Southwark News, Thursday March 16 2023
isabel@southwarknews.co.uk Two wooden buildings are nearly complete on Old Kent Road, meaning they could be open to the local community in a matter of weeks.
what’s going on at 567 Old kent Road?
© What If projects
The Livesey Exchange has been building itself a new home ahead of the demolition of the Ledbury Estate. For the past five years, this grassroots community project for local creatives and entrepreneurs were using the garages beneath the estate’s tower blocks. Their new home, LEX 2, near Curry’s, Old Kent Road, off Lovegrove Street, will feature two buildings with more scope for local people to benefit from the massive regeneration taking place in the area. Livesey Exchange founder, Nicholas Okwulu, said the site’s location would help local people reap the dividends of the Old Kent Road regeneration: “It’s smack bang in the middle of what could be the future Old Kent Road high street. It’s smack bang in the middle of the gravy train and that’s what I wanted.” The scaffolding is down at the new Livesey Exchange which means the building is nearing its end, and council leader Kieron Williams, who visited the site for an update, says he’s ‘convinced’ of its potential for the community. Nicholas says the centre been made out of wood so it can quickly be demolished in the future. The site is earmarked for future development as part of the Old Kent Road Area Action plan so the Livesey Exchange only has the premises for the next fifteen years. The buildings, which are due to open in the spring, comprise eight large hireable spaces. Some of these will be classed as ‘affordable’ to allow people to hire them for fixed periods. A condition of hiring the ‘affordable’ space is that people will have to have a business plan and complete it by the time they have to move on. There will also be a cafe with a seating area, two commercial kitchens, a dark kitchen (for food delivery work), and a spacious mixed-use area available for theatre productions, corporate events and much more. Nicholas said they were not about helping just a few people - they’re trying to be a helping hand to anyone with ideas and a lack of opportunity or knowledge of how to achieve them. “It’s not about people coming into the space and staying here for good. We’ll get people in and then help them when they move on.” He said there would also be job opportunities for young people to get experience, such as in the cafe, adding: “Something that small businesses
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struggle with is training young people so they may be less likely to take them on. “So they could come through here and be taught the basics to able to get a more permanent job,” he said. Nicholas saw the need for a space that everyone felt they could use and get something from. “Lots of places are being built under the guise of community,” Nicholas said. “But what they really are is gated communities. And I really don’t want this to be another gated community - it needs to be approachable.” The buildings are being constructed with £313,861 council investment, £267,300 from the Greater London Authority Good Growth Fund © Met Police
and £18,000 in Livesey Exchange crowdfunding. After visiting the building and hearing plans for it, Cllr Kieron Williams said he was “convinced” of the benefits the centre would bring to the community. “There’s obviously a lot of change happening here on Old Kent Road,” he said. “All the change often involves new people coming into an area, but what really matters is those who’ve been there all along or most of their life, feel there’s something in it for them. “Why I’m excited about it is that it’s a real pathway for people. This is not just a building, it’s a way into skills provision, into different industries.
“I can absolutely see a really wide group of people from the community coming in and seeing what’s going on here. “You might come in for lunch, but you might leave thinking ‘I could get an apprenticeship’,” he added. Luca Cruz Cahn, 24, who lives in Peckham, is making a film documenting the development and will be using the space for videography. He said: “Nicholas, born and bred in south London, has helped so many in our community to better their lives. “The new Livesey Exchange will be a community hub for people in Southwark to thrive, and I’m so excited to see it in action. “The most important is the idea of
community business, which is important for young people to understand. Young people need to know, that in order to compete in London, you have to have a viable business model and something tangible to offer,” Luca added. So what’s different about LEX 2? “The difference here is, it’s nicer, more aesthetically pleasing, it’s got a smaller footprint to LEX 1. It’s for everyone. Come, we’ll listen to your plans, we’ll see how we can help you,” Nicolas added. There is the opportunity for local businesses to deliver training sessions at the centre too. Anyone wanting to get involved in any way or to enquire about the space, email info@pempeople.com.
By Herbie Russell
soon as possible. On July 11, 2022, a member of the public alerted police to an incident on Brockley Rise at 1am. A woman had suffered grazing after being pushed to the ground and a man was arrested at the scene. Officers established that he was PC Andrews, an officer attached to Central South Command Unit which covers Southwark. Police said the woman was known to him. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards was informed and PC Andrews was suspended from duty.
Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, who leads the Central South Command Unit, said: “I am saddened by this incident and grateful to members of the public who raised the alarm, resulting in PC Andrews’ prompt arrest. “Under the leadership of Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, everyone in the Met is clear that we must root out those who corrupt the integrity of our organisation. This will take time, but we are absolutely committed to achieving high standards.”
Met Police officer jailed for 16 months for shoving a woman over in Honor Oak
herbie@southwarknews.co.uk A Met police officer has been jailed for a year and four months after pleading guilty to pushing over a woman in Honor Oak while off-duty.
PC Thomas Andrews (pictured) pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm at Woolwich Crown Court on January 19 and was sentenced at the same court on Monday, March 6. He also received a restraining order and will face a misconduct hearing as
Photo by Jezrael Smith and Pempeople/Livesey Exchang
By Isabel Ramirez
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