Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Category: News

  • Saint George’s Day 2020 celebrations cancelled

    Saint George’s Day 2020 celebrations cancelled

    Saint George’s Day 2020 celebrations cancelled

    The annual Dartford and Gravesham Saint George’s day celebrations which this year was to feature 22 local schools from the areas on April 23rd have been cancelled due to the ongoing threat of Coronavirus. The celebrations which are some of the biggest in the South East are organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with Cohesion Plus, Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of KECC commented, “It is imperative at this time that the safety of the schools, artists and members of the public is paramount. Following discussions with partners and taking into consideration the government’s advice on public gatherings, we felt it was best to cancel the celebrations. It is important in these most extraordinary of time that as communities, we stick together and support each other through this period.”

  • Diverse communities celebrate Commonwealth Day in Gravesham

    Diverse communities celebrate Commonwealth Day in Gravesham

    Diverse communities celebrate Commonwealth Day in Gravesham

    A special community event took place in Gravesham at Saint Andrew’s Arts Centre on Tuesday 10th March to celebrate the Commonwealth and the positive contribution made in the borough by local residents with links to Commonwealth countries. This event was part of Commonwealth Day celebrations which took place around the globe.

    The event was organised by the Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus and the North Kent Caribbean Network. The evening saw performances from Phase 5 Steel Band and the GTown Collective, a group of young grime rappers from the borough. Speakers included Gurvinder Sandher from the Kent Equality Cohesion Council who spoke about the key role that the Commonwealth has played in British history including the positive contribution made by soldiers during the two World Wars. Michelle Bramble, the Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network spoke about the Windrush generation and how their contribution towards the rebuilding of the UK after the Second World War should never be forgotten.

    Furthermore, a special award of recognition was presented to Alberta Theresa Jaggon, the widow of Cllr Joseph Jaggon a former Mayor of Gravesham. The award recognised both Mr and Mrs Jaggon’s contributions to the promotion of positive community relations in the borough over the many years.

    Guests included the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Gurdip Bungar, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhargwara Vasudaven, Chairman of the Kent County Council Cllr Ann Allen, Cllr John Burden Leader of Gravesham Borough Council, Inspector Craig West from Kent Police and Manpreet Dhaliwal the President of Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “In today’s social climate I believe it is vital to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the vast diversity of Gravesham as well as listen to the many stories of those individuals who made their way to the UK from Commonwealth countries like Jamaica and India in the 1940’s. Those stories tell of great challenges and struggles and serve as a valuable foundation to the positive community relations we enjoy today.”

    Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network commented, “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who attended this event, especially the communities that hail from the many Commonwealth countries. Events like this are important, where different generations come together to remember and celebrate our shared histories.”

  • Tree planting ceremony to commemorate the founder of the Sikh faith

    Tree planting ceremony to commemorate the founder of the Sikh faith

    Tree Planting

    Dartford Borough Council in partnership with the Kent Equality Cohesion Council and the Dartford Guru Hargobind Gurdwara held a special tree planting ceremony in Central Park to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of the Sikh faith. The event took place on Saturday 8th February and the initiative was led by Cllr Avtar Sandhu MBE.

    The event was attended by various community and faith partners including Leader of Dartford Borough Council Cllr Jeremy Kite, Mayor of Dartford Cllr Roger Perfitt, KCC Chair Cllr Ann Allen, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council Gurvinder Sandher and Co-Ordinator Officer from the Indian High Commission Varinder Khera.

    The ceremony was a culmination of a week of activity in Dartford including the hosting a special exhibition on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji which was displayed in the Peter Blake Gallery in Dartford Library. The exhibition was created by the Indian High Commission and has toured extensively around the UK and Europe.

    Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “This was a great initiative led by Cllr Sandhu and colleagues from Dartford Borough Council. We hope the tree will live to grow healthy and strong and serve as a symbol of the importance of communities in Dartford coming together to celebrate all that binds us. This is in line with the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who was a great advocate of breaking down religious and social barriers, something that is just as important now as it was then.”

    Cllr Avtar Sandhu MBE commented, “It was amazing to see so many people visit the exhibition over the last week and also attend the tree planting ceremony. We are very grateful for the support provided by the Indian High Commission in making this possible. The Sikh community in Dartford have a long and proud tradition and this exhibition underlines the values and ethos of the Sikh faith.”

  • Exhibition on the Life and Times of Guru Nanak Dev Ji – Founder of the Sikh Faith

    Exhibition on the Life and Times of Guru Nanak Dev Ji – Founder of the Sikh Faith

    As part of the world wide celebrations to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of the Sikh faith, Dartford Borough Council in partnership with the Kent Equality Cohesion Council have arranged a special exhibition which will be on display in the Peter Blake Gallery in Dartford Library until the 10th February.

    The launch took place on Saturday 1st February and was attended by various community and faith partners. The event was addressed by Deputy Mayor of Dartford Cllr Rosanna Curran, Cabinet Member for Art and Culture Cllr Patsy Thurlow, D P Singh from the Indian High Commission, Cllr Avtar Sandhu MBE and CEO of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council Gurvinder Sandher.

    The exhibition was created by the Indian High Commission and has toured extensively around the UK and Europe. The exhibition covers the life and times of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, his many teachings and how these teachings are still relevant to this day in great detail and artistry.

    Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “I am delighted that working with Dartford Borough Council that we have been able to secure this fantastic exhibition. I hope that as many people as possible regardless of faith have an opportunity to come and view it and learn more about Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who was a great advocate of breaking down religious and social barriers, something that is just as important now as it was then.”

    Cllr Avtar Sandhu MBE commented, “It was amazing to see so many people at the launch of the exhibition. We are very grateful for the support provided by the Indian High Commission in making this possible. The Sikh community in Dartford have a long and proud tradition and this exhibition underlines the values and ethos of the Sikh faith.”

  • Dartford Community comes together to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day

    Dartford Community comes together to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day

    Communities and faith groups from Dartford came together on Monday 27th January to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day which also marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia. The event was organised by the Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Dartford Borough Council and saw a number of people attend including Dartford Borough Council Leader Jeremy Kite, The Worshipful Mayor of Dartford Cllr Roger Perfitt and Chairman of Kent County Council Cllr Ann Allen.

    Attendees heard from a range of speakers including Gurvinder Sandher from the Kent Equality Cohesion Council who spoke about the importance of learning lessons from history. Gerald Rose from the Catford and Bromley Synagogue talked about the theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, ‘Standing Together’ and Dartford Council Leader Jeremy Kite spoke about his recent experience visiting Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The event concluded with an interfaith prayer which was led by Reverend Cantor David Rome.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “I am very grateful to everyone who made the time to attend this event. It is imperative that we continue to come together regardless of background, faith and ethnicity to remember the wrong doings of the past and learn from them. It is vital that the same mistakes do not repeat themselves. Tragically, some lessons have to be repeatedly learnt with genocides still occurring to this day, most recently in Darfur. The atrocities that took place in Auschwitz, Bosnia and Rwanda are no less horrific now than they were back then and we must never forget them. ”

    Dartford Borough Council Leader Jeremy Kite said, “Holocaust Memorial Day is a powerful reminder of how quickly civilisation can descend into chaos and hatred. Sadly this prospect is no less real in 2020 than in the 1930s and 40s. We need to unite and demonstrate that we stand together in building a more peaceful and tolerant world.”

  • International Holocaust Memorial Day

    International Holocaust Memorial Day

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with Dartford Borough Council have arranged an event to mark International Holocaust Memorial Day.  The event will take place on the day itself, Monday 27th January at the Civic Centre in Dartford between 2pm and 3pm.  This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a significant milestone and is made particularly poignant by the dwindling number of survivors who are able to share their testimony. It also marks the 25th anniversary of the Genocide in Bosnia.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of the KECC commented “I think it’s important that we come together to remember these horrific episodes in our history, as by keeping the memory alive and not allowing them to fade, can we ensure that history does not repeat itself. I am very grateful to our partners Dartford Borough Council for working with us to deliver this event.”

  • Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights returns to shine again

    Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights returns to shine again

    The ever popular Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights returned to the Town Centre again to mark the beginning of the festive period this year on Friday 22nd November. The festival was organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council and proved to be one of the biggest to date with additional support provided by Barron Edwards Architects and Arts Council England.

    13 local schools and some 600 young people benefitted from workshops in the build-up to the event which was delivered by Same Sky Arts. Around 3,500 attendees participated in the celebrations on the day including the Mayor of Gravesham, Councillor Gurdip Bungar along with Deputy Lord Lieutenant Rosemary Dymond and representatives from various faith and community organisations.

    The celebrations climaxed on Community Square where the CEO of KECC Gurvinder Sandher thanked the schools, partners and sponsors who helped make the event so memorable. The Christmas tree lights were then switched on following a countdown led by the Mayor of Gravesham.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of KECC commented “The whole ethos of our organisation is to bring communities together to promote cohesion and celebrate all that binds us together. The celebrations in Gravesham were the climax of a busy year where we have worked across the county promoting the message of unity. I’m very grateful to my small team and all the volunteers who have given up their valuable time to support not just this event but all our other work around Kent. I’m particularly proud of our long standing partnership with Gravesham Borough Council who have championed our work over many years.”

  • 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Inter Faith Event

    550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Inter Faith Event

    As part of National Inter Faith Week, Kent Equality Cohesion Council working with local community and faith organisations arranged a special event at the Woodville to commemorate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh faith. Some 600 people were in attendance from around Kent including representatives from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist faiths.

    Highlights from the programme included talks by renowned academic Dr Opinderjit Kaur, Director of the Centre for Sikh and Punjabi Studies at Wolverhampton University, popular artist Dilmeet Kaur who is based in Glasgow and Gravesend based academic Rajvinder Singh Gill. There was also a programme of spiritual hymns and speeches from different faith representatives. One of the highlights of the programme was a vast exhibition which was donated by the Indian High Commission. This displayed in great detail and artistic creativity, the prolific life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, his many teachings and how these teachings are still relevant to this day. The exhibition has made an extensive tour around the UK and Europe and was seen by the communities of North Kent for the first time.

    Light refreshments and drinks were kindly donated by the community and were provided to all those attending by volunteers who gave up their time to contribute towards the celebrations.

    Special guests included the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Gurdip Bungar, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhagwara Vasudaven, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Rosemary Dymond, High Sheriff of Kent Mr Paul Barrett MBE, Leader of Gravesham Borough Council Cllr John Burden, Leader of Dartford Borough Council Cllr Jeremy Kite, Cabinet Member for Communities Kent County Council Cllr Mike Hill, Shri D P Singh of the Indian High Commission and Assistant Chief Constable Pete Ayling from Kent Police.

    Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “I was humbled by the positive response we received from communities across Gravesham and Dartford who came out to support this important celebration which marked the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh faith. We were really pleased to be able to tie this event in with National Inter Faith Week and to have an inter faith element to the programme. Guru Nanak Dev Ji himself was a great advocate of breaking down barriers such as religion, race, social standing and striving towards a shared humanity and these beliefs resonate deeply with the themes of Inter Faith Week.”

  • Community comes together to celebrate Black History Month

    Community comes together to celebrate Black History Month

    Black History Month celebrations climaxed in the borough with a special event which was arranged by Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Cohesion Plus and the North Kent Caribbean Network in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council. Some 200 attended the event in the Council Chamber which celebrated the significant and positive contribution made by those of Caribbean descent.

    Guests included the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Gurdip Bungar, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhagwara Vasudaven and Chairman of the KCC Cllr Ann Allen. Talks were also given by Lennox Rogers from local charity Refocus who spoke about his experience with gang violence and his eventual rehabilitation which led to the publishing of his new book ‘Breaking Better’. Rethink Sahayak spoke about issues of mental health within the black communities and the support they can provide. There were also performances by the Taboo Dance Company and rap/poet D-Wayne.

    Special awards were presented during the evening recognising the many achievements and contributions to the borough by local entrepreneurs, athletes, business owners and community workers. Winners included Commonwealth Games 2018 Bronze medallist Chev Townsend for his ground-breaking achievement in boxing, youth volunteer Darius Farrell, entrepreneur Steve Boss and former gang member / youth worker Lennox Rodgers.

    A special award for services to communities’ was presented to Patricia Fenton for her outstanding service with Metropolitan Police supporting victims of crime which included being a Family Liaison Officer to the family of Steven Lawrence in the aftermath of his murder.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “There have been a number of events taking place around Gravesham to celebrate Black History Month and I was particularly proud of what we were able to achieve with very limited resources. It is important that we use events like Black History Month to celebrate what binds us together as communities and to remember the past struggles and the sacrifices that the generations before us made. A particular highlight for me was the recognition of community champions who are often unsung but make a positive contribution within our local communities.”

  • Dartford Festival of Light 2019

    Dartford Festival of Light 2019

    The 11th Dartford Festival of Light returned to the borough on Friday 18th October. The festival was organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with Dartford Borough Council and Cohesion Plus. The aim of the festival was to celebrate what binds the communities together in Dartford through the values of respect, excellence, friendship and equality.

    Some 2,000 people attended the festival and enjoyed the sights and sounds as musical performances took place on One Bell Corner. The lantern parade was made up 8 local schools, members of the community and performers which was led by the Deputy Mayor Cllr Rosanna Currans, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Kelvin Holford and KCC Chairman Cllr Ann Allen.

    The parade departed from One Bell Corner, went via Hythe Street and Suffolk Road into the Orchards Shopping Centre, left out on to the High Street and then turned right at the Holy Trinity Church heading back towards Central Park. The festival climaxed with a spectacular free fireworks display finale.

    Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council, “At this moment in time when our nation is so divided it was so heart-warming to see Dartford come together as one and celebrate our annual Festival of Light. I always say that there is more that unites us than divides us and this event is a great of example of the positive impact the arts can have in bringing people together, young or old, faith or no faith and urban or rural. I am very proud of our positive working relationship with Dartford Borough Council and this has allowed the event to grow from strength to strength.”