Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Cllr John Caller

  • Eid Flag Raising

    Eid Flag Raising

    Eid al Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world which marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

    A special flag raising ceremony took place on Thursday April 13 on Community Square in Gravesend to mark the ongoing Ramadan period and the forthcoming Eid al-Fitr which will be later this week.

    Around 100 people from the local community attended the ceremony which was arranged by Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association, Shah Jalal Mosque, Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Gravesham Borough Council.

    Guests who attended and spoke at the event included Deputy Lieutenant Gurvinder Sandher MBE, Deputy Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Jon Caller and Chair of the Gravesend Dartford Muslim Association Bilal Farooq.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “We have a long and proud history of working in partnership with the Gravesham and Dartford Muslim Association, and we are honored to be involved in another Eid celebration. Events like this provide opportunities for everyone to be educated on the Muslim faith, come together and celebrate all that connects us together as members of the local community. It was extra special for me to be here in my new role as a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent”

    Bilal Farooq the Chair of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association commented “Eid al Fitr is a special time for the Muslim community as it marks the end of the month of dawn to sunset fasting of Ramadan. We were grateful to raise the Eid flag to celebrate this and celebrate the positive contribution made by the Muslim community locally in Gravesham”

  • Gravesham Pride celebrations

    Gravesham Pride celebrations

    Third Pride Celebrations a huge success

    After months of hard work the Gravesham Pride celebrations took place on Saturday August 13th and were the biggest in the borough to date.

    The celebrations were produced by the volunteers that make up the Gravesham Pride Committee working in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus.

    The event was officially began with the raising of the Pride Flags on Community Square where dignitaries such as Dr Vasudaven DL, the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent the Deputy Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Leisure Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox welcomed those in attendance and spoke about the importance of celebrating Pride.

    They were joined by Helanna Bowler-Irvine the Chair of Gravesham Pride, Gurvinder Sandher MBE from KECC and Cllr Steve Thompson. The key message was about unity, hope, overcoming barriers and bringing the diverse communities of Gravesham together.

    The first ever Gravesham Pride March involving around 300 participants then took place, starting from Community Square and via the High Street and Crooked Lane ending up at the Fort Gardens. The march was clapped through the route and welcomed as it went through the town centre.

    The celebrations then continued with a programme of entertainment in Fort Gardens featuring a There was also a live broadcast by GlitterBeam Radio a global LGBTQ+ radio station. Also in attendance were partners such as Kent Police and Kent Adult Education.

    The event was supported by a range of funders including The National Lottery Community Fund and Gravesham Borough Council as well as income from stalls and donations made by members of the public.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE, Artistic Director of KECC commented, “I am incredibly proud that we were able to help deliver the second Gravesham Pride event, a colourful and inclusive event that celebrates the distinct uniqueness of people and the way these differences, if championed, can ultimately bring us all together. This is the 3rd year of Gravesham Pride and it will only get bigger and better. We are very grateful to Gravesham Pride Committee and Gravesham Borough Council for their partnership and team work. We look forward to putting on future Pride events with a view to make these celebrations an annual affair.”