Community Mapping - Our Chair conducted mapping for the Black to the Future project, an Erasmus-funded project with Ubele Initiative ,which took an intergenerational group of African diaspora people to European locations.
Community Mapping - Mapping for Ethnic Youth Support Team in Wales (www.eyst.org.uk)
Just Collaborate! - Partnership between community groups and universities, and the development of a relationship with Brunel University
COVID-19
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 has been felt across the globe. As a community Arts and development organisation, Brownbaby's activities have been severely impacted.
As can be seen above, a small number of activites have taken place through digital or socially distanced means, including the Grenfell activities.
Brownbaby applied for and received an Emergency grant from Arts Council England, which enabled some overheads to be paid. A small grant from RBKC was also received.
WESTWAY TRUST
Our Chair and trustee, Toby, has been heavily involved with supporting a number of local community campaigns since around 2014/15.
In the case of the Westway23 campaign this led to Toby being encouraged to apply for the role of Chair of Westway Trust, as that organisation reflected the local community's demands for transformation into a community-led organisation. Toby's application was successful at the end of 2019, leading to him taking up the role in early 2020.
With the impact of Covid and a restructure of Westway Trust, the role has become a full time one and it is expected that it will remain so until a number of Executive leadership positions have been filled.
This has meant less time for his development and delivery of Brownbaby activities. We look ahead to him returning from a kind of secondment as the Westway Trust moves through its much needed transformational change process.
GRENFELL TOWER FIRE
Predictably, the effects of the Grenfell Tower Fire continue to have a significant impact on the
community of North Kensington and those working in and around the community.
The Brownbaby Chair, practitioners and volunteers continue to dedicate time and effort to the ongoing
response.
Involvement in 2020 has included:
• NK Healing – A continuation of the 2018/19 lottery-funded project that produced a 24-page
zine 'Writings from the Roots of North Kensington'. An animation was adapted in time to be
used by Grenfell United as part of their 3rd anniversary live stream.
• Producing a metal weatherproof memorial box for bereaved young people to place messages
at the top of Grenfell Tower.
• Green for Grenfell Illuminations Third Anniversary. Illumination of eight local residential
tower blocks and Grenfell Tower itself. Working with 4 Resident Associations (Silchester,
Trellick, Ed Woods) and two local authorities (RBKC & LBHF). Support for illuminating
various other community and residential spaces, including All Saints church.
• Green for Grenfell Illuminations Third Anniversary. Live streamed event to “green the
streets” with an engagement of 50k through Facebook. Production and distribution of 400
green light filters (with a £10k contribution from Lee Filters) to local residents and
community groups.
• Green for Grenfell Carnival – Online response to Grenfell via the Facebook platform with 3k
followers
