Community charity consortium (Ecosystem Coldharbour) hosts Brixton North event to spotlight youth-centred reconciliation efforts

Press Release

16 Jul

Community charity consortium (Ecosystem Coldharbour) hosts Brixton North event to spotlight youth-centred reconciliation efforts

LONDON – CHIPS (Christian International Peace Service), a charity dedicated to reducing violence affecting young people and promoting reconciliation in Brixton, welcomed a government minister, local partners and journalists to Ecosystem Coldharbour on Tuesday 15 July, to showcase its frontline work on the Angell Town Estate.

The event offered attendees the opportunity to hear directly from local young people and parents involved in our work, meet our youth and family teams, and tour community spaces used for outreach, mentoring and education. The visit underscored the significance of community-led responses to violence, rooted in trust and long-term presence.

Since arriving in Brixton in 2014, CHIPS has worked daily with young people growing up in the shadow of postcode boundaries, trauma and economic marginalisation. Through youth drop-ins, family engagement sessions, school holiday programmes and grassroots mentoring, the team provides consistent spaces for growth, belonging and healing.

In August, CHIPS will deliver its flagship 4‑week Summer Programme in Angell Town, offering young people structured activities, creative exploration and trips outside of London. The charity also runs regular Men’s Nights, parent workshops and community listening sessions, amplifying local voices in decisions that affect their futures.

Director of CHIPS, Alex Cameron, reflected on the event:
“This visit was a powerful reminder that the answers to violence lie in relationships, not just response. Our work is slow, steady and deeply embedded—and it’s changing lives every day. We're honoured that our partners and the minister took time to hear directly from young people in Brixton about what peace means to them.”

Dame Diana Johnson MP - Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire of the UK.

'We want to build on what works ... You have a really effective model here.'

CHIPS partners with organisations, including Ecosystem Coldharbour, the VRU, Spiral Skills, MLCE, Ebony Horse Club, the Metropolitan Police, local churches, and residents, to embed a “whole community” model of change, aligned with a public health approach to violence reduction. The charity’s updated Theory of Change now frames its impact around safety, connection and opportunities for young people.