Summer on the Farm On Britain’s most notorious estate, children dread having to spend the school holidays shut away inside these blocks of flats.Sharon Hendry meets the families living in poverty and fear in north London’s Broadwater Farm

Photographs by Andrew Testa hen you ask a classroom Community leaders say Ferdinand was raised on social security full of kids what they’re benefits by her single mother on the Castle doing in the summer families are too poor to Vale estate in Birmingham and quickly saw holidays, you are usually education as a transformative force. It took knocked back by a wave take their children off her from the local comprehensive through Wof excitement and anticipation. But for one night school to a psychology degree at the estate and too terrified group of year 3 primary school children in Nottingham University and on to a series of north London, that is not the case at all. to let them play on it successful headships. “I might be going to the park one day,” “I came here 11 years ago to make a offers an eight-year-old boy flatly. “I would families are being fed on as little as £35 a difference to the lives of this community and love to go swimming,” adds a bright-eyed week. Some of our children will rarely change the outcomes,” she says. “When I girl with cornrow plaits. A few other pupils venture outside this summer.” got the headship, people asked if I was going offer suggestions, all quite muted. As their holiday dreams demonstrate, the to wear a bulletproof vest. But for a girl who “OK, so where would you go if you could aspirations of children living on “the Farm” grew up on a tough estate where ‘Get out make a wish to go anywhere or do anything?” are far removed from those living off it and wogs’ was graffitied on the walls, it felt like asks their head teacher. A boy’s hand shoots fall a long way short of the architects’ coming home. In reality, once you are up first: “I would ride a bike outside.” “I’d original vision for the housing project. known here, you are pretty safe. The most like to try a trampoline,” says another girl, On its completion in 1973, Broadwater important thing is the teaching and learning “or a water park — and meet Beyoncé.” Farm was the jewel in the crown of the — it has to be outstanding all the time.” There is no talk of holidays in France or planning department at the London She takes pride in her record of having Italy, or of heading for the Cornish Riviera, Borough of Haringey. It was a modern-day never permanently excluded any pupils. because these children live on Broadwater utopia cast in reinforced concrete, offering “Children must leave us with the expected Farm, the most notorious estate in Britain. a new way of living. Interconnecting academic levels if they are to have a chance Instead, their summer holidays will be walkways were intended to be “streets in of finding their way out of poverty, but cuts spent in dilapidated flats, with only the sky” and the entire project was built on to school budgets make this even more menacing stairwells for scenery. Families stilts to combat drainage problems caused challenging. Our children start school way here, say community leaders, are too poor by the marshy ground and to provide easy below expected standards, therefore they to take their children off the estate and too parking for residents’ cars. But the 12 tower require interventions and additional terrified to let them play on it. While others blocks, containing more than 1,000 support to make the accelerated progress look forward to the summer holidays, these dwellings, soon began to decay. that is needed. They also need the kids dread them. These days, visiting the Farm is a emotional support of learning mentors, For them, Willow Primary School, rated haunting experience for outsiders. The counsellors and other support staff. outstanding in 2017 by Ofsted, is a safe architecture is no longer new or welcoming; “We strive to keep the children within haven. About 500 kids under 11 attend the instead, its shadowy corners are home to the school gates for as long as possible. So school and the Broadwaters Children’s drug trading and gang activity. “Road” we open at 7.45am, offer free bagels at Centre nursery on the estate, also rated business, as gang dealings are known, is 8.20am for the whole family and run a wide outstanding, in 2016. More than a third of conducted openly along a 50-yard strip on range of after-school activities until 6pm. them qualify for “pupil premium” funding the estate known as the front line. We aim to give children experiences they for disadvantaged children; and 16 have Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, would have if they were from more affluent high levels of special needs requiring safety tests carried out on some housing backgrounds, like ballet, music lessons, education, health and care plans. blocks at Broadwater showed they would be gymnastics and swimming. The alternative “My team and I are already dreading the vulnerable to collapse if there were a gas is that some of our older children will start moment we have to shut the school gates explosion or if a vehicle struck their base. hanging out on Tottenham High Road, for the six-week summer holiday,” says As a result, the 18-storey Northolt building where there is gang activity.” Dawn Ferdinand, the school’s head teacher. is set to be evacuated and only a handful of Resentments first exploded on the estate “For so many children living in these residents remain in six-storey Tangmere in October 1985, after police raided the conditions, school is their anchor. Alongside House. Both blocks are slated to be home of Cynthia Jarrett, a 49-year-old learning, it is the place where they are fed demolished. Throughout the estate, Tottenham resident, searching for stolen and can play safely while their parents work. poverty is ingrained. goods. She died from a heart attack during “We have tried desperately to find a way “For some of our children, just getting to the raid, and the next day riots broke out as to stay open, but, even with the lowest school and having breakfast is a challenge,” tension on the estate boiled over. About subsidised day rate, it adds up to more than Ferdinand says. “We are dealing with 250 police officers were injured and one, PC many Broadwater Farm parents could families who are living in extreme poverty Keith Blakelock, died from more than 40 dream of affording,” she says. “Many of our in overcrowded homes.” knife wounds during a frenzied mob attack. After the riots, tens of millions of pounds Left: single mum were spent on regeneration and crime rates Damilola Falodi lives on the estate fell dramatically. But in 2011 with her five children riots erupted again in the area after police on Broadwater Farm shot dead Mark Duggan, a suspected gang estate. She says member believed to be in possession of a her two youngest firearm. Duggan, who lived on Broadwater will spend most of Farm, turned out to have been unarmed. the summer indoors A gun was found nearby. How it got there remains disputed. Eight years on, residents fear that the Farm is becoming dangerously restless once again. Some families face severe pressures from poor housing. Chinelo Lemeh, 35, lives

on the edge of the estate with her husband, magazine times the sunday for andrew testa andrew testa for the sunday times magazine estate. There isbroken glassinthenearest hard. It’s notsafeto letthemplay onthe and learnnew things, butlivinghere, it’s I want my children to get to know the world we them. cannotafford to go to mostof does putonsomeevents for children, but reach.but most things are out of The council up to take themswimming onceor twice, often have to stay indoors. “We try to save has no spare money for activities, so the boys any help—noteven free schoolmeals.” because my husband works, we can’t get and eat. We have triedto get rehoused, but this room is where we allhave to live, sleep We share asmallkitchen andbathroom, but so hard. We have lived like thisfor nine years. peeling plaster. “It’s sohard,” shesays, “So, to reveal thecramped conditionsand breaks down intears assheopensthedoor house owned by aprivate landlord. stifling downstairs room inasmall terraced 7, Chima, 5, andChibeife, 2. They live inone Kinechi, 9, who hasDown’s syndrome, Ike, a security guard. The couplehave four boys: Chinelo says thatover thesummer she Chinelo, aproud andloving mother, The family live and Chima andKinechi. Ike,left, Chibeife, from her four sons, Chinelo Lemeh with The councilsaid: “The electricaland hot water hours. were fixed24 within Damilola’s home, andtheelectrics Haringey council to theconditionsinside I mightbeableto take themto McDonald’s.” eye ontheolder ones[aged 13, 14 and 17]. the summer. And I will needto keep aclose five andthree, willspendmostdays during but itis where my youngest two, who are “This homeisnoplaceto bringupchildren, do with her children duringtheholidays. Nobody except theschoolseemsto care.” Farm sometimesmakes you feelinvisible. council to helpus, butlivingonBroadwater listening to themice scratching the walls. electric fanheaters. We alllieawake atnight our foodmoneylot of hasgone to pay for had noheatingor hot water for a year anda exposed wires andno working boiler. We’ve in June last year to findcockroaches, mice, says: “We were moved here from Croydon Rochford block. Damilola, 40, asinglemum, a private landlord inBroadwater Farm’s living inathree-bedroom homeowned by a similar scenario. They are counciltenants the family. Arrangements are beingmadeto rehouse services departmentatHaringey council. referred thematter to thechildren’s Chinelo’s circumstances, thehead teacher informed Willow Primary Schoolof inside? We are notliving—justexisting.” what choicedoIhave butto keep my boys the children’s spacesplaying football, so are smoking weed. The older kidstake over playground andeverywhere young people The Sunday Times Magazine alerted Damilola isalsoconcernedabout what to “I’ve triedsomany timesto get the Damilola Falodi andher five children face SundayMagazine When The Times Broadwater Farm on theedge of house a dilapidated roomcramped in together sleep inthis

who turnup, but we get themboxing, Less Heat. There are challengingcharacters for theteens each theStreet,week calledOff end. I’ve started runninganevening event people are really stuck. I’m inatthe deep to joinin. Duringthesummer holidays, their nosesagainst the window, desperate and it’s really sadto seethegirlspressing come. Often they will prioritisetheboys but parents have to prioritise who gets to kids have meandtheschool—that’s it. where knives andgunsare seenasfun. The for themto go, except out ontheroad nothing for young peopleto doandnowhere and getting madder. There issimply now they wonder why it’s madoutthere he says. “All the youth workers were cutand which he was madeanMBEin2007. centre, runningits youth footballclub, for stayed onatBroadwater’s community his youth leader role in2012, buthehas it ever since. He was maderedundant from being builtasaboy andhasremained loyal to other. Clasford Stirling watched theestate residents dotheir bestto look after each agencies aboundsatBroadwater Farm, so exists atthemoment.” rents theestate inthereprovision as partof at leastasmany councilhomesat 18 months. “We are committed to providing will invest £16m intheestate over thenext a positive view, saying thelocalauthority Ejiofor, Haringey theleader of council, takes thefamily.”wellbeing of resolved andensure thesafety and mile to look attheseurgently to get them Homes for Haringey hasgone theextra council was madeaware theseissues, of runs housingfor theborough]. After the Haringey [a non-profit organisation that private landlord] andnotHomes for theleaseholderresponsibility [the of pest-control issues you have raised are the “I runa£3per sessionafter-school club, “Austerity threw everybody sideways,” Still, abandonmentby afeelingof outside Despite themanifestproblems, Joseph The Sunday Times Magazine •29 andrew testa for the sunday times magazine places like Thorpe Park andtheO “In thepast we have taken residents to outing, butthis year there isnofunding. archbishop prays for hisannualsummer queue. It’s a vicious circle.” address, you the donotgo to thefront of working because when peopleseethis says. “A huge percentageyouths of are not stay onthestraight andnarrow here,” he on theestate since1991. “It’s noteasy to office. Originally from Ghana, hehaslived me,” heenthusesinhiscramped estate “Jews, Muslims —everyone hasaccessto Farm’s Reconciliation International church. Frimpong-Manson, Broadwater theleader of grim statusquois Archbishop Kwaku needs very, veryseriously.” We take theissuesaround young people’s outreach workersmore to workgangs. with Haringey,” hesays. “We are employing alot believe there are any no-go areas in serious crimeisnotaproblem. “I don’t Fund to improve youth provision andthat three years from the Young Londoners authority hassecured £1.5mfundingover predictably targeting black youths,” hesays. stop andsearch thescale, was off and black community. “Before the2011 riots, search continuesto fuelanger amongthe ambivalent, hesays, addingthatstop and having achat.” playing footballandbadminton —andjust learning of achild,”learning of says Pasi Sahlberg, is criticalfor thehealthy growth and important play isfor children. educational research underlineshow holiday inthecountryside. Modern other citiestheopportunity to go on Londonand children from theslumsof giving deprived express purposeof centuries, charities sprungup with the long ago. Inthelate-19th andearly-20th access to thebasicrightto play outside.” these children will develop without having at breaking point. Ireally worry abouthow Sutherland, anorganiser. “But resources are could betransformative,” says Fiona once a week throughout thesummer it boxes, balloonsand water pistols. as they played with face painting, cardboard parent group. Children shrieked with joy Willow Primary School, organised by its “street play” event took placeoutside things.the simplestof Recently, a£250 difference. The Farm’s children delightin crime awareness.” and aget-together to discussknifeandgun we are going to have acommunity walk the fundinghasdriedup. This summer, for justoneday canchange lives, but all Taking thiscommunity children outof During hisSunday services, the Another localtryingto change the HaringeyEjiofor of councilsays thelocal Attitudes towards thepoliceremain “Play, bothintellectual andphysical, It’s aneedthatphilanthropists recognised we“If couldprovide this along with food It neednotcostafortuneto make a 2

Arena. teacher S ofWillow Primary S summer holidays was that shocking so the The thoughtthat achildmightdread the How you canhelp School atSchool thewillow.haringey.sch.uk tickets, pleasecontact WillowPrimary summer experience? To donate money or theatre ormuseumthatoffera could Or are you aleisure company, gallery, art com/crowdfunding/broadwaterfarm To make adonation, pleasevisitjustgiving. play scheme vulnerable children to attend summer the local £2,500 for theday £1,650 £800 or amuseum £300 £285 £250 swimming (includingadult supervision) £200 withBroadwatertradition, starting Farm. summer. W children for inner-city duringthe country organisations would arrange to trips the forwardlook to rather thandread. and they willgive thechildren to something andeventstrips intimefor thisholiday. would ableto organiseschool be of aseries that raise ifwe could money, some the doneto help. be D could the head teacher at D from top: Right, to have outdoors. fun children thechance play” event gives Above: a“street unday asked Magazine Times thehead awn Ferdinand, century ago, philanthropicA century It doesn’t take trips these muchto fund would take agroup trampolining would support a“streetwould support play” event would take agroup of30children would fund an outing to an art gallery gallery would anoutingto fund anart would pay for atripto theseaside

would take agroup to aUKsafari park would support 10 of the most 10ofthemost would support e would like to reignite this

after-school club after-school the streets withan kids ontheestate off keepStirling helps worker Clasford S Willow Primary awn Ferdinand said chool; theyouthchool; chool whatchool but for oncethey were happy n fashioned into spaceships. They were tired, face paintings andcardboard boxes the children headedhome with smudged play. After therecent “street play” event, the summer sunshine. They just want to They just want thechance to beoutsidein housing experiment have asimpler dream. peoplejust want out.”a lotof “At thebeginningit was adream, butnow Stirling, theestate’s oldest “child”, putsit: traumatic experiences”. As Clasford disasters thatsear many lives with Broadwater Farm as “financial andhuman London. It condemnedestates suchas geographya professor of atKing’s College work onhousingestates by Alice Coleman, Utopia on publication of Trial, theseminal know aboutthem.” but shown thatnevertheless they needto to betaken into worlds thatare nottheirs, incredibly valuable. Minority children need children thesesummer experiences is people like them. giving The ideaof places, they don’t think thesethings are for suspect that while they know aboutthese world to kidsgrowing upasIdid, butI “Today, TV andsocialmediadoopenthe Finsbury Park Methodist church,” hesays. N22 [the estate’s postcode] andthe know anything aboutthe world away from house notfar from Broadwater Farm. experience. He grew upinasmallterraced Commission, knows from hisown the Equality andHuman Rights writer, broadcaster andformer chairmanof a complex process, as Trevor Phillips, the wider world andtacklingsocialproblems is emotional strength.” creativity, as well asphysical, cognitive and they develop imagination, dexterity and problematic, becauseitisthenatural way fewer opportunitiesto play, itis published in August. children have“If LettheChildren Play,author of to be a world-renowned educationalistand Yet many thispostwaryoung children of It isnow almost35 years sincethe “When Ilived inthatarea Ijustdidn’t Linking isolated communitiesto the The Sunday Times Magazine •31