Southbury Art Trail_5
Rob Brassett_COMMUNITY LEADER
Robert Brassett is a third-generation resident of Ponders End whose family history in the area stretches back around a century. His commitment to community life is inherited: his mother ran local clubs, extended family members ran pubs and scouting groups, and his father worked as an undertaker, making coffins. Partially sighted, Robert organises and connects rather than physically leads, acting as an informal community hub through park groups, local forums, and street-level outreach. He believes community is built through everyday politeness and visibility, greeting people because it is right, not for personal gain. Known locally for his high-visibility jacket and consistent routines, he is often treated as a figure of authority and a source of local information, frequently sharing updates before official channels. He speaks about safety, shared responsibility, and communication as essential in a diverse area, noting how crisis has sometimes been the catalyst for unity. Robert contrasts the lack of visible stars in the light-filled valley of Ponders End with childhood experiences elsewhere, expressing a desire to give local children access to wonder and perspective. His outlook combines faith, curiosity, and pragmatism, shaped by deep roots in place and a belief that small, consistent actions are how communities endure.
This is Southbury Art Trail
(click here to view additional sculptures)‘This Is Southbury Art Trail’ is a new creative placemaking initiative celebrating the Southbury and Ponders End neighbourhood shaped by community, resilience and industry. The new public art trail weaves together 3D portraits, poetry, and local voices to honour Southbury’s identity and bring everyday stories into the public realm.
DYSPLA, an award-winning art studio in Enfield, was commissioned by Enfield Council to deliver this innovative digital art and 3D sculptural project working with 30 community members, to shape this bold new public art trail and offers a wonderful opportunity for local people to come together and shape who they are, where they live and how their work is shaping the area.
The 3D digital art trail is approximately 1 km long, stretching from Southbury Road, along Kingsway and culminating on Queensway. This project is part of Shaping Southbury — a public realm and community engagement programme being delivered by Enfield Council’s Journeys and Places team and supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
