Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Gurvinder Sandher

  • Gravesham Eid Celebrations

    Gravesham Eid Celebrations

    Gravesham Eid Celebrations

    Around 500 people attended celebrations on Community Square on Saturday June 23 to commemorate the Festival of Eid, one of the most important dates in the Muslim calendar. Eid marks the end of Ramadan when people from the Muslim faith fast from dawn to sunset.

    The celebrations were arranged by Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council, Gravesend & Dartford Muslim Association and Gravesham Muslim Cultural Education Centre. The Mayor of Gravesham Cllr David Hurley and Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhargawa Vasudaven were in attendance along with Assistant Chief Constable Pete Ayling and representatives from different faith groups including the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara, Hindu Cultural Society and Saint George’s Church.

    The celebrations involved the raising of a flag celebrating the Festival of Eid, musical entertainment, fun fair, face painting and the handing out of free food to not only those in attendance but also members of the public passing by.

    According to Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council “I was pleased with the positive response that the Eid Festival received not only from members of the public who attended but also the many partner agencies. To me the Eid Celebrations were like the other events we organise such as Saint George’s Day, it was an opportunity for the communities of Gravesham to come together and celebrate our shared values regardless of faith or if you had no faith at all.”

    Ejaz Aslam the Chair of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association commented “We had an excellent turnout to the celebrations. This is what makes Gravesham so unique. It was a joy to see people from different backgrounds and faiths stand together enjoying the festivities.”

     

  • Communities come together to celebrate Saint George’s Day!

    Communities come together to celebrate Saint George’s Day!

    Communities come together to celebrate Saint George’s Day!

    Dartford played host to some of the biggest celebrations in England to commemorate Saint George’s Day on Monday April 23rd. 500 Children from 8 local schools participated in the vibrant festivities which were organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Dartford Borough Council. The aim of the event was to celebrate the patron Saint of England and bring together the diverse communities in a large scale celebration.

    The festivities began on One Bell Corner with performances from West Hill Morris, Premier Brass Band, Brass Volcanoes, and Cohesion Plus’ Folkin Fusion Drumming Collective with Saint George themed Stilt Walkers interacting with the growing crowds.

    The colourful parade started at the Civic Centre and made its way through the Orchard Shopping Centre accompanied by West Hill Morris, Premier Brass Band, Brass Volcanoes, Cohesion Plus’s Folkin Fusion Drumming and artistic partners LV21 and Same Sky. Once the parade reached the High Street they were joined by a large scale dragon and hundreds of local residents who then followed the parade to its climax in Central Park. .

    The parade climaxed around the Band Stand in Central Park the 500 school children sang Happy Birthday to HM The Queen to celebrate her 92nd birthday. The festivities climaxed with a special rendition of Land of Hope and Glory performed by Premier Brass Band and the Folkin Fusion Drumming Collective.

    Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “The underlying work of KECC is to bring communities together to celebrate what it means to be British within today’s diverse society. Looking around us here today I think we have achieved that and I am extremely proud of what we have delivered. I passionately believe that events like Saint George’s Day should be celebrated as a means of bringing communities together and I am glad to see that Dartford embraces the festivities so completely.

  • Saint George’s Day Celebrations bring Communities Together!

    Saint George’s Day Celebrations bring Communities Together!

    Saint George’s Day Celebrations bring Communities Together!

    Some of the biggest celebrations in England to commemorate Saint George’s Day took place in Gravesham on Monday April 23rd. 600 Children from 14 local schools took part in the event which was organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Gravesham Borough Council and Arts Council England. The aim of the event was to celebrate the patron Saint of England and bring together the diverse communities in a large scale celebration.

    The highlight of the celebrations was the schools parade which was led by Saint George enacted by Gravesham resident Russel Palmer who was followed by a large scale dragon. They were followed by the Mayor of Gravesham Harold Craske and local dignitaries and partners including the Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott and Deputy Lord Lieutenants of Kent, Dr. Bhargwara Vasudaven and Rosemary Dymond.

    The 14 school paraded behind accompanied by Premier Brass, Brass Volcanoes, Folkin Fusion Drumming Collective, Stilt Walkers and artistic partners LV21 and Same Sky.

    The Parade went up the High Street into King Street, through Saint George’s Shopping Centre and then headed back through town before finishing on Community Square. Throughout the parade members of the public waved their flags of Saint George and encouraged the children as the parade went by.

    Once the parade climaxed on Community Square the 600 school children sang Happy Birthday to HM The Queen to celebrate her 92nd birthday. The festivities climaxed with a special rendition of Land of Hope and Glory performed by Premier Brass Band and the Folkin Fusion Drumming Collective before the flag of Saint George was raised high above the Community Square as the national anthem was played by the Borough Band.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “This was a great example of how we have used the arts to bring communities together to celebrate Saint George’s Day. It is important we believe, to use events like this to celebrate our shared values and the positive community cohesion that exists in Gravesham. I was humbled by the positive response that I have received from members of the public and from those who have taken part in the celebrations.”

  • Listen to Our Voices Women’s Event

    Listen to Our Voices Women’s Event

    Women’s Conference a Great Success

    The annual Sadi Awaz Suno (Listen to our Voices) conference took place on Friday November 24th at the Woodville in Gravesend. The aim of the women only event was to explore important issues which are not often discussed openly including mental health, on-line grooming, child disability, well-being and domestic abuse.

    The conference was organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Rethink Mental Illness Sahayak Services with the support of the Gravesham Borough Council led Altogether Safer Project.

    The audience of around 300 were addressed by Assistant Chief Constable Jo Shiner from Kent Police who spoke about the work done around supporting victims of domestic abuse while Parmi Dheensa from Include Me Too spoke about child disability and how communities from the Indian Sub-continent deal with it. Local GP, Dr Manpinder Sahota spoke about well-being and mental health and how communities can help themselves and key note speakers Shahien Taj MBE from the Henna Foundation and Yasminara Khan from the BBC spoke about honour based crime and on-line grooming.

    The key message coming out of the event was the fact that there was support available locally and that if anyone needed any help or support they should not hesitate to ask for it.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented after the event “It is important that events like this take place so that there can be an open and informed discussion around issues such as mental health, domestic abuse, on-line grooming and honour based crime which we know affect members of the local community. Sometimes people do not know who to turn to for help and support and that is why we hold this event.

    According to Carol Gosal Rethink Mental Illness Service Manager for Kent “It is important that we all work together, communities, the authorities and local charities to raise awareness and provide support those who are experiencing issues relating to mental health and domestic abuse. Events like this are a step towards this and we look forward to working with our partners to make more positive strides over the coming months.”

    The event was part funded by the Home Office VAWG (Violence and Against Women and Girls) Transformation Fund through the Altogether Safer Partnership which is led by Gravesham Borough Council and includes Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Rethink, Dartford Borough Council, Kent Police and Choices.

  • Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights 2017

    Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights 2017

    Some 1500 people participated in the Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights on Friday 17th November which incorporated the switching on the town’s Christmas Lights. The celebrations were organised by Cohesion Plus working in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Gravesham Borough Council supported by Arts Council England.

    10 local schools took part in a lantern parade led by the Mayor of Gravesham, Councillor Harold Craske along with representatives from various faith and community organisations as well as street entertainers Bloco Fogo Samba, Brass Volcanoes, the Drumming Santa’s and the Black Knights. All the schools worked with Same Sky in the build up to the parade to create special lanterns which were showcased during the event.

    The parade started at Community Square and then travelled down Windmill Street, New Road, through the St Georges Shopping Centre before finishing at Gravesham Borough Market. The Christmas Lights were switched on in the Town Centre as the parade passed by.

    The climax of the celebrations took place in the Gravesham Borough Market where the Cohesion Plus produced “Drumming Santa’s” performed bringing a unique fusion of Christmas tunes to Bhangra and African drumming to entertain and wow the crowds. This was followed by a series of performances which included starts of this year’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented: “This was one of our biggest Christmas celebrations to date in Gravesham. I am very grateful to all the local schools and our partners who made our celebrations such a success. It is important that celebrations like Christmas are used as opportunities to bring communities together and celebrate all that binds us together regardless of faith.

  • Celebrate Project Hailed a Success

    Celebrate Project Hailed a Success

    300 local residents attended a special film premiere at the Woodville in Gravesend on Wednesday September 27th titled “The Journey”. Produced and written by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus working with Samuel Frain of GMM, the film featured local residents sharing their journeys. The subjects the film looked at included Indian Partition, the role Sports and Culture have played within communities with origins in India in showcasing Gravesham on a national and international stage and the history of the Sikh community in the borough, exploring the evolution of the Gurdwara and the social challenges that had to be overcome.

    Work has been taking place across the borough for the past 4 months to put the film together, over 50 local residents feature and the film captured the period from 1947 to the present day, the highs and the lows, and how through lots of hard work Gravesham has evolved into a borough which is recognized nationally for its positive community relations. Further screenings of the film are being prepared for the coming months and there will be a limited DVD release.

    Amongst the invited guests at the screening were the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Harold Craske, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Vasudaven, Cllr Mike Hill OBE from Kent County Council, Counsellor Shri D P Singh from the Indian High Commission, Cllr Gurjit Bains from Gravesham Borough Council and Tanmanjeet Dhesi MP.

    Bhangra Superstar Jassi Sidhu also performed a short set fusing the sounds of UK and India, showcasing how bhangra music has evolved over the years. There was also an arts exhibition featuring local artists to underline the fact that 2017 is the UK-India Year of Culture.

    According to Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council “We put a lot of time and effort into making the film. I wanted to capture the stories of the local community telling their stories so that future generations can learn about their journey and how we have reached where we are today. The Indian diaspora is involved in every facet of life in Gravesham from business to politics, the NHS to local government, from sport to the arts and the voluntary sector. This has not just happened by accident and I wanted to share these stories and celebrate the positive achievements as part of the UK-India Year of Culture. I am very grateful to all the local residents who contributed and I hope it is something that Gravesham as a borough can be proud of in years to come.”

    The project was supported by the Big Lottery Celebrate Fund whose aim is to celebrate your community through bringing people together.

    Project partners for the event were Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Cohesion Plus and Gravesham Borough Council.

  • Gravesham Eid Celebrations

    Gravesham Eid Celebrations

    To mark the end of Ramadan Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership Gravesham Borough Council and the Gravesham & Dartford Muslim Association, is planning a community celebration to mark the Festival of Eid. Eid is the festival of breaking the feast, marking the end of Ramadan.

    The celebration will focus on bringing the communities of Gravesham together and will include activities for families and the sharing of free food and soft drinks.

    Gurvinder Sandher, the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council added: “I am proud to be involved in organising a number of events in the borough. All of these events at their core are about providing opportunities for communities to come together and celebrate all that unites us as citizens of the borough and the country. The Eid celebrations are no exception and in light of the recent terrorist atrocities I think it is more important than ever for all communities to stand together and be united and say that these attacks will not affect our way of life and the positive community relations that exist in Gravesham. We have a good fun day planned and there will be donations of free food and drink for all those who attend regardless of faith, so I would urge as many people as possible to come and join us on Community Square on July 1.”

  • Gravesham Eid Celebrations Brings Communities Together

    Gravesham Eid Celebrations Brings Communities Together

    The open air Eid celebrations on the Community Square in Gravesham which took place on July 1 were hailed a great success with around 500 people attending. Eid is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

    The purpose of the celebrations was to bring the diverse communities of the borough together, to share food and enjoy the entertainment on hand which included a fun fair, face and henna painting and a performance by the Four by Four Dhol Drummers. There were also welcome speeches by a number of key guests including the Imam Hafiz Ahmed Sher Barakati who spoke about the need for all communities regardless of faith to work together for the betterment of society, and the Deputy Mayor of Gravesham Cllr David Hurley who thanked everyone for attending and supporting this important community celebration.

    The celebration which was organised in partnership by Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Gravesham Borough Council and the Gravesham & Dartford Muslim Association was the first one to take place outside.

    Gurvinder Sandher, from the Kent Equality Cohesion Council said “I was overwhelmed by the support we had from everyone who attended. The last few months have been challenging ones for our Country with the spate of terror attacks, with people looking to divide our communities to cause disharmony and disruption. The Eid celebrations showcased how different faith communities and those of no faith can come together and promote peace, cohesion and mutual understanding. In addition to the celebrations we were able to share information on local projects and support available including the Reaching Communities initiative we are involved with. Great credit I believe needs to be given to our partners the respective Mosques, Kent Police and Gravesham Borough Council who shared our vision in wanting to make this event happen. I am keen to see the Eid celebrations develop in the future like the Saint George’s Day, Christmas and Vaisakhi celebrations that we organise in Gravesham.”

    Ejaz Aslam the Chair of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association commented “Eid al-Fitr is a very important religious celebration for the Muslim community. I was so happy that we were able celebrate this year on the Community Square with the different communities and faiths that live here in Gravesend. We are very lucky to live in a town which has very strong community relations and the feedback I have received from members of the local Muslim community has been very positive. It is important that all communities stand together and we promote our shared values.”

  • Gravesham Fusion Festival Brings Communities Together

    Gravesham Fusion Festival Brings Communities Together

    Sun, Jazz, Calypso, Bhangra, Bollywood, Irish Dance, Eastern European Folk and street art were on the menu at the Fusion Festival which took place across Gravesend Town Centre on Saturday June 17, proving to be popular with shoppers. They were able to witness a range of performances at key locations in the Town Centre including the Market, Clock Tower, High Street, Windmill Street, New Road and King Street. The aim of the festival was to bring together the communities of the borough through music, dance and visual arts and celebrate all that binds us together.

    The weekend of the festival also marked the first anniversary of the murder of Jo Cox MP and this was marked up and down the Country with a series of events under the umbrella of “The Great Get Together”. As part of the Festival a special event took place in the Gravesend Market which was attended by the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Harold Craske along with members of the local community who brought along different food to share.

    The festival was organised by Cohesion Plus working in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Gravesham Borough Council and Arts Council England.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “I was very pleased with the response that we have had to the Fusion Festival. The last few weeks have been challenging ones for our Country with the recent terror attacks; the whole aim of this event was to bring communities together and to celebrate our shared values and the positive community relations we enjoy in Gravesham. It is important that we stand together as a community, shoulder to shoulder, not allowing others to try and come and divide us. I believe our festival which included the Great Get Together made a positive contribution in this regard.”

  • Dartford Saint George Day 2017

    Dartford Saint George Day 2017

    The annual Saint George’s Day Parade and celebrations took place in Dartford on Friday April 21. 500 Children from 10 local schools took part in the event which was organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Dartford Borough Council in what were some of the biggest celebrations taking place in England. The aim of the event was to celebrate the patron Saint of England and bring together the diverse communities in Dartford to celebrate this important day.

    Before the procession started there was entertainment on the High Street with performances by the West Hill Morris, Premier Brass Band, Big Fish Arts and the Bollywood Brass Band which attracted a large crowd.

    The Schools gathered outside the Civic Centre where the parade led by Saint George himself started. Along with the schools the parade also featured special guests the Mayor of Dartford, Cllr Burrell and Gareth Johnson MP as well as performances by the Brass Bands, Four by Four Dhol Drummers, Stilt Walkers and comedy medieval jesters and Shakespearian actors.

    The parade climaxed in Central Park by the Band Stand where the 500 school children sang Happy 91st Birthday to HM The Queen before watching a short programme of entertainment which climaxed with the Premier Brass Band playing Land of Hope of Glory and the National Anthem.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council who led on the organisation of the celebrations commented “I am proud of what we were able to achieve working in partnership with Dartford Borough Council. We use the celebrations as a source of promoting unity and cohesion rather than discord and segregation and believe this work is a beacon that other parts of the Country could learn from.”