Bristol Estate Artists Studio Launch
On Saturday I joined residents, my ward colleague Councillor Gill Mitchell, the Mayor and others at the official launch of the Bristol Estate artist studios.
The studios have been created using spaces under the blocks of flats on the estate originally meant for drying clothes, but which were too often used for dumping rubbish or anti-social behaviour and crime.
This has been a highly innovative, nationally recognised project set up in partnership by the council's housing department, Serendipity Enterprising Solutions, the council's Arts and Creative Industries team and planning department, Neighbourhood Renewal and of course the Bristol Estate Community Association who set up a Community Interest Company to run this project.
It was a real pleasure to meet some of the artists who are renting the spaces and see their work.
Free half term activity in Whitehawk
There are some free activity workshops in Whitehawk over half term:
Tuesday 28th October - Write A Song & Make A CD In A Day, 10.30-12.30 and 2-4, over 8s, with professional musicians, at Whitehawk Youth Centre.
Tuesday 28th October & Wednesday 29th October - Skilful Skeletons and Scrummy Skulls arts & crafts workshop making Mexican Day of the Dead/Halloween decorations, 10.30-12.30 both days, 2-4 on Tuesday at Whitehawk Library.
Wednesday 29th October - Whitehawk Library Family Fun Day with face painting, badge making, 10.30-12.30.
Wednesday 29th October - African Drumming and Dance Workshop, 2-4 at Whitehawk Youth Centre.
Call 674427 for details/booking. Funded by Clutures Club, Arts Council, WASP, Brighton and Hove Libraries Service, Big Lottery Fund and Brighton and Hove City Council.
Whitehawk in the news
Whitehawk has been much in the news this week, with one columnist claiming that "crime still thrives in the cat creeps of Whitehawk and there is a big problem with drug dealing."
I'd like to reassure residents of Whitehawk and others across the city that crime on the estate, according to the monthly police reports I get as Chair of the Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum, has been falling to a point where it compares well to almost every other area of Brighton and Hove.
It is wrong to run down the efforts and success of residents, police and community workers when trying to make a debating point in the press, and uneccessarily increases the fear of crime amongst residents, particularly the elderly.