Call the Midwife star Jenny Agutter backs ‘Camberwell Brick’ campaign to boost area’s identity

Camberwell wants to polish up its image, and the obvious move for its residents is therefore to Call The Midwife.

TV star Jenny Agutter, pictured above, who plays the lead in the BBC series, is the figurehead of the campaign.

Also featuring strongly alongside The Railway Children and An American Werewolf in London legend is the Camberwell Brick.

The ‘Camberwell Brick’ has been unveiled on lamp post banners along Denmark Hill.

Design consultancy Studio Sutherland, which has also rebranded the Natural History Museum, was inspired by the well which features in the area’s name, history and coat of arms.

Each brick symbolises different aspects uniting to create a whole. The bricks also form the C for Camberwell.

Camberwell resident Jenny said: “Camberwell is a real neighbourhood. Its strong cultural mix and rich history are what make it a great place to live.

“Using the Camberwell Brick on the banners and other projects will enable us to bring the story of Camberwell’s vibrancy to life, making everyone feel proud of what we have here in SE5.”

The visual branding was commissioned by the Camberwell Identity Group, following research which showed people felt Camberwell can often be overlooked, and its identity overshadowed by the surrounding areas of Peckham, Brixton and Dulwich.

Jessica Bishop, chairwoman of the Camberwell Identity Group, said: “Working closely with our chosen designer, Studio Sutherland, and through on-going community consultations, we have created branding which can show the many reasons Camberwell is a great place to live and work, such as its diversity, green spaces, food and drink and community.

“We are delighted with the ‘Camberwell Brick’. It provides us with a distinctive and relevant space to own, enabling us to tell the story of Camberwell brick by brick. It will be used to signpost and raise awareness of Camberwell and enhance the look of the area.”

The banners are based on locals’ favourite aspects of Camberwell – community, creativity, health, green spaces, businesses and food and drink, and the visuals used are by local artists and photographers.

Business Owner Ross Farmer, from Support & Sustain, who was consulted on the brand development, said: “The ‘Camberwell Brick’ introduces a consistent and highly visible branding that unites all the different elements that make Camberwell great.

“The lamp post banners create immediate impact and bring life into the high street which will hopefully boost the local economy by attracting new visitors and customers into Camberwell.”

The Camberwell Identity Group has developed guidelines for and devised by local people, artists and photographers. The Group has an open offer to residents of Camberwell to submit their visuals that they would like to make available for use.

The money for Camberwell Banners was crowdfunded through Spacehive, with donations received from local businesses, community groups and Camberwell residents, and supported with matched funding of £6,500 from the Mayor of London’s Crowdfund London scheme.