Following a routine check, Lambeth Council is evicting the 365 Community Centre in Brixton, a ‘hub for refugees and asylum seekers’; the centre workers are holding a petition to prevent that from happening.
The 365 Community Centre is known to have had a major role in political and human rights campaigning, especially within the African community. One of many organisations includes ‘The African Family Works’ which targets issues such as family health and wellbeing and the promotion and conservation of the African heritage. In 1999, the centre held a Jubilee 2000 Afrika campaign for the cancellation of 3rd world debt and was recognised by the late great Muhammed Ali.
The charity helpers have been working in this centre for over 25 years and are devastated that as one of the only community centre, one of the only remaining that haven’t been sold to developers, is being unjustifiably closed down.
Even after being reassured by Mr Chris Steel of C. Steele Associates Limited that the centre wouldn’t close down during the routine health check, they were shocked by the news only one month later. 1,377 people have already signed the petition to urge the Lambeth Council to reconsider.
365 Community Centre in #Brixton threatened with closure, petition asks #LambethCouncil to reconsider https://t.co/fXbhffheaE @38_degrees pic.twitter.com/MdjOvd7HKQ
— Tara Carey (@TaraRaeCarey) September 28, 2016
Brixton, an area largely involved in the help and support of refugees and migrants in London with various campaigns such as ‘rave for refugees’ and ‘london welcome project’ are facing a major breakdown in their supportive community that is out of their control. This centre is the core of the refugee movement in Brixton and will leave a large amount of people vulnerable with no place to look to; nowhere to seek advice or support around housing, employment or any other social issues.
The centre workers have a vision for the centre. Rather than closing down, they’d like the work they’ve accomplished over the years to be catalogued so it can one day become a flagship space in Brixton.
