Brixton chitter chatter, part 2
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Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
Normally I would stumble to bed bout 3.30 or 4am on a saturday. Tonight I got ready for bed, switched the laptop off, left it in the living room and went to bed.
They're having a party in one of the flats behind ours!
Don't believe you for a second. As if you'd go to bed without reporting in
quimcunx
imprimeo, lamino, distribuo
The party has quietened down now, but I have a headache and have been writing a letter and now had to get up for a wee and some paracetemol which won't work and to check in here with you minnie, and go back to bed and go to sleep to the soothing throb and nausea of a migraine.
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
Sorry in advance for the longish post.
I spent yesterday afternoon at a sustainable living conference- it was a networking/ sharing best practice gig.
Among the London projects mentioned was V-ital Ingredients, a Brixton group promoting local sustainability by growing organic food in the community. Anyone know much about them? There isn't much about them on the net.
I ask because they were mentioned by Chris Church of London 21, but their achievements were in the most part obscured by the depressingly predictable way the group and Brixton were presented.
"Brixton isnt a place with the best reputation, the sort of place where you see groups of intimidating black men in dreadlocks on the street and you cross the road to avoid them.' Thats almost word for word.
I was mortified; it was a large room of white middle class, middle aged Surrey folk (albeit with an environmental bent) and they were nodding along. I would bet good money that not 10 people in 150 had ever been to Brixton, and yet the speaker had satisfactorily met their prejudices about the place.
Given its transport and business links, the efforts of dozens of community and residents groups, not to mention the vibrant arts and music scene- why is it still ok to use short hand about Brixton which basically means its too black, too dangerous and little of merit can be expected to come from there?
I see this short hand on news reports about Brixton all the time, I see it here too at times, but to actually see people responding positively to having their prejudices fed pissed me off.
I spent yesterday afternoon at a sustainable living conference- it was a networking/ sharing best practice gig.
Among the London projects mentioned was V-ital Ingredients, a Brixton group promoting local sustainability by growing organic food in the community. Anyone know much about them? There isn't much about them on the net.
I ask because they were mentioned by Chris Church of London 21, but their achievements were in the most part obscured by the depressingly predictable way the group and Brixton were presented.
"Brixton isnt a place with the best reputation, the sort of place where you see groups of intimidating black men in dreadlocks on the street and you cross the road to avoid them.' Thats almost word for word.
I was mortified; it was a large room of white middle class, middle aged Surrey folk (albeit with an environmental bent) and they were nodding along. I would bet good money that not 10 people in 150 had ever been to Brixton, and yet the speaker had satisfactorily met their prejudices about the place.
Given its transport and business links, the efforts of dozens of community and residents groups, not to mention the vibrant arts and music scene- why is it still ok to use short hand about Brixton which basically means its too black, too dangerous and little of merit can be expected to come from there?
I see this short hand on news reports about Brixton all the time, I see it here too at times, but to actually see people responding positively to having their prejudices fed pissed me off.
Nah thats too easy, for the most part these were decent committed, local people who volunteer and are members of community groups looking to do their bit to save their corner of the planet.
That was the depressing thing- they were the sort of people who chose to attend an environmental conference, and they still bought into the prejudice.
Had another vision of Brixton been sold to them, perhaps the audience would have been challenged to find out more maybe?
I guess Im realising how far we still have to go when even the 'good guys' come up so far short.
That was the depressing thing- they were the sort of people who chose to attend an environmental conference, and they still bought into the prejudice.
Had another vision of Brixton been sold to them, perhaps the audience would have been challenged to find out more maybe?
I guess Im realising how far we still have to go when even the 'good guys' come up so far short.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Interestingly most of the really experienced allotment growers I know are West Indian. They've been doing sustainable food growing for decades.
ajdown
Posting in this thread
You know, web design/consultancy isn't exactly "working class salt of the earth" as a trade...
Melinda, who was it who was bad-mouthing Brixton? Was it this 'Chris Church of London 21' person you mention? Whoever it was, maybe you could put them in touch with Duncan Law of the Brixton Wing of Transition Towns. He puts loads of time into getting people to grow vegetables in Brixton's green spaces, and he's a poshly spoken white actor who would be rather good at disabusing the Surrey nincompoops of their prejudices. I expect he knows about this V-Ital Ingredients thing too. Maybe Duncan could even persuade the Surrey mob to come and see Brixton for themselves and do a spot of digging at the allotments on the Guinness estate on Somerleyton Rd instead of sitting around talking nonsense. If they did I might even drop over to help, and regale them with stories about how I, as another posh white bloke, managed to live on the estate without needing to cross the road to escape those scary men with the dreadlocks. I'll give them a guided tour if they want.
Now that sounds ACE! If you're for real, Im going to that forward to my local LA21 group (Local Agenda 21 http://wokingla21.wordpress.com/. 
There was so much momentum generated this weekend that I think a site visit to Brixton would be just the additional spur to get things moving here.
Yes it was Chris Church who irritated me, he's chair of London 21 http://www.london21.org/ Chances are he already knows of your Transition Towns team as he seemed pretty plugged into the heart of community green initiatives in London.
He had lots of encouraging things to say about local sustainability - transport, food, capacity building, micro generation etc, but his presentation on Vital Ingredients did them no favours and had me pursed lipped and ready to heckle.
Other than that it was a pretty decent event, with a big turn out. There is a lot going on in Woking and the borough council are fully engaged as evidenced by the chief exec and the mayor attending for the entirety of the programme. Embercombe Trust in Devon turned up and were proper inspiring in their calls to activism. Sustainable Haringey stood out as well, there seems to be loads going on there.
There was so much momentum generated this weekend that I think a site visit to Brixton would be just the additional spur to get things moving here. Yes it was Chris Church who irritated me, he's chair of London 21 http://www.london21.org/ Chances are he already knows of your Transition Towns team as he seemed pretty plugged into the heart of community green initiatives in London.
He had lots of encouraging things to say about local sustainability - transport, food, capacity building, micro generation etc, but his presentation on Vital Ingredients did them no favours and had me pursed lipped and ready to heckle.
Other than that it was a pretty decent event, with a big turn out. There is a lot going on in Woking and the borough council are fully engaged as evidenced by the chief exec and the mayor attending for the entirety of the programme. Embercombe Trust in Devon turned up and were proper inspiring in their calls to activism. Sustainable Haringey stood out as well, there seems to be loads going on there.
clandestino
no llevar papel
I may just being slow on the uptake, but Backstage has closed down. Wonder what will replace it?
Now that sounds ACE! If you're for real, Im going to that forward to my local LA21 group (Local Agenda 21 http://wokingla21.wordpress.com/.
Yes it was Chris Church who irritated me, he's chair of London 21 http://www.london21.org/ Chances are he already knows of your Transition Towns team as he seemed pretty plugged into the heart of community green initiatives in London.
He had lots of encouraging things to say about local sustainability - transport, food, capacity building, micro generation etc, but his presentation on Vital Ingredients did them no favours and had me pursed lipped and ready to heckle.
Other than that it was a pretty decent event, with a big turn out. There is a lot going on in Woking and the borough council are fully engaged as evidenced by the chief exec and the mayor attending for the entirety of the programme. Embercombe Trust in Devon turned up and were proper inspiring in their calls to activism. Sustainable Haringey stood out as well, there seems to be loads going on there.
Cool! I'm not involved with TT - all I've done is make the tea and do the washing up when they had an allotment open day thing on the Guinness Trust estate. But I could easily get a list of green spaces from Duncan and incorporate them into a walking tour, perhaps finishing with a coffee at the KFC where they can see how charming the dealers are. I'll PM you.
snowy_again
Slush
I saw this guy this morning and he looked like this:
He was wearing gloves with a skeleton hand print on them too.
He looked quite good.
He was dancing outside Hive this morning to the jazz being played by one of the stalls on Station Approach or whatever its called. Such a beauitful morning that I was tempted to join him.
newbie
undisambiguated
gosh, the world works in mysterious ways
Within 24 hours of saying I haven't seen or thought of Chris for a decade or more, I read this. Sad to hear some of what he said irritated you (& I do understand why) but glad he's still doing his thing...
snowy_again
Slush
The new speed bumps on Railton road are:
a) Largely failing to slow people down,
b) Already falling to pieces - after a mere two months of being in place.
I used the TFL pot hole alert thingy recently, and miraculously the potholes on Dulwich Road were fixed! I'm unsure whether I had any influence on it, but at least they were done.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/reportastreetfault/934.aspx
The new platforms at Herne (or Hurst) Road are a lovely example of non DDA Compliant roadworks. There's currently a sand pit to walk across, which has left the buggy pushers and wheelchair users crossing the road at a dodgy bit.
Oh and three people were mugged / bag snatched on that underpass by Railton Road & Somerleyton Road last week.
100% masahiko
i is a professor and is magical like totoro
Chinese guy who sits outside the cafe near the White Rose pub on Brixton Hill.
He was there during the mornings for over a year.
Sat there all seasons. Smiling. Drinking a hot beverage all by himself.
Where is he of late? It's sad but his disappearance concerns me.
He was there during the mornings for over a year.
Sat there all seasons. Smiling. Drinking a hot beverage all by himself.
Where is he of late? It's sad but his disappearance concerns me.
Oh and three people were mugged / bag snatched on that underpass by Railton Road & Somerleyton Road last week.
I've always assumed that underpass was dodgy - it's very quiet in there and on the Somerleyton road approach so it's ripe for the picking.
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
Do you mean the White Horse?
I mentioned him ages ago, asking if anyone knew who the Chinese/Korean looking guy who wears combats is
100% masahiko
i is a professor and is magical like totoro
Do you mean the White Horse?
I mentioned him ages ago, asking if anyone knew who the Chinese/Korean looking guy who wears combats is
Yeah White Horse next to Herne Bros.
That's him - combats, hat and fingerless gloves.
Always smiling.
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
He used to always be down in Brixton, but he's been up the Hill for a while. Maybe he's moved or just likes the Hill better
gosh, the world works in mysterious ways
were you asking after him on this thread? Or IRL? He'd just been to the climate conference in Copenhagen and was full of beans. Apart from from the afore mentioned issue, he was was an exciting speaker.
But then it's led me making contact with Nick h- so, yay for lazy sterotypes!
Jonti
what the dormouse said
You thinkThe new speed bumps on Railton road are:
a) Largely failing to slow people down,
b) Already falling to pieces - after a mere two months of being in place.
I overlook the junction of Barnwell Road and Railton Road. There used to be a collision a week, sometimes more, as cars pulled out onto Railton Road. These have almost completely stopped.
To me, the road feels far safer now. There is the occasional boy racer still, but the traffic is a *lot* calmer, and the road a lot safer, I'd say.
Jonti
what the dormouse said
Any more info on this, please?...
Oh and three people were mugged / bag snatched on that underpass by Railton Road & Somerleyton Road last week.
Stuff like the number of assailants, time of day, how they operated, rough descriptions, etc, etc all helps other folks keep safe in the area.
100% masahiko
i is a professor and is magical like totoro
He used to always be down in Brixton, but he's been up the Hill for a while. Maybe he's moved or just likes the Hill better
Do you think he's mad? Like will he make sense?
I've never seen anyone smile as much as he - except mad people.
I'm going to say hi to him I think. Start a conversation.
editor
hiraethified
Yep - and the cowardly wankers can run off to the security of the estate in seconds. They should fit that underbridge with anti-teenage high pitched noises, CCTV galore, trapdoors and Tomahawk missiles, just to be sure.I've always assumed that underpass was dodgy - it's very quiet in there and on the Somerleyton road approach so it's ripe for the picking.
Jonti
what the dormouse said
I think it's unlikely that Judge Dread style antics would be appropriate or helpful.
As a more practical measure, getting the info out really can help.
Stuff like the number of assailants, time of day, how they operated, rough descriptions, etc, etc all helps other folks keep safe in the area.
As a more practical measure, getting the info out really can help.
Stuff like the number of assailants, time of day, how they operated, rough descriptions, etc, etc all helps other folks keep safe in the area.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
And we should bring back National Service.
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