Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Kent Equality Cohesion Council

  • The Wrotham Festival of Light is back!

    The Wrotham Festival of Light is back!

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council was proud to work in partnership to deliver the Wrotham Festival of Light which took place on Friday 15th October. The event returned after a 2 year absence. The festival brought exciting outdoor culturally diverse art to a rural, community setting, connecting communities both young and old alike.

    n the build-up pupils at Saint George’s Primary School created lanterns around the themes of friendship, local heroes, community and tolerance working with Same Sky.

    The first half of the festival saw attendees come together outside Saint George’s Church to enjoy performances by culturally diverse artists. Then followed the Lantern Parade led by special guests including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Nadrah Ahmed OBE and Deputy Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Sue Bell. The parade went through the village which was decorated by wonderful natured themed light installations. The festivities climaxed at the Cricket Ground where the crowds were dazzled by a spectacular fireworks display by Phoenix Fireworks.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “It was so great to see so many people out supporting the Wrotham Festival of Light. Before Covid the festival had become really popular and if anything, we had even more people join us today which is a real positive. Events like this bring communities together and promote a sense of community and belonging and I am proud of what we have achieved.”

  • Mela in Mote Park celebrates the diversity of the borough

    Mela in Mote Park celebrates the diversity of the borough

    Mela attendees turned out in large numbers with over 3,000 people attending the much loved Maidstone Community Mela in Mote Park on Sunday September 19th. The free community festival which celebrates music, food and dance from around the world was delivered by Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with the Maidstone Cultural Group, the Maidstone Mela Advisory Group and was produced by KECC’s sister organisation Cohesion Plus who specialize in large scale arts events. The Mela was funded by Arts Council England, Maidstone Borough Council and Unison.

    The stage programme offered an array of diverse talent showcasing various arts forms such as Samba music, Irish dance, Punjabi percussion as well as Grime Rap and Choir singing. Malayalee, Nepalese and other South West Indian cultures were also showcased through music, food and dance.

    Key partners such as Kent Police, Victim Support, Unison, Adult Education Service, Involve Kent and the Maidstone Dawn Patrol Rotary Club were also in attendance engaging with those present and off stage arts workshops were also available to children and young families.

    The Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Fay Gooch was in attendance along with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Bill Cockcroft DL and Cllr Martin Round Chair of Economic Regeneration & Leisure Committee, they all spoke from the stage about how pleased they were to see the Mela back in Mote Park after a 6 year absence and the importance of having events like this in the borough.

    Gurvinder Sandher the Mela producer commented: “I have proudly been involved with the Mela since its inception back in 2003. The Mela has always been a wonderful way to engage with the culturally diverse communities of Maidstone, providing a valuable platform for diverse art forms and traders. I am even more proud to say that this year we were able to return to the birthplace of the Mela and thanks to the partnership with Maidstone Borough Council, Mote Park once again became the site for the event to take place. It is so gratifying to receive praise for the Mela from members of the community. For many audience members it was their first big outdoor event they had attended since the start of the pandemic which is a great testament to the appeal of the Mela. I would like to give special thanks to our key partners who attended and supported us in the lead up and on the day itself including Kent Police, Unison, Victim Support and Adult Education Service. Community events are that much more valuable and enriching when you have the buy in and support of local authority, statutory, community and charity sector partners. We look forward to next year’s event which we have already begun planning!”

  • Crawley Fusion Street Festival a hit!

    Crawley Fusion Street Festival a hit!

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus and Crawley Borough Council delivered the first ever Crawley Fusion Street Festival which took place on Saturday 7th August across Memorial Gardens and Queens Square. The event aimed to generate footfall in public and retail spaces post lockdown and was a resounding success as hundreds of shoppers turned out to watch the festivities.

    The programme boasted a range of culturally diverse artists such as Phase 5 Steel Band, Celebrations Samba, Electric Cabaret Street Mimes and the Dancing Maharajas. Despite the on and off again rain, onlookers interacted with the artists, dancing and taking selfies.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of KECC commented, “The heart of our work is to bring communities together and celebrate what binds us together. The festival was a resounding success in that respect and we felt it absolutely necessary to bring people together in a safe and responsible way to mark our shared collective experience over the past 18 months and enjoy public spaces once again. I am incredibly grateful to Crawley Borough Council for their partnership on this event and look forward to putting on similar events in the near future, where we can all come together and champion unity.”

  • Tunbridge Wells Mela a Success Despite the Poor Weather

    Tunbridge Wells Mela a Success Despite the Poor Weather

    Despite the heavy rain and thunder over 1000 people attended the 15th Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival in Calverley Grounds on Sunday 25th July. The Mela was organised in partnership by Cohesion Plus and Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Arts Council England and Royal Tunbridge Wells Together.

    The Mayor of Tunbridge Wells Cllr Chris Woodward was also in attendance and thanked everyone for supporting the Mela which was now one of the highlights of the event calendar in Tunbridge Wells.

    Those who braved the poor weather saw a range of Kent based diverse acts on stage. Highlights included the Paul Dunton Orchestra and Sahrudaya West Kent Keralites who wooed everyone with their high energy performances, the ever popular Phase 5 Steel Band and Uzambezi African ensemble.

    Other highlights included G Town Talents who performed grime and rap. The event was climaxed by the Kings of Bhangra Four by Four who had everyone up and dancing in the midst of the rain.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “I am really proud of what we were able to achieve. The Tunbridge Wells Mela is a shining beacon of how music, food and dance can bring communities together and celebrate shared values. The popularity of the event can be seen by how many people came out in what was the worst weather in which we have delivered an outdoor event. I would like to thank everyone who worked with us to deliver the Mela and everyone who came and attended.”

  • Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival 2021

    Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival 2021

    The 15th Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival is set to return to Calverley Grounds on Sunday 25th July between 12.30pm and 6pm. Last taking place in 2019, the event will also see the return of community artists and food traders celebrating music, food and dance from around the world. The Mela is organised in partnership by Cohesion Plus and Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Arts Council England and Royal Tunbridge Wells Together.

    The programme boasts a range of culturally diverse artist with an international flavour such as The West Kent Keralites, Phase 5 Steel Band, Uzambezi and Four by Four Kings of Bhangra. The event will also see the return of the hugely popular Paul Dunton Orchestra and the first time appearance of headliners Midnight Soul Sisters who will be performing you all the Motown classics.

    Off stage activity will include Show Globes ‘Enchanted Flower Garden’, a mobile and interactive life size snow globe complete with a mythical nymph that you can take pictures with. There will also be a mouth-watering selection of food vendors on site with a selection of British and World themed dishes.

    Although lockdown restrictions will have been lifted by the 25th everyone attending will be asked to check in to the Track and Trace system, there will also be extra distance placed between food stands to avoid queues and overcrowding, and there will be hand sanitisers in place across the grounds.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council “The last 18 months have been difficult ones for us all. The whole ethos of the Mela Festival is to celebrate the local community and what binds us together, the importance of which has been underlined during the pandemic. I hope that the local community will support the event like they have in the past, a lot of hard work has gone into pulling this event together and we have designed the layout to ensure that everyone has a fun and safe day.”

  • Windrush Community Celebrations

    Windrush Community Celebrations

    A socially distanced, community led Windrush Celebration took place in Gravesend on Wednesday 23rd June. The event was a community initiative arranged by Kent Equality Cohesion Council, the North Kent Caribbean Network and the Cohesion Plus.

    The celebrations took place at the Old Gravesendians and was attended by elders from the Windrush generation as well as civic guests including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhagwara Vasudaven, Kent County Council Chair Cllr Ann Allen as well as the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Lyn Milner.

    Windrush elders heard speeches by Gurvinder Sandher of Cohesion Plus and Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network as well as the civic guests in attendance who all congratulated the Windrush generation and following generations on the countless positive contributions they have made to the UK.

    Gurvinder Sandher, Artistic Director of Cohesion Plus commented, “We were incredibly proud to have delivered our first in person community celebrations this year. Given the year we have all had, and that the country will look to be fully vaccinated soon, we felt it was necessary to return to some semblance of normality and host an event in person. The fact that we were able to begin with Windrush Celebrations felt poignant as it’s a chance to celebrate diversity and community cohesion as well champion key members of the community. Sadly, over time we seem to have forgotten that the Windrush generation were actually invited to the UK to help rebuild the ‘motherland’ so it’s imperative that we remember the countless sacrifices and hardships they have had to endure over many years and celebrate their positive contributions.”

  • Community Groups rally together to commemorate PCSO Julia James

    Community Groups rally together to commemorate PCSO Julia James

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council along with faith and community partners held a community vigil outside the Kent Police Headquarters on Monday 17th May to honour PCSO Julia James who was tragically murdered in April near her home.

    Those in attendance included Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhargawa Vasudaven, representatives from the three Gurdwaras (Sikh Temple) across Gravesham and Dartford, local Mosque and Mandir as well as representatives from various community organisations such as the North Kent Caribbean Network, Rethink Sahayak and GTown Talents.

    A floral tribute was presented to Detective Sergeant Helen Bland, the Family Liaison Co-Ordinator to pass onto the James family. Chief Constable Alan Pughsley QPM was on hand to accept the condolences from the local community and spoke about what it meant to the Force to have members of the community mark their respect in such a way.

    Gurvinder Sandher CEO of KECC commented, “Kent Police have always been a constant ally to the diverse communities in the area, throughout times of celebration as well as difficult and trying times. As such it was important to me that similarly, we as community partners were able to make a gesture of solidarity and stand shoulder to shoulder with our Kent Police colleagues during what is truly a tragic time.”

    Chief Constable Alan Pughsley QPM commented, “The murder of Julia James shocked and appalled us all. I was touched that communities across North Kent took the time to offer their condolences and I know it means a huge amount to Julia’s family and friends. The Kent Equality Cohesion Council have been friends of Kent Police for many years, helping us to be become the outstanding force we are and I am incredibly grateful for the support they have given during this difficult period.”

  • Gravesham and Dartford Celebrate St George’s Day Virtually

    Gravesham and Dartford Celebrate St George’s Day Virtually

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Cohesion Plus supported by Same Sky Arts, Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council have produced two films to celebrate Saint George’s Day.

    The films featured 13 local schools from the Aletheia Anglican Academies Trust and the Galaxy Trust across Gravesham and Dartford. The films also feature community partners, local artists, as well as the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller and Mayor of Dartford Cllr Roger Perfitt.

    Working with some 800 young people in the build up to the festivities, arts workshops took place and colourful Saint George’s Day flags were created with messages of thanks for the NHS. The films aim to celebrate the patron Saint of England and bring together the diverse communities of Gravesham and Dartford online.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “I am proud despite the challenges of the pandemic that we were able to work with local schools in Gravesham and Dartford to pull together an online celebration. In a time of division and isolation it is necessary to celebrate our shared values, unity and what binds us together rather than what divides us.”

  • Online Commonwealth Day event brings communities together.

    Online Commonwealth Day event brings communities together.

    Online Commonwealth Day event brings communities together.

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus and the North Kent Caribbean Network delivered an online celebration to mark Commonwealth Day on Tuesday 9th March. Civic, community and faith partners saw an event that celebrated the many contributions made to the United Kingdom by Commonwealth communities here in Kent.

    A key part of the event was the three short films that had been created focusing on education, health and policing featuring colleagues with links to the Commonwealth, talking about their lives, careers, challenges and the importance of celebrating Commonwealth Day. Those featured in the films included Deputy Superintendent Shaun White and Community Engagement and Hate Crime Manager Kulbir Pasricha from Kent Police and the Headteacher for Holy Trinity Primary School Denise Gibbs-Naguar.

    Civic guest speakers included Cllr Roger Gough, Leader of the Kent County Council and Deputy Lord Lieutenant Bhargwara Vasudaven who also spoke his prolific career with the NHS. Young people from youth club The Grand also performed a moving rendition of ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon in honour of Commonwealth Day.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of KECC commented, “We were so proud to deliver a Commonwealth Day event despite the lockdown. We wholly believe that we need to celebrate such events and recognise the many vast contributions the Commonwealth has made the United Kingdom. At challenging time for not just the Commonwealth but the whole world it is important that we celebrate what we have in common and what binds us together rather than perceived differences. We are incredibly grateful to the North Kent Caribbean Network for their valued partnership and together, we look forward to delivering many more community focused events.”

  • Dartford Vaccine Video Goes Live

    Dartford Vaccine Video Goes Live

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus were once again pleased to further the work being done to promote the uptake of the vaccine within the communities of Kent, this time partnering with Dartford Borough Council, community and faith partners and Kent Community Health NHS Foundation. The message was produced to help spread awareness of the vaccine and to dispel any lingering doubts and concerns around it.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “As the country begins to ease out of lockdown next month we are fully aware of how many of us want to return to a sense of normality as quickly as possible. In order to get there, we must protect ourselves and each other and the only way to do that is by taking the vaccine and having conversations with loved ones and friends to help minimize any lingering fear there may yet be. We’ve seen really positive numbers come out to take the vaccine and we just need to ensure that everyone who has yet to receive it does their part.”