FORUM MEETINGS PROGRAMME
Town Centre Developments – Feedback from meeting on 25 September:
We covered a lot of ground at last month’s meeting, including developments around the Rec and reactions to the Council restarting the Somerleyton Road housing project. We will place the meeting notes on our website shortly. One strand that we picked up on, and that has also been raised elsewhere, is antisocial behaviour within the Town Centre, particularly drugdealing. This is despite the extended closure of the O2 Academy reducing the Nighttime Economy. Brixton Station Road and Atlantic Road are still suffering from the Arch Company’s mismanaged renovation of the railway arches, many of which remain empty due to the rents being too high.
November Forum Meeting – Arts, Sports and Entertainment:
We are currently sorting out the date and venue for our next meeting – details will be confirmed in next month’s bulletin. If you want to present something about your organisation or group, see the final section of this bulletin.
OTHER EVENTS COMING UP
Events at Brixton Windmill:
Although tours of the Windmill have just ended for this year, there are some special events coming up at Windmill Gardens, off Brixton Hill:
Sunday 15 October is a Milling & Baking Day, between 10-30 am and 4-30 pm, cost £85 including lunch.
Sunday 29 October is a Spooky Halloween family event, between 1 pm and 4 pm, with practical activities and story-telling.
An add-on for £15 per parent and child is a Monster Cookies workshop, from 10 am to 11-30 in the Brixton Windmill Centre, for children of 6-12 years (£5 per extra child). Bookings via their website, www.brixtonwindmill.org
Finally, advance notice of the Winter Market in Windmill Gardens on Sunday 10 December, from 12 noon to 3.30 pm. Once again there will be
opportunities for groups and craftspeople to run stalls. More details soon.
Black History Month:
There are still events to come in our area, even running into November:
Saturday 21 October – Author talk with Derron Wallace, on his book The Culture Trap, in conjunction with the Black Cultural Archive, 2 pm at
Brixton Tate Library.
Wednesday 25 October – Speak Out! Book launch with the Brixton Black Women’s Group, 7pm at Brixton Tate Library.
Thursday 2 November – Author talk with Jacqueline Cross, on her book Fire Rush, 6.30 pm at Brixton Tate Library.
Friday 3 November – Pegasus Opera Company present Legacy and Hope, 7pm at Clapham Library.
All event bookings via Eventbrite.
Emerge and Establish – art exhibition continues until 1st November at Brixton Library, showing the work of a small group of Black British artists.
Working on the Railway:
Network Rail are due to be carrying out repairs and renewals to the line between Brixton and Herne Hill between 11 pm on Saturday 14 October and 4 am on Monday 16th, including overnight work. Enquiries to 0345 711 4141 or see www.networkrail.co.uk
Lambeth Civic Awards:
Lambeth Council has relaunched its Civic Awards scheme, this year with 11 categories, to recognise the work of voluntary organisations and individuals working in the community. The closing date for nominations is 19 November, but maybe you should start canvassing support now – for further details see Lambeth Council’s webpage at www.lambeth.gov.uk/awards. There will be a presentations event in February.
FUNDING, TRAINING AND SUPPORT
Grants Reminders:
Our usual reminder of grant deadlines previously notified by Integrate – if you missed the original notices, contact eoin.heffernan@integrateagency.co.uk
Lambeth Community Fund – closes 12 October;
Trust for London: Social Justice Fund – closes 16 October;
Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund – closes 16 October;
Founders Fund Perfect Pitch – closes 17 October.
Training at High Trees: This is based in the former library at the crossroads of Tulse Hill and Upper Tulse Hill. They were recently in touch through the Lambeth Forum Network and are willing to offer training to groups and individuals from a wider area, not just Tulse Hill. We hope to tell you more next time.
Creative Bootcamp for Young People (age 16-22)
WeRise are hosting a week of briefings, insights and hand-on experience for young people, as part of Lambeth Council’s Elevate careers programme. It will be held at 3Space, International House, from Monday 23rd to Friday 27th October, and participants will be paid the London Living Wage. The emphasis will be on the Creative and Digital Sectors, including design, fashion, styling, social media and content creation.
For further details, see their website: www.werise.org.uk/youth-opportunities
HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE
Healthwatch Lambeth This acts as the champion for residents facing difficulties with health and social care and provides a channel to the NHS and other care providers, to promote improvements. You may see their outreach stall at various local health events and wellbeing festivals, but
they are now based in the Tripod, the workspace in the basement of Lambeth Town Hall.
They will hold their AGM and launch their annual report on Monday 16 October, 2 pm to 5 pm.
The following month they are hosting a workshop “Let’s talk about Mental Health” at the Town Hall on Tuesday 14 November, between 11 am and 1 pm.
To attend either event, please phone 020 7274 8522 or e-mail to info@healthwatchlambeth.org.uk to book your place.
Help with providing Defibrillators: If you are considering installing a defibrillator at your premises, help and advice is available from London Hearts, a charity based in Borough High Street SE1.In the event of a heart attack, access to a defibrillator within 3 to 5 minutes can improve survival rates from 6% to 74%. London Hearts can provide funding towards the cost, together with free online training.
There is an online application form at https://www.londonhearts.org/apply-for-a-defib
and you can contact them via Jess Morris on 020 7043 2493 or e-mail to jess@londonhearts.org
Foster Parents Wanted: Lambeth Council recently launched a new campaign to recruit more foster parents. This could involve short-term placements, longterm care, or specialising in meeting particular needs. There are more details on the Council’s website at www.lambeth.gov.uk/fostering but you can also call 020 7926 8710 for an informal chat, or e-mail fosteringduty@lambeth.gov.uk if you have specific questions.
OTHER LOCAL NEWS
Moving On: Photofusion will be moving round the corner to the workspace currently being fitted out below the Brixton Recreation Centre, with
access from Beehive Place.
The Advocacy Academy is hoping to take space alongside in April, but they have to leave their Vining Street premises by the end of November, so services will be delivered on a virtual or nomadic basis in the meantime.
Brixtonia are expected to move along Brixton Station Road to the corner of Popes Road, formerly the LVAC Volunteer Bureau.
Now that the temporary management of International House by 3Space has been extended to mid December 2024, many users will be staying on, but space has become available on the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th floors so new tenants are being
sought.
Brixton BID Seeking Renewed Mandate: Members of the Business Improvement District – in effect, all business rate-payers within its catchment area – are currently being balloted to agree the renewal of the BID for another 5 years. Voting papers must be in by 18 October, and the result should be announced a day or two later.
The Empathy Museum: Currently installed in a railway arch at 20 Atlantic Road (opposite Electric Lane) with a selection of their interactive installations, including “A Mile in My Shoes”, until 2nd November. They are also hosting a number of evening discussion sessions,
see www.empathymuseum.com/london
Friends of Loughborough Park: People began to rediscover this little open space during the Covid lockdowns. The Friends group has been organising a monthly litterpick on the last Sunday of the month, between 11 am and 12 noon, so the next session will be on Sunday 29October. There have also been some extra sessions recently to clear invasive shrubs ready for some new planting. For more information, contact them at friendsofloughboroughpark@gmail.com
Event Management with Rapport Festival: Deliver Events Like a Boss, 6 week event management course 31st October – 5th December Tuesdays 6.15pm – 9.15pm £145/£110 concessions. Contact admin@morleycollege.ac.uk
Homestart: support for families early years www.homestartlambeth.co.uk
Leaftra leaftra1@gmail.com A walk of north Brixton, Sunday 15 October from 2.30pm. Meet in front of St Mark’s Church opposite Oval Tube. Led by Alan Piper. Booking essential at brixtonsociety.org.uk/events. Come on Nelly’s walk in the morning, have lunch at either Annapurna Cafe where the Nelly walk will end, or at Van Gogh Cafe on the way up to St Mark’s Church. Other eateries are available but these would be my two tips in the neighbourhood.
Circle of Life (COLI) 9 weeks of free wellbeing activities for families directly affected by youth violence in Lambeth; contact
coli.lambeth@gmail.com https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-well-being-activities-for-family-members-affected-by-youth-violence-tickets-712932358877
Team Lambeth Volunteering:https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/your-community/get-involved/volunteering/team-lambeth
BEFORE YOU GO…
Something to Share with us?
If you are doing something around the Brixton area – an event, or a new service, or just changes to what you already do – you are welcome to use these bulletins to share your news. You can reach over 550 contacts (groups or individuals) via our current list.
Please send items for future bulletins to the Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com – preferably by the 3rd of the month so we can publish on the 10th.
Also use this contact if you want to present your work or ideas at a Forum meeting, or raise a topic for discussion.
Are we reaching the right people?
We want these bulletins to reach all community organisations and activists in the wider Brixton area. You might be involved in a social enterprise, charity, residents’ group, small business, or just interested in what’s happening in your neighbourhood – we want to be inclusive.
Please contact us at admin@brixtonneighbourhoodforum.org
– If you want to add a neighbour or colleague to our mailing list.
– If you want these bulletins sent to a different e-mail address, so that you see them more quickly or reliably.
– If you have moved away, or are no longer interested.