southwark and

brixtonblog.com

SAT 14 @ BROCKWELL PARK

Wandsworth displays: eventlambeth. co.uk/events/fireworks.

No fireworks in Brockwell Park – how about Battersea Park? wandsworth.gov.uk/fireworks.

Balkan-inspired brilliance from Iyatra Quartet in the beautiful setting of Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses. Iyatra Quartet combine Indian raga with drum and bass rhythms and more. Starts 4pm. FREE (Donations welcome). For those with time to spare in Brockwell Park before, Fabrice Boltho will be leading a mushroom identification walk starting at 2pm at the Clocktower.

Please email fabriceboltho@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

SUN 8 @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON

SUN 15 @ PAPA’S PLACE

FRI 6 @ THE WHITE SWAN, BRIXTON HILL

Funkalicious brings heavy funk and sweet soul from classics to the latest modern funk releases with DJ Philster.

FREE, 9pm-3am.

SAT 7 @ BATTERSEA PARK

RiddimUP live presents Kabaka Pyramid, a Jamaican singer who fuses reggae and hip-hop, with his Bebble Rockers band.

7-11pm. £15.

MON 9 @ BRIXTON EAST

Intent Art Collective are hosting a Pop Up exhibition entitled ‘Beautifail’ to discuss the complexities of what the definition of beauty can really mean. The show will consist of nine international and local artists of different practices hailing from the UK to Puerto Rico. FREE. 6-10.30pm.

TUES 10 @ ROYAL VAUXHALL TAVERN

Brixton Reel Film Festival, Bar Wotever and Urban World come together for a one-night extravaganza celebrating Black LGBTQ+ experience and wellbeing, with new films, DJs and live performance. £5 OTD / £3 concessions. 7-12pm For more information on this and other screenings check out: www.brixtonreel.co.uk.

WEDS 11 @ VEGBAR

Vegbar is running a brand new quiz night!

With entry just £1 and a round of drinks for the winning team, why not test your knowledge?

THURS 12 @ LANDOR THEATRE

Madam Butterfly Returns. A one-man opera that uses Japanese dance, masks, shadow work, physical theatre and a live score to continue the story of iconic opera Madam Butterfly. It has won international awards and now lands at the Landor Theatre for a short run (4–22 November).

Performances: Wednesday - Saturday 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees 3pm & 6pm. Tickets: £16/£14 Final week £18/£16 (Previews £12). More info: madambutterflyreturns.com; traiker.

Artful Dodger, Foundation (Sticky & Scott Garcia), DJ Luck & MC Neat + many more arrive at Jamm for Garage Sessions, a celebration of UKG, 2-Step and Grime.

Aiming to provide a lively and raucous party atmosphere that raises a glass to the vibe, fashion and groundbreaking production that is undeniably one of the most prominent influences on current electronic music and rave culture. 10pm – 5am. £6 - 15 Adv. MOTD.

Arts co-editor Barney Evison rounds up the latest music news from our corner of south London Oxjam Brixton took over our beloved town. Highlights of the day were The Untouchables, Natalie Shay and The Black Sparrows. Check out our coverage on page 17 XX.

NEW BRIXTON STUDENT NIGHT AT PHONOX

Acclaimed student night Concrete Music has taken up residency at Brixton nightclub Phonox, with a new Tuesday night slot. All are welcome, not just students, and entry is free before 9pm.

Perfect for soothing those midweek blues!

We’ve gathered from various social media postings that local psych-rockers Childhood are working on a second album, a follow up to their critically acclaimed debut Lacuna. Stay tuned to the Brixton Blog for more info – we’ll update you as soon as we know more!

CHARITY OXJAMMIN’ ACROSS BRIXTON

Local music lovers were treated to a day of music across six venues on Saturday 17 October as charity event

low-key approach left the audience feeling “short-changed” whereas the Financial Times was more positive: “His unsplashy approach to live DJ-ing fitted with The xx’s character.” Were you there?

What did you think?

MARCUS REEVES RELEASES THREE LITTLE WORDS EP

Back in July we mentioned that local songwriter Marcus Reeves was working on Three Little Words, an EP funded by a Pledge Music crowd-funding campaign. The EP is now out, available through all good digital stores, and is reminiscent of early Neil Diamond and Elton John.

AWARD WINNING BRIXTON ARTIST PLAYING IN SHOWCASE EVENT

MIXED REVIEWS FOR JAMIE XX AT THE ACADEMY

South London knob twiddler Jamie xx played at Brixton Academy in October.

The Observer felt the electronic artist’s

Try out Brixton’s regular Sunday Djembe class for all abilities, from beginners to experts, with master drummer Henri Gaobi. This is a relaxed and friendly class where you can end your weekend on a high, refresh yourself in new rhythms and get yourself ready for the start of the week. Bring your own djembe, or if you don’t have one call Henri first: 07762 234 553.

FRI 13 @ JAMM

MUSIC NEWS

CHILDHOOD WORKING ON SECOND ALBUM

November 2015

Hector Glinner, recipient of the prestigious Steve Reid Innovation Award, is from Brixton and is joining the four other award artists for a showcase event at the Forge in Camden on November 26. Hector was supported by the award to create his “concept EP”, a percussive blend of samples, recordings and synths.

MON 16 @ PHOTOFUSION

The latest exhibition at Photofusion, entitled Bhopal: Facing 30, portrays the site of the Bhopal disaster, 30 years on, through the family portraits and panoramas of photographer Francesca Moore. FREE ENTRY. (Exhibition runs November 5 – December 4).

TUES 17 @ DOGSTAR

Laugh Out London returns to Brixton for a night of alternative comedy featuring Edinburgh comedy award winner Sam Simmons. Doors 7.30pm, start 8pm Tickets: £5 advance, £7 door.

WEDS 18 @ RITZY

Laid Bare is a live music night hosted by local musician, Rami Radi, presenting the best musicians, singers and poets south London has to offer. Based around two featured acts, the night is dedicated to local performers to showcase their talent in a warm and friendly environment. Starts 7.30pm, free entry.

More information at laidbarelive.com.

WEDS 18 @ BLOCK 336

Block 336 is hosting a series of conversations: System Failure: six conversations to reboot the art world.

This, the third, addresses ‘The money problem: or, how artists could be paid more than £10,000 a year’ with Mark Gubb and Angela Kennedy. 6 –-8pm. £7.

THURS 19 @ CLAPHAM LIBRARY

One Hand Can’t Clap presents Common Ties, a Black History Month celebration and promotion of Caribbean heritage and culture. Guest speakers, cultural wisdom, spoken word performance and music featuring award-winning entrepreneur,

November 2015

coach and Woman of Proverbs Lorlett Hudson, creator of the ‘Things Mama Used To Say’ gift card set. 6–9pm.

FRI 20 @ BLUES KITCHEN Atlantic Soul Orchestra, a seven-piece funk and soul band stop for the night with support from resident DJs. Free entry before 9.30pm. £6 After.

brixtonblog.com

WHAT’S ON 21

SAT 28 @ WHIRLED CINEMA

Loughborough Junction’s Whirled Cinema Fantastic Tales season continues with, ‘The Big Knights’ by the makers of The Secret of Kells’, one of last year’s successes at Kids’ Whirled. 11am. £3.50.

SUN 29 @ O2 ACADEMY

Public Service Broadcasting, who have packed out gigs across the country, come to Brixton with a new album, ‘The Race For Space’, already garnering acclaim.

They are supported by Francois & The Atlas Mountains. Tickets £28. 7-11pm.

MON 30 @ BRITISH LIBRARY

Friday will also see the second night of LOUD WOMEN at the Vegbar, featuring all-woman and female-fronted punk/ rock/pop bands. See facebook.com/ groups/loudwomen.

Venture north of the river – especially you library campaigners – to hear Liberty chief Shami Chakrabarti deliver the Reading Agency’s lecture ‘On Liberty, Reading and Dissent’. The agency shares ideas about how to create a reading culture in the 21st century. bl.co.uk/events. Conference centre, 6–8pm. £10. Concessions.

SATURDAY 14: Iyatra Quartet in Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses

Listings by Tom Sasse

SAT 21 @ RAILWAY TAVERN, TULSE HILL

RITZY ROUNDUP

Sumochief are a London-based jazz/hip-hop band inspired by the likes of J Dilla, Madlib, D’Angelo & The Roots. FREE entry. 9pm-1.30am.

If you can forget about Bond for one spy-loving, Martini-shaking moment, then there’s plenty of other gold to enjoy at the Ritzy this month. Our film contributor – Marshall. Adam Marshall – picks out the highlights

SUN 22 @ HOOTANANNY

titular lady, and you have the recipe for the feel-good film of the autumn.

MAGNOLIA PICTURES

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Rootmaster, a free night every Sunday which usually showcases West African artists, is always a good way to end the weekend. Having spent years working with the likes of Youssou N’Dour, Amadou Diagne has branched out as a songwriter in his own right, delivering soulful, bluesy songs. FREE. 8-12pm.

MON 23 @ SOMERSET HOUSE Winter’s here and the time is ripe for skating in… Somerset House on the Strand. Open from November 18 to January 10. £7.60 a session plus booking fee. somersethouse.org.uk/ice-rink.

TUES 24 @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON

GUNS AND GADGETS

Check out Australian singer-songwriter Matt Corby. His 2013 single Resolution won Australian Recording Industry Association Song of the Year. Tickets £16.50.

Try as I might, I’ve found it impossible to draw any clever analogy between James Bond and Steve Jobs (something about having a “Licence to kill … the competition with his innovative technological designs”?). Danny Boyle brings Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay to the big screen for the simply named STEVE JOBS (from November 13). Instead of a traditional cradle-to-grave biopic, we’re instead given a behind-the-scenes snapshot of four Apple product launches, which reveal the personal and working relationships behind the genius. And with the sensational Michael Fassbender in the lead role, you should be a million times more excited about this than the new iPad Pro.

WEDS 25 @ S LONDON BOTANICAL INSTITUTE The Fox Got You is a photographic installation at this Norwood Road, Tulse Hill institution. It celebrates six common plants which are at the origin of five major medicinal drugs. First London showing of an exhibition that brings together plants, drugs, clinicians, patients and researchers. Runs November 9–28. FREE.

THURS 26 @ PRINCE OF WALES Leroy Burgess and Los Charly’s Orchestra, huge stars of soul, funk and acid jazz, come together to provide a rare live, full-band experience. Support from The DJ Marcia Carr. £15. Doors 7pm.

FRI 27 @ PHONOX German deep house maestro Move D is the latest big name to be billed all night long at Brixton’s newest nightclub. 6pm – 4am.

FREE Entry before 9. £5 Adv, £10 OTD.

DRIVE IN MOVIE THE LADY IN THE VAN (from November 13) is a funny little story.

Man befriends homeless woman and lets her live in his driveway. In normal circumstances, it would barely make the “and finally” slot of the local news.

But when the custodian in question is national treasure Alan Bennett, expect an Olivier Award nominated stage play and eventual cinematic adaptation. Add in national treasure Maggie Smith as the

FILMED ON iPHONES

SHUDDERING HOULT He may still be a fair distance away from national treasure status, but Nicholas Hoult has come a long way from About a Boy and is an increasingly interesting screen presence. KILL YOUR FRIENDS (from November 6) is set in 1997 where Hoult (who would have been seven at the time) is a Britpop A&R man who’ll go to disturbing lengths to establish the next Oasis, Blur or – shudder to think – Ocean Colour Scene.

Think American Psycho, but with more Union Jacks, three-chord riffs and Kappa trackie bottoms.

I surely can’t be the only Brixtonite who saw Sean Baker’s superb 2012 London Film Festival flick Starlet? Well, he returns with TANGERINE (from November 13), which he shot exclusively on iPhones (Stevie J would have been proud).

About two transgender sex workers and their pursuit of revenge on a love rat, between the original filming method and Baker’s knack for allying comedy with sentimentality, this will be one well worth catching.

MALALA AND MARLON And if none of those appeal and you’ve already seen Spectre five times, then there’s always the inevitably fascinating documentary HE NAMED ME MALALA (from November 6), the fourth and final instalment of the compelling Hunger Games saga MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 (from November 20) or the unseen side of one of Hollywood’s greatest legends in LISTEN TO ME MARLON (November 3).

22 COLUMNS

brixtonblog.com

November 2015

GEMMA COLLIER

FRANKIE HOLAH

Spring colour

Move more

Gardening … You either love it, or hate it! But … whichever it is, there are basic essential jobs which can not only make your life easier in the long term, but significantly improve the look of your garden if you are lucky enough to have access to one … which means you will enjoy spending time out there.

Autumn is a crucially important time in the annual gardening calendar as we “put the garden to bed” for winter. This simply means prepping the garden to make the most of your plants and shrubs next year … pruning unruly shrubs, roses and fruit trees, dead heading and reducing stems on perennial plants as well as getting ready to protect some more delicate plants as the temperature drops …

This is also the perfect time of year to be planting next year’s spring bulbs … as the garden dies back into hibernation and winter mode, it can look flat and bleak … use this to see where there’s space to add some spring colour.

Bulbs are a cost-effective and reliable way to bring the first signs of life back into your garden … simply choose the flowers you like.

Here are some handy tips to consider when buying and planting

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 the mould fellow Londoners, you’ll

your spring bulbs: øø Try to pick a selection of bulbs which flower at different times – daffodils flower early, for instance, while anemones are late flowering. øø Plant bulbs that will produce a tall flower at the back of the bed, or centre of the pot. øø Plants bulbs as per the instructions ie at specified depth and distance apart … you don’t want those pesky squirrels munching on them øø If you have pets, check for flowers which are not harmful to animals … you’d be surprised which plants are poisonous. øø Try to position bulbs in a suitable position – bluebells love woodland and shady areas while tulips love a sunny spot. øø And please make sure you plant the bulb the correct way up … doh!

■■ For help with your garden call Gardening Girl on 07826 551 353; www.facebook.com/gardeninggirl; gardeninggirlat82@gmail.com

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!

When the Tube’s less crowded, those hand rails make for great hanging out time … who cares what anybody thinks?

Hill Mead HERALD NOVEMBER 2015

The family animation heroes

By Jayshaun & Tylar At Hill Mead we love family learning – parents and children working together.

There are ten parents and children participating in a project called Family Animation. Every Thursday for six weeks, they are making a film about stories from their different countries. We have been interviewing some parents and finding out extraordinary information.

Brendalyn’s story (Shadae’s mother) is about her growing up in Jamaica by a river, swimming with her sister and eating mango.

Sariat’s story is a traditional tale, set

in a Nigerian village in Lagos, Ikorodu.

It’s about a little girl and her mother. On special festival days, they had to stay in

the house and only men were allowed to go outside.

Stephan’s dad said “The project encourages me to have confidence, giving my child confidence, meeting new people and having new friends.”

Another parent told us that the best part is spending time with their child.

And making different types of characters with fantastic resources!!!

Our favourite quote: “It helps our child understand the story and gives them a new insight.”

■■ Don’t miss watching these exceptional films to be screened at Pop Brixton in the near future.

The Silver Tones sing at our school

By Du’rone & Kaleb

By Abdi and Amiyah Today at Hill Mead was the best day of my life. We had a wonderful surprise. The Silver Tones from The X Factor came to sing in our school.

My heart was beating really fast, I couldn’t wait for them to begin. Their first song was I Was Born By The River. They sang it so brilliantly I was about to cry because it was really good. After all of the emotion we got to ask questions.

One of the pupils asked what age did you start singing? They said 2-3 years old – wow! In my head I was telling them get ready for the Six Chair Challenge.

We were brought upstairs and we were told that our year group were going to take pictures with the Silver Tones. Then we went back to class.

Mr Jordan called out Amiyah and told the Silver Tones that Amiyah stands out at singing and that she always tries her hardest in singing. They asked if she could sing to them and obviously she said Yes! Amiyah sang Champion and they

Hill Mead’s honourable visitor

enjoyed it so much. They gave her a tip – to never stop singing in her life.

Look for the Silver Tones on The X Factor.

Hill Mead are all supporting you.

On September 18, an influential person came to visit Hill Mead – Rt Hon Helen Hayes, Member of Parliament for Dulwich and West Norwood.

It was an amazing experience showing her around and talking about her job in the Houses of Parliament.

She was astonished at the nursery’s great artwork, blown away with Year Six’s Lion King display, loved the participation in music and congratulated us on our sporting achievements.

She was particularly impressed with the children’s commitment to their work.

We were invited to ask her questions about being an MP. Q. How did your parents feel when you were elected?

A. They were astonished to see me on TV for the first time. It was a memorable moment for them.

At the end of the visit Helen Hayes invited Year Six to come to the House of Commons.

■■ A tip: if you want to be an MP, you can. You can start at the age of 14, by helping in the community. So if you are young and you want to be an MP – get your voice heard.

Black History Month: Out of many, one school

By Jonathan and Sekeriye

Sekeriye and his mother talk about Somalia

‘Discovering our Heritage’ is Hill Mead’s Black History Topic.

We have been interviewing each other and our parents, finding out about their countries, their languages, food and their culture.

Parents have been coming in to talk about their heritage or tell a story of when they were a child.

In Year Six, most of us were pretty surprised about the facts we were uncovering. Can you guess where Brandon is from? His country has more than a thousand islands! For eight years, we thought that Abudu

was Nigerian but it turns out he was Ugandan all along!

Here are some of the parents’ stories…

Year Five had Jerome’s dad come in to talk about how he went to school in Jamaica. He talked about how they walked to school barefoot.

He also told us that the pavement was so hot that they had to tiptoe to school. Some people put some oil on their feet to cool them down because it was protective.

Shadae’s mum talked about school in Jamaica and told the class about how much fun it was to wipe the

chalk boards when you were at school because it meant you had a good day at school and also how you got spanked when you were bad.

We also met Elia’s mum who told us that they had to get up at 5.30 in the morning to get dressed. Then at 6am they went to mosque to pray.

Fatiah’s dad came in to talk about how they named newborn babies in Nigeria. Some parents thought about the big events or things that changed their life.

Fatiah, for example, means ‘victorious’ and her parents thought she was going to be victorious in life, so that’s why they named her Fatiah.

Bugle SPORT

AFEWEE BOXING CLUB

BRIXTON WINNER: Nyesco Okpako with trainer Bobby Miltiadous

As club waits for council decision on a permanent home in Brixton…

AFEWEE FIGHTER CELEBRATES WIN A Brixton boxing club run by a sports academy that nurtured the talents of Liverpool footballer Nathaniel Clyne has celebrated the victory of its first competitive amateur fighter.

Nyesco Okpako, a member of Afewee Boxing Club and trained by its head coach Bobby Miltiadous, won a three-round bout at the Territorial Army’s Centre in Balham last month.

The light heavyweight fighter hopes to get 10 more bouts under his belt before the end of the season, following his night fight win against a Balham Boxing Club member.

Afewee, which became officially affiliated with the Amateur Boxing Association in February this year, currently has three carded

competitive boxers on its books.

All are due to compete before the end of this year. And two of the club’s junior mem­bers are expected to become carded members before the end of the year.

Afewee hope the member ship increase and growth of the club will help them to secure a permanent base.

“We’re growing all the time as a club and getting more boxers coming through the system”, said Miltiadous.

“This month we are due to find out from Lambeth council what is going to happen in terms of our residency here at the Brixton Rec and whether they are going to give us a permanent space or not.

“The outcome of this will change the whole structure of the club.”

Hamlet top after mashing Merstham Dulwich Hamlet took a two point lead at the top of the Ryman Premier Division after crushing Merstham 4-0 at Champion Hill on Tuesday.

Goals from Rhys MurrellWilliamson, Calum Willock and Nyren Clunis in the first half were followed by a second-half strike from Dan Sweeney.

The hotshot midfielder scored his sixth goal in six games in the 50th minute of the match to cap a

comfortable win for Hamlet.

The victory capped a swift return to winning ways and a successful end to October for the Pink and Blues following surprising defeats to the Metropolitan Police and Hampton and Richmond.

It followed a 2-1 victory over Canvey Island the previous weekend. First half goals from striker Jacob Erskine and Dan Sweeney, were enough to see off their Essex-based non-league rivals at the Prospects Stadium.

Dulwich boss Gavin Rose hailed the impact of Dan Sweeney and talked up the South Londoners’ promotions hope. “Dan Sweeney has had a big impact in our team,” he said.

“While he is good on the ball he’s got some things he needs to get better at, but he’s in a really good place and I can see him improving.

“This year because we have more senior players in the side, people have tipped us as promotion contenders.

Quick Crossword ACROSS 5. Lacking compassion (11) 7. Adhesive (4) 8. Marshmallow toaster (8) 9. Hoped for (7) 11. School subject (5) 13. – or dare? (5) 14. Bonkers (7) 16. GBP (8) 17. Father of Shem, Ham and Japheth (4) 18. Decent (11)

DOWN 1. Wight, Man, or Scilly (4) 2. Front door accessory (7) 3. Movies (5) 4. Secret liquor holder (8) 5. Picture painter (11) 6. Made from clay (11) 10. Capital increase (8) 12. Mischievous (7) 15. – and dines (5) 17. Pen ends (4)

But over the past couple of years we have always been confident as a squad and nothing has really changed with our mentality.”

Dulwich face Hendon at home on Saturday 7 November in their next Ryman Premier match followed by away fixtures at Staines, Bognor Regis and Harrow Borough. Their final game of the month will be a highly anticipated encounter against promotion rivals Leiston.

Dan Sweeney in action at Champion Hill

Dulwich boss praises Black History Month showcase Dulwich Hamlet boss Gavin Rose hailed the Pinks and Blues’ support for the club’s first Black History Month exhibition.

A showcase celebrating the contribution black players have made to the South London side was unveiled at Champion Hill last month.

The exhibition was the result of a collaboration involving the club, a group of fans and the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters’ Trust. It paid tribute to eight of the club’s most

influential black players.

“I’m very honoured and proud that our club recognises Black History Month.” said Rose.

“I’ve played football for many years and this is something was never mentioned at clubs I have played at.

“For me, as a black person and a black manager, it’s great to feel that Dulwich Hamlet recognises and appreciates the contribution that black people have made to the club.”