Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Category: News

  • Cohesion of Dartford celebrated at Saint George’s Day

    Cohesion of Dartford celebrated at Saint George’s Day

    Dartford was abuzz with some of the biggest Saint George’s Day celebrations which took place on Tuesday 23rd April. 550 children from 9 local schools participated in the annual and took the opportunity to showcase the amazing art pieces they had been creating in the lead up to the event. The celebrations were organised in partnership by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus supported by Dartford Borough Council.

    Performances took place on One Bell Corner and were followed by a parade led by North Kent resident Russell Palmer as Saint George himself. The parade began from the Civic Centre, went through the Orchard Shopping Centre, stopping briefly at Memorial Gardens where the flag of Saint George was raised. The celebrations climaxed at the Bandstand in Central Park where there followed a programme of entertainment which climaxed with the National Anthem.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “Given the challenging climate we find ourselves in recently, it is so heartening to see that the communities of the borough regardless of their ethnic, religious or social background continue to come out and support such a wonderful celebration. I truly believe that the spirit of the communities is reflected in events such as St George’s Day where we prefer to celebrate what brings us together rather than what divides us. We should take away a message of unity and strength from today’s event.”

  • Communities come out for St George’s celebrations!

    Communities come out for St George’s celebrations!

    Gravesend Town Centre was brought to a standstill by some of the biggest celebrations in England to commemorate Saint George’s Day on Tuesday April 23rd. Some 500 Children from 13 local schools took part in the event which was organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership Cohesion Plus and supported by Gravesham Borough Council. The event celebrated the patron Saint of England and brought together the diverse communities of the borough.

    Celebrations began with performances in the Town Centre. The highlight of the celebrations was the schools parade which was led by Saint George enacted by Gravesham resident Russel Palmer. They were followed by the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr David Hurley and local dignitaries including Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Dr. Bhargawa Vasudaven and Superintendent Andy Gadd from Kent Police.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “I believe passionately that we should be using celebrations like Saint George’s Day as opportunities to bring communities together and celebrate all that binds us as residents of Gravesham. Today it was so humbling to see so many people regardless of faith or background come out to support the celebrations and wave the flag of Saint George with pride. Events like today champion the values of community cohesion, unity and diversity celebrating our shared values.”

  • St Georges Day 23rd April

    St Georges Day 23rd April

    The annual Saint George’s Day celebrations in Gravesham and Dartford will be some of the biggest taking place in England on April 23rd. The celebrations, which have been put together by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus celebrate the communities of England in the context of 2019 and educates young people about Saint George the patron Saint of England.

    This year 22 local schools across Gravesham and Dartford have been taking part in arts workshops run by arts organisation Same Sky in the lead up to the parade where they will have the opportunity to showcase their creations. The festivities are supported by Gravesham Borough Council, Dartford Borough Council and Arts Council England.

    The celebrations in Gravesend Town Centre will take place between 10am and 11.30am and in Dartford Town Centre 12.30pm to 2.30pm. Entertainment includes Big Fish Brass Band, DDFK and Premier Brass Bands, West Hill Morris, Hartley Morris Men, Saint George’s themed Stilt Walkers, a Saint George in full armor and a large scale dragon will feature.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of KECC commented “Whether we like it or not our country is greatly divided. I hope that over time we can come back together and that is why events like Saint George’s Day need to be celebrated as there is more that binds us together as communities than divides us. We have been arranging Saint George’s Day celebrations in Gravesham and Dartford for over 10 years now and I believe these events are a model other parts of the Country can learn from.”

  • Inter Faith Gathering to remember victims of Christchurch attack

    Inter Faith Gathering to remember victims of Christchurch attack

    Faith and community organisations came together on Wednesday March 20th to condemn the recent attack in Christchurch, New Zealand and share a message of unity and solidarity. The event, which took place at the Gravesend & Dartford Muslim Association Mosque & Cultural Centre in Gravesham hosted around 100 people and was the first opportunity for local faith and community groups to come together to strongly condemn the attack.

    Speakers at the event included the Chairman of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association Ejaz Aslam, Mayor of Gravesham Cllr David Hurley, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr. Vasudaven, Adam Holloway MP and Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council. They were joined by Chairman of the Kent County Council Cllr Mike Angell, Assistant Chief Constable of Kent Police Nicola Falconbridge, Reverend Richard Martin from the North Kent Interfaith Forum, as well as representatives from the Guru Nanak Dabar Gurdwara, Gravesend Hindu Mandir and the Buddhist faith.

    Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council said, “Following the recent terrorist incident in New Zealand I felt it was important that communities and faith groups came together in an act of solidarity. Terrorists of whatever persuasion are seeking to divide communities around the world so it is vital that we take a stand in the most strongest terms and show those that seek to divide us that, regardless of faith or background we will stand together as one.”

    According to the Chairman of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association Ejaz Aslam, “It is heartbreaking to be in a position once again in sending our thoughts and prayers to those involved in such a horrific attack. Whether it is on the other side of the world or right here in our own communities, the pain caused by such attacks is felt by all of us just the same. I am very grateful for the solidarity shown by other faith organisations and community partners at this most difficult time. In such trying times it is heartening to know that we have a support system that transcends race, religion and background.”

    Mayor of Gravesham Cllr David Hurley said: “On behalf of Gravesham, I send our deepest condolences, support and prayers to all the citizens of Christchurch. We stand shoulder-to shoulder with everybody in Christchurch. Those who have suffered loss of family and friends; those who are still suffering from injuries; those of the emergency services who have to deal with these terrible and evil atrocities on our behalf; but most of all, we remember all those who died in this senseless and violent act. Today’s gathering of all faiths is testament to the strong community that we have in Gravesham and we stood today to show that such evil atrocities will not be victorious.”

  • Gravesham shines during the annual Christmas Festival of Lights

    Gravesham shines during the annual Christmas Festival of Lights

    Gravesend Town Centre was brought to a halt with a spectacular lantern parade as part of the Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights on Friday 16th November which incorporated the switching on of the town’s Christmas Lights. The celebrations were organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with Cohesion Plus and Gravesham Borough Council.

    Some 3,500 from across 11 schools enjoyed the lantern parade led by partners and representatives from various faith and community organisations.

    Entertainment was provided by Crocodile Style Brass, Knights Academy, Folk in Fusion Drumming Santas, Stilt Batteristas and Bloco Fogo Samba. The parade was led by a giant Garuda Bird called Shanti which was specially lit up for the occasion. The Christmas Lights were switched on in the Town Centre as the parade passed by.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “A key element of our work is to bring communities together and celebrate our shared British values. This festival is a great example of this. It also showcases how the arts are a positive tool in terms of community engagement and outreach with diverse communities. We are very grateful to all our partners for their support with this project and I am very proud of how we have been able to develop the festival over the last few years so that now it is one of the highlights of the local community calendar.”

  • Inter Faith Weeks brings faith groups together

    Inter Faith Weeks brings faith groups together

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Kent County Council worked in partnership to bring faith groups and partners together to mark National Inter Faith Week. 20 representatives from partner agencies including Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Victim Support, NHS and the Heart of Kent Hospice attended both the Gravesham Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara and the Gravesend Hindu Mandir (Temple) to learn more about the Sikh and Hindu faiths and practices. This was part of the Diverse Open Doors week where places of worship around Kent opened their doors to visitors from different faiths.

    This was followed by an Inter Faith event hosted at County Hall in Maidstone which was attended by around 60 people. The event was addressed by Gurvinder Sandher from Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Cllr Michael Hill from Kent County Council and Jatinder Birdi the Co-Chair of the Inter Faith Network for the UK. Their then followed a round table exercise where representatives from the Christian, Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Baha’i and Jewish faiths talked about the tenets of their religion and delegates went from table to table to learn more and ask questions.

    Gurvinder Sandher, the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “I am delighted that we were able to work with Kent County Council to arrange some events for National Inter Faith Week. It is important that events like this are marked and are used as an opportunity to bring different faith and community groups together to celebrate our shared values. The feedback has been very positive and gives us something to build upon for next year.”

  • Diwali Celebrations bring communities together

    Diwali Celebrations bring communities together

    The Mayor of Gravesham Councillor David Hurley and Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhagwaran Vasudaven were the chief guests at the Diwali celebrations which took place on Saturday 10th November at the Civic Centre in Gravesend. Lanterns and candles were lit to symbolise the essence of Diwali which celebrates the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.

    The event was organised in partnership by Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Gravesham Borough Council, Hindu Cultural Society and Cohesion Plus and started with a moment of silence to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the ending of the First World War. The 300 guests then enjoyed an array of performances by local young people including the Hindu Cultural Society, Saheli Dancers, Gravesend and Gillingham Shakha Group and finale by Four by Four Bhangra Youth Club.

    A special award was presented to Mrs Daya Sharma for her outstanding standing service and commitment to the local community over the last 30 years including being one of the leading lights in the establishing of the Hindu Mandir (Temple) on Manor Road.

    Once the celebrations finished inside, a community parade led by the Hindu Cultural Society featuring the Mayor, Deputy Lord Lieutenant and guests went from the Community Square to the Hindu Mandir.

    Gurvinder Sandher, the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council added “It was great to see the local community coming together from across different faiths and backgrounds to celebrate the festival of Diwali. It was especially poignant as the event took place on the same weekend as the 100th anniversary of the ending of World War One and what that symbolised with light overcoming darkness.”

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  • KECC Celebrate 10 Years of the Dartford Festival of Light

    KECC Celebrate 10 Years of the Dartford Festival of Light

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council was proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Dartford Festival of Light on Friday October 19th. Around 1500 people participated in the community festival which celebrates the values of respect, excellence, friendship and equality. Working in partnership with Dartford Borough Council and Cohesion Plus, the event proved to be as popular as ever and was a great showcase of the fantastic artwork which young people from 8 local schools had created working with Same Sky.

    The festival included performances on One Bell Corner by the Folk in Fusion Drumming Collective, Bloco Fogo Samba and the Stilt Batteristas. They were joined by Hilary the Triceratops who roamed the High Street interacting with members of the public. There was then a lantern parade featuring local schools which was led by the Mayor of Dartford Cllr David Mote, Leader of Dartford Borough Council Cllr Jeremy Kite MBE and Lak Heer from the Bostall Group who was the event sponsor. The parade went from the High Street via Suffolk Road into the Orchards Shopping Centre, left out towards Holy Trinity Church before climaxing in Central Park. The entrance in Central Park was especially lit up for the occasions with lanterns as was the area around the Band Stand.

    The celebrations climaxed with a presentation to local schools to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Festival and a colourful fireworks display.

    Gurvinder Sandher, the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “I am very proud of what we have achieved with the Dartford Festival of Light. The whole ethos of the event is to bring communities together and celebrate our shared values and is an event that the community of Dartford should be proud of. I hope that we can continue to evolve the festival and get more and more people involved.”

  • 70th Anniversary of the Windrush herald a success

    70th Anniversary of the Windrush herald a success

    The 70th anniversary of the arrival of the SSE Windrush took place on Tuesday 16th October at the Woodville in Gravesend. The event was organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council, the North Kent Caribbean Network and 2B Scene Theatre and celebrated the significant contributions made by the Caribbean communities to the borough. The event was also supported by funding from the KCC Members Fund.

    The celebrations were opened with band Common Denominator who played classic reggae songs as some 250 guests made their way into the Woodville. There were also poignant dramatic performances around the theme of immigration and early racism experienced by the Windrush generation upon their arrival into the UK in the 40s by artists Caroline Muraldo and Gravesham resident Gary Cordice.

    Guests included Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhargwaren Vasudaven, Deputy Mayor Cllr Lesley Boycott, KCC Cllr Lauren Sullivan and Chief Officer Gavin McKinnon from Kent Police amongst others. Talks were also given by local charity Refocus who work with young people and there were performances by the Common Denominator Band, North Kent Caribbean Association and Folkin Fusion Drumming Collective.

    Special awards were presented during the evening recognising the many achievements and contributions to the borough by local entrepreneurs, business owners and community workers. Winners included Elliot Reid from Revitalize Health and Fitness Clinic and Thomas – James Bramble a young footballer currently playing for Gillingham FC. Others recognised included local barbers, Kimoy Kirnon and Paul Williams, Claudette Bramble who runs the Caribbean Active Retirement Group, Earlyn Francis local restaurant owner, and the Gravesend West Indian Football Club who enjoyed much success between 1984 and 1995.

    A special life time achievement award was presented to local celebrity/midwife Sister Ursula Sullivan affectionately known as ‘Sully’. The award recognised Sister Sullivan’s journey from Trinidad to the UK in the early 40’s where she encountered social isolation and racism through to her extensive and ground breaking work as Head Nurse at the Antenatal Clinic at the Gravesend and North Kent Hospital. It is believed that Sister Sullivan stopped counting at 1,500 when asked how many children she had delivered over the years.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “I am incredibly proud to have put on this event in partnership to not only celebrate 70 years since the arrival of the SSE Windrush but to also recognise the many positive contributions the Windrush generation have made to the UK. To have so many guests in attendance celebrating the 70th anniversary during Black History Month really speaks volumes and I am so pleased that we were able to recognise and commemorate the prolific legacy the Caribbean community has established over the years here in Gravesham.”

  • Swale Light Festival Spectacular

    Swale Light Festival Spectacular

    KECC was pleased to have been a partner on the Swale Fusion Festival of Light which took place on Friday October 12th in Sittingbourne working with Swale Borough Council and Cohesion Plus. The aim of the festival was to support community cohesion and celebrate shared British values shinning a light on the things that bind us together.

    The Festival began in Sittingbourne High Street with spectacular performances from Bloco Fogo Samba, the Folk in Fusion Drumming Collective and the Stilt Batteristas which were enjoyed by the Chief Guests Deputy Lord Lieutenant Paul Auston and Deputy Mayor of Swale Cllr Ken Ingleton.

    The Festival then continued with a special lantern parade featuring local residents and 8 local schools that had created lanterns around the values of respect, excellence, friendship and equality.

    The celebrations climaxed in Albany Park which was specially decorated for the evening with ocean themed lights with a spectacular firework display.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “It was exhilarating to see so many people come together to not only celebrate the Festival but also our shared values that bind us together as a community. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces as the parade made its way through the town centre and their reaction to the musicians made all the hard work worthwhile. I just hope that we can raise the funds to deliver the event again next year working in partnership with Swale Borough Council.”