Key site in the 1981 Brixton uprising against racism could be restored as a youth centre

Work is underway to restore a Lambeth playground that was a key site in the 1981 Brixton uprising against racism, unemployment and police behaviour towards black people.

The BIGKID Foundation plans to turn the derelict Dexter Road Adventure Playground on Railton Road into a place for local young people.

The site was on the frontline of the 1981 Brixton Uprising – the 40th anniversary of which will be marked next month.

Now the BigKid Foundation intends to celebrate that history by offering new opportunities and hope to the young people of today and future generations.

Although the restoration work has been affected by the pandemic, the foundation has already started having an impact in the local area by using Dexter’s as a base for distributing food to local families in need.

BIGKID founder and chief executive Shaninga Marasha said: “This site has a vital place in both Brixton and Black British history.

“However, as the neighbourhood around it has been gentrified in recent years and with the playground shuttered up, few young people are aware of that history.

“With such strong historical significance, Dexter Road offers a unique opportunity to bring generations together.

“We want to create a thriving, dynamic community right in the heart of Brixton.

“It’s time for Dexter Road to come alive once again as a focal point for the local community and young people.”

The BigKid Foundation will work with community partners and local young people to improve the site and deliver activities ranging from a film club, book club and music workshops to talks and podcasts about career choices and social justice.

It could soon also play host to a weekend youth market and a park café – where it is hoped that young people will also learn to grow fruit and vegetables on the land to cook and sell food on-site.

The foundation is working with local historians, artists and young people through virtual workshops to create a permanent art installation along the site’s external fence. It will capture and reflect the area’s history and the events of April 1981.

Binki Taylor, a partner with the Brixton Project, said: “The installation will reintegrate Dexter’s back into the hearts, minds, and memories of local people so that it is a place of wellbeing and belonging.

“It will allow young people to absorb and understand the memories and experiences of their parents and grandparents.”

Dexter’s is situated in the poorest ward in Lambeth – which also has the second- highest rate of serious youth violence in the borough.

BIGKID works with young people at risk of social exclusion and youth violence.

Mr Marasha said: “A re-born Dexter’s will be a safe space where young people can explore their heritage and identity, helping them to make positive life changes in a safe, accessible environment.”

The BIGKID Foundation secured a ten year lease on the site after Lambeth Council invited community groups to submit plans to bring it back into effective use in imaginative ways that benefitted local people.

The foundation already works in Stockwell and runs many projects across south London focussed on those at risk of becoming involved in youth violence or social exclusion.