S E A S O N S G R E E T I N G S
We would like to extend our heartfelt warmth and thanks to all members who have supported this cause and engaged their voluntary time and thoughts throughout the years. Wishing you safety and cheer.
Image “From Where I’m Standing”
Events before Christmas
Remember that some may be affected by rapidly changing Covid-19 restrictions – check with organisers first.
Healthy affordable food from Southwyck Pantry
In our last bulletin we mentioned this project based at the Southwyck House Community Hall (below the Barrier Block). They have one more session before Christmas, on Saturday 19 December between 11 am and 3 pm. Visitors can pick up 20 items of healthy affordable food for £5. If you sign up and become a member, you can do this every Saturday. The Healthy Living Platform is already partnering with Lambeth Council to pack and deliver food parcels to shielded and isolating residents. They are also making deliveries to people living locally who need help accessing food, mothers who have recently has a baby, and youngsters who normally receive free school meals. Website: www.healthylivingplatform.org/ or e-mail to healthylivingplatform.org/southwyck-pantry
Loughborough Farm Well-being workshop series
Free but please book by e-mail to ljag.events@gmail.com or in person at The Platform Cafe in Wyck Gardens (Loughborough Road end of Ridgway Road, SW9 7AH). Live events may be affected by Tier 3 restrictions.
– Saturday 19 December from 2 pm to 5 pm, Kimchi making at the Platform Cafe.
– Sunday 20 December from 11 am to 1 pm, Invisible Food Walk at the Loughborough Farm site, opposite Wyck Gardens.
– Tuesday 22 December from 1 pm to 3 pm, Upcycling Christmas Gift making at the Platform Cafe.
From Where I’m Standing
The Empathy Museum have launched both a web gallery and a physical exhibition (on Dalberg Road SW2) which runs until 10 January. The project celebrates a group of 34 extraordinary people, ranging from a midwife and a supermarket worker to an undertaker and an anaesthetist, forming a collective portrait of life during the pandemic. Each storyteller was invited to choose an object that has been important to them during lockdown, and these objects and the individual portraits now appear in the format of For Sale signs outside each individual’s home. Empathy Museum will tour the show to other streets in 2021 – if you want the show to come to your road, e-mail to hello@empathymuseum.com More about this and other projects at www.empathymuseum.com
Lots more going on…
In the interest of social distancing, the Christmas Tree provided by Brixton BID has been sited in Windrush Square this year. Back in the days of real live meetings, we often used the Vida Walsh Centre, but it’s currently being used a hub for Age UK Lambeth to assemble Christmas food parcels for elderly members of the community. Congratulations to Friends of Windmill Gardens for mounting their Winter Fair successfully last Sunday, despite complex restrictions, complete with Santa’s grotto created within the windmill by Glynnis. We also picked up some hints from WeRise about their forthcoming film project…
Events in the New Year
Remember that some may be affected by rapidly changing Covid-19 restrictions – check with organisers first.
Brockwell Community Greenhouses
A series of on-line talks, Women on Nature & Wildlife, Tuesdays at 7 pm:
– 12 January: Carolyn Steel on her book, Sitopia;
– 9 February: Sue Stuart Smith on her book, The Well-Gardened Mind;
– 9 March: Jo Ferguson on Urban Bat Ecology and Conservation. https://www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk/
Loughborough Farm Well-being Workshops
Free sessions, booking as for pre-Christmas events (see above):
Wednesday 6 January, 2 pm to 3 pm, Managing Sleep and Stress, on Zoom.
Sunday 10 January, 2 pm to 3-30 pm, Singing and Drumming, at the Platform Cafe.
Wednesdays 13 & 25 January, 6-30 to 8 pm, Yoga Sessions at Arch 504.
Wednesday 20 January, 11 am to 12 noon, Happy Drumming Workshop at The Remakery, Lilford Road.
Sunday 24 January, 2 pm to 3 pm, Breath awareness and explorations at the Platform Cafe. https://loughboroughjunction.org/projects/loughborough-farm-a-patchwork-of-community-growing-spaces
Art4Space at Stockwell
Lots of courses and events coming up at their studio in Jeffreys Road, SW4 6QU, see also www.art4space.co.uk
Hand sewing workshops on Wednesdays, 2 pm to 3-30 pm from 20 January, free but limited spaces so book with Fran at franforcolini@hotmail.com
Evening Mosaic classes restart on 12 January, Tuesdays 6-30 to 9 pm.
Community Champions Course, free for under 30s, a 10-week course at the Art4Space studio, either Tuesdays 10 am to 12 noon with Julie from 19 January, or Wednesdays 4-30 to 6-30 pm with Ellie from 13 January.
Enquiries to jewels@art4space.co.uk
Longfield Hall
Building works are nearly complete and projects and events are being planned for the New Year. These include new Acts of Empowerment drama workshops for adults and young people, and continuing the Youth Mentoring program. If restrictions allow, there will be regular Jazz Drill sessions on Friday nights. There will be more details on their website soon – see www.longfieldhall.org.uk
Walk + Talk (on-line)
A 10-week group exercise and health discussion course, designed to improve both physical and mental health of older adults.
On-line (via Zoom) and free, starting from 25 January (various times available). See www.walkandtalkcic.com or enquiries to 07 562 475 706 or nick@walkandtalkcic.com
Purple Plaques campaign
2021 will be a Census Year, so look out for more information in the New Year about the census arrangements, and even some job opportunities in helping people complete their forms. In the meantime, the Census team are running a Purple Plaques campaign to identify local heroes and honour the work that they do for their local communities. You can nominate anyone that you feel has made a positive contribution locally. The winners will receive a purple plaque which can be installed on a local building which best represents the endeavours of the individual. Nominations can be made at https://census-2021-heroes.censuseducation.org.uk/
The deadline is 31 December and you must get permission from the person you are nominating, because their name and details may be published if they win.
Planning & Regeneration
Planning 101 – back to basics
After the scandal of the Hondo Tower plans, Forum members have asked us for more support with Planning matters generally. There will certainly be other contentious planning applications in the pipeline. We are working with Brixton Society members to set up an on-line briefing on how the system works, and how to intervene to best effect – more details after the Christmas break.
Conservation Areas under review
Lambeth Council is currently consulting on changes to several Conservation Areas, including these around Brixton:
– Brixton Town Centre;
– Brockwell Park;
– Ferndale Road;
– Loughborough Park.
Changes may include adding or removing buildings from a Conservation Area. In most cases, this is also an opportunity to bring information up to date.
Simultaneously, Lambeth is consulting on a draft policy guide on Views from selected points within the borough.
Closing date for comments on all of these is 10 January. Find more details via the Consultations page on the Lambeth Council website, https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/consultations and also see related items on the Brixton Society website, www.brixtonsociety.org.uk
Health and Social Care News
Moving to Tier 4 – what it means
The latest restrictions were announced while we were putting this bulletin together. To remind you,
– No mixing of households indoors;
– Only single households or one person from two different households may meet outdoors
– Restaurants and pubs will be closed except for takeaway or delivery services.
– No audiences for entertainment or sports events, indoor or outdoor.
– Work from home wherever possible.
– Avoid travelling outside your home area, except for work, education or health purposes.
Warm & Well service from Age UK Lambeth
Age UK Lambeth is taking referrals now for home energy checks by members of their Handyfix Team. The service is only available until the end of March. It is aimed at older people, or those on benefits, who find it difficult to keep their home warm during the winter. The handyperson can provide useful tips on how to save energy, and can install practical equipment to make the home more energy efficient.
They can also refer clients to eon for their new scheme offering discounted boilers, free loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.
You can make a referral via e-mail to kellie@ageuklambeth.org with the client’s name, address and phone number, and the reason for referral. Or you can pass on the phone number for clients to follow up themselves – 03 333 603 990.
Funding, Training and Support
We will be back with a new round-up of suggestions and sources next month.
Keep in touch
Share your news
To include your news or a coming event in the Forum e-bulletin, please e-mail to the Forum Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com
We aim to publish at least monthly, so for the next issue please send in before 4th January. We would love to hear from a wider range of groups.
Invite comments
Whether you are a grassroots group or a government agency, we encourage you to use the Neighbourhood Forum as a channel to consult with a range of residents. You are welcome to present your project to a Forum meeting – on-line for the time being, but hopefully in person within a few more months. We can also include a short description and key contact details in one of our e-bulletins, reaching 500+ people, most of whom are involved in at least one local organisation.
Is our mailing list up to date?
We want to be sure of reaching all local groups and interests, so please notify us, at admin@brixtonneighbourhoodforum.org
– If you want to add a colleague or neighbour to our mailing list.
– If you are changing your e-mail or other contact details.
– If you have moved away or are no longer interested