Community blog
Here you can read about how we are working with our community to help local people access justice.
This blog is updated on a regular basis so please be sure to check back for the latest news.
15 December 2023
Launching our 2nd Community Call Out!
A Community Call Out is what we use to hear from the community. In 2021 we discussed with our community how the law centre should best be responding to their needs…
13 December 2023
1st Open Letter sent to Croydon Council from the Croydon Temporary Accommodation Campaign – response expected by the 18th Jan 2024.
In Croydon there are 100s of families who have been forced into homelessness by rising private rents and insufficient levels of genuinely affordable social housing. In Croydon there are 1000s…
1 September 2023
The 2nd Social Justice Picnic, 2023 Food for Thought
This week we met for the 2nd time for a ‘Social Justice Picnic’ in Park Hill Park, Croydon. We picked this park as it is opposite the Law Courts, near…
24 May 2023
Temporary Accommodation Campaign project, what is it all about?
There are lots of people living in temporary accommodation. Lots of the people in temporary accommodation are living in properties that are not in good condition. We need to change…
26 April 2023
Transforming Lives: The Real Impact of Our Cost of Living Project
We are incredibly proud of the work we have been able to accomplish through our project launched on 1st September 2022. Thanks to the funding provided by The National Lottery…
13 April 2023
Overcoming Obstacles to Provide Free Legal Advice: The South West London Law Centres
The South West London Law Centre (SWLLC) is proud of the impact we have made in our community by providing free legal advice to those in need. Last year alone,…
8 March 2023
Support with your council tax in Croydon
Contacting Croydon Council: Croyctax@croydon.gov.uk Phone 020 8726 7000 (option 2) You can access Croydon Council Tax Services at www.croydon.gov.uk/council-tax You may be asked for your Council Tax reference number, postcode and how…
11 November 2022
Community stepping in where state and big company fail to
This week started with a National Energy Action (NEA) London region conference. On Monday morning I was allocated a 5 minute slots to speak to partners working within fuel justice…
21 October 2022
Petition of over 600,000 supporters handed-in to Downing Street
This week I joined many community members in a petition hand-in to 10 Downing Street. The petition which calls on an Energy for All where everyone has a right to…
26 August 2022
2 things we already have planned this September
Do you live in temporary accommodation in Croydon or Wandsworth? Members of our Social Justice Network told us how important a temporary accommodation project is and how as a law centre we…
8 August 2022
Our first Picnic for Justice
This week South West London Law Centres held our first Picnic for Justice. We came together to celebrate the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 which had its 73 anniversary…
21 May 2022
Workshop with Tower Block UK to members of London Tenant Federation
This week I presented to tenant reps who form the London Tenant Federation. Also on the bill was iconic campaigner for Tower Block UK – Danielle Gregory. Tower Block UK…
13 May 2022
MPs visit two south London estates
Members of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities committee visited two south London estate this week to investigate levels of disrepair in Central Hill and Regina Road estates. The ‘regeneration’…
4 May 2022
DJ Frisky 04.05.22 broadcast about how to speak out about bad condition housing.
Today 4th May I spoke on the radio with DJ Frisky about housing. Not as my colleagues have done previously, where they may have explained specific legal rights. I spoke…
22 April 2022
Employment rights and connection with health
This week my community engagement work focused on employment. On Tuesday evening we repeated our ‘Employment Rights’ workshop delivered in partnership with BPP Law School’s Street Law project. The session…
1 April 2022
Ending a financial year, planning for change.
I was still at the start this week as ‘cost of living crisis’ reporting dominated the news. Trying to join dots of why the conflict would have an impact on…
9 March 2022
Using the Law to Support Our Community
How it works if you are part of a grassroot or community group … Make a request for our workshop ‘Using the Law to Support Our Community’ my emailing me…
4 February 2022
6 Journalists four different perspectives
Last week I mentioned the request we received from BBC Panorama. The requests increased this week as Fuel Poverty Action have constantly been contacted to speak to people in fuel…
28 January 2022
12 new community law workshops start.
This week we launched our workshops in partership with BPP Law School. As part of their StreetLaw project BPP Law School students have agreed to offer our community 12 community…
21 January 2022
Cabinet, Consultation, Meetings and Reports
Monday – The week started with Croydon releasing its cabinet paper on its future plans for Croydon Council Tax Support. You can see from other blog posts that we have…
10 January 2022
“Hope is essential to any political struggle for radical change when the overall social climate promotes disillusionment and despair.” — bell hooks
On Friday the 7th January 2022 I sent my first update of 2022 to the Social Justice Network.The network now has over 350 members and consists of people who have…
6 January 2022
12 WORKSHOPS ANNOUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STREETLAW
Introducing Wednesday lunch time legal education workshops. The StreetLaw project at BPP University’s Law School will be delivering 12 community legal education workshops in partnership with South West London Law…
10 December 2021
10.12.21 – respond and change.
We are told our views are valued and our input important – has austerity meant that local authorities can’t afford to listen to us though? November marked a decade since…
8 December 2021
Today the Nationality and Borders Bill passes Third Reading in the Commons.
The Bill now goes to the House of Lords, with Second Reading taking place on 5th January 2022. This thread tells us some key things about the bill: Here are…
2 December 2021
3.9 million tenants in English Social Housing – lets shout.
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee has launched an inquiry examining the quality and regulation of social housing in England. If a housing association or council is your landlord this comes…
26 November 2021
1000s of Londoners affected by SWEP
Today, Friday 26.11.21, the Greater London Authority (GLA) has activated its SWEP protocol. STEP stands for Severe Weather Emergency Protocol and is the mechanism used to reduce deaths on our…
11 November 2021
Community mapping for social justice
There are many different types of mapping. I am not talking about the maps that exist to maintain power, or land division. I am talking about community mapping, so we…
5 November 2021
Legal advice is needed.
It is easily said and harder to do. When a situation is overwhelming terms like “self help” and “empowerment” can be suffocating. Expert legal advice must always be available. This…
3 November 2021
Plans to scrap privacy laws
Open Rights Group held a briefing meeting this week on data discrimination highlighting Government plans to scrap GDPR privacy laws will unleash data discrimination against workers, children, students and more –…
12 October 2021
Hearing about things locally, nationally or globally and thinking “that isn’t just” and not realising things I was experiencing were also unjust.
I had bad employment with an abusive boss and a landlord who kicked my door in and left me without gas and electric for weeks. Things didn’t seem just but I found…