Brixton pound pay by text
Paying by Text with the Brixton pound in Brixton,
London, England
Tom Shakhli is passionate about Brixton. He began working for the Brixton Pound as a volunteer, and is now their Engagement Manager. He is excited about the ways the Brixton Pound can change and influence his local community – and how this makes a real difference to people’s lives. The role is more about building pride and engagement than the currency itself – and that’s exactly why Tom loves it. As he says, helping people to connect with each other and spend locally is vital for a strong and vibrant Brixton.
Let’s take a look at Tom’s day.As we interviewed him, he was preparing to meet two new volunteers. After that, its time to focus on community members who are offline and how to reach them. Tom is organizing a newsletter drop, so that everyone stays up to date. Then a meeting with a new business who wants to accept the Brixton Pound and offer a pay by text service.
The potential to use the Brixton Pound via mobile phones is very exciting – and helping grow this is one of Tom’s key goals. As the Pound becomes more mainstream, more people are willing to use it and support it. As Tom points out, a growing wariness of the national currency post-GFC and the increasingly unpredictable nature of economic policies has paved the way for the Brixton Pound to emerge as a valid alternative. As it is clearly driven by the need to build strong community, the Pound is attracting a lot of attention. Lambeth Council is a strong supporter, as they can see many economic and social benefits. As the Brixton markets grow in popularity, tourists are beginning to use the Brixton Pound too. Many continue to explore the town, using the local currency as they go. As the paper notes feature well known people with Brixton connections (as well as Brixton landmarks), It has also become a great souvenir
for visitors to take home.
Ethical and Easy
Both old school locals and visitors to Brixton are eagerly using the Pound. As Tom reminds us, this is money working as it should – convenient, ethical and available to all. Users can pay by SMS, use paper notes showcasing Brixton, and spend less time in queues.
Small businesses and charities can access simple payment platforms, and easily trade with each other. No one needs an expensive smartphone – any model you can text with is fine. It is rare for people who get involved to cash out of the system. The majority prefer to remain involved and support their town’s growth. After all, money that sticks to Brixton and supports the town’s growth is clearly a great thing to be a part of.
The Brixton Pound has been operating for over four years now. Set up by Transition Town Brixton, this much loved local currency supports small business, helps keep Brixton people employed, and encourages them to shop local. Brixton Pound Engagement Manager Tom Shakhli is passionate about his community, and graciously made time to Skype with EATT Magazine.
Tom tells us that the vision behind the Brixton Pound is community development. Encouraging residents to spend where they live means local businesses flourish, as people are mindful of what and who they are supporting. Money spent locally circulates faster and also stays in the area longer, which strengthens Brixton’s economy. He claims the
greatest success of the B£ is the role it plays in making people realize that the local economy matters. When you value your community and want to support it, you are far more likely to buy from the market or family run shops than Tesco.
So why has the Brixton Pound become one of the most successful local currencies in Europe? Tom points out that it is a local currency that reinforces shopping at independent businesses, which are more
likely to source local supplies, use nearby services, and employ local people. It also clearly supports local businesses, which we know bring vitality and diversity to our high streets and markets, and using it makes a statement that you want it re-spent locally.
We focus on supporting local businesses and encouraging people to use them instead of larger, corporate alternatives.
Brixton is becoming more gentrified – so we ask Tom if the Pound should do more to support people struggling in the area. Tom suggests that the whole point of local currencies is to respond to local economic needs, and hopes in the near future to have it accepted in more grocery-type shops that provide daily necessities.
He also wants to look at how the B£ could tackle wider issues, making sure that the joys of Brixton life remain available to everyone. “The Brixton Pound is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company
We run the currency, but we also want to be active in working for economic justice”.
Shop local so Local Charities Benefit using the Brixton pound pay by text
So why else should we be excited about the B£ ? It makes shopping and dining out easier. Since 2011, it has allowed locals to pay by text message. You don’t need to queue – or even have a smartphone!
This technology has long been used across Africa, and has been eagerly embraced in England. Over 250 businesses accept the notes, and around half take pay-by-text. We have around 1,300 registered accounts, and there is approximately £100,000 in circulation. It is secure, simple and can be used to split the bill too – each person can send what they owe and be out the door in no time!
The notes honor some of our favorite people. David Bowie appears on the B£20, and we celebrate the skills of the Sudanese-English Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng on the B£5. These people remind us to hold on to our dreams and aim high.
It’s great for small businesses. Modern payment methods usually cost more than market stallholders can afford. The Brixton Pound charges a flat rate of 1.5% per transaction, and the technology is free – provided that you have an sms-enabled mobile phone. There are no credit or debit card transaction fees either! Also, when you
exchange your everyday currency for local money, it goes into a credit union. Credit unions, unlike banks, are more likely to lend to small businesses, do not invest in unethical ventures such as arms or
oil, and also provide vulnerable individuals with an affordable alternative to payday lenders. So your money is used for ethical purposes.
The Brixton Pound pioneered a scheme where local council staff opt in to be part-paid in the local currency, which can then be sent directly to local charities as a donation. They can then use this to purchase goods or pay expenses for volunteers. Charities often have difficulty accepting cash donations, so pay-by-text offers a
useful alternative. Lambeth workers recently chose to have their salaries part paid in B£ or to send monthly B£ donations to Brixton Food bank. The Brixton Food bank then used its balance to buy a huge amount of food at Faiz grocery store in Brixton Village.
It helps people connect. When you use pay-by-text, the trader receives a confirmation text including the name of the payee. So don’t be surprised when they thank you personally for your purchase, and remember your name next time you’re in the shop. We’re optimistic that the local currencies of today and the many initiatives based on a sharing economy will be much replicated as other areas look to take greater charge of their economic destinies.
So if you happen to have a local currency in your area, get involved. Help grow your community and embrace the future of money!
This article was created with the help of experts from Brixton Buzz, including Mike Urban click the link to read more.
http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2013/11/why-should-anyone-bother-with-the-brixton-pound-we-ask-some-tough-questions-and-get-some-good-answers/
Buy your Brixton Pounds here before shopping in Brixton, London
http://brixtonpound.org/b-shop-2/merchandise/
Thanks to Tom Shakhli for making time in his busy schedule to Skype with EATT Magazine. We are very inspired by what the team at Brixton Pound are doing. The Brixton pound pay by text article was featured in the première edition of EATT Magazine.
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