Forum Update

We take a broad view of what counts as Brixton in choosing what to include in these e-mail bulletins.  We still give priority to coming events, and to services or activities that could interest or support local community groups and enterprises.  After all, there are other media outlets with more space and resources to celebrate local achievements or comment on topical issues.

Next Forum meeting

The next full Forum meeting will be on Thursday 3 July from 7 pm at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road, SW2 1EP (entrance faces Windrush Square). 

This will be the Annual General Meeting, when we present our annual report and accounts for the past year, review priorities for the year ahead, and elect a committee to steer the Forum through the next year.

The existing committee also propose an amendment to the Forum’s Constitution. This will amend Subscriptions to Donations, to ensure there is no financial bar to joining in making the proposed Neighbourhood Plan.

If your group wishes to present its work or highlight a forthcoming activity or service, at this or a future meeting, please contact the Forum Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com 

Local News

Neighbourhood Plan

Our application for designation was sent to Lambeth Council’s planners in mid-April.

The Council will shortly invite comments on the Plan boundaries, and you will have 6 weeks to respond.  Our proposed boundaries are based on existing Council wards, to make it easier to collect statistics and organise the final ballot. But we could probably cope with individual estates or streets being added or deleted around the edge, though we prefer residents to be included rather than left out.

Re-imagining Atlantic Road

The Brixton BID launches the first of a monthly series of car-free days on Atlantic Road on Saturday 14 June, between 12 and 6 pm. For this first date, the family-friendly street festival aims to transform Atlantic Road into a traffic-free zone with a Celebrating the Caribbean theme in collaboration with Just Vibez and Lambeth Council’s Healthy Neighbourhoods Team.  Also look out for a stall promoting the Council’s current plans for the Pop Brixton and International House developments.

These car-free days will continue on the second Saturday of each month into December.  Deliveries can still be made to shops before 10 am and after 8-30 pm.

Marking Windrush Day

The Big Caribbean Lunch will be taking place again as an inter-generational event on Windrush Square on Sunday 22 June.  This year there will also be pitches for market stalls  within St. Matthew’s Peace Garden. 

If you would like to be involved, please contact the Friends group at

friendsofwindrushsquare@gmail.com

Myatt’s Fields Park is hosting an afternoon event around the bandstand, also on Sunday 22^nd, 12 to 5 pm, with music performances alongside stalls curated by Black Cultural Market.

Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour

Residents disillusioned by lack of action from public agencies leads to much anti-social behaviour going unreported.  This in turn makes it harder to attract more resources to tackle the problems, so the campaign aims to make reporting easier. 

They have already highlighted some useful contacts in a quick-reference guide, from which we quote a few key points:

If crime or ASB is happening now and involves danger or violence, dial 999.  If crime has happened and danger is past, dial 101.

To report crime anonymously, dial Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

To report noise, vandalism or environmental issues, phone Lambeth on 020 7926 5000.

For cleaning up graffiti, fly-tipping, e-bikes etc, try www.fixmystreet.com.

To get help for anyone rough sleeping, see www.thestreetlink.org.uk

For ASB within social housing, contact the housing provider. 

Also see www.ACTIONonASB.org or send enquiries to aoasb@outlook.com

The Council is due to publish its long-awaited Night-time Strategy later this month.

Searching for Funds

Doubling Your Donations: The Grove Adventure Playground at Loughborough Junction has been selected to take part in the Big Give’s Champions for Children scheme, which means that the Childhood Trust is matching every donation made up to midday next Tuesday 17 June.

Each year, the playground serves 250 children between 6 and 16, but faces a £35,000 shortfall this year. Please donate via the Big Give website at https://donate.giggive.org/campaign/a05ws000002efprya4 or contact hello@loughboroughjunction.org 

It can be done!  From across the tracks, we hear that Jessop Primary School gained £1000 from Tesco Stronger Starts funding.  Although this was only 2^nd prize among competing projects, this is still a useful boost for their drive to revive the playground with new plants and greenery.  Success came from enough Tesco customers voting with their blue tokens between January and the end of March.

Arts and Events

Longfield Hall

Saturday 21 June will be an Open Performance night curated by the KWAM Collective, showcasing work including dance, music, sculpture, jewellery and life drawing. Runs 7-30 to 10-30 pm, admission £10 (£5 concessions).

Please book through the website, which has details of other ongoing activities at the Hall opposite Minet Library, https://longfieldhall.org.uk

Performances at Brixton House

One Way Out, 18 June – 5 July

Best friends Devonte, Paul, Tunde and Salim are about to finish college. Four boys confronted by legacy, legislation and leaving school, who will find their way out? This is a story about home, brotherhood and the pursuit of something as simple as a patty.

House of Life by Sheep Soup, Rodeo Productions and Tilted, 2-4 July

Would you like to feel a sense of euphoric togetherness? Are you ready to be 100% never sad again? We have the answer. Led by the glitter-clad RaveRend, House of Life provides a scientifically proven* sense of total togetherness and elevation at a time when people feel more disconnected than ever.

Lil.Miss.Lady by Dominic Garfield with Music by Lady Lykez, 9-20 July

Part rave, part drama – Lil.Miss.Lady explores the history of Grime through the eyes of a trailblazing female MC. From the early stages of Jungle, ravers will take an immersive journey through the sounds and visuals of UK bass music culture – UK Garage, Sub-Low, Funky House, Dubstep and Grime.

For more details and bookings, see www.brixtonhouse.co.uk

Summer Courses at Hausprint

Etching with Copper is a course led by Rob White, starting on 24 June.  Rob will also teach a specialist Carborundum course over 4 days in August.  Simon Burder will teach a Stone Lithography Day course on Saturday 26 July.

If you are thinking of joining the Etching Year course which starts in the Autumn, there is a free Taster Session on Saturday 12 July, 1 pm to 3 pm – please book in advance via the website, https://hausprint.studio

Hausprint is at Vincent’s Yard, 23 Alphabet Mews (off Hackford Road) SW9 0FN. Enquiries to michelle@hausprint.studio

Community Arts at Art4Space

Once again, a wide choice of crafts sessions and courses are being offered at their studios at 31 Jeffreys Road, SW4 6QU.  Some of them are free to eligible age groups! 

See for yourself by visiting their Summer Craft Fair on Saturday 19 July, between 12 and 5 pm.  For more details of events and courses, see their website at www.art4space.co.uk

Green spaces, Green issues

On Your Bike

Brixton BID continues to sponsor monthly sessions by Dr Bike mechanics for cycle safety checks and essential maintenance. The next will be on Wednesday 25 June, 12 to 3 pm on Bellefields Road SW9, at the corner of Stockwell Avenue outside Bellefields.

Events at Brixton Windmill

Guided tours of the windmill are now taking place on at least one weekend a month, the next being on 14/15 June.

There are also a number of regular weekly activities in the education centre alongside the mill.  For all events in Windmill Gardens, please see www.brixtonwindmill.org

Brockwell Park Car Boot Sales

The Friends of Brockwell Park have their next monthly car boot sale in the Lido car park, off Dulwich Road, on Sunday 15 June.  Open free to buyers 9 am to 1 pm.  Sellers can set up from 7 am, charge £12 per car, £15 per van.  Proceeds help fund planting and wildlife projects in the park. Enquiries to membership@brockwellpark.co.uk

Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses

For details of upcoming events and courses at the Community Greenhouses, see the website https://www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk/events  Highlights include:

Saturday 15 June from 12-30 pm will be a Fermentation Workshop.

Sunday 22 June from 2 pm will be the first workshop in a series on Mexican Embroidery, beginning with traditional styles from Tenango de Doria.

Sunday 22 June is also a live music evening from 6-30 pm, with Mambista and Alvorada.

Thursday 26 June will be an Art in the Garden evening, from 7-30 pm.

Sunday 29 June from 10 am to 4 pm will be a willow-weaving workshop, to make your own hanging basket.

Advice for Greener Business

The Green Skills Hub at London South Bank University (LSBU) may be able to help your business find a niche in the Green Economy. The hub is funded by the GLA as part of the Mayor’s Skills Academies.  It can help up-skill your workforce, connect you with like-minded employers and offer other networking opportunities, promote net zero jobs among qualified candidates, and offer support with providing apprenticeships. Enquiries to:

Lsbu-greenskills@outreach.southbankcolleges.co.uk

Within Lambeth, the Lambeth Climate Action Partnership is beginning to make its presence felt, attracting people from both established firms and voluntary organisations, to discuss good practice.  Their next event is Adapting to Climate Change, on Thursday 19 June, 5 – 7 pm in Brixton.  Enquiries to lcp@lambeth.gov.uk or see their website www.lambethclimatepartnership.org

Health and Social Care

Friendly Digital Support for Disabled Residents

Millennium Community Solutions have launched a drop-in project at Southwyck Hall, behind the Barrier Block.  Sessions are available over 12 weeks, from 5^th June until 21 August, on Thursdays between 1 and 3 pm.

Whether you are just starting out or only need extra support, come and get connected in a friendly and accessible space.  They can introduce you to a range of digital devices and assistive technology.  The project is supported by Lambeth Council and Disability Advice Service Lambeth (DASL).

Access: 50 yards down Moorland Road from Coldharbour Lane, turn right at glass wall.

Enquiries to Gail at 07 951 087 923.

Advice services for older people

Age UK Lambeth has re-organised its drop-in advice sessions.  They now take place at 10 Acre Lane, SW2 (opposite the Town Hall) on 3 days a week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – between 10 am and 3 pm. Or you can phone 0333 360 3700, lines open 9-30 am to 4-30 pm.

Mentors Wanted!

The Kids Network supports little Londoners at a big moment – in the lead-up to the transition from primary to secondary school.  The Network matches them with volunteer mentors from their local community for weekly sessions across a year.  As a mentor, you will be trained to lead fun, child-led activities, whether that’s playing games, exploring the city or simply having a chat.  You will be making a real difference through building their confidence and resilience, shaping a brighter future one session at a time.

Ready to start your mentoring journey in Brixton?  If you have any questions, or would like more information, please get in touch with Niamh Lynch, volunteer operations lead, at m.lynch@thekidsnetwork.org.uk or see www.thekidsnetwork.org.uk

Learn about your local Hospice

Royal Trinity Hospice at Clapham is offering a free talk and tour on Wednesday 16 July between 6 and 8 pm, for potential volunteers and supporters, and for professionals in health or social care, to give a better understanding of what the Hospice does.

Please reserve a place in advance at www.royaltrinityhospice.london/events

Forum News

Renewed Calls for Action on Anti-Social Behaviour

Action on ASB convened a well-attended meeting at Pop Brixton on Monday 24 March, to take stock of progress a year after the last public meeting.  The group has 250 members signed-up, and continues to lobby for more resources.

AoASB focusses on the 4 Central Brixton wards, but also liaises with the Herne Hill Forum and the Friends of Brockwell Park. Issues have been raised with the 3 local MPs, and in the House of Lords, while more local councillors are getting on board.

The Town Centre Police team had been reinstated, and the Home Office had funded police action on the Angell Town and Moorland Estates.

Efforts are being made to set up quarterly meetings between all the responsible agencies, but Lambeth is still hesitating. Others yet to be engaged are mental health services, London Underground and British Transport Police.

AoASB stressed that reporting issues will help attract more resources, and we will share how best to do that in these bulletins soon.  In the meantime, see https://actionasb.org/

Neighbourhood Plan Bid

The Forum’s committee has agreed to make a formal application for authority to make a Neighbourhood Plan.  This will include the Town Centre and nearby sites at risk of unsuitable development.  Our aims are:

• To bring together local people to steer Brixton’s future together;
• To protect Brixton from excessive high-rise developments, like the failed Hondo Tower;
• To ensure that contributions from building developments support amenities that benefit the local community.

This is likely to be our major project for the next couple of years, but before we start changing plans, we need the go-ahead from Lambeth Council.

More Events coming up

MayFest at Brixton Windmill

On Bank Holiday Monday, 5^th May, open 1 pm to 5 pm in Windmill Gardens.  Celebrate folk traditions with live music, Morris dancing, craft activities, beer and food stalls.

For more details of this and later events, see the website www.brixtonwindmill.org

Brockwell Park Greenhouses

Another live music event coming up at Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses:

Sunday 27 April at 6 pm, Hop Skotshne perform Klezmer tunes from eastern Europe.

Sunday 11 May – Spring Celebration:

1 pm to 4 pm, Bring your friends and family to enjoy spring-inspired food and drink, have a dance and enjoy music from the South East London Folk Orchestra, Raise the Roof Choir and more.  There will also be craft activities, plant trails and more ways to celebrate nature, all to help raise funds to continue educational work with local schools and volunteers.

For event details and bookings, see

https://www.brockwellgreenhouses.com/events

Black Culture Market

Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1^st June,

11 am to 5 pm each day, once again downstairs at the Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road, SW9 8FR. Free entry but please book in advance via www.blackculturemarket.co.uk

Art Events

Exhibition at Studio 73

Until Friday 19 April: The artwork and workshop of Priscilla Watkins and Jackie Clark, 2 pm to 6 m daily, at Studio 73 Gallery, Arch 18, Valentia Place, SW9 8PJ.

More details at https://lnkd.in/ecX-8un3

Brixton Blog & Bugle Art Show

The show is open to any artist – professional or self-taught – who is at least 16 years old and is based in or around Brixton.

You can submit up to TWO works. They must be no larger than 80 cm square and capable of being hung safely and securely on a wall.  This year, sculptures can also be accepted if no more than 60cm high, on a base no more than 25cm square. 

To enter, all you have to do is send up to three digital photos of each work to arts@brixtonblog.com    

Please entitle the email ‘Summer Art Show’ and include your name, address, contact number, social media, the title and a brief description of the work including its dimensions.  The closing date for entries is Monday 12 May.

All selected works will be exhibited in the Summer Art Show in the Brixton Tate Library between 30 June and 24 July 2024. The winner will be decided by a people’s vote.

Classes in Printing Techniques

Hausprint are offering more classes at their studios in Vincent’s Yard, 23 Alphabet Mews SW9 0FN (off Hillyard Street).

All enquiries to michelle@hausprint.studio

Jigsaw Woodcut course from Tuesday 22 April for 8 weeks.

Introduction to Etching, over 5 Wednesday evenings in May and June.

Monotype Study Day with water-washable inks, one Saturday in June.

Etching Year, 38 weekly sessions from Monday 8 September, 6 to 9 pm.

Art and Craft sessions at Art4Space

Lots of different sessions on offer at the moment, based at their studios in Jeffreys Road, SW4 6QU – for an overview, see their website, www.art4space.co.uk

Another weekly Creative Remedies season starts on Wednesday 30 April for 10 weeks, 10 am to 12-30 pm, creating a personal archive or shrine.  Enquiries to jewels@art4space.co.uk

Green issues

Next Dr Bike Visit

The next session to help cyclists with repairs and maintenance will take place between 12 noon and 3 pm on Wednesday 30 April on Windrush Square, in front of the Ritzy Cinema.

Help is free, provided by Cycle Confident with the support of Brixton BID.

Volunteer at Brixton Orchard

Make the most of the Spring season by helping look after the Brixton Orchard, on the corner of Brixton Hill and St. Matthew’s Road. Free volunteer sessions are held on Thursdays from 1 pm to 3 pm – so 17 and 24 April are next.

Brockwell Park News

Brockwell Hall progress:  There are rumours of a “soft” opening for the completed Hall complex around the end of April.  The new lease for the café has been awarded to Roots & Berries, who run the Rookery Café at Streatham Common.

Car Boot sales: the Friends of Brockwell Park will be holding these monthly on Summer Sunday mornings from 11 May to help raise funds for park initiatives, 9 am to 1 pm each day.  Other dates are 15 June, 13 July, 10 August and 14 September.

Natural Plant Dyes

Here’s a call-out for community gardens to take part in a large-scale dye-growing initiative across London.  The Remakery in Lilford Road has been working with Natural Dyes practitioner Zoe Burt to build capacity for natural dye research, to develop a hyperlocal textiles hub in London.  If you are involved with a community garden and interested in this, e-mail alice@remakery.org

Black Growth CIC

Back in September, Obi Pearl approached us for support in establishing a regular Black Farmer’s Market in Brixton Station Road. Now the team has re-launched as Black Growth CIC with a wider mission.  In addition to Obi and founder Natasha Pencil, the team now includes Larissa Brown and Michaela Crunkleton-Wilson.  More details can be found at https://nit.ly/3X2qx2W

Health and Social Care

Carers Hub Lambeth

A carer is someone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who has an illness, disability, mental health problem or addiction. Some caring roles are big, others small, but either way, the Hub is here to help.  If you live in Lambeth, or look after someone living in the borough, get in touch to find out more:

Website: www.carershub.org.uk

e-mail: connect@carershub.org.uk

Tel. (020) 7501 8970,

Based at 4^th floor, 336 Brixton Road, SW9 7AA

Healthwatch Lambeth

Healthwatch Lambeth is your health and social care champion.  They listen to what people like about services, and what could be improved. They share those views with NHS leaders and care providers to make change happen.

Their recent e-bulletin pointed out that April is both Stress Awareness Month and Autism Acceptance Month.

The Evening Sanctuary

This is a free out-of-hours service, providing short-term support for Lambeth residents experiencing a mental health crisis.

They offer a safe space for people going through a difficult time, someone to listen, and a few hours away from everything.

The Evening Sanctuary is open every night from 6 pm until midnight, at the Mosaic Clubhouse, 65 Effra Road SW2 1BZ, tel. (020) 7924 9657, e-mail: evening.sanctuary@mosaic-clubhouse.org web: mosaic-clubhouse.org/sanctuary

Other News

Walk This Way…

Lambeth Local History Forum recently published its programme of guided walks for the year ahead – over 120 in total!  Highlights on home ground coming up soon include:

Sunday 27 April, 2-30 pm: Stockwell Green, book via www.brixtonsociety.org.uk/events

Saturday 10 May, 2-30 pm: Brixton Market Heritage Walk, book as above.

Sunday 11 May, 1 pm, Brixton Hill, circular walk from Windmill Gardens, book via www.brixtonwindmill.org/visit/guided-walk

For an overview, see www.lambethlocalhistoryforum.org.uk or pick up a leaflet at a local library.

Just-Us Youth Space

Just-Us is open every Wednesday from 3 to 7 pm for young people between 14 and 24, at the Liberation Centre, Advocacy Academy 2 Beehive Place SW9 7QR.

There will be snacks, workshops, hot food, free spaces to hang out, listen to music or do homework.  Just-Us is a great first step for those who are angry about injustice to begin conversations, learning and organising.

Funding, Training & Support

Linking Community Groups

Lambeth Council convened a networking event for representatives of its many voluntary and community groups on Thursday 27 March.  This was well-attended by a wide range of organisations, with much interest in a repeat event.

In the past, there have been a variety of networks, forums and consultative groups, hosted by different departments.  Now there are moves to rationalise these and Lambeth has been reorganising its support staff into a single Community Partnerships Division. 

One outcome is that Lambeth has begun circulating an e-mail bulletin to known VCS groups with news of funding or training opportunities and upcoming policies and projects.

Grant Deadlines

The usual reminder about approaching deadlines for various grant schemes. These were first circulated by Integrate, so contact eoin.heffernan@integrateagency.co.uk

if you missed them.

London Marathon Group’s Active Spaces Fund offers grants up to £80,000 to improve sports facilities and encourage activities. Expressions of interest can be sent at any time.

Barchester’s Charitable Foundation, grants up to £2,500 to combat isolation among the elderly or disabled (ongoing).

Laptops and Smart Phones

Clear Community Web continue to run advice sessions around the borough for setting up or trouble-shooting your laptop, tablet or mobile phone.  For the current timetable, please see www.clearcommunityweb.co.uk/lambeth

They also offer an On-line Services drop-in on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the month, 11 am to 1 pm at Stockwell Park Community Trust, 21 Aytoun Place, SW9 0TE.

The next General Meeting of the Forum will be on Thursday 28 November from 7 pmat the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road, SW2 1EP (entrance faces Windrush Square). 

The main topic will be our Neighbourhood Plan.  We need to finalise the boundaries, to include the Town Centre and nearby sites at risk of unsuitable development.  If we can also pick up ideas or priorities to include in the Plan, that would be great, but there will be more time for that once we can get the go-ahead from Lambeth Council.

To take this forward we need to update our list of individual members, whether living or working in the area we want the Plan to cover. You can sign up on the night, or contact the Forum Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com

Brixton by Night – Survey
You just have 2 weeks to respond to a survey of residents’ views.  Brixton’s Night-time economy has been a regular source of complaints at our meetings for several years.  The Council has been keen to encourage entertainment uses to make up for dwindling retail trade, but has failed to understand the problems it brings for residents in and around the town Centre.  Tell them what you think at:
https://haveyoursay.lambeth.gov.uk/en-GB/folders/night-time-strategy

 More Events coming up

Brixton Windmill Winter Market
The Winter Market returns to Windmill Gardens on Sunday 8^th December, 12 noon to 3-30 pm.  Stalls with locally made crafts and gifts, plus live music, hot food, mulled wine and beer. Once again, the ground floor of the windmill will be transformed into Santa’s Grotto.  There’s also festive wreath-making workshops at 12-30 and 2 pm – please book via www.brixtonwindmill.org
 
Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses
Two live music events coming up at Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses:
Sunday 24 November at 2 pm, the Iyatra Quartet return, with selections from their new album, Wild Green.
Sunday 1^st December at 5 pm, Alice Boyd launches her second EP, Cloud Walking.
Christmas wreath-making workshops will take place on 4 dates: Saturday 30 November, Sunday 1^st, Saturday 7^th and Sunday 8^th December.
For details and bookings, see  https://www.brockwellgreenhouses.com/events  
 
Brixton House Theatre Events
Alice in Wonderland – their award-winning show returns for the Christmas season, from 21 November until 4^th January.  The original story gets a modern Brixton interpretation but the fantasy remains!
For booking details and other events, see https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/whats-on/
 
Crafts Fair & Vintage Pop-up Sale
Saturday 30 November, 1 pm to 6 pm at St. Vincent’s, Talma Road SW2 1AS.  Start your Christmas shopping and enjoy a cake or two! Children’s art and craft activities on site too.
Enquiries to janedr@svp.org.uk
 
Loughborough Farm Winter Market
Saturday 7^th December, from 12 noon to 5 pm around the Platform Café at the south end of Loughborough Road. More details at https://www.loughboroughfarm.org
Organised by Loughborough Farm and LJAG.
 
Black Culture Market at Christmas
Saturday 7^th and Sunday 8^th December, 
11 am to 5 pm each day, once again downstairs at the Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road, SW9 8FR. Free entry but please book in advance via www.blackculturemarket.co.uk
 
Shows at Longfield Hall
Friday 22 November at 5-30 pm, tickets £6:
The Giant who slept for ten thousand years: a puppet show for children aged 3+, running time 35 minutes.
Saturday 30 November, 8 pm to 10-30, cash donation at the door, Figgy Pudding – an evening of music from the Lo Fi Workshop.
Saturday 7^th December, 7 pm to 9 pm with interval: Mind the Gap, an evening of improvised solo performances including music and dance. Tickets £10 or £15.
For bookings and enquiries, see the website, https://longfieldhall.org.uk
 
Kwanzaa Rising
Saturday 21 December in Myatt’s Fields Park – a new festive event, more details next month or contact enquiries@myattsfieldspark.info

Green issues

Next Dr Bike Visit
The next session to help cyclists with repairs and maintenance will take place between 12 noon and 3 pm on Wednesday 27 November on Atlantic Road, outside Brixton Wholefoods.   Help is free, provided by Cycle Confident with the support of Brixton BID.
 
Brockwell Park Planting
Saturday 7^th December: 11 am to 1-30 pm will be the next planting session in the Biodiversity Area (enter from Brixton Water Lane gate and up the slope towards the BMX track).  So far, 1300 new plants have been added by a total of 26 volunteers.  If you can come and lend a hand (tools and gloves provided) contact volunteer@brockwellpark.co.uk
 
Natural Plant Dyes
Two upcoming events on this theme at the South London Botanical Institute, 323 Norwood Road, SE24 (near the Tulse Hill Hotel). Enquiries to info@slbi.org.uk
Thursday 21 November at 7 pm, a talk on natural plant dyes, their global history and present practice.
Saturday 30 November, 10 am to 1 pm, a hands-on workshop to learn the history and practice of dyeing with madder roots.

 Health and Social Care

Join a review of 111 phone service
South-East London Integrated Care Board is inviting people to join a review of its 111 service, due for renewal in March 2026. In particular, they are seeking two public/ patient representatives to take part in the review and selection process, with a (paid) commitment of 2 hours a month.
Deadline for applications is 22 November, and for more details contact SEL111@seldonics.nhs.uk
 
Mental Health First Aid Course
Art4Space is hosting another Adult course in Mental Health First Aid on 5^th & 6^thDecember, at their studios in Jeffreys Road, SW4.  Courses are run by It’s a Playground, but for booking details see www.art4space.co.uk  
 
Family Hubs Workshop
Lambeth is holding a series of workshops to shape the borough’s offer to children, young people and their families.  The Brixton session is on Monday 18 November at the Karibu Centre in Gresham Road, from 2 pm to 3-30. Please register at familyhub@lambeth.gov.uk

Weight management and Wellbeing Programme for Latin American Communities free programme delivered for Spanish speaking Lambeth residents Ferndale Community Centre, SW9 8BP starting in November.

Ecosystem Coldharbour Community Coffee Morning
Join us at the Baytree Centre as we hold this important conversation on Mental Health among our young people. Tuesday 19^th November, 10am to 12noon at The Baytree Centre, Brixton Road, SW9 6AE. It is also a great networking environment. Sign up here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-coffee-morning-tickets-415829857297

Black Women’s Health event
The Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) and African Advocacy Foundation (AAF) are excited to invite you to our maiden joint event supporting Black African and Caribbean women’s sexual and reproductive health in Lambeth for Lambeth residents. This event is part of a project commissioned by Lambeth Council. 12.00 – 4pm Saturday, 23rd November 2024 at St Mark’s Church, Kennington (opposite Oval tube station) 337 Kennington Park Road, Lambeth, SE11 4PW       Registration: Click here 
There will be: Good healthy cultural African & Caribbean food, African & Caribbean music by amazing DJ, Free health checks and health screening, Meet and connect with your local health services, Free fun activities for all ages (face painting for children), Free raffle and prizes to be won, Connect with like-minded individuals, community leaders, and advocates dedicated to making a difference in Lambeth. Don’t miss it! We look forward to seeing you!

Homestart Lambeth’s Cut Fuel Costs workshop
Location: Max Roach Wiltshire Rd, London SW9 7NE
Home-Start Lambeth will be running an energy saving workshop 10.30-11.30am, Thursday 28^th November, as a one off special for our Little Legends toddler group. 
Families with children under 5 are welcome to attend. The workshop will cover: tips, advice and information on how to reduce families’ bills and save energy, ways to tackle mould and condensation,  
discussion of the priority service register and how to access emergency fuel voucher free carbon monoxide alarms! 
There will be activities for children taking place while the workshop is running.
No need to register in advance, just turn up on the day!

Other News

Around the High Street

Christmas Lights return!  After 2 years without Christmas lights in our Town Centre, the Brixton BID has worked with local architects Squire & Partners and specialist company Blachere to fill the gap. At least 48 bespoke lights should go up shortly.  Their designs are based on recycled plastic bottles.

It has now been confirmed that Marks & Spenser will re-open, just as a food hall, on Wednesday 20 November.  Around the same time, they are opening a clothing-only store at Battersea Power Station.

We hear that the disused underground toilets on Windrush Square are once again being offered to let by Lambeth Council.  They are suggesting bar, café, gallery or workspace uses as acceptable. A similar offer several years ago petered out because the Council lost interest after wasting several bidders’ time.

A planning application has finally been made to regularise use of the rooftop car park above Sports Direct in Popes Road for bars and food stalls. Licensing approval has already been granted.
 
Shakespeare and Lambeth
An exhibition in the Olive Morris Room at Lambeth Archives on Brixton Hill marks the return of 3 “Folio” editions of Shakespeare’s works from the British Library.  It highlights performances in the 18^th and 19^th centuries at various sites mainly at the north end of the borough.  It has been extended until Friday 6 December, during normal opening hours.
 
Classes in Printing Techniques
Hausprint have several courses lined up for the New Year in techniques such as etching, monoprint, drypoint and aquatint.
Hausprint Studio is at Vincent’s Yard, 23 Alphabet Mews (off Hillyard Street) SW9 0FN. Enquiries to michelle@hausprint.studio

Funding, Training & Support

Grant Deadlines
The usual reminder about approaching deadlines for various grant schemes. These were first circulated by Integrate, so contact eoin.heffernan@integrateagency.co.uk
if you missed them.

Cory Community Fund, grants up to £7,500 for local community impact, deadline 29 November.
Ironmongers’ grants to charities fund: for registered charities working with disadvantaged children, up to £10,000, deadline 15 December.
Matthew Good Foundation: Grants for Good
Fund will share £15,000 between 5 projects every 3 months (for projects with annual turnover below £50,000).  Next deadline is 15 December.
Future Workspace Fund from Lambeth Council, mainly loan funding to support provision of workspace for small or specialist enterprises.  Deadline Monday 16 December.
Your Station, Your Community Improvement Fund 2025/26: open grants up to £10,000, or more for selected types of projects.  Deadline 18 December.
UnLtd funding for social enterprise: There are two streams: up to £18,000 to help social enterprises grow, or up to £8,000 to help new enterprises get going. Deadline 31 December.
London Marathon Group’s Active Spaces Fund offers grants up to £80,000 to improve sports facilities and encourage activities. Expressions of interest can be sent at any time.
Energy Resilience Fund to help charities and social enterprises install energy-saving measures or buy more environmentally friendly vehicles or equipment. Typically 40% grant and 60% loan – apply now.
Barchester’s Charitable Foundation, grants up to £2,500 to combat isolation among the elderly or disabled (ongoing).
 
We also heard about these from Locality but you will have to follow up via a Google search:
Help the Homeless, grants up to £5,000, closes15 December.
The Hedley Foundation, grants up to £5,000 for smaller charities supporting disadvantaged people and their carers.  Closes 17 December.
Thomas Wall Trust, grants up to £5,000 for established charities helping disadvantaged adults into employment. Closes 6 January.
 
Support for Voluntary Groups
Lambeth Council has given up on tendering for an expanded programme of support for voluntary and community groups, due to funding pressures.  Instead, Integrate will continue to provide support at existing levels until July next year.

We mentioned last time that free capacity-building support is still available from the Lambeth Community Hubs Network.  Help is usually provided on a one-to-one basis, tailored to the needs of your group.  Enquiries to info@lambethhubs.com

Directory of Social Change has renewed its offer of support for smaller charities at reduced rates. They have a series of bite-size on-line learning sessions taking place between 21 November and 4 December, for £35 each.  There will also be some free resources for London-based small charities in the New Year. In the meantime, there is an archive of blogs and advice notes available. More details on their website at www.dsc.org.uk
 
Help with Laptops and Smart Phones
Clear Community Web continue to run advice sessions around the borough for setting up or trouble-shooting your laptop, tablet or mobile phone.  For the current timetable, please see www.clearcommunityweb.co.uk/lambeth
They also offer an On-line Services drop-in on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the month, 11 am to 1 pm at Stockwell Park Community Trust, 21 Aytoun Place, SW9 0TE.

Keep in Touch
We want to be inclusive and ensure that these bulletins reach all community organisations, social enterprises and activists in the wider Brixton area.  Please contact us at admin@brixtonneighbourhoodforum.org

• If you want to be added to our mailing list, or to add a colleague or neighbour.
• 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.

Your Forum Bulletins
If you are doing something around the Brixton area – an event, a new service, or making changes in what you already do – you are welcome to use these bulletins to tell other Forum members. That’s well over 550 on our current list, normally issued via MailChimp.  If need be, we can supply it as a Word file or even paper copies.
We aim to circulate around the 10^th of each month, but that can slip because we work on a very part-time basis. Send items to the Forum Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com by the 3^rd of the month.

Next meeting – 28 November
The next General Meeting of the Forum will be on Thursday 28 November from 7pm at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road, SW2 1EP (entrance faces Windrush Square). 
The main topic will be our Neighbourhood Plan.  We have had a couple of meetings with Ros Griffiths of Friends of Windrush Square, as well as sounding out other interested groups about boundaries and priorities.  More details in next month’s bulletin.

Brixton by Night – Survey
Brixton’s Night-time economy has been a regular source of complaints at our meetings for several years.  The Council has been keen to encourage entertainment uses to make up for dwindling retail trade, but has failed to understand the problems it brings for residents in and around the town Centre.  Consultations so far have been limited to business interests, but at last we hear of a current survey of residents’ views.  Tell them what you think at: https://haveyoursay.lambeth.gov.uk/en-GB/folders/night-time-strategy

More Events coming up

Brockwell Park Greenhouses
Two upcoming events at Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses:
Sunday 20 October at 6 pm, the Iyatra Quartet appear as part of the Herne Hill Music Festival.
Sunday 27 October, 12 to 3 pm is Harvest Festival to celebrate the food grown on site.
Includes garden trails, kids activities, food, live music and some distinctive cocktails.
For details and bookings, see https://www.brockwellgreenhouses.com/events

Remembrance on Windrush Square
Agreement has been reached that this year there will be a single Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the African & Caribbean War Memorial, at 2pm on 10 November.  This enables service veterans to attend the morning commemoration at the Cenotaph, Whitehall.  

Apple Day in Wyck Gardens
Sunday 20 October, from 12 noon to 5 pm at Wyck Forest Garden, live music, gardening advice and kids activities. Organised by Loughborough Farm.

Brixton House Theatre Events
Some highlights from their listings – find much more at https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/whats-on/

Change Tempo: braiding my way home, part of Dance Umbrella Festival 2024, blurring the lines between dance and visual art. Thursday 24 and Friday 25 October, suitable for all ages.

Free half-term activities, Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 October, 11 am to 3 pm: drop-in creative workshops for local families of all ages, combining singing, dancing and making.

Tones – a Hip-Hop Opera, 4-9 November, for ages 15+.

Events at Brixton Windmill
Milling and Baking Day, Sunday 20 October, 10-30 am to 4 pm – hands-on experience of the whole process from grain to loaf: book at www.brixtonwindmill.org
 
Winter Market returns to Windmill Gardens on Sunday 8th December.  This is a callout for more stall-holders, particularly for locally made crafts and gifts – enquiries to info@brixtonwindmill.org

New Art Show at 198 Gallery
Slippage: the Caribbean in Flux is the latest show at 198 Contemporary Arts & Learning. It showcases work in a variety of media by four artists born in the West Indies. It runs from 11 October to 15 December – open Wednesday to Sunday 10 – 5 pm (from 11 am at weekends).  198 Gallery is at the corner of Railton Road and Hurst Street, SE24 0JT.

Moonlight Echoes, Longfield Hall
Saturday 2nd November at 7 pm, tickets £10 or £15: a concert of art music by Black composers, duration one and a half hours with interval.  Presented by DeClassical Studio, tickets from www.declassical.com

Craft Activities at Art4Space
Lots going on at their Jeffreys Road Studios but here’s a few free highlights.  See much more at www.art4space.co.uk

Make and Mend Workshops are free on Thursday evenings (and the odd Saturday) but there are only 10 places each time, and some are already fully booked.

After-School Art Club for children is also free on Thursdays, 3-30 to 5 pmuntil 12 December (closed on 31 October).  Parents/carers are welcome to stay too.

Crafternoon, Fridays 2-30 to 5-30 pm on
18 October, 15 November, 13 December, all ages welcome – and if you get the bug, you might want to pay for regular craft sessions!


Health and Social Care

SEND Youth Group starting up
St. Vincent’s Centre in Talma Road SW2 will be hosting sessions for young people 11-18 with special educational needs or disabilities after the October half-term.  Sessions will run on Saturday mornings 10 am to 11 am from 9th November.  Enquiries to LeanneT@svp.org.uk
Other Saturday activities for young people are continuing as before.

Boxing Fitness for Adults with
Type 2 Diabetes
Organised by Champions for Change at the Marcus Lipton Centre, Minet Road SW9 7UH. Monday evenings from 6 pm to 7 pm.
Enquiries to support@c4cwb.org.uk

New Yoga Class at Stockwell
Taster sessions are being run on Tuesdays, 15 & 22 October, 1 pm to 2 pm at the Old Laundry, 20 Eastcote Street SW9 9BY (in the western part of the Stockwell Gardens Estate).
This is for Hatha Yoga, a gentle form suitable for older adults or those with back problems.

Shamha Drumming for Wellbeing
A reminder that sessions are continuing at the Stockwell Park Community Trust, 21 Aytoun Place, SW9 0TE, every Friday from 5 to 7 pm.
These free sessions of communal music-making combine physical exercise with relief from stress.  See also www.thetrust.org.uk

Empowered Mind Services
Let’s get together:
Join us for Connect Collaborate and Grow- Mind Body and Soul, Wednesday 30 October 2024 at 6:30 pm.  At Clovers Brixton, 58 Atlantic Rd, London SW9 8PY
Register on Eventbrite soon as spaces are limited.https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/connect-collaborate-and-grow-mind-body-and-soul-tickets-1036824569197?

Green Issues

Next Dr Bike Visit
The next session to help cyclists with repairs and maintenance will take place between 12 noon and 3 pm on Wednesday 30 October on Canterbury Square in front of Brixton Police Station.  Help is free, provided by Cycle Confident with the support of Brixton BID.

Lambeth Climate Partnership
The Partnership was set up between Lambeth Council and a few major institutions when the Council launched its Climate Action Plan. Now other local organisations and businesses are being invited to join, with a view to sharing best practice and collaborating on innovations.
To find out more, see https://lambethclimatepartnership.org/get-involved/businesses-and-organisations

Other News

New Heart for Brockwell Park
Lots of interest at our last Forum meeting in the renovation of Brockwell Hall as a meetings venue.  It’s likely that we will join Brockwell Park Community Partners to network with other groups interested in the park.

Around Brixton Rec.
The new premises of Photofusion and the Advocacy Academy in Beehive Place were officially launched on Monday 30 September in the presence of Helen Hayes MP, Jules Pipe, London’s Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, and Lambeth’s own mayor, Councillor John-Paul Ennis.

We Rise score a success
Since 2017, We Rise has helped over 1500 young people get work experience and pointers towards creative careers, partnering with over 80 companies. Three of their young people – Skye, Sia and Regina – won the Young Londoners Prize for their idea for a Youth-led Empowerment Network that re-imagines London’s unloved and neglected spaces.  They gave a presentation on this to the London Real Estate Forum last month. Enquiries about this and upcoming activities to hello@werise.org.uk

Meanwhile, on the High Street
People have been speculating about when Marks & Spenser will re-open, though it will only be for food sales in future.  Next door, the proposed blood donor centre is going ahead in part of the ground floor of the old Bon Marche building. In Atlantic Road, Other Side Fried is closing but its operators intend to re-open it as a Buster’s Hamburger Bar.
Many rumours recently about the sale of the two major market arcades – Brixton Village and Market Row – by Hondo, but the Popes Road site (once Tesco) does not seem to be involved.

Funding, Training & Support

Grant Deadlines
The usual reminder about approaching deadlines for various grant schemes. These first few were first circulated by Integrate, so contact eoin.heffernan@integrateagency.co.uk if you missed them.

Lambeth’s Winter of Food & Fun to support Christmas holiday projects for children 4-16, deadline 14 October.

Ecosystem Coldharbour capacity-building micro-grants of up to £5,000 per project, this round also closes Monday 14 October – see www.ecosystemcoldharbour.org

Lambeth Community Fund offers up to £20,000 over 2 years, deadline noon 16 October.

BBC Children in Need offers up to £15,000 a year for up to 3 years, deadline for expressions of interest 16 October.

Cicely Northcote Trust offers up to £5,000 grants over up to 3 years for projects dealing with isolation in any age group: deadline Friday 25 October.

Cory Community Fund, grants up to £7,500 for local community impact, deadline 29 November.

We also heard about these from Locality but you will have to follow up via a Google search:

Community Garden Grants from the National Garden Scheme offers up to £5,000 towards community gardens, deadline 28 October.
 
Triangle Trust offers up to £80,000 over 2 years for projects aiming to keep young women out of the criminal justice system.
Deadline 30 October.

Help the Homeless, grants up to £5,000, closes15 December.

Support for Voluntary Groups
In our last two issues, we mentioned Getting On Board offering support to trustees and management committees of small charities. Sadly, we heard this week that they are closing due to difficulty in attracting enough funding.  For the time being, FAQs and signposting to other resources can still be found on their website at https://gettingonboard.org
But don’t despair – free capacity-building support is still available from the Lambeth Community Hubs Network.  Help is usually provided on a one-to-one basis, tailored to the needs of your group.  Enquiries to info@lambethhubs.com

Help with Laptops and Smart Phones
Clear Community Web continue to run advice sessions around the borough for setting up or trouble-shooting your laptop, tablet or mobile phone. Current sites for regular sessions are:

Mondays 2 to 4 pm at West Norwood Library, Norwood High Street, SE27 9JX.

Tuesdays 2 to 4 pm at the Old Laundry, 20 Eastcote Street (western part of Stockwell Gardens Estate) SW9 9BY.

Fridays 10 am to 12 noon at Upper Norwood Library, Westow Hill, SE19 1TQ.

They also offer an On-line Services drop-in on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, 11 am to 1 pm at Stockwell Park Community Trust, 21 Aytoun Place, SW9 0TE.

Linking Local Businesses
Brixton’s Business Improvement District (BID) is based on firms paying a small extra percentage on their business rates to finance the BID activities.  However, Brixton has many other firms whose rates are too low to be contributors, or which are non-payers because they work from shared workspace or from home.
Brixton BID has just launched a Business Club scheme for firms below the levy threshold. This offers access to BID benefits for £200 pa upwards, depending on the rateable value. Enquiries to admin@brixtonbid.co.uk

Linking Creative Businesses
Born or Made in Brixton was founded by Elle Moss as a network for creative businesses to link up for mutual support and referrals. Members get together in person every 2 weeks – see www.bornormade.com
Now there’s also a group for those working in Herne Hill or Loughborough Junction, meeting at the Carnegie Library Hub.

Your Forum Bulletins
If you are doing something around the Brixton area – an event, a new service, or making changes in what you already do – you are welcome to use these bulletins to tell other Forum members. That’s well over 550 on our current list, normally issued via MailChimp.  If need be, we can supply it as a Word file or even paper copies.
We aim to circulate around the 10th of each month, but that can slip because we work on a very part-time basis. Send items to the Forum Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com by the 3rd of the month.
Keep in Touch
We want to be inclusive and ensure that these bulletins reach all community organisations, social enterprises and activists in the wider Brixton area.  Please contact us at admin@brixtonneighbourhoodforum.org

• If you want to be added to our mailing list, or to add a colleague or neighbour.
• 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.

26 September Meeting

You are invited to the next General Meeting of the Forum on Thursday 26 September, 7 pm at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road, SW2 1EP (entrance faces Windrush Square). 

The main agenda items will be:

• Brockwell Park update, notably progress on restoring Brockwell Hall as a meeting place, expected to be in use from next Spring.
• North Brixton Big Local Partnership: a presentation on this local fund for community projects.

Making Plans for Brixton

We are continuing to explore developing a Neighbourhood Plan for Brixton, to reflect local preferences and needs.  The challenge is that the Town Centre sits at the junction of 4 Council wards, but we must take in a wide enough area to address issues like anti-social behaviour and the night-time economy.  We are keen to hear from grass-roots groups and residents in the next month or so, before we finally decide on the area to propose. We hope this will be sorted in time for the Forum meeting on Thursday 28 November (venue as above).  Enquiries or suggestions in the meantime to Alan Piper, Forum Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com

Brixton Bus Changes

Transport for London is consulting on changes to bus routes 45, 59 and 118 that run through Brixton.  Southbound bus 59 would turn off Brixton Hill to finish at Atkins Road instead of at Brixton Bus Garage (Telford Avenue). Bus 45 would be extended southwards to replace route 118 via Streatham Vale to finish at Morden, but northward it would only run to Camberwell Green, instead of the Elephant & Castle. Bus 118 would no longer run.

This proposal is open for comments until Sunday 13 October at: haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk or you can find more details and an on-line survey form at https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/45-59-118-proposals

Lambeth Heritage Festival

Lots going on this month – for the whole programme, see bit.ly/FestProg2024
Note that some events need prior booking.

In addition, several local sites are opening on either 14/15 or 21/22 September weekends as part of London Open House: for details see: https://programme.openhouse.org.uk

However, please note that the reading room at the BlackCultural Archiveswill be closed until Thursday 3^rd October during stocktaking.

Coming Events

Regular activities are starting up again all around Brixton – here’s a selection including some just beyond our core area, but still in easy reach…

Coming up at Brixton House Theatre
There’s more going on than we knew – too much to list everything, so please check out the full package at https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/whats-on/

Housemates Festival 24 September to 12 October – back for its third year with a mix of dance, theatre and comedy.
In the theatre, How I learned to swim is running until 14 September (age 12+).
Later comes Tones – a Hip-Hop Opera from 4 to 9 November (age 15+).

There will also be one-off shows and dance festivals, together with community events. Also look out for free family activities on 29-30 October to coincide with half-term.

Do you like singing? Join Brixton House Community Choir where you can learn to sing different musical styles, with opportunities to perform through the year.  Sessions run on Mondays 7 pm to 9 pm between 7 October and 16 December.

Events at Brixton Windmill

Harvest Festival takes place on Sunday 29 September, from 1 pm to 5 pm, including milling demonstrations, live music, morris dancing, and a series of family-friendly workshops.  Food stalls and beer from the Brixton Brewery.

Regular activities at the Windmill Centre include Tai Chi (for over 50s), gardening workshops with Urban Canopy, Pilates, Yoga, and a wellbeing club for people over 55. For all events, please see the website for details and booking, www.brixtonwindmill.org

Drumming for Wellbeing
Shamha Vibration have restarted their Friday evening drumming sessions at the Stockwell Park Community Trust Centre, 21 Aytoun Place SW9 0TE.  Sessions are free with the drums provided. and run from 5 to 7 pm until December.  More details at www.shamhavibration.org

Activities at St. Vincent’s, Brixton
Their Autumn schedule is filling up, with a few new activities to be added.
You are You sessions start again in the week from 16 September, but with only 6 Hip-Hop classes this term.  Sign up for arts and cooking, drama or hip-hop at https://forms.office.com/e/iYVgsdSw8n

They are collaborating with Roots for Change to deliver some ESOL classes on Friday mornings from 4^th October – please sign up via https://forms.gle/ZjMS8aufLGGCuXBh8
Plans are being finalised for regular Sewing Bee classes, though there is likely to be a fee of £5 per session – check the website for latest news, https://www.svp.org.uk/st-vincents-brixton
All activities based at St. Vincent’s Brixton Community Centre, Talma Road SW2 1AS.   Enquiries to Leanne Twidale, e-mail to LeanneT@svp.org.uk or text to 07 960 445 930. 

Longfield Hall

On the opposite side of Brixton, Longfield Hall also has activities restarting this month. For full details see their website, https://longfieldhall.org.uk

That includes Sunday drama classes for young people between 6 and 16.
Age 6-8 runs 10 am to 11-30 am.
Age 9-11 runs 12 to 1-30 pm,
Age 12-16 runs 2-30 to 4 pm
To book a place, call 07 988 629 697 or e-mail youthmanager@longfieldhall.org.uk

Exhibition at the Van Gogh House
The latest exhibition at Hackford Road SW9 is Cycles which will run from 18 September until 15 December, open 5 days a week and overlapping with the Van Gogh exhibition at the National Gallery.  Group tours available for up to 10 people.  For more details see their website www.vangoghhouse.co.uk

Black Culture Market
Their Autumn event is once again Downstairs at the Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road SW9 on Saturday and Sunday 5 & 6 October, open 11 am to 5 pm each day.  Support Black-owned businesses and makers in Brixton. Admission free but please book in advance via the website, www.blackculturemarket.co.uk
If you want to trade at these events, please e-mail to hello@blackculturemarket.co.uk

Get Creative at Art4Space
So much in their latest programme that we can only highlight a few activities.  Once again there will be a Creative Enterprise series on Tuesday mornings, for people interested in setting up their own craft-based business. For young people (16-30) the Creative Pathways Art Course will run on Wednesday afternoons from 25 September.
For younger participants, a free after-school art club will run on Thursdays, 3-30 to 5 pm.
For adults, there’s a variety of free make and mend workshops on Thursday evenings (and odd Saturday afternoons) – details on their website, www.art4space,co.uk

Please book in advance due to limited space. All sessions at 31 Jeffreys Road, SW4 6QU.

Health and Social Care

Feeding into Local Health Services

Lambeth Together holds a Public Forum from time to time, typically quarterly.  This provides an opportunity for local communities to meet decision-makers, ask questions and raise issues with the leaders of Lambeth’s health and care services.  The open session is followed by the Board meeting between 2 pm and 5 pm, which the public can attend in person or on-line.  For more details including upcoming board papers, see www.lambethtogether.net/get-involved

Healthwatch Lambeth is the organisation which can support patients and carers who have issues or complaints about local health services.  They channel your feedback to NHS leaders and care providers to make changes happen.  Enquiries to: info@healthwatchlambeth.org.uk

Mental Health First Aid
Art4Space are again hosting a few training sessions at their studios at 31 Jeffreys Road SW4 6QU.  Sessions are led by It’s a Playground but please book via www.art4space.co.uk

3 & 4 October – Youth Mental Health;
15 November – half-day refresher;
5 & 6 December – Adult Mental Health.

Green spaces, Green issues

Bat Walk at Brixton Windmill
Wednesday 18 September at 7-25 pm.
A free walk in Windmill Gardens, led by Dr Iain Boulton – bat detectors provided but please book in advance at https://www.brixtonwindmill.org/events/free-bat-walk-with-dr-iain-boulton-3/

Events at Brockwell Park

Community Greenhouses
Just a taster – there’s more on their website at https://www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk/events

Our Garden in the City – Sunday morning creative writing workshop with Tracey Hammett, Sunday 22 September, 10 am to 12 noon.
Introduction to Green Woodwork – from log to spoon, Friday 27 September, 12-30 to 4-30 pm.
Fermentation Workshop, Sunday 29 September, 12-30 pm in the Barn.

Myatt’s Fields Park

Ekabo! Is the Park’s own version of Harvest Festival, on Saturday 28 September from 2 pm to 6 pm.  Includes a Carnival Parade delivered by the children and young people of Loughborough Community Centre at Max Roach Park, supported by Sunshine International Arts and a steel band. Plus stalls, games, a produce sale, live music and other activities in the park.
enquiries@myattsfieldspark.info

Car-free Day on Atlantic Road
The Brixton BID and Lambeth Council’s Big Shift team are organising a car-free day on Atlantic Road on Saturday 21 September.
This covers the section between Kellett Road and Coldharbour Lane only, where through traffic has already been reduced by the Railton Road Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

On Your Bike
Brixton BID continues to sponsor monthly sessions by Dr Bike mechanics for cycle safety checks and essential maintenance.
The next will be on Wednesday 25 September, 12 to 3 pm outside Halfords on Effra Road, SW2.

Funding, Training & Support

Running a Charity?
If your organisation is a registered charity, or aspires to be, support is available for your board members, trustees or management committee members.  Getting On Board runs a Trustee Learning Programme, mainly as free or subsidised on-line sessions.  Find out more at https://www.gettingonboard.org

Grant deadlines approaching
Once again, a reminder of grant schemes already notified by Integrate – if you missed the original alerts, contact them at: eoin.heffernan@integrateagency.co.uk

Scurrah Wainwright Charity – grants between £1,000 and £5,000, closing date 14 September.

Fat Beehive Foundation – grants up to £2500 to help smaller charities with websites and other digital services, closing date Friday 27 September.

Lambeth Community Fund – grants of up to £20,000 to address specific local needs, closing date 16 October.

Training Opportunities

Cyber Security Course: Integrate recently shared details of an 8-week course for Lambeth residents over 50, starting on Monday 23 September.  This involves one 90- minute on-line session each week, plus 2 hours a week for study.  Bookings close on Friday 20 September.

Brixton BID continues to offer free training courses, which social enterprises and small businesses within the BID area should be able to join.  Next up are:

• Mental Health First Aid (level 2) Tuesday 24 September, 10 to 4 pm.
• Conflict Management (level 2), Thursday 31 October, 10 am to 4 pm.
• Emergency First Aid (level 3), Monday 11 November, 10 am to 4 pm.

These 3 sessions will all be at International House.  Enquiries to admin@brixtonbid.co.uk

Free Property Advice for Businesses
The Brixton BID has also shared details of a scheme offered by the London Business Partnership, to provide free advice in a field where many smaller businesses fail.  Leases, business rates, regulations, energy costs and finance will be covered in an 18-month programme, including free access to expert advisers.
To register your interest, please e-mail to info@londonbp.co.uk

Your Forum Bulletins
Get your name out there!  If you are doing something around the Brixton area – an event, a new service, or making changes in what you already do – you are welcome to use these bulletins to tell (550+) other Forum members.  We aim to circulate around the 10^th of each month, but please allow us a week to put it together, because we work on a very part-time basis.
So, send items to the Forum Secretary at apiperbrix@aol.com by the 3^rd of the month. Sorry, but due to a surge of entries this month, we have not been able to list as many events as we would wish.

Keep in Touch

We want to be inclusive and ensure that these bulletins reach all community organisations, social enterprises and activists in the wider Brixton area.  Please contact us at admin@brixtonneighbourhoodforum.org

• If you want to be added to our mailing list, or to add a colleague or neighbour.
• If you want these bulletins sent to a different e-mail address, so that you see them more quickly or reliably.
• To unsubscribe, if you have moved away or are no longer interested.

It’s that time of year when some have simply shut down for the summer, while others are busy trying to keep kids entertained through the school holidays – whether their own or somebody else’s. Please scroll further down the page for a summary of what’s on offer for them locally. Meanwhile, we can give you early warning of what’s coming up in the next month or two.

Autumn Meetings

The next two General Meetings of the Forum have been booked for Thursdays 26 September and 28 November.

Both starting from 7 pm at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road, SW2 1EP (entrance faces Windrush Square).

More details following next month, but the September meeting will focus on our Open Spaces while the main topic for November will be our Neighbourhood Plan.

Making Plans for Brixton

We will be following up shortly to build support for making plans that suit our community, rather than for developers to profit.

In the meantime, let’s remind you that the closing date for comments about the Tesco and Curry’s sites is 13 August.

The extended deadline for comments on school mergers and closures is 18 August – send to pppconsultation@lambeth.gov.uk

Lambeth Heritage Festival

The Festival runs through the month of September, with a record number of events spread around the borough. Pick up a programme at any Lambeth library, or see bit.ly/FestProg2024

Heritage does not have to be ancient, so it was good to see memories being collected at the Brixton Recreation Centre last Saturday. After all, the Rec has been open for nearly 40 years as well as the long process of design and build reaching back to 1971. This is part of a project led by Team GJC – for more details see www.revisitingbrixtonrec.org.uk

In addition to Heritage Festival events, there will also be opportunities to visit various local buildings over the weekends 14/15 and 21/22 September as part of London Open House – see the website https://programme.openhouse.org.uk

Other Coming Events

Art Shows

The latest exhibition at Lambeth Archives showcases the work of 4 African Women artists, in the Olive Morris Room at 16 Brixton Hill, SW2 1ET. Open during archives hours (closed Wednesdays and Sundays) until Saturday 31 August.

The Nature of Change is the theme of a joint exhibition at Photofusion and 198 Gallery.

It shows artwork from the Step Up programme of creative courses run for Lambeth residents. 10-week courses have been run 3 times a year in each location, and some 300 learners have passed through since 2019.

Displays at Photofusion continue until 18 September, now at 2 Beehive Place, SW9 7QR. Displays continue until 19 September at 198 Railton Road SE24 0JT.

Community Connections, 18 August

Myatt’s Fields Park on Sunday between 1 pm and 4 pm, meet with organisations supported by the Lambeth Community Connections Funds and other local services – plus live music and craft activities for the kids!

Creative Courses

Here’s two of the courses being run by Art4Space at their Creative Learning Hub, 31 Jeffreys Road SW4 6QU:

Creative Enterprise is aimed at people interested in setting up their own art-based business, and will run on Tuesdays 10 am to 12-30 from 17 September to 26 November.

Creative Remedies is for people who need a well-being boost, covering tapestry, painting and collage, running on Wednesdays from 10 am to 12-30, starting from 18 September to 27 November.

Enquiries to jewels@art4space.co.uk

Hausprint is at Vincent’s Yard, 23 Alphabet Mews (off Hillyard Street) SW9 0FN. They are starting a 40-week Etching course on Monday evenings (6-9 pm) in September. Enquiries to michelle@hausprint.studio

Next Black Culture Market

The next weekend in the basement of the Department Store in Ferndale Road is not until 5 & 6 October, but if you want to trade at this event, now is a good time to contact the organisers – see www.blackculturemarket.co.uk

Kids’ Holiday Activities

Summer of Food and Fun

Lambeth council is supporting activities at several sites around our area, running until Friday 30 August. These are generally free and aimed at children between 4 and 16 who are eligible for free school meals. For an overview see the Lambeth Council website, but contact each site for details as timings, activities and ages covered vary.

Allstars Activity CIC: Summer Splash at St. Helen’s Primary School, Knowle Close SW9: info@allstarsactivityclub.co.uk

Angell Delight: Unit B, Fairfax House, Overton Road, Angell Town Estate SW9 7JR: Angelldelightcommunity123@gmail.com

BIGKID: Summer Holiday Programmeat Dexters Adventure Playground, Montego Close/ Railton Road, SE24 0LH: jonathan@bigkidfoundation.org

Brixton Topcats: Summer programme at Brixton Recreation Centre, Brixton Station Road SW9 8QQ: southlondontopcats@gmail.com

Brixton Wings: Wind Beneath Wings sessions at Unit 4, Fairfax House, Overton Road, Angell Town Estate, SW9 7JR: medg@btinternet.com

Brixton Youth Theatre: Olympic Dreams drama workshops, at St. Vincent’s Brixton, Talma Road, SW2 1AS: carolinefunnell@btinternet.com

CHIPS Summer Programme: drop-in sessions aimed at local teenagers, Unit 7, Warwick House, Overton Road, SW9 7JP: kamika@chipspeace.org

Code 7 Funavation: Moorlands Community Centre, 50a Corry Drive, SW9 8 QT: Code7studio@outlook.com

Connecting-U: Summer 2024 Summer HAF @CEFlyncx, at Windmill Gardens, off Blenheim Gardens SW2 5DA: Community7@cefl.org.uk

Fulham Foundation: Holiday Kicks, football-based sessions at Ferndale Sports Centre, Nursery Road, SW9 8BP: kicks@fulhamfc.com

Let’s Create Summer School: Arts-led activities at 198 Contemporary Arts & Learning, 194 Railton Road, SE24 0JT: kareen@198.org.uk

Max Roach Summer of Play: Max Roach Centre, Wiltshire Road, SW9 7NE: info@lccmaxroach.co.uk

UKLC Holiday Camp: aimed mainly at children from Latin backgrounds, St. Matthew’s Hall, 10 St. Matthew’s Road, SW2 1NH: info@uklatincommunity.org

Whippersnappers Summer Playscheme: Brockwell Lido, Dulwich Road SE24 0PA: yjama@whippersnappers.org

Scrap Club at Art4Space

Free workshops for children 4-16 years old running Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10-2 pm and Tuesday and Thursday 10-1 pm, until 30 August. Held at Art4Space Learning Hub, room for 8 per workshop – enquiries to jewels@art4space.org.uk

Summer at St Vincent’s

Leanne has asked us to highlight a few activities which are about to start for young people aged 8-13. To enquire or register, e-mail to leanneT@svp.org.uk

Singing Workshops: 2-5 pm on 20, 21, 22 & 23 August.

Print-making workshops: 11 am to 12 noon on Fridays 16, 23 & 30 August.

Canva Creations: 1-2 pm on Fridays 16, 23, 30 August.

Health and Social Care

Support for Carers

Age UK Lambeth and Carers’ Hub Lambeth are working together to offer support to unpaid carers, both while the person they care for is in hospital and after they leave hospital. Age UK Lambeth has a helpline for carers in this position, Monday-Friday office hours, and a Welcome Home service for discharged patients. Carers can call the helpline on 0333 360 3700 or e-mail to hospital2home@ageuklambeth.org

The Carers Hub is piloting in-hospital carers support in some local hospital wards: see https://www.carershub.org.uk/hospital

Shamha Drumming for Wellbeing

Free sessions are being held at St. Vincent’s Centre (Brixton Community Base) Talma Road SW2 1AS on Friday afternoons from 3 to 5 pm through August. Feel the rhythm and relax – drums provided. Enquiries to shamhavibration@gmail.com

Job Vacancies

Healthwatch Lambeth are looking for a new Chief Executive to lead a small team looking after the interests of NHS users and liaising with the SE London Integrated Care Board.

Closing date is 30 August but may close earlier if many applications received earlier. More details via their website at www.healthwatchlambeth.org.uk

St. Vincents Centre, Brixton, are looking for a Wellbeing Practitioner/ Facilitator to work with their Saturday Arts & Cooking group for young people, from September to April next year. £90 per 2 hr session, closing date 23 August. Enquiries to LeanneT@svp.org.uk

Funding, Training & Support

Funding deadlines

Once again, we remind you of grant offers already circulated by Integrate. If you missed the original alerts, please contact them at eoin.heffernan@integrateagency.co.uk

Lambeth Made Entrepreneurship programme: invitation to tender to run this service for young people age 16-30, up to £20,000 value, closing date 23 August.

Community Connections Fund: as flagged up last month, development grants up to £10k, or project grants up to £200k, closing date 9 September. There is also a Zoom briefing on Monday 19 August.

Thomas Wall Trust: up to £5,000 for projects connecting disabled or disadvantaged people with the countryside, closes 16 September.

Digital Funding for small charities: small grants up to £2500 for charities with turnoveress than £400,000, closing date 27 September.

Grants and Scholarships

We cast our net wide and found other opportunities worth exploring…

The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art has invited applications for several grants and scholarships. These can support exhibitions, publications, digitisation or conservation of artworks, and research projects. Closing date is 30 September. Enquiries to info@paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk or see their website at https://paulmelloncentre.grantplatform.com

Locality alerted us to the King’s Fund GSK Impact Awards, offering up to £50,000 for training and development for charities with a turnover of at least £150,000: closing date 30 August.

Training Opportunities

The Directory of Social Change is offering bite-size on-line learning sessions for small charities. All take place between 15 and 22 August and cost £35 each. More details on their website at www.dsc.org.uk

Getting on Board is running a series of on-line briefings for trustees of small charities in the week 4-8 November. That sounds a long way off but there is an early-bird discount offer if you sign up before the end of August. £15 for a full weekly pass sounds reasonable but sessions eventually appear free on Youtube. Enquiries to info@gettingonboard.org

Wikipedia can be a useful research tool, and an editing group has begun monthly meetings at Brixton Tate Library. Next two sessions are themed around Lambeth Heritage, on Tuesdays 27 August & 24 September, 6 pm to 8 pm. Enquiries to Colette Townend or Andrew O’Brien at Lambeth Libraries, ctownend2@lambeth.gov.uk

Business Exhibitions can be useful for small traders, start-ups and social enterprises, to keep in touch with developments and see which way your bigger competitors are going. There are often short free seminars too.

Invites and tickets for a wide range of events and exhibitions turn up in our in-box, so if you have a particular interest, tell us and we’ll see if we can share anything relevant to you: apiperbrix@aol.co.uk

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