Doon Mackichan blasts Lambeth Council over co-op evictions
Actress Doon Mackichan has added her name to the list of Clapham residents concerned by Lambeth Council’s eviction of housing co-ops, a list that includes Mark Thomas, John Pilger, Vivienne Westwood, Maggi Hambling, Joanna Lumley, former Clapham councillor Helen O’Malley and the Reverend David Isherwood of Holy Trinity Church.
Mackichan, a resident of the area for 20 years, says that she is “shocked that communities have been wiped off the map by Lambeth Council.”
“Last month I was invited to speak at the launch of Clapham’s new town square. It was a pleasant occasion, but afterwards I found out about the local housing co-op evictions by Lambeth Council and that whole communities have been purged, or are at risk of disappearing. It was quite a shock, and clearly the town square wasn’t going to be a ‘space for everyone to enjoy’ as they billed it, because many of the longest-term residents are being evicted, added to the borough’s large waiting list and then moved out of the area!”
“It was particularly disappointing to find out that the current local councillors in Clapham had promised that they would defend the rights of the people in these communities only to abandon them.”
“I have known many of the residents of the housing co-ops on and off over the years and I know that their communities have been very nurturing, supportive, creative and practical, working on their homes and those of their neighbours. These are qualities that are even more important these days when community is so transient.”
“Some of the older people in the co-ops are in their 70s and have been in their homes for nearly 40 years; how can the council not be dealing with them and looking at a way to keep them in their homes and their communities together, and continuing to safeguard these houses as social housing?”
Ends.
Contact:
Julian Hall
Mobile: 07810 486658
lambethunitedhousingco-op.org.uk
Twitter: @LUHousingCoop
facebook.com/LambethUnited
Petition: http://chn.ge/16PkKwv