Däna Burstow is one of the co-founders of Palmers Green Action Team

Palmers Green Action Team volunteers, from left; Dana, Liz, Claude, Mati and Cara — *Palmers Green Action Team volunteers, from left; Däna, Liz, Claude, Mati and Cara*

Four years ago a small group of Palmers Green residents got together and decided to do something to improve their local high street.

Däna Burstow was one of those who saw the great potential for Green Lanes to thrive. She told the Dispatch: “We really just started by saying, although there were lots of people moaning about the high street, we thought there was a strong community and lots of good shops and we should shout about it.”

Over the last four years since it was launched, Palmers Green Action Team boasts a long list of successful interventions that collectively have made a big difference. They include installing tree planters on the pavement, creating new flowerbeds and maintaining existing ones, commissioning artworks in and around Palmers Green Station, and winning council funding to create a poetry ‘sculpture’ in tribute to the late Stevie Smith, who lived in the area for most of her life. Ongoing projects include a campaign to bring a cinema to Green Lanes and the launching of a market and events space at the newly-created Devonshire Square (the first market was held earlier this month).

Däna, a lawyer by day, says: “It takes a lot of effort and almost everyone involved is working full-time so we are doing it in the ‘midnight oil’ hours. But it’s amazing what you can do with volunteers.

“The high street is the heart of the community and from an economic perspective that is where we can support businesses and bring more people to the area.

“Although we have some big units that are empty, most of the smaller units do get taken quite quickly and we have lower vacancy rates than other areas. We have got several fantastic independent cafes […] there is a real diversity of food as well, we have got nine or ten different cuisines on the high street which is really great to see.

“We just do as much as we can to support the community and the shopkeepers to make it a successful high street.

“People are doing it because they care about their local environment and because they can see how they can make a difference. The council doesn’t have the capacity to manage it so if we can use volunteer power we can make Palmers Green a better place.”

Däna is one of four founders of PGAT, along with Claude Whyte, Christine Ellssa and Justine Ramdarshan.

For more information about Palmers Green Action Team:
Visit palmersgreenactionteam.org

This article is the latest in our ‘Enfield Community Heroes’ series, sponsored by Edmonton Green Shopping Centre. Dispatch readers are welcome to nominate their own local hero – someone who has gone above and beyond to help support the local community. Simply email your nomination to [email protected].

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