Our next on-line meeting – Wednesday 28 April
This Forum meeting will be held on Zoom, starting at 7 pm. We hope that you will want to join in, but please e-mail to the Forum Administrator at admin@brixtonneighbourhoodforum.org so that we can send you the log-in details a day or two before the meeting.
Fight The Tower Campaign
The Save Nour/ Save Brixton/ Fight the Tower Campaign continues to oppose Hondo Enterprises’ planning application for a 20-storey office block on Pope’s Road in the heart of Brixton, pictured above. The application is now in the hands of Mayor Sadiq Khan, and he (or a new Mayor) will decide its fate at a public hearing in a few months’ time. Meanwhile, the Campaign is engaging with local community groups, activists, residents, traders and skilled professionals to build the case against this monument and symbol of gentrification. Brixton is our neighbourhood and London is our home. If the Tower is built, it will have a direct and detrimental environmental impact on the lives of thousands who call Brixton home. Brixtonians, and Londoners in general, will keep demanding more meaningful consultations from local authorities, and more transparency for any future projects. Join the conversation on 28 April online with Brixton Neighbourhood Forum.
More to come
If there are other local groups that want to make a presentation or report at this Forum meeting, or one coming up, please contact the Forum Secretary soon, at apiperbrix@aol.com We are also setting up an on-line briefing on the Planning system, to help you with responding to other planning applications that come along. More news of that soon.
Funding, Training and Support
Designing London’s Recovery programme
The Mayor has launched an open innovation programme that supports London’s economic recovery. Applications close at midday on 15 June. There are 3 themes:
– Helping Londoners into good work;
– Building strong communities;
– Green New Deal and High Streets for all.
For more information, go to https://london.gov.uk/what-we-do/civil-society/grants-and-funding
Black on Track 2.0
This is an empowerment programme for Black people in Lambeth who are aged between 35 and 65 years old. It involves 10 training sessions in community enterprise development. Application deadline is 30 April. More information at www.ubele.org or enquiries to Tishauna Mullings on 07 827 531 035 or tishauna.mullings@ubele.org
Sport England – Community Asset Fund
Capital grants from £10,000 to £50,000 are available to help sports clubs and community organisations adapt and re-open their premises in the wake of the pandemic. The closing date for applications is Friday 30 April. More information at https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/our-funds
Windrush Community Fund
This fund is for charitable, voluntary and community organisations that work with communities from the Windrush generation. Groups can bid for between £2500 and £25,000 from a total pot of £200,000 in phase 2 of the programme. The aim is to ensure that people affected by the Windrush scandal are aware of the support available and are not missing out on compensation schemes. The fund is administered by Voice4Change England on behalf of the Home Office, and deadline for bids is 30 June. There is an on-line briefing event for interested groups on Wednesday 21 April between 2 pm and 4 pm. More information from www.voice4change-england.com
Community Use of Lambeth Buildings
Lambeth Council is consulting on its Voluntary and Community Sector Asset Strategy, but the deadline for comments is Sunday 25 April. Community organisations occupy a variety of Council buildings, but with wide variation in their rents and terms. The Council is seeking a more standardised approach, which also provides for upgrading buildings and ensuring lasting community use and sustainability. The thinking seems to be to encourage more intensive use, and to give some credit for the number and range of users that a site provides for. Perversely, the scheme seeks to exclude Tenants Halls, Youth Centres, Adventure Playgrounds, despite some of these being among the most contentious under Council management. Those for which there are already long leases are not affected. Send comments or questions to VASA@lambeth.gov.uk
WinTrade Global Talks continue
The series of on-line get-togethers and talks for Women in Business continues on Thursdays 12 noon to 3 pm, now using the Airmeet conference platform. Enquiries to Yvonne Thompson of 7 Traits Leadership Learning – yvonne.thompson@wintradeweek.com
Incidentally, 7 Traits Leadership Learning now bears a blue plaque provided by the Nubian Jak Foundation, to commemorate the first broadcast by Choice FM from the premises at 16 Trinity Gardens back in March 1990.
Arts Funding from the Paul Mellon Centre
Their grants programme opens for applications on 26 April, with a closing date of 17 May, with grants being released in July. Once again, priority is being given to supporting organisations and individuals affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Research Continuity Grants of £10,000 are to support research on British art and architecture by institutions. Research Continuity Fellowships of up to £5,000 will similarly support individuals with their projects. Write on Art, the national art writing competition for young people, now has a closing date of 30 June. More details on their website at https://paulmelloncentre.ac.uk/fellowships-and-grants
Tai Chi by the Windmill
Real time sessions are happening again between 11 am and 12 noon on Saturdays in Windmill Gardens, off Brixton Hill. The adjacent cafe is also now operating, under the latest Covid regulations. See www.brixtonwindmill.org
Other Local News
The Cherry Groce Memorial
Unveiling of new memorial in Windrush Square Sunday 25th April 2021 at 11am. On the same day Together We Rise: Remembering Cherry Groce online event 4 – 6pm via Eventbrite to register.
Friends of Loughborough Park
A Friends group has now been formally constituted to champion this pocket park on the east side of Brixton. Lockdown had frustrated earlier efforts to organise, yet more people were discovering the park on their daily exercise. It has helped that, after years of neglect, Lambeth found some funds to repair the children’s play area. Enquiries about the Friends should go to friendsofloughboroughpark@gmail.com
Food Banks and Food Projects
Healthy Living Platform has been awarded a contract from Lambeth Council to co-ordinate and distribute surplus food in the borough, following a collaborative bidding process. HLP have been providing food parcels to vulnerable or shielding residents since March last year. They have developed a partnership with 33 other charities and food hubs, and linked up with schools and children’s centres.
HLP will provide a single point of contact for collection of surplus or unwanted food. Distribution to local outlets will be via 3 hubs, the Brixton one being at Southwyck House Community Hall, off Moorland Road.
If you are involved with a community group interested in joining in, or with a business that can donate food or toiletries etc, contact Mala Naicker at malafpm@googlemail.com
If you are aware of families in need, refer them to the MyCommunity Gateway run by AgeUK Lambeth at mycommunity@ageuklambeth.org or phone 0333 360 3700.
Pop Brixton is back
The site has re-opened, with table seating for groups of up to 6. There are now 14 street food traders on site, plus bars. Social distancing measures are in place throughout, so please bring your face mask. You do not need to queue if you are visiting one of the retail units, or have booked a table for Caribe, Only Food & Courses or the Greenhouse, but please tell the security team on arrival.
Incredible Edible Lambeth
The next in their series of Lambeth Food Stories will be on Tuesday 20 April entitled “Whose space is it anyway?” They will be talking with people on Lambeth estates about what they would like to see happen on their land, with several residents due to talk about their experience of getting engaged with the greenspace on their estate. The aim is to get more people involved with managing their outdoor surroundings, and supporting biodiversity and food-growing. More information at www.incredibleediblelambeth.org
Lambeth Life Returns
Lambeth Life is re-launching its print publication. It mainly circulates in the north of the borough, but it may still be a useful channel for publicising what you are doing. The editor is Josiah Mortimer, who can be contacted on 07 717 211 630 or josiah@lambethlife.com
Lockdown Lifts – with Music
Brixton BID is marking each stage of Lockdown lifting with music performances in the Town Centre by the Brixton Chamber Orchestra. The next will be on Monday 17 May, and then Monday 21 June, at 1 pm, 2-30 and 4 pm. The sites will be Electric Circle (crossroads of Electric Lane and Electric Avenue), Tunstall Square (opposite the Tube Station) and Brixton Station Road.
Sister2sister
Sister2Sister is a Women’s Empowerment Group, inspiring Women in their wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem. Latest news here: https://mailchi.mp/9c549d24658d/welcome-4753022
Yellow Qube Community Space St Martins Tulse Hill
The Yellow Qube is a lovely yellow building in Tulse Hill run by the Community Interest company (CIC), Lambeth’s 4NS. Historically St Martins TRA, local residents and local organisations campaigned for it and it was seed funded by Lambeth council. Metropolitan housing association, Optivo housing association (then Amicus Horizon) and Notting Hill housing association. Latest news here: https://yellowqube.org
Keep on networking!
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