Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller

  • 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.”

  • Windrush Community Celebrations takes place online for the first time

    Windrush Community Celebrations takes place online for the first time

    Windrush Community Celebrations takes place online for the first time

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus and the North Kent Caribbean Network for the first time ever organised a special online event in celebration of the Windrush generation. Poignantly the event took place on Windrush Day and had over 100 local community members in attendance. Civic guests also attended including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhagwara Vasudaven, KCC Leader, Mr Roger Gough, KCC Chairman Cllr Graham Gibbens, Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller and Inspector Craig West from Kent Police.

    The event organisers Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council and the Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network, Michelle Bramble felt this year’s celebrations were more important than ever in the midst of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests as well as the devastating impact Covid -19 has had on communities from a BAME background.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of KECC commented, “We were incredibly humbled and proud to be able to host the first ever online Windrush celebrations in recognition of the enormously positive contributions made by the Windrush generation and their decedents in the UK. Despite not being able to celebrate in person, we were no less enthused to celebrate with local members of the community and civic guests online. To say we are living in tumultuous times would be something of a painful understatement however, we wanted to champion the Windrush generations and celebrate their achievements especially when history has tended to overlook this. As such, we felt it imperative to take this valuable opportunity to celebrate in the midst of the impact of Covid – 19 which has hit BAME communities disproportionately higher. With the ongoing protests around Black Lives Matter and the widely reported recognition of systemic racism still prevalent in 2020 we will continue to celebrate and champion diversity until true equality is achieved.”

  • Waving the Flag of Saint George with Pride 2015

    Waving the Flag of Saint George with Pride 2015

    Some of the biggest celebrations in England for Saint George’s Day took place in Gravesham and Dartford on April 23rd. 30 local schools and some 1600 children took part in parades to mark the national day for England alongside a host of entertainers, community groups and members of the public.

    Entertainment included the Premier Brass Band, Bollywood Brass Band, West Hill Morris Dance Troupe, Four by Four Dhol Drummers, a Town Crier, a Saint George in full armor, Stilt Walkers and Medieval Court Jesters. 

    The celebrations commenced in Gravesham in the morning where the streets were filled with members of the public waving the flags of Saint George, who with enthusiasm supported first the entertainment in the town centre and then the schools parade as it marched through. The celebrations climaxed on Community Square where further performances took place before the audience was addressed by the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller before the flags of Saint George were raised.  

    St Georges Day 154  St Georges Day 151

    The programme then moved onto Dartford where large crowds gathered at One Bell Corner to see performances by Premier Brass, Bollywood Brass and West Hill Morris. For the first time the parade started outside the Civic Centre in Dartford before heading into the Town Centre, stopping briefly at the War Memorial where flags of Saint George were raised by the Mayor of Dartford Cllr Avtar Sandhu MBE. The celebrations climaxed at the Bandstand in Central Park with a rousing rendition of “Land of Hope and Glory” by the Premier Brass Band. 

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented ““I am very pleased with the positive response that we have had today. Events like Saint George’s Day provide an opportunity to bring together our communities young and old, urban and rural regardless of faith or ethnicity and to celebrate our common values. I very much value the support of both Gravesham and Dartford Borough Councils and hope that other local authorities can see what a positive impact events like this can have in promoting positive community relations and showcasing excellent in the arts.” 

    The festivities were organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Dartford Borough Council, Gravesham Borough Council and Arts Council England.