A new community market model is being piloted in Lambeth, with the first one launching at the Angell Town estate.
It’s Your Local Market aims to provide an urban sustainable market managed and operated by the residents and is funded by the London Community Foundation.
It will host and promote locally sourced materials, renewable energy and sustainable food for those living and visiting Lambeth, giving priority to local businesses, residents and projects supporting sustainable living.
Andrea Brown, the project development officer, said the market is about showing how sustainability can be achieved in Lambeth, protecting the environment while involving the community in the market.
She said the process would be collaborative, with ongoing meetings and other events such as skills workshops and work with children.
Brown said: “It’s all about sustainable living, promoting a greener and brighter borough and giving local people in Lambeth the opportunity to benchmark their business, skills and workshop.”
Hannah Lewis, community engagement officer with Angell Town RMO (Resident Management Organisation), said: “This is a place to find hidden gems of Brixton’s homegrown talent: art, crafts, fashion, homewares, and tasty street foods that are home-made and unique.
“More than just a market, it’s a strong group of local makers and artists whose enterprising attitude is bringing energy, local pride, and a new direction that looks beyond the troubles of Angell Town highlighted in the media. These traders are determined that together we can create a sustainable local economy, and new opportunities beyond the spotlight of Brixton’s town centre.”
The market will be launched on October 10 at Max Roach Park.
[…] Local Market, founded by Andrea Brown, a former Angell Town resident, will get £5,000 to launch a weekly Saturday market run by residents offering produce, clothes, crafts and […]
Wow! This is the first I’ve heard of this and I live in Angell Town. Just goes to show the ongoing issues between residents and those deciding how to ‘improve’ the estate.
It’s a nice idea but I really fail to see how buying homemade soap once a month helps the residents of the area unless there is help for local people to set up small businesses and get pitches. Otherwise this is going to be people with resources using Angell Town as a springboard to help themselves and not the community.
If there’s money about for the area, can they fix the basketball/football pitch first please and do something about fly tipping? Then provide safe places for people for their kids to play?
Max Roach isn’t even inside the estate so this simply brings people off Brixton Road and not into the community and it sounds like it hasn’t been thought through very well, let alone publicised.
Thanks to Brixton Blog for the write up on ‘It’s Your Local Market’ and your comments Miss South. In response to your comments I agree, there is ongoing issues on the estate that will not be easy to eradicate over night. For one thing regardless, there is lack of community cohesion working together and hostility amongst landlord management and residents. I have singled handed developed this concept reaching out to the community to work together.
I have carried out door to door activities conducting surveys speaking to the residents, inviting the community to get involved and even provided a BBQ cookout. Unfortunately, communication in Angell Town goes out and bounces on empty wall. As a former resident on the estate, 25 years ago this is not how people lived there was better relations a real community spirit and togetherness. This opportunity to have a weekly market is not make a profit or using the estate as a resourceful enterprise or to put Angell Town on the map, it’s for the local people, community, for individuals who want to make a change and develop a business concept.
We have sent out a public invite all residents of the Angell Town estate to participate and bring their talents, expertise and togetherness to fight the barriers of divided communities and tension. The market launch on Saturday 10th October with residents from the estate and will be held on Max Roach Park and following weeks within St John’s Angell Town church yard and around the estate. This is a pilot and open to suggestions from the residents to develop the concept for a permanent market place.
If we try to work together than against one another we can bring about unity which brings production, there’s developments taking place and in time these projects will be revealed.
If you would like to get involved and for more information about the market please email itsyourlocalmarket@gmail.com