Blog

Housing keeps me up at night

I wouldn’t want to exaggerate the matter but I have in recent times found myself thinking a lot about my housing situation and the current environment a generation of people like me find ourselves in. I’m a millennial and the reality is hitting home that I am part of a generation who is not only poorer than our parents but it’s also highly probable that I won’t be able to buy my own home. Definitely not in London anyway. My only option for home ownership in London is the notorious shared ownership housing scheme, which will never work for me because in my opinion leasehold will never truly be ownership, never mind the soaring costs.

So, what does a young family of four like mine do? We rent privately for the time being, save up as much as we can, manage small investments and aspire for a life away from profit driven housing developments, to spaces where a real home with uniqueness and character can be ours for generations. It’s funny how that increasingly sounds like a fairy-tale but I’m optimistic. Unfortunately, for housing developments like the one I live on currently, increased density isn’t part of my wish list.

There are a few personal and key reasons why. Starting with money. For investors more housing units would be attractive. The land is lucrative; charges increase and housing becomes more expensive, making the rich richer. However, for many of us the housing will become unaffordable, forcing us to sever our local ties and be pushed further out of London.

Secondly, density without fit-for-purpose community spaces and basic amenities never did breed social cohesion and a safe community. If our reality is living in boxes, it’s absolutely vital that we have spaces to enjoy nature, to gather, to be creative. On a basic level though, it’s about being able to complete the weekly grocery shop at an affordable supermarket without having to jump on a bus or get on a train with all the shopping. I would challenge any housing planner to do that with kids in tow.

Further, the fact that just a few years ago we experienced a global pandemic, it is baffling to me that health is not at the forefront of planning. Increased density without a health facility means in real terms that when I call my health provider at 8am instead of being 50^th in the queue, I won’t get through to anyone.

I could go on but I really want to end on a lighter note. Housing really is a nightmare affecting local people but I want to share an actual dream I had. I had a dream that Barking Riverside was filled with pockets of houses surrounded by greenery and the serene of the River Thames. In the dream, I walked through one of the houses, it was terracotta, a space built with thoughtful materials, lots of natural light and exquisite furniture. The climax though was asking the agent the price to buy and the response made me realise I was in fact dreaming. That may have been the case in this instance but maybe we start with a dream to realise the possibility, maybe here change is gonna come.

Zainab

Communications & Outreach Officer

Inside Thames Life: Meet Narash, our newest team member!

From East London to Freelancing: My Journey of Growth, Learning, and Communication

Hello! My name is Narash, and I’m thrilled to share a little bit about myself, my passions, and the values that shape who I am today. Curiosity has always been at the heart of who I am, fuelling my passion for learning and discovery. Born and raised in East London, I have cherished my roots, embracing a rich tapestry of culture, diversity, and vibrant life experiences. As a family-oriented person, I find immense joy in nurturing meaningful connections that transcend boundaries.

A Career Built on Communication and Coordination

My professional journey has been diverse, starting with a career in banking, where I learned the importance of structure and precision. But my true passion lies in bringing people together and facilitating communication. I currently freelance as an Administration & Coordination Project Manager at Thames Life, where I help streamline processes, manage projects, and ensure that things run smoothly.

What I love most about my work is the power of communication. It’s amazing how investing time and effort into effective communication can help break down barriers—especially for those whose first language isn’t English. I’m passionate about helping people connect, whether in the workplace, within a community, or through collaborative efforts. Being part of a community is something I truly value. I understand the importance of belonging and the positive impact it can have on individuals and society as a whole.

A Family-Oriented Foundation

Family has always been at the heart of everything I do. Growing up, my family played a pivotal role in shaping who I am today. It’s this foundation that inspired me to help set up our family business, and it continues to motivate me in everything I do, especially in my career. I’m married with three children, and I’m blessed to have them in my life, keeping me grounded and motivated to give my very best every day. Becoming a mum was the most rewarding and defining moment of my life, and I strive to be a positive role model for my children—showing them the importance of hard work, integrity, and following their dreams. When I’m not working, you’ll likely find me enjoying long walks or heading out to try a new restaurant with my family.

A Love for Eastern and Western Cultures

One of the things that excites me most is the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. From the music I listen to, which blends both worlds, to the food I enjoy, I’m fascinated by how the best of both sides come together to create something unique. I also love exploring how fashion, food, and traditions from both sides of the world can mix to form something exciting and new.

Goals and Aspirations

Looking ahead, my goals are simple yet meaningful: to continue growing, both personally and professionally, and to build a brand for myself that reflects my values of honesty, communication, and community. Every step I take is towards creating something that I can be proud of and that will benefit both myself and those around me.

Thank you for taking the time to read a little about my journey. I hope you find something here that resonates with you, and I look forward to sharing more as I continue to grow, learn, and bring people together.

Narash

Administration & Coordination Project Manager

Inside Thames Life: Barking Riverside and Thames View Community Plan

Thames Life is pleased to present a report which has been collaboratively produced with Dr. Pablo Sendra’s team at the UCL School of Bartlett. The report is a community plan which was crafted in a series of workshops with residents from Thames View and Barking Riverside. The report details findings in which residents were placed at the center of co-designing how social infrastructure should be constructed in Barking Riverside to meet demand. The densification of Barking Riverside, planning application for additional homes rising to 20,000 and the additional 5000 homes in Thames Road, according to the views of a significant sample size of residents, requires the creation of further social infrastructure.

Social infrastructure reigns in on a variety of different elements that enable the practical participation of local people in organised or disorganised spaces of activity. Put simply, if residents want to meet informally to socialise, express or interact with each other based on cultural values, or for the purposes of human, face to face interaction, these spaces must be ‘planned for’ to allow these interactions the physical space to take place. In complementary fashion, social spaces which are more formal such as nurseries, play parks, health facilities (which allow for social prescribing and activities), locations for sports, youth centers, arts, culture and performance spaces and lastly, community centers. Green, and blue spaces also operate to serve resident need for ecology, as community allotments. Creekmouth open space, the Barking Food Forest, Ripple Nature Reserve, Ripple Greenway and Footpath 47 begin to serve as crucial spaces in the natural environment for the needs of local people.

The report, diligently produced by UCL in collaboration with residents engaged with through Thames Life contains the granular details of opening the wider picture in the midst of London developments promoted by the GLA such as opportunities areas, and resident views correlated with the Local and London Plans. The audit of pre-existing social infrastructure highlights what is missing, and what needs to be done to make up for the shortfall.

Thames Life embarked on this venture with UCL while the Every One Every Day Warehouse was still open, with the original intention to keep it open with this community plan. As we discovered – this was not possible. The community plan changed shape and became what is published today. We Thank UCL and the Bartlett School of Planning and the Just Space network in considering our small patch of London, and the future of residents living here.

Vishal Narayan, Community Organiser and Regeneration Officer.

To read the report, click on the link: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10193733/

Introducing Our New Community Organiser for Barking Food Forest and our Volunteer Orientation Day!

I am thrilled to introduce myself as your new Community Organiser for the Barking Food Forest. My name is Laurelle Darroux, and I am passionate about community building, sustainability, and creating green spaces that benefit us all. As we embark on this exciting journey together, I want to share a bit about myself and invite you to join me in transforming our community.

About Me:

With a background in community engagement, I believe in fostering an inclusive, vibrant, and resilient local community. My goal is to work with all of you to turn the Barking Food Forest into a thriving space where we can grow healthy food, learn together, and connect with nature.

The Vision for Barking Food Forest:

The Barking Food Forest is more than just a green space; it’s a community-led initiative to cultivate a sustainable and edible landscape. Here, we will grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and native plants, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that supports biodiversity and provides fresh produce for our community. It will also offer a communal space for many varied community events. Ultimately the Thames Life Trust through the Community Organiser, would like the community garden to be independently operated by a community of volunteers headed by a committee of local volunteer gardeners.

Our vision includes:

Educational Workshops: Learn about permaculture, sustainable gardening, and healthy eating.

Community Gatherings: Connect with your neighbours through seasonal events and volunteer days.

Environmental Stewardship: Promote biodiversity and enhance our local environment.

Food Security: Provide access to fresh, healthy, and locally grown food for everyone by our own volunteer gardeners.

Calling All Volunteers!

To bring this vision to life, we need your help! Whether you have a green thumb or are just eager to get involved, there are many ways you can contribute:

Gardening and Planting: Help us plant and maintain the garden beds, fruit trees, and herb patches. This includes watering and caring for these with some light general gardening, grass cutting, uprooting weeds, general pruning;

Landscaping: woodcutting and design of the spaces, building fences and deck area

Event Planning: Assist with organizing workshops, community events, and educational programs.

Outreach and Promotion: Spread the word about our project and recruit more volunteers.

Sustainable Practices: Share your knowledge on composting, water conservation, and other eco-friendly practices.

How to Get Involved:

Volunteering with the Barking Food Forest is a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people, improve your mental wellbeing and make a tangible impact in our community. Here’s how you can get started:

Sign Up: Visit our website link https://airtable.com/appbfNa8NKs1hJ6ad/pagFXX46RVRP1UbXE/form to sign up as a volunteer. You can choose your areas of interest and availability.

Stay Informed: Follow us on social media https://www.instagram.com/barkingfoodforest/ for updates on upcoming events, volunteer days, and community meetings.

Join Us at Our Next Event: We have a volunteer orientation coming up on Saturday August 10th 2024, from 10am to 2pm. This is a great chance to meet fellow volunteers, learn more about the project from the BFF team, and start getting your hands dirty!

Address: Barking Food Forest, Fielders Crescent, IG11 0FU.

Together, We Can Grow a Greener Future

I am incredibly excited to work alongside all of you to make the Barking Food Forest a flourishing community space. Your participation and support are crucial to our success. Let’s come together to create a greener, healthier and more connected community.

Thank you, and I look forward to meeting you all in person!

Laurelle Darroux

Community Organiser for Barking Food Forest at Thames Life

Meet Marion, Our Green Up Community Organiser

Having the opportunity to work for Thames Life, is a complete change of career. My background is in nursing. Over the last couple of years I have become more involved with organising events in the community. I am a Church Warden for St Patrick’s Church and co-leader of a volunteer litter picking group called Roding Rubbish. I became Chair of the Ripple Effect Resident Group in November last year and I try to make each meeting interesting with guest speakers from all kinds of backgrounds.

I will take what I learn from working with Thames Life to improve my skills as a Community Organiser.

Through the Green-Up initiative I am keen to motivate people to have an interest in the environment and a sense of pride in keeping their area clean for people and wildlife. Motivating people to join in these activities is good for their Wellbeing and promotes gentle exercise. Therefore I am making connections to have the expertise of a yoga instructor to help promote gentle exercises anyone can do. Group activities can stimulate conversations, which leads to friendships. For some residents this might be the only time they have contact with other people so it is extremely important to them.

If you would like more information on the activities in the communit contact marion@thames-life.org.uk

Marion Hull

Green Up Community Organiser

Inside Thames Life: Healthcare done differently

If you’d told me I would be the community lead designing and organising an award-winning project with NHS clinical director/GP Dr Jagan John, GP Dr Nadia Saeed and the LBBD’s head of universal services Zoinul Abidin, that would change how healthcare is delivered in the borough, I would have laughed you right out of my workshop.

It was never in my plan to be a community worker, I am the owner of a small business Houseofloulee.co.uk creating African print clothing & gifts for all. This allowed me to spend time in my local community, attending meetings like Friends of The Ripple Nature Reserve, engaging in talks with local stakeholders to ensure its re-opened. However, I felt drawn towards creating a large positive impact on society, so when offered the opportunity to join Thames Life as their Health Outreach Officer it felt like the universe was taunting me.

A year and a half later, 13 Drop-in Clinics delivered, and it was the winner of the Royal Collage of GP’s Northeast London Faculty Recognition Award for best Collaborative Project of The Year 2023. Working with the most community passionate people I’ve ever connected with (every community group, NHS and council worker who has unconditionally supported us on this journey) and championed the whole way by Thame Life CEO Matt Scott. Thanks Matt.

The Drop-in-Clinics were a straight-up pop-up, for health checks and seeing a doctor, however after our first clinic it was clear we were missing the trick! 40% of attendees didn’t need to see a doctor but weren’t having any luck anywhere else with other needs, I immediately knew what I had to do. There were already community groups working to support the health and social needs in our community and if we brought the council services on board, we might just have something!

Now, not only are you able to see a doctor without an appointment in a local hub, you also can relax, enjoy yummy food, play board games, socialise with other residents, children can play comfortably, whilst accessing multiple services such as a free hand or shoulder massage, housing and financial advice, mental health support and free local activities, basically a health & wellbeing bonanza. Word on the clinics success got around which resulted in sponsorship from Barking Riverside Limited, with our larger council funded clinics focused on the African & Caribbean community, children & families, rough sleepers & asylum seekers and Diabetes patients.

The next Drop-in Clinic:

26th July – Thames View Playing Fields– 12-5pm (Open to all)

Lucy Lee

Health Outreach Officer

Inside Thames Life: What would it take to stay here?

Mondays at Thames Life tend to be about the big introspective questions. Of course, we do the usual “how was the weekend” conversation but we often create the space for reflecting on our place in the community. I’ll blame it on our CEO, Matt.

Recently, Matt asked me how I feel as a local resident about the development happening around me. I paused for a few moments and just bluntly stated that I didn’t feel like it really mattered. Housing units being doubled felt like a definitive plan that I wouldn’t be able to influence. Sure, I could dance around polite conversations at consultations but the truth is that I feel like my voice doesn’t really matter. Profits speak louder and the interests of investors would most certainly take priority over my desire for a medium to low-density town.

I have lived in Barking Riverside for 5 years now, having now had two young children. As a family we’re deciding on the long-term. So, what would it take for us to want to stay here? To celebrate a recent milestone birthday, I headed to Kenya and came across a number of British expats and a few wants kept coming up: affordability, and an abundance of space. I want to feel inspired by where I live. For it to be a reflection of my values and be a positive thread in the upbringing of my children. For it to be financially attainable, allowing me the flexibility to afford more time for the things that really matter. I want a feeling of community without my space feeling overcrowded. To be able to go for walks and get lost in nature but have the familiar face at the local for a quick chat. A slower more thoughtful pace of life. Everyone wants the ability to enjoy life uninterrupted.

In my present context, if my voice did matter, I would say those things. I would humanise the masterplan and ask those who live elsewhere, but work in Barking, why they live in other parts of London, and what keeps them there? Is it the Victorian style housing, or the trendy bakeries. Is it the parks or nature reserves in walking distance. That ‘village green’ suburban feel. During the pandemic, Zoom offered us a window into each other’s homes and some of us transported ourselves to virtual beaches, but I always remembered those who were proud of the background they called home.

It’s not rocket science. Residents don’t want to live in boxes all their lives, well at least I don’t. I want a home.

Zainab Jalloh

Communications Officer

CEO Blog: Surrounded by idiots

The gist of a recent best-selling book by Thomas Erikson (Surrounded by Idiots) is that most of us at some point or another throw our hands up in the air in frustration at the behaviour and actions of others and wonder if we are in fact surrounded by idiots.

We look in amazement and disbelief when someone says something we don’t recognize. How could they possibly think that? We form groups that reinforce our views and put us further out of touch with other groups, who are not like us. The idiots over there, who occasionally stare back, at the idiots over there.

Thomas Erikson got a bit of stick for the title. It’s not very nice to call people idiots. But for me, I think what he is saying is that we are all idiots because we end up talking and judging more than we listen. We take perceptual short cuts; we go on automatic pilot; we tune people out. It’s hard not to really.

The book puts forward four personality types: red, yellow, green, and blue spanning people who are extrovert, active, implementers (red, yellow) to those who are more introverted, passive and reserved (blue, green) and likewise those who are task and issue oriented (red, blue) and those who are more relation-oriented (green, yellow). Most people have a combination of two colours that predominate.

With every personality type there are positive and negative features – it’s a blessing and a curse, as Detective Monk would say on Netflix.

I am familiar with other exercises like this – Myers Briggs, Belbin etc., and I recommend anyone to exercise a degree of skepticism. These things are not an exact science but if it helps us get a different perspective that is more productive for self and others, I’d say go with it.

My idiot rating.

I did this exercise with others, leaving out the bit about surrounded by idiots and all the theory but as a blind exercise and it was surprising how, from a wide choice of adjectives, the same words cropped up multiple times, when people were asked to choose for each other. I had bits of all the colours, red was most common – ‘strong willed’ came up a lot, as did ‘analytical’ (blue), but plenty of dashes of green and yellow.

I am happy to be seen as strong willed, I’ll take that. As I explained to one senior stakeholder earlier this year, when I felt like things might be getting a bit too directive, I don’t want to be in anyone’s pocket. Maybe that came across as a bit aggressive? On balance I’m ok with it but it’s not for everyone. You can see the potential for clashes.

An idiotic voluntary sector.

I’m in a sector that tends to value the more caring, passive, relation-oriented side of things (green, yellow). I’m sure of it. That’s why the voluntary sector gets pushed around and lacks the respect, reward and recognition gifted to other sectors. It hardly ever stands up for itself. It wouldn’t know how to. That’s the downside to being caring and sharing. Sometimes it is not a mistake to take kindness for weakness.

That’s probably a partial truth. I’m an idiot after all, with red tendencies (independent, pushy, hard). When I feel I need to be. A more respectful, supportive, pleasant (green) approach might do wonders. I can sometimes do that too, allegedly.

Useful Idiots.

Lenin coined the term ‘useful idiot’. It has been taken to mean someone who is being used. A naïve fool, susceptible to manipulation, who is propagandizing for a cause without fully comprehending the cause’s goals. When I see the voluntary sector talking about collaboration, trust, and partnership uncritically I sometimes get that vibe. It’s like these words are spells that make all the bad things (tokenism, placation) go away just because someone in authority says them often enough.

Ladder of participation.

Sherry Arnstein showed how people get suckered into thinking they are participating and sharing power when mostly they are not – she called it a ladder of participation. Next time you are in a meeting or at an event that purports to be about engagement – consider what rung of the ladder you and others are on. The lower rungs are for useful idiots.

Cash rules everything around me.

Councils in London feel like they’re in a death spiral right now. Those who avoid section 114 bankruptcy notices are reeling. The minutes of cabinet monthly papers see threats everywhere and the cuts go ever deeper. Elsewhere if you follow the money, land value is a gift that keeps giving. The borough’s population will near double within a generation or two. If you can build housing units, admittedly of variable quality, safety, and price, then that’s where the financial opportunity is, that’s the ticket to escape austerity and public services rationing. Council policy is increasingly built around asset maximisation – sweating what you have for money. What no one will tell you publicly is that there is a trade-off between profit and social need – guess which side is winning?

Residents driving change.

It’s crazy that we live in a city that has so much money and yet people In Barking and Dagenham live in poverty. They die early. That is what poverty means ultimately. A lot of that money is bound up in property – who gets to build it and who can afford it. It’s crazy. For those who suffer we appear to be surrounded by idiots. Listening to the apologists for regeneration, residents are to blame, they lack aspiration. The alternative would be that the council and developers bear more than a little responsibility. The councils and developers might also blame central government, the framing of accountability ripples out, keep going and central government might point to a global market. You intervene then hot money exits your economy.

What would it take for the Thames Life vision to be true – ‘a diverse and vibrant community where residents are driving change’? There are different perceptions. I’m making the case that long term sustainable change is only possible when residents and their community groups lead it and set the agenda from the start. That would be partnership. That would be aspirational. To do that we will need to double down and be stronger willed. Is that realistic? Does anything important or worthwhile start from making an accommodation with someone else’s view of what is possible or appropriate? With our thoughts we make the world.

By Matt Scott

CEO

Sources:

Arnstein, S (1969) Ladder of Citizen Participation. Journal of the American Planning Association, Vol. 35, No. 4, July 1969, pp. 216-224.

Colenutt, B (2020) The Property Lobby. Bristol: Polity

Erikson, T (2014) Surrounded By Idiots. London: Penguin

Trust for London (2024) London’s Poverty Index: Barking & Dagenham indicator rankings:

Infant mortality – worse compared to all London Boroughs
Premature mortality – worse compared to all London Boroughs
Qualifications at 19 – worse compared to all London Boroughs

Allies & Morrison – Barking & Dagenham character study:

“The pressure for housing within London and the shift of development eastward has positioned the Borough of Barking & Dagenham for growth. Located in east London, and with a population of 210,000, the borough has scope to increase the number of homes by 70% over the next 15 years”.

Inside Thames Life: Miruna’s work experience

My name is Miruna, and I am a Year 10 student that obtained the delightful opportunity to complete my compulsory work experience spanning over a week with Thames Life.

I would define Thames Life as a charity that prioritises the community; from arranging various community events, to publishing articles by and for the residents of Barking Riverside, and many more projects. This charity strives to bring locals together to widen their connections with their neighbours and to, simultaneously, work towards an improved experience of their local community.

MONDAY:

My first day at Thames Life began with an introduction to the majority of the team, specifically Zainab (Communication and Outreach Officer), Lucy (Health Outreach Officer), and Jamie (Deputy CEO). I discovered various intriguing facts about their roles. Following meeting some team members, I had an opportunity to get an insight into the process behind “The River View” community newspaper, and what stages it goes through before ending up at my, and 6,000 other homes, in Barking Riversidem, Thames View and Scrattons Farm. Learning about the process of managing the newspaper helped me realise and get a grasp of the importance of partner relationships in, not just Thames Life, but rather in any workplace.

To finish the day off, Vish (the new Young Action Group leader) and I collaborated on planning the YAG session for the day; I was encouraged to contribute my ideas to build up the session, and later even to lead a portion of it by myself. From this experience, where my perspectives and opinions were taken into consideration and where I was challenged to be more independent, it was made clear to me that Thames Life is, in fact, a charity that is generally committed to collaborating with the youth; it is not just an unsupported claim made to gain them good publicity, it is a responsibility all the team members evidently hold to a high standard.

TUESDAY:

A highlight of my day was attending the Resident Planning Forum at 6pm, which is an event where locals can meet together to discuss issues in the borough, and formulate plans and contribute ideas to fix them.

This week specifically, attendees were enlightened about the lengthy history Barking & Dagenham holds as a borough, and how the place has many historical ties to various historical figures. Coming together with other residents, as a resident myself, it was really reassuring to see others sharing my frustration and the same will to make a change.

WEDNESDAY:

I got the opportunity to formally meet Matt, the CEO of Thames Life, who gave me an insight into what the charity strives to do and the impact they wish to have on the community. Matt introduced me to the concept of “people power”, a term used to describe when people in a community come together and join forces to work together and take control of situations in their area, at times becoming more powerful than organisations. This is relevant to this borough as, with the numerous amounts of new homes being constructed in Barking Riverside, and the disappointing lack of community spaces, Thames Life aim to bring residents together to combat these social issues with their various community events, which help people meet each other and are a productive way for residents to voice their concerns about their area and formulate solutions. Thames Life acknowledges there is a lack of people power in Barking & Dagenham, hence why they constantly work towards giving the community a voice against bigger organisations.

I also joined the Green-Up Group along with Vish for their weekly session, where we did litter picking in Thames View for approximately two hours, followed by an artist-lead art therapy session for the remaining hour, a relaxing addition to end the session.

THURSDAY:

Thursday marked the day of the highly anticipated, grand event, the “Free African and Caribbean Health and Wellbeing Event” led by Lucy.

With the packed schedule and short amount of time we had to get everything set up, I recognised the distinction of time management and adequate event planning to make preparing events more straightforward and less stressful.

At 2pm, the event commenced, with many organisations joining to provide various services, such as The Source offering food, Project Embrace offering hair care advice for afro hair, and local GP Dr John offering healthcare advice and free check-ups. The energy in the venue at the Barking Learning Centre was extremely pleasant, with hundreds of people in attendance, enjoying the various stalls, and meeting new people. The feedback for the event was overwhelmingly positive, with many stating in feedback forums how informative the session was, (specifically due to the GPs on site) how much time was cut off to see a GP, and how the atmosphere with music and food really completed the event.

FRIDAY:

Ade and I made our way to Barking Riverside, where we had a walk with Matt and two London Met students scheduled in the area. Through our walk, we encountered and passed through many areas facing rapid development and gentrification.

We had a really thoughtful discussion about the community and the development of Barking Riverside was had, we came to the conclusion that the construction plan is quite flawed due to the lack of emphasis on providing residents outlets for self-expression and safe spaces. Ultimately, with a rising population, but a lack of community spaces for people to come together, it could only cause more harm than good: for example, there could be an increased crime rate and more gang activity, as young people will have nowhere to discuss their issues, and therefore result to crime to express their frustrations. We saw a community space in our local area, Everyone’s Warehouse, which provided a multitude of tools for self-expression, including a designated clothing design space, a podcast room, a communal kitchen, and so much more. Unfortunately, as many may know, the Warehouse was taken away from the community, disregarding the £9 million investment to get the place up and running, and the outrage and protests the residents had when it was announced the Warehouse was being shut down. As someone who used to use the Warehouse prior to its closure, I remember how upsetting the whole debacle was, as I myself witnessed how that place brought people together, how it made many feel safe and comfortable, and how it is now going to be replaced for even more housing.

This educational conversation we had with the London Met students was very informative, and a lovely last activity to finish off my placement.

I would especially like to thank Thames Life, for giving me this special opportunity to have my placement at their charity: in the span of just one week, I had learnt so much and faced so many new experiences. Working at Thames Life was a pleasant break from my ordinary school routine, just as much as it was work experience; working with the community and helping the community was very enjoyable overall. I am beyond grateful to all the team, for supervising me and guiding me throughout my journey at their charity.

-Miruna S

Deputy CEO blog: Time for a change

After spending the past 6+ years with Thames Life I am moving on to exciting new opportunities at the end of March. I’ve helped develop the organisation from its humble beginnings as ‘Thames Ward Community Project’ to its position as an influential Community Development Trust, helping to support residents and local groups do some amazing work over the years, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities I have gained along the way.

Looking back there are several aspects of my work with Thames Life that I am particularly proud of:

Establishing the Young Citizen Action Group (YCAG) at Riverside School who have won countless campaigns and awards for their work improving their local community (more EL1 buses to help with congestion, more bins near their school and securing keys to Barking Food Forest, to name a few).
Activating Barking Food Forest, offering the community the space and opportunity to come together with each other and get involved with nature and food growing.
Supporting residents to run The RiverView newspaper in partnership with Barking Riverside Limited, helping residents connect and share information, experiences and stories and remain informed of events and developments locally.
Playing a leading role in sport for development work in the borough via the Barking Sports 4 Change (BS4C) coalition, working with other amazing local organisations to improve the health and physical activity of residents.
Empowering grassroots organisations and residents with projects to help their community thrive following Thames Life’s ethos that meaningful and sustainable change must be led by residents.

It is important to me to leave the community in a better place than I found it, and I believe the examples above highlight how I have done just that. It has been wonderful to meet and work with so many different local people (including Thames Life staff and trustees), each with their own talents and passions, diverse in so many ways and yet united by their desire to help improve their community. Something special is taking place in Thames View and Barking Riverside beyond the colossal housing development taking place and it is inspiring to see the journey residents and community groups are on.

Jamie Kesten

Deputy CEO

Category: Blog