Connecting people in changing times

A look into how one project is trying to ease the effects of gentrification by connecting people within the community.

The major re-development of Elephant and Castle in recent years has changed an area once best known for its bustling street markets, shopping centre and council estates into one of London’s up-and-coming neighbourhoods.

Its proximity to Central London has made this corner of SE1 a magnet for property developers and new investment, with many local people left feeling their lives, and the needs of the local community, are not necessarily aligned with the shiny new schemes springing up around them.

In particular, plans to redevelop the site of the current 1960s-built shopping centre with a new campus for London College of Communication, apartments and retail outlets, has led to a long and ongoing battle featuring protests and petitions against the area’s gentrification.

It raises the issue of how new and existing residents interact – or not, as the case may be – and has led to projects such as Elephant Says Hi!. This is is an outreach programme devised to challenge loneliness and social isolation by connecting people with ‘places and spaces’ within Elephant and Castle.

ESH! has managed to connect people through different methods such as its street party events, as well as its website, which gives members access to information about local businesses and things going on in the neighbourhood.

The aim is to make Elephant and Castle a more welcoming and accepting place, even as it undergoes its current transformation.

ESH! co-founder Liza Makarov said: “Our project is about connection, so it should facilitate both new and existing residents feeling [connected to] each other and the spaces and places they are in, through promoting local things going on for everyone.

“Some of our members are businesses, others are community groups, and we are connecting them into the wider local network. We have found by just talking to both business owners and local people and getting to know them, that not many know each other well, even though they are neighbours.’’

The regeneration of Elephant and Castle has not been without its tensions within the local community, However, providing people with this opportunity to connect with each other is surely a step in the right direction.

ESH! has managed to spread some happiness in a neighbourhood that is being transformed. Lisa Makarov added: “’Our initial focus theme was ‘transition’ – when people might feel lonely. This might be a new life stage or indeed moving to a new area/home – we thought this would be particularly interesting in an area itself going through transition such as Elephant and Castle.’’ 

Although, the work of ESH! is still in its fairy early stages, and its overall impact thus far is still being assessed, the hope is that other projects can be inspired by its vision to help forge fresh ties within the local community.

Elephant and Castle skyline photo by stevekeiretsu via Flickr Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC 2.0