In 2008 the Brixton Pound was launched in the face of the financial crisis. The world’s first complimentary local currency in a major urban area proved that money can stick to Brixton. Accepted by 250+ independent businesses, it was “money that stuck to Brixton”. The bold design of its paper money featuring figures from Brixton’s rich history have made it internationally famous, thanks largely to David Bowie who features on the B£10 note. To celebrate its 5th Anniversary the Turner Prize-winning Jeremy Deller designed a commemorative B£5 note – a limited edition designed to question the meaning of value. It encouraged local trade, supported independent businesses and built a human-scale circular economy.

In the decade that followed we did a lot of learning and some innovating. We funded a micro-grant-giving scheme, opened a pay-what-you-can veggie/vegan café using only surplus food, and ran a local lottery. But what our communities are facing now makes 2008 look like a warm-up. And local currency has never been more needed.

We are delighted to be working with the Algorand Foundation on the next chapter of the Brixton Pound story.

2023 will see us reinvent the Brixton Pound, layering all we have learned in the last decade onto Algorand’s unique blockchain. Open source, trustless and inclusive, it’s an ecosystem developed solely to deliver public good. It’s incredibly exciting.