BrixtonBuzz

South London anti-capitalist, rebel rousers Meatraffle have released their Christmas single – and it’s gone down rather well in the Brixton Buzz office.

They told us about the song:

Brave Face is the Christmas song that highlights the contrast of personal conflict and depression with the external period of this festival of ‘ joy’ that is encompassing .

its not a cynical jab at Christmas , all it is is a call to all the outsiders to wallow in their self pity to the point of martrydom and take solace in the winter melancholy with a kind of pride .

Christmas can be an especially tough time for dealing with money, and the debt advice kiosk in Streatham Library is open to offer free expert advice via video for individuals with financial difficulties or money worries.

Each kiosk is designed as a soundproof booth, ensuring conversations remain private and confidential.

This is a walk-in service, so no appointment is required.

Upcoming dates and times:

Streatham Library

London

SW16 1PN

More info here

Contact details Vincia Bennett, Library Manager

Three of the four MPs that cover our Brixton Buzz patch voted against the Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Commons today.

Florence Eshalomi (Vauxhall and Camberwell Green), Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) and Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Clapham and Brixton Hill) all voted against the bill that was carried.

Steve Reed (Streatham and Croydon North) is the one MP from our area that voted in favour of assisted dying.

Here’s an interesting Freedom of Information request regarding Active Lambeth, the in-house Town Hall company that now manages leisure centres in the borough.

In short, the FoI requests:

Monthly usage data for specific leisure centres (Clapham, Brixton, Streatham) and all centres combined, broken down by facilities (e.g., swimming pools, gyms, classes) for 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Monthly revenue figures compared to original projections for 2023/24.

User satisfaction data for the same period.

Half decent questions, well put.

Lambeth Council must take action against dangerous driving in Kings Avenue, Thornton Road and Thornton Avenue before death or serious injury occurs, say Lambeth Liberal Democrat Councillors.

This follows yet another shocking incident in which a car smashed through a fence into a front garden in the middle of the night. Yet, with accidents and near-misses mounting, Lambeth Labour refuses to act.

Clapham & Brixton Hill MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has launched a Christmas Card Competition today, inviting local school pupils to design her annual festive greeting card.

Bell is asking young people who live in Clapham & Brixton Hill or attend school in the constituency to submit an entry, which can be hand-drawn or designed using computer software.

Her chosen theme for this year’s festive card show is ‘Kindness in the Community’.

Lambeth’s new property licensing scheme is set to be rolled out across most of the borough after a successful launch in four wards earlier this year.

Councillors gave the green light for the extension of the “selective licensing scheme”, designed to tackle rogue landlords and improve conditions for people living in private rented accommodation, at a meeting this week.

It means the scheme will cover 23 of Lambeth’s 25 electoral wards, subject to approval from the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Have you noticed a new type of bike whooshing past?

It may have a couple of kids tucked in a bucket at the front, or holding on at the back? Maybe a pet dog or a pile of flat packed flowers?

If so, that’s a cargo bike and according to a recent report, their use has increased 63% by Londoners and businesses. Much of the use locally is families on the school run – easier than it sounds when you realise most new cargo bikes are e-assist.

Kimberly McIntosh has lived a full life, with a loving family, messy friendships, mind-expanding travel and all-night parties.

She’s also spent that life wondering why such opportunities aren’t always available to people who look like her.

Stemming from years of social policy research and campaign work Kimberly uses her own experiences to reveal how systematic injustice impacts us all, from the pressure of nuclear families, to enduring toxic friendships, to how painful it can be to watch Love Island!

The annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run will be taking place this Sunday morning, and you’ll be able to see these wonderful vehicles driving through Brixton and Stockwell.

Cars will start to arrive in Hyde Park, on Serpentine Road close to Hyde Park Corner, from 6:00am on Sunday, with the first car off the line at 7:00am.

There’s two separate routes going through Lambeth:

Red route:

• Kennington, A23

• Brixton, A23

• Streatham, A23

• Thornton Heath, A23

Blue route:

• Vauxhall, A3036