Many events connected to Clean Air Day will be taking place over the forthcoming weekend, one such being a community bike ride which will be setting off from Brixton on Sunday morning.
The event is being organised by Live + Breathe alongside Brixton’s Poetic Unity, a black-led charity formed ten years ago, which sees poetry as a ‘therapeutic tool that unites and heals communities, celebrates identity and challenges injustice.’
Being singularly focussed on air pollution, Live + Breathe are organising a variety of events across the summer to highlight the poor air quality that people in South London are routinely subjected to.
Sunday’s event ties in with a Poetic Unity campaign called ‘Clean Air For The Ends’ which shares a similar goal, aiming to draw attention to the disproportionate exposure to air pollution faced by communities of colour and people from a lower socio-economic background. This will be the second of what is now to be an annual community bike ride that the group have held.
Ryan J. Matthews-Robinson, CEO and Founder of Poetic Unity said: ‘This bike ride will bring the community together to raise awareness about an issue that is not being highlighted. We use joy as a driving force for change in all our work and there’s something deeply joyful and nostalgic about riding a bike. It reconnects us with the carefree spirit of childhood and reminds us of the simple, shared happiness that can fuel a better, cleaner future.’
While schemes such as ULEZ and the electrification of London’s buses are improving air quality in general, the poorer communities still have to live with the worst air.
Poetic Unity are arguing that political solutions must go ‘further, faster, and focus where the harm is greatest.’
Ryan says: ‘Air pollution is not just an environmental issue. It’s a racial justice issue. ULEZ isn’t improving the air for the communities most in need such as Black and working-class people living near the busiest roads, the fewest green spaces, and being ignored when policies are written.
‘You can’t see dirty air – but you can feel its impact. It’s stunting lungs, fuelling asthma, and cutting lives short. Until policies are written with marginalised communities in mind we will continue to see disparities in justice.’
Poetic Unity have teamed up with Forest Bikes who will provide the community with free bikes for the day.
Laura Elms, Head of Sustainability at Forest said: ‘Forest is delighted to support Poetic Unity’s Annual Clean Air ride for a second consecutive year. This campaign brings to life a very real issue across the UK’s capital, that of air pollution. Air pollution is a silent killer and, crucially, the worst air pollution is most often found in areas of the city where black and ethnic minority residents make up the majority of the population.
‘The city needs to be doing more to address this imbalance because everyone deserves access to clean air. We believe that Forest bikes, alongside other sustainable mobility solutions, can help improve London’s air quality and we’re grateful to Poetic Unity for the work they’re doing to bring this issue to the fore.’
Read more about Poetic Unity’s work here: www.PoeticUnity.org.uk
Photo: rumafilm
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