Cleaning up the community
BRIXTON – Members of the Brixton and Auckland Park communities will be collaborating in a clean-up campaign.
Community members of both the Brixton Community Forum (BCF) and the Auckland Park Resident’s Association (APRA) will join forces in a day-long-clean-up campaign at the Kingston Frost Park in Brixton on 21 March.
The Kingston Frost Park stretches from Brixton all the way down to Auckland Park. From 12pm, the Brixton community will also be hosting a market, selling craft and food in the Kingston Frost Park.
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Vice Chancellor Prof Adam Habib will be addressing students and community members at the end of the day. The clean-up will then screen a documentary in the park called Rebirth by Steve Mokwena which was filmed in Brixton. Mokwena will also be in attendance.
Community member and event organiser Ashely Heron is very excited about the planned community campaign “We feel that in order for communities to combat crime and grime it is important for us to get out onto the streets. Get to know your neighbours, get to know the students in your area. As a cohesive community we can be there for each other and in this way we can build a strong and vibrant community that is tolerant and understanding of each other,” said.
Chairperson of the BCF Mark Schaerer was delighted at the change to assist in the proceedings. “The BCF is encouraging as many residents and students to join in the cause and have a fun day meeting and socialising with their neighbours,” he said.
Chairperson of the APRA]Jane Doherty was also very pleased to have members from Auckland Park involved in the clean-up and market. “The Auckland Park Resident’s Association is trying to build a sense of community among residents of the area and hopes that students, in particular, will join in the day’s events. The Brixton Community Forum has been active for a while and it is wonderful that they have welcomed collaboration with APRA which is a relatively new association,” she said.
The Brixton community has been doing park clean-ups on a monthly basis, while the Brixton Market is a quarterly event. The clean-up on 21 March will link to other community activities organised by the BCF, with whom APRA is collaborating.
The programme is as follows:
10am to 11.30am:
Volunteer students from UJ will do a walk through the suburb picking up litter and converging on Kingston Frost Park.
10am to 11am:
Clean-up opportunity will be done by children at Kingston Frost Park.
11am to 12pm:
Free cupcake decoration for the children will be hosted at the cleanup.
12pm to 6pm :
Brixton Market Day at the top of Kingston Frost Park. Handmade products, home-cooked food, DJs, live music and jumping castle will be present..
6pm to 7pm:
Outdoor screening of the film, Rebirth, by director Steve Mokwena will be screened. There will also be a presentation by UJ and Wits representatives to students at 7pm.
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