We’ll Meet Again
A live meeting of this Forum will be held on Tuesday 5th July, 7 pm at International House.
After 2 years of postponements and occasional on-line meetings, we are finally getting together for real, in the 3-Space Event Space on the ground floor of International House, at the corner of Popes Road and Canterbury Crescent, SW9 7QD.
This will be our Annual General Meeting, which means we will review the annual report and accounts, and elect committee members for the year ahead. We also hope to have a guest speaker or two, to be confirmed next month.
Meanwhile, we are trying to get out and about again, and meet more of you face-to-face. Clashes of dates and the demands of our day jobs mean we cannot follow up every invitation, but we are making an effort!
Diary of Local Events
Summer Events in Brockwell Park
Final details have just reached us for the Summer event series that will run from Friday 27 May to Sunday 5 June. Sections of the park will be closed off from Monday 16 May for setting up, and clearing away should be completed on Monday 13 June.
Around the park, there will be a number of road closures, access restrictions and extra parking controls during the major show days. Some of these will only apply during peak exit times from the events (9 pm to midnight) but for full details of access restrictions in and around the park, please see the Community page on the website: https://www.brockwell-live.com
Note that the Railton LTN access restrictions will continue during these events.Ticketed concert days are Friday 27 to Sunday 29 May and Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June. In addition, there are free-to-enter community events – Brockwell Bounce – on Monday 30th, Tuesday 31st and Wednesday 1 June. If issues arise between 16 May and 13 June, you can contact the Residents Hotline at 020 8050 4367 or at community@summereventsuk.co.uk
Council contacts are Lambeth Events on 020 7926 6207 (office hours) or the Noise Monitoring team on 020 7926 5000 between 9 pm and 5 am on event days.
The Lambeth Country Show will take place on Saturday and Sunday 16/17 July – more about that next time
Baking Beside the Windmill
Friends of Windmill Gardens have organised a series of adult baking classes in the education centre next to the windmill, led by Fabio, the Italian baker. They will run for 3 to 4 hours at weekends from this month. Sessions will explore recipes for tarts, breads, cakes and pastries. Spaces are limited, so please register your interest by e-mail to info@brixtonwindmill.org For more about this and other events in Windmill Gardens, also see their website, www.brixtonwindmill.org
Loughborough Park Food Forest
The Friends of Loughborough Park have received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to replant part of this public open space. The aim is to create a new Food Forest, using forest garden permaculture techniques, both to improve biodiversity and to provide lots of edibles. You are invited to join with the Friends and Urban Canopy to create the new garden at a series of sessions, with all tools provided. Planting sessions will be near the eastern edge of the park, close to Loughborough Park itself.
Site Prep Days: removing weeds, clearing paths and cutting back shrubs: Tuesdays 17 & 24 May, 6 to 9 pm; Wednesdays 18 & 25 May, 10 am to 1 pm; Sundays 22 & 29 May, 12 noon to 4 pm.
Planting Days: introducing new plants, including activities suitable for children: Monday 30 May, Tuesday 31, Wednesday 1 June, and finally Friday 3 June, all sessions 12 noon to 4 pm.All enquiries and offers of help to Lydia at friendsofloughboroughpark@gmail.com
Love Your Local Market
News just in that Lambeth is running a promotion campaign for Brixton’s street market between Friday 13 May and Sunday 5 June, following the first upgrading works in Brixton Station Road. Expect to see extra stalls and events on Saturdays in particular. Enquiries to Oladayo Bello on 07 710 026 240 or at obello@lambeth.gov.uk
Black Culture Market returns, 4 & 5 June
Once again, the Black Culture Market will be taking over the Downstairs space at the Department Store at 240-250 Ferndale Road SW9. The organisers promise a different selection of traders on Saturday and Sunday, in both cases a mix of African and Caribbean inspired entrepreneurs, traders and crafts-people. Open between 11 am and 5 pm each day, free admission but please book tickets via Eventbrite: https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-culture-market-tickets-288460913357 If you want to trade at this event, refer to their website, https://www.blackculturemarket.co.uk or contact hello@blackculturemarket.co.uk
Funding, Training and Support
Grant Deadlines coming up
Our usual quick reminder, in case you missed previous notices from Integrate – contact eoin.heffernan@integrateagency.co.uk
Everyday Heritage Grants from Historic England: Looking to celebrate working class histories, ethnic minorities, women’s and LGBTQ+ stories linked to overlooked heritage sites. Closing date Monday 23 May.
LEAP Co-Create Fund to support work with Early Years children, closing date 12 noon on Monday 30 May. There is also an on-line briefing on the funding scheme on Monday 16 May.
The Fore opened its Summer funding round on 19 April, no set deadline but it’s first come, first served, so time is running out!
Arnold Clark Community Fund offers grants of up to £1,000 to community groups and charities, particularly those whose activities have been affected by the Coronavirus pamndemic. Closes on Thursday 30 June.
Training Opportunities
Integrate also offer occasional on-line sessions to share experience from other projects or fill skills gaps – contact as above to book.
30 May – Meet the founder of HABITS of London CIC, 10 am to 12 noon. Helen Raphael discusses her social enterprise, providing employability support for Lambeth residents aged 16-30.
13 June – Cybersecurity 101, 1o am to 12c noon on Zoom, a practical workshop led by Shurel Reynolds for small and medium-sized organisations, featuring data protection, GDPR and cybersecurity tips.
Business Support
Brixton Creative Works offers a free blended package of business advice, coaching and accredited training to creatives or freelancers working in Lambeth. Enquiries to 020 3735 8955 or e-mail to BCW@getsetuk.co.uk
There is also a programme for Creative employers, including advice on recruitment and working standards – contact 07 443 839 421 or e-mail as before.
Health and Social Care
Support for Dementia patients and their carers
Age UK Lambeth has shared details of two regular sessions available for Lambeth residents living with dementia, and their carers: On Monday afternoons, Age Exchange run sessions at Stockwell Park Community Centre, Aytoun Road SW9 0TE, between 1-30 and 3 pm. Cost £6 per session but no charge for carers. Enquiries to Lydia at 020 8318 9105 or hello@age-exchange.org.uk
Age UK Lambeth are opening another branch of their Magnolia Club for people with dementia on 17 May, to run on Tuesday afternoons from 3 pm to 5 pm. This will be at the Myatt’s Fields North Centre, 24 Crawshay Road, SW9 6FZ and operate on a free, drop-in basis. Enquiries to 0333 360 3700.
Mental Health Awareness
Thursday 12 May will be a Health & Wellbeing Event at the Marcus Lipton Youth Centre, Minet Road SW9. It will be open between 12 noon and 5 pm, with free food, free massage, and a chance to try yoga, boxing and fitness techniques. Organised by ML Community Enterprise and Ecosystem Coldharbour – see www.ecosystemcoldharbour.org
Art4Space will be hosting further Mental Health First Aid Courses at their base at 31 Jeffreys Road SW4 6QU. The next course will be for those working with young people, on 30 June & 1 July. To register, e-mail to info@itsaplayground.org
Mosaic Clubhouse in Effra Road publish an occasional bulletin of their activities, which can now be found via Issuu – see https://issuu.com/mosaicclubhouse/docs/
Other News
News from Urban Growth
Urban Growth are hosting a monthly series of weekend gardening workshops until September, in the Paulet Estate Community Garden. This is next to the Remakery, at the corner of Lilford and Paulet Roads, SE5. Topics will include creating living walls, growing mushrooms, making your own fertilisers and botanical dyes, as well as saving different types of seeds. Enquiries to info@urbangrowth.london or sign up via Eventbrite.
Weekly Thursday gardening volunteer sessions are continuing, led by Taye, head of food growing. Sessions are at Pop Brixton between 10 am and 11-30 am, and at the Brixton Orchard between 1 pm and 3 pm. Sign up via Eventbrite or just turn up!
Paused for Upgrades?
In Wyck Gardens, the Platform Cafe is currently closed for refurbishment, but expects to be back in action next month.
On the corner of Coldharbour Lane and Moorland Road, despite the hoardings around the Domino Club, the Brixton Soup Kitchen is still active in providing hot meals and food packs for the homeless, between 1 pm and 3 pm Monday to Friday. For more details, see https://lnkd.in/estjSkxh
Southwyck Pantry re-opened at the Moorland Estate Community Centre, 50a Corry Drive, off Somerleyton Road, on 5th May. Continuing on Thursdays, they will offer 10 fresh fruit/ vegetable items plus up to 10 cupboard items, for £5. Enquiries to info@healthylivingplatform.org
Southwyck Community Hall, off Moorland Road SW9 8UR, will re-open on Friday 13 May as the Brixton Coding & Arts Centre, managed by Millennium Community Solutions. This will provide a training space for information technology and coding for all ages and abilities. There will also be space for the community to explore and develop art in all its forms. Enquiries to gail@millenniumcommunitysolutions.com or 07 951 087 923.
Outdoor Yoga
Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses are now hosting outdoor yoga sessions on Saturday mornings on the decking outside the greenhouse. To book and pay online, go to: https://www.naturalconnection.org.uk/yoga-for-all
Advice Surgeries on Council Estates
Details have been received of a series of tenant advice surgeries on major Lambeth Council estates.
St. Matthew’s Estate, Brixton Hill: sessions held at St. Matthew’s Hall, 10 St. Matthew’s Road SW2 1NH, on the 3rd Thursday of each month, 10 am to 1 pm from 19 May.
Edmundsbury Estate, Ferndale Road: sessions held at Edmundsbury Community Hall within the estate, on the 2nd Friday of the month, 10 am to 1 pm from 13 May.
Tulse Hill Estate: sessions held at the Jubilee Community Hall, SW2 2LY on the 1st Wednesday of each month, 2 pm to 4 pm from 1 June.
Art Exhibitions
Brixton Art Prize: Closing date for entries is 15 May, entries may be in any media, on the theme of conflict and integration, culminating in a group show for shortlisted artists at The Department Store between 30 June and 3rd July. First prize £1000 and a London solo show, runner-up prizes of £750 and £500. Entry fee £15 – for more details see the website, https://brixtonartprize.com
Brixton Bugle Art Show – a reminder from last month’s bulletin: The closing date for entries is 20 May, leading to the Art Show at Brixton Tate Library between 4 and 26 July. Initially, send up to 3 digital photos of your work to arts@brixtonblog.com together with your name, address, e-mail, contact phone number and social media, together with the title and brief description of each work. You can submit up to two pictures, but each must be no larger than 1 metre square.
Other exhibitions at Brixton Tate Library: The latest art exhibition in Brixton Library is “Peripheral Visions, Marginal Figures” by Martin Grover, continuing during library opening hours until 31 May. The following show will be a retrospective of the work of Marion Jones (1952-2021), open 6 to 28 June.
Have your say on Lambeth United
A reminder from our last bulletin, that Lambeth Council is reviewing place-names with likely links to Slavery and the colonial past. Comments can be made on their Commonplace website until 31 May – see https://lambethunited.commonplace.is
Keep in Touch
Share Your News – and Views!
Feel free to make use of these bulletins to share your concerns, to announce events and services, or just to report what your group or enterprise is doing.We aim to publish monthly, around the 10th of the month, so we really need to hear from you before 5 June for the next issue. Keep it clear and simple, because we don’t really have the time for re-writes, or to chase you if your press release was garbled. Continue to send your news to apiperbrix@aol.com for the time being.
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We have some 500 contacts on our e-mail list, but are you still there?Please tell us, by e-mail to admin@brixtonneighbourhoodforum.org– If you want these bulletins sent to a different e-mail address, so you get them more reliably or quickly.- If you want to add a colleague or neighbour to our mailing list (no extra charge at present!)- If you have moved away, or are no longer interested.