The Advocacy Academy, in  Brixton ‘are youth organisers working to create a more fair, just, and equal society, by building the collective power of young people to bring about change’.  On 27 August Elyssa Livergant, director of the South London Botanical Institute, organised a session to examine and discuss plants growing on local pavements, enlisting Roy Vickery to discuss the origin and folklore of these plants.  Before venturing outside some 12 people joined the organisers and told how they related to nature.  Walking along the pavement participants  attempted to find and collect leaves of different shapes, and plants displaying other features.   Later Roy discussed some of the plants found. These included ivy-leaved toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis), native to southern Europe and known as wall-rabbits as its flowers when squeezed open supposedly resemble a rabbit’s mouth, and buddleia, or butterfly bush, (Buddleja davidii), native to China, introduced as an ornamental to Britain late in the nineteenth century and now widely naturalized, and becoming a pest due to its seedlings becoming established in cracks on buildings.

On returning to the Academy people were asked to provide feedback before gathering to enjoy pizzas.  All appeared to have enjoyed the event.

Image:  buddleia growing on wall, Brixton Station Road, August 2025.