Kaff's cool counter's mural

So with Christmas now really and truly out of the way…well we decided to postpone our Christmas party until mid-January when we thought we would be in serious need of cheering up.  But let’s just remove the ‘Christmas’ and focus on the ‘party’!

We hope you and your friends and loved ones can join us on the night, Thu 19th January from 6:30pm at Kaff Bar.

Kaff Bar are both on our paper and electronic currency schemes, so plenty chance to play with your phones on the night.

There will be DJs and some finger food, and more importantly a great crowd of Brixton residents and businesses to socialise and network with.   We shall also be  at hand to sign up any newbies onto our amazing Pay by Text service, for which you get a 10% automatically added to your account every time you top it up.

Other than that, it’ll be an informal evening of drinks, nibbles, chats and DJ’s spinning their tunes.

We look forward to seeing you then!

You will be able to register and set-up an on-line Brixton Pound account from Tuesday 6th September 2011. Once set-up, you can top-up your Brixton Pound account via standing order or transfer from your current account. You will then be able to pay for goods either by text or on-line in an instant at any of the local independent shops that are taking part in the Brixton Pound Pay by Text or On-line pilot.

The Brixton Pound pay by text and pay on-line pilot is an exciting new scheme supported by the latest mobile phone and on-line technology. It will make transactions easier for customers and businesses, opening up more opportunities for local trade and strengthening our local economy and community in the face of recession.

A dedicated webpage on the Brixton Pound website will be available from Monday 5 September 2011. It will give you all the details on how to register, how it works and the businesses that are signed up to the Brixton Pound Pay by Text or On-line pilot. So watch this space!

The Brixton Pound is a Community Interest Company (CIC 07635113) that supports local independent businesses and a stronger and more sustainable local economy.

Kiss-Red by Julian Barras

That Brixton is a place for art is no longer a secret, and the proof is in a very successful Urban Art Fair now in its tenth year.

On Saturday 16^th and Sunday 17^th July, the leafy and rather sleepy Josephine Avenue is to turn once again into London biggest alfresco art fair, with over one hundred and fifty photographers, printers and painters exhibiting.

Entry is free and prices range from under a tenner to over a thousand pounds – so whatever your budget, this is a truly affordable event for all art lovers.

The fair will also show how the love for art and the love for a vibrant and diverse local economy can go hand in hand, with numerous artists accepting our beautiful notes.

So do look out for special offers and discounts available to anyone paying with Brixton Pounds, and do take a sneak preview at participating artists below. Sadly we are unable to upload pictures for everyone of them, but check out their websites, you will find some amazing pieces, including photography, print, painting and mixed media.

• Robert Kellard – check discount on the day
• Katherine Jones,  www.katherine-jones.co.uk – check discount on the day
  

  Vases I by Jo Oakley

  
  

• Clare Johnson, www.clarejohnson.co.uk – 10% discount
• Julian Barras, www.julianbarras.com – 10% discount
• Orson Kartt, www.orsonkartt.com – check out website for discount available
• Mark Thompson, www.perronet.com - 15% discount
  
• Martin Grover, www.martingrover.com – 10% discount
• Ben Oakley, www.benoakley.com – check discount on the day
• Jo Oakley, www.jooakley.co.uk – check discount on the day
• Staffan Gnosspelius, www.gnosspelius.com – 10% discount
• Adam Hemuss, www.hemussart.com – 10% discount
• Tess Stone – check discount on the day
• David Taylor, www.artwanted.com/davidtaylor – check discount on the day
• Thona Samba, www.artreview.com/profile/Thona – check discount on the day
• Paola Mikov, www.paolaminekov.com – check discount on the day
• Melanie Paice, www.melaniepaice.com – 10% discount
• Angelique Hartigan, www.angelique-hartigan-artist.co.uk – 10% discount
• Jaykoe, www.jaykoe.com - 10% discount
• Oleg Marat -  check discount on the day
• Grazyna Rafei – check discount on the day
• Shashi Patel – check discount on the day
• Tamar Lev-On and Dotan Bahat,  www.tamarlevon.com – check discount on the day

The B£ team will be at the event on Saturday morning  -  if you are visiting Saturday afternoon or Sunday, please ensure that you have some B£s with you. This is your chance to bag yourself some unique artworks by local artists, and to help make  Urban Art Fair 2011 the biggest yet. Don’t miss out!

The theme of the Saturday event was plants, gardening and growing – so we joined a number of local growers displaying their green and colourful wares on the square, such as the most gorgeous strawberries from the Sunday Farmers Market!

The day was an opportunity to be out talking to people, mingling with local growers and organisations, and generally encouraging the support of local sourcing, trade and production. Thanks to all who stopped by and for the many words of encouragement. Thanks to all the volunteers on the day, and last but not least thanks to Stuart the Watchman (Watch repairer extraordinaire, on Pope’s Road) for lending us his extremely cute barrow – the envy of many a trader on the day.

Look out for the B£ team next at the Brixton Windmill event on 10th July, from 1pm to 5pm in Windmill Gardens. Lots activities are in store for families and children, with wind power the theme of this year’s event.

The 7 Bridges project is an art led regeneration project, launched by the Loughborough Junction Action Group (LJAG) and funded through the Capital Community Foundation.

The initiative seeks to improve the local area through the engagement of local schools, artists, residents and organisations in the arts, literature and local history, geography and architecture. Click here if you too would like to get involved.

The 7 Bridges Festival will culminate on Sunday 5th June, with an action packed day to include: a big lunch, a parade, an invisible food walk, a steel pan orchestra, a choir, African drumming and dance, and much more, and ending with the premiere of the new Basement Jaxx track for the 7 Bridges Project.

Oh yes, you heard right!

Ivan and his team at Hair Focus gave Brixton Pound supporters some gorgeous haircuts and makeovers at unbeatable prices, helping us raise a whopping £320.

However, for those of you who could not make it this time, worry not. Your tresses will still have the opportunity to get the Hair Focus treatment. The salon runs special offers all the time, and who knows, we may even be doing another fundraiser there soon…

So pop into Hair Focus, only five minutes walk from Brixton tube station, on Overton Road, in a relaxed setting away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre.

The salon has been offering haircuts and makeovers for three years, and is a favourite of returning customers and Brixton Pound supporters. Go once, and you won’t look back – you’ll get a super-relaxing head massage as your hair is washed by friendly stylists using quality Italian hair products. You can find Hair Focus on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/fy5bPj

And for all those dog lovers out there, you may even get a glimpse of the gorgeous four-month old puppy Sandia (‘sandia’ means ‘watermelon’ in Spanish) who will no doubt charm you with her clumsy puppy energy.

So from the Brixton Pound team, a huge thank you to Hair Focus and all those who came down to support us on the day!

All proceeds will help the Brixton Pound promote local trade and production, and a stronger local economy.

Stallholders will be accepting Brixton £s on the day so it’s a great opportunity to pick up the last (or, in my case, the first) of your Christmas presents. Shopping in the Dogstar – it’s got to be less stressful than Oxford Street!

On that note, we’d love to hear from anyone who’s decided to buy all their Christmas presents using Brixton Pounds. Simon Woolf did it last year and you can watch a video of him Christmas shopping here.

Watch this space for more hints and tips about how to support independent businesses in Brixton over the festive period…

Judging rhubarb in the Flower Zone

This weekend the Lambeth Country Show is coming to town! A well-established annual event (this is its 36th year), the show brings a little taste of country life to the urban wilds of Brockwell Park. From 17-18 July the park will be taken over by an eclectic mix of musicians, fairground rides, farmers, artists and er… an alpaca. With a seemingly endless choice of activities spread across Saturday and Sunday the Lambeth Country Show promises fun for all the family. You can try your hand at something new with skills classes including building a scarecrow, baking bread, jousting and even sailing. Or go all doe-eyed over the animals in the petting zoo, on loan from Vauxhall City Farm. And with food stalls offering dishes from around the world you won’t need to bring a picnic. For a full list of events, including a map, download the Lambeth Country Show programme here.

The Brixton Pound team will be out in force on both days. Make sure you stop by our stall in the Charities Zone and get hold of some B£s, which many stalls will be accepting on the day. We will also have for sale a range of locally-sourced merchandise, including our Brixton Power T-shirts, with discounts for those paying in B£s. There’ll be badge-making and kids’ activities too. Just in Brixton for the day? Come and chat to our friendly volunteers for recommendations on what to see and do in the area.

Carnival dancers at last year's show

Photos ©2009 Lambeth Council.

Good afternoon fellow B£-ers, 

Just a very quick reminder that the much talked about [and somewhat delayed] Grand Opening of Windrush Square is happening this weekend. The weekend promises to be a lively one packed with live acts, dance and of course in true Brixton style… plenty of live music.

There’ll be lots of opportunities to get involved in during the day with art workshops… and later a lantern-lit procession will parade through Brixton leading to a spectacular firework display including a magnificent Phoenix and a human Catherine Wheel!! 

“The Windrush Square scheme has linked Tate Gardens and Windrush Square as a pedestrianised open space which has been designed with safety in mind and includes improved lighting, better sightlines and CCTV coverage. World class design that includes a new water feature, 21 new trees, new lighting and a sculptural granite seat have contributed to creating a brand new civic space.” Lambeth Council

The Brixton Pound team will be out in force from 1pm on Saturday 27th February. You’ll find us in a marquee by the stage; do pop in and introduce yourself. We will have:

• £:B£ exchange point available all day
• all the latest promotions and discounts you can receive when paying in Brixton Pounds
• badge making!!
• B£ video and documentary screening
• pedal powered music – bring along your ipod
• lots of information on how B£ works and friendly, knowledgable people to answer your questions
• Ways that you can get involved in the project
• B£ raffle with some great local prizes

Fingers crossed for fine weather. Hope to see you on Sat!

It is set for Thursday 10th December. You’re invited from 6.30pm for a 7pm start, commencing at Dogstar on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton. If you don’t already have some, there will be B£s available on the night for you to exchange. These will be the key for tapping into boozy promotions in our local haunts.

Sources reveal it’s going to pretty much be the best thing ever*. A Brixton resident was recently heard to exclaim “it sounds like a STERLING night” if you’ll excuse the COINING of a phrase. Enough!

Hope you are able to join us in POUNDING the streets to sample some Brixton night life. Please feel free to pass on to other Brixtonians/interested parties. Keep an eye out here or sign up on our facebook group. For more information contact clarelakerallsop@hotmail.com.

*unsubstantiated