Community sound system restored by team of local volunteers

A group of community volunteers has restored a local sound system to its former glory.

Albion HiFi Sound System was rescued after Albion Kids Show, a well-known play group based in Hackney Wick, decided to give it away.

It was not operational and in very poor condition.

Local resident Pete Bennett obtained the system through a connection at the play group, which had used it for announcements during events.

Bennett said: “I’ve lived in Hackney since 1989. It’s kind of rubbed off on me, that [sound system] culture. I just thought, I can’t really let this die, it’s a piece of heritage, and if I can find some people who are mad enough to help rebuild it, then it’s a plus for the community.”

What followed was a two-year project to get it back into working order.

Bennett and one of his colleagues founded Albion Hi-Fi as a non-profit, and it grew to encompass more volunteers.

“It was just me, my friend and a van,” Bennet explained. “Now we’ve got a small team of people who have basically scrubbed all the dirt off [the speakers] and rebuilt them.”

The sound system is now fully functional again and featured at a recent event in Gillett Square.