During the interviews Malcolm and John both mentioned Broomhalls history and affiliation with drug dealing, prostitution and even gun crime. Having lived just round the corner from the secret garden last year myself (without ever noticing it's existence), I was curious to find out more facts about the crime rates there compared with my experience of the area. Whilst a council estate will inevitably always have the problems that arise from low income living conditions I never personally encountered much trouble, on a few occasions i was approached by young Somali males trying to sell me weed but they were never particularly intimidating or harassing, as some people have perceived them to be. A friend of mine was however mugged at knifepoint whilst walking home from mine through the estate onto devonshire green and there were times when I noticed an increased police presence.
Whilst those statistics are high both John and Malcolm seemed very optimistic about the positive attitudes and efforts of the community working together to overcome the negative aspects within their society and note that much of the more serious drug dealing has moved away from the area thanks to the gardens up-keeping by the locals.
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(Photo by Susan Hogan)
The gardeners mentioned the removal of needles from this tree as well as hundreds of others when they cleared out the former wasteland.
In 2009 escalating gang rivalries resulted in a fatal shooting with several others injured
This article encompasses many of the issues surrounding the neighbourhood from the time, and much of its content supports the themes addressed in the interviews we took.
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