Image of Royal Wedding event held last year.
A peace event will be held in In Ilford Town Centre from the 29th – 31st of March 2019 that will also commemorate Mothers Day.
The event will include commercial stalls, community stalls and a workshop for children to make gifts for their mothers for her special day. Community Group E-Gangs and anti-knife UK will be working towards eradicating teen knife crime in Redbridge and joining a plethora of other charities and groups.
We believe tackling the social malaise of knife crime is a topic that goes hand in hand with celebrations of mothers day. This repugnant crime devastates families and last year at our peace concert we heard poignant words from mother of slain teenager Kashif Mahmood, who described the deep sense of loss that has resonated with her since his death. Last year we led a vigil to the Ilford Peace Pole which was erected by the EIBP and BPCA to remember victims of teen knife crime with hope it would be a reminder of the futility of knife crime. Sadly knife crime has hit an all time high and many young lives have been lost since the installation of the monument and we are all called to do what we can to help bring change.
Teenagers from our No Knives, Better Lives event last year held a vigil at the Ilford Peace Pole.
A petition calling for improved programmes to reduce knife and violent crime will be available for people to sign during the event. Moreover, we will be promoting a public crime meeting on Saturday evening called ‘Teens want a say on knife crime too!” To which adults are also invited to attend (click here)
The street community fayre is one of a regular series of monthly events which are designed to be in support of promoting community cohesion. On Saturday and Sunday we will have some light music and we hope to have a series of games for children to be involved in and art workshops. High Road Baptist Church will be providing art-classes in which children can prepare gifts for their mothers, Pastor Andrew Willis, said:
“In these terrible times when we hear of so many children being lost to violence it is important that we remember the important role of a mother.
“Knife crime devastates families no more so than the huge emotional strain placed upon a grieving mother.
“We will take this time to remind children of the need to honour their parents and to enable them to give something back to mums’ on their special day.
“Moreover, we will pray and provide counsel to any mothers who are grieving or have any other difficulty – This time of year will mean something different to all mothers.”
This month we are also joined by Social Action For Health (SAFH) who are involved in a ‘life changing project for future generations in relation to tackling health inequalities’.
In partnership with East London Genes and Health (ELGH), they will be delivering the world’s largest community-based genetic study, aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of people acquiring Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin. A spokesperson, said
“These two communities (in particular) have disproportionately high levels of diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and high cholesterol in comparison to other communities. ELGH (in coordination with SAFH and geneticists based in Queen Mary, University of London) is dedicated to helping fight against these and other major diseases, with the underlying aim to assist the NHS in the production of more effective treatment for future generations.
Some of the early aims of the study are:
To study normal variation in genes within adult Bangladeshi and Pakistani people. Knowing what is normal is important when searching for genes causing inherited childhood diseases.
To study variation in genes in healthy adults whose parents are related. These studies will tell us how genes work, and help develop new medicine.
To study genes in people with high and low cholesterol levels, better understand why heart disease and stroke occurs
To study genes of people with diabetes, aiming to identify rarer types of diabetes for which more specific treatments can be used.
If you are of Pakistani or Bangladeshi Origin, please come out and take part in this important survey!
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said:
“At our latest community fayre children get to show their love for their mothers by making gifts at one of our many free art-workshops, young people will have have access to anti-violence groups and an ethnic survey will be taken that will fashion improvements in local health.
“It will be a purposeful event that will have elements of fun but most importantly provides positive opportunities for all.
“We hope to hold regular weekend events that will serve to put charities and community groups right in the centre of our town and the heart of our community.
“Only together can we make Redbridge a safer, better place for all to live.”
If you are a charity, community or commercial group wishing to obtain a stall please email us at info@eastilfordbettermentpartnership.org.
