A pilot project to encourage people to talk to local police has had a successful first run in Wandsworth.
On Sunday, the Lemonaid stall served free lemonade to members of the public while giving them the chance to speak to a police officer about any matters or concerns they wished to raise.
Victoria Melody, a 38-year-old artist and theatre maker from Brighton, was paired with PC Abdelatti Mahmoud as part of the Agents of Creative Change programme, run by Battersea Arts Centre.
Our Agents @victoriamelody and Atti are out on the streets today. #AgentsOfCreativeChange in action. Lemonaid Response Unit! @battersea_arts pic.twitter.com/3o4XUq8Jwx
— Lara Laurence Taylor (@LaraLaurence) July 30, 2017
The programme asks third and public sector workers to come up with a challenge either in their workplace or community and work with an artist to find a solution.
“I decorated the stand to make it look kitsch, fun and accessible, the opposite of a police uniform,” says Melody.
More than 200 people visited the stall over the three hours it was open, and questions from the public included: ‘Does your family get scared?’, ‘Why don’t you come on our estate more?’ and ‘Can I see your badge?’
PC Mahmoud was the police officer fielding all those questions on the day.
He said: “This project gave people who normally would not engage with police an opportunity talk to an officer and find out that they are simply human beings who wear a uniform and have a difficult job to do.
“Often people don’t see this human side to police officers. This event offered me an opportunity to talk and listen to people and their concerns; I hope as a result they will take away a more positive view of police.”
Following the success of the Wandsworth Lemonaid stall, the pair are looking for opportunities to expand their idea into other areas.