arts

Inside TWCP: 78 years in Barking – Allan Thacker

How did I get involved with TWCP & Why?

Well, just over four years ago, Barking MP Dame Margaret Hodge obtained lottery funding to set up a community project to ensure that residents of the rapidly developing Barking Riverside and Thames View could become involved in the changes that would affect both areas.

At the time I held the position of chair of Thames View Tenants & Residents association, so along with a colleague was invited to sit on a panel to interview candidates for the project leader. Our choice along with many others recommended Matt Scott for the position, so TWCP was born! I became a “Founders & Guardians” member and later a steering group member.

TWCP today has gone from strength to strength and its overriding aim is to involve and help residents “have a voice at the table” whether that be with Barking Riverside Limited or LBBD.

My vision for Thames View/ Barking Riverside?

Infrastructure. What I mean is that as Barking Riverside continues to expand over the next ten years, priority is given over to the pressures facing residents. The proposed “Health Hub” is coming, (long overdue), and the rail link is almost complete. We now have an excellent bus service with praise going to the young people of Riverside School for their achievements. The riverboat service to central London is coming, (well done BRL). Tunnelling the A13 is a major priority for residents who regularly have issues leaving and arriving at their homes.

Transport for London will pick up the bill (£1 billion+)! It would have been half that 10 years ago.

So as I enter my 78th year as a Barking resident, lot’s to look forward to.

Allan Thacker

Resident trustee of TWCP

ARTiculate the Journey: Unity, Culture, Creativity

ARTiculate The Journey launched on Saturday 23rd October 2021. A new interactive and social painting event in Barking and Dagenham seeking to be a new hot spot for fun, creativity and a safe space for discussion. The event was led by resident creatives, The Kings Decree, Oreyeni Arts, and Swvrthy, who invested their time to share a collaborative approach to creative expression.

The event was attended by 20+ local residents, as well as residents from other London boroughs, all keen to explore black identity through art.

Romeo shares on the event:

What a journey this event has taken!

The belief to make an impact in the community through arts, led to the idea of having three local creative residents collaborate and do something different. This complimentary fusion produced ARTiculate.
The King's Decree, Oreyeni Arts, and Swvrthy curated a therapeutic event that fuses music, painting, and poetry, allowing the attendees to freely express their thoughts and emotions onto a canvas and through conversations.

The event was inspiring and uplifting, as it gave others a safe space to have open conversations, a relaxing wind-down, and incredibly good vibes. We had people who had not painted in over 20 years produce artwork that they were proud to take home! The feedback was beautiful as the word that resonated with most attendees was UNITY.

The vision of this event is to ARTiculate all aspects of life that will help our community grow. Providing a creative safe space to discuss difficult conversations.

Romeo Murisa, Swvrthy

Inside TWCP: “If you want to go far, go together” – Josiah Oyekunle

Having lived and grown up in Thames View for over 20 years, I have seen many changes in the area and always wondered how one becomes a part of change in the area. How can I be a part of something that is progressive in the area, and where is the opportunity to give back to the community that influenced the person I am today. With all the changes happening, are we building a community that future generations can benefit from and feel a sense of belonging? Do the young people have a voice/platform to be able to be a part of the community or just be labelled as a nuisance to the community. These are a few questions, which were constantly in my mind.

My involvement with TWCP started by being invited to a meeting at Riverside School about the Opera House coming to do workshops in the area. Due to my work as a music producer/DJ I was intrigued as to how this would work in the local area as this was all new to me. This began to spark ideas on whether I could run some music workshops locally. I was introduced to Jamie and had a great conversation where we spoke on the local challenges and concepts of resident-led initiatives, which would allow residents to be a part of shaping the community. This seemed like a perfect solution to some of the questions that I had and as time went on, I became more involved.

My new role as Co-chair

My new role as co-chair, first of all let me say it’s an honour! To be honest I never saw it coming however it a privilege being able to share my views on my community. I never want anyone to feel like I’m the only voice for the community because I’m not. Having lived in the locality I feel I provide a view point that is needed. I too am also in a learning process, which can be daunting but I’m happy to be here serving the community that has shaped me.

The Future of TWCP and Thames Ward

Coretta Scott King once said “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” My dad always used to tell me this African proverb “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

You may ask why I have said this, I feel the residents of Thames Ward have shown where its heart is via the various resident initiatives being set up reaching the community. I believe in order for us to go far together as a community group we need to be on the same page strategically showing how the community voice is heard. If we educate ourselves on the ways we can be solution-focused when talking to partners like the council, developer and other stakeholders, being bold but strategic in our asks to do great things.

I’m really excited to see the growth of TWCP within Thames Ward and the borough, achieving our mission of being a catalyst for sustainable community-led change. That goal may take on different forms and may be subject to change due to the nature of change happening within the borough. I would love to see in the near future community assets being placed in the hands of the community to run. It would be my dream to have a local music studio in order to develop young local talent within the area and provide work experience for those who have career ambitions in the music industry. Ultimately, whatever form sustainable change looks like, at its core it will always place the community first and create a space where resident voice is seen, heard, and valued.

Josiah Oyekunle

Co-chair and resident trustee of TWCP

Sue Bramley Summer Camp a HIT with young people!

60+ young people attended the ‘Food, Fitness, and FUN’ Summer Camp at the Sue Bramley Centre, making it a great success! Children travelled in from across the borough and also from Newham, and Havering boroughs to attend the sessions.

Delivered by Thames Ward Community Project, alongside Mums On A Mission, Creative Wellness and Riverside Muslim Group, the programme provided enjoyable activities and nutritious meals for primary and secondary school aged children who were eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

The opportunity was provided as part of the government’s expanded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme being delivered across Barking and Dagenham. The camp at the Sue Bramley Centre offered a range of activities including fitness, arts & crafts, cooking, and workshops about leading a healthy lifestyle. Tennis and cricket sessions also took place as part of the programme in Castle Green leisure centre.

The feedback from the sessions were overwhelmingly positive with young people choosing a ‘smiley face’ to describe how they felt about the programme and some saying they ‘loved it’, ‘it was amazing’, and ‘it was fun!’

I've never eaten all these fruits before and now I like them.

8 year old, participant of cooking class

I love the arts class!

6 year old, participant of arts class

HAF was a great success and a good opportunity for kids to learn, play and enjoy! They cooked, tried new healthy recipes, and explored their creativity by doing different arts and crafts.

Khushnood Ahmed, Creative Wellness

Creative Wellness Girls' Football

Also over the summer, Creative Wellness in partnership with Muslimah Sports Association, delivered football sessions led by a qualified coach, for young girls in Thames Ward. Girls of all abilities between the ages of 8 to 16 years old took part, and commented about how important it was to have the ‘girls only’ football sessions. 14 young girls attended regularly and were gifted t-shirts from Mercurial Sports who played a key role in organising the sessions.

Inside TWCP: Artist Through Community – Emmanuel

My name is Emmanuel Oreyeni AKA Oreyeni Arts, and I would like to tell you about my story of how I became the artist I am today, through the community.

At the end of year 11, I was introduced to Jamie through the drawings I gave to my teachers, before the last day of secondary school. We then met each other and he told me about TWCP, asking if I would be able to do something for the Growth Summit and we agreed on a small drawing series called the ‘Local Heroes’. This was inspired by how it reminded me of the Avengers; as individuals they have their flaws but in a group they are the earth’s mightiest heroes!

Since then, TWCP has given me the edge to do more with my art and turned it into a career! They have taught me not to wait for things to come to me but to make them happen by seeking out opportunities. So I did! From working with them I expanded my network by working with the Council on numerous projects; including the virtual Christmas festival, and ‘One Borough, One Love’ festival. I also became the youngest steering group member to receive funding at the age of 17, and designed a programme of drawing sessions in early lockdown. Now, I’m painting murals for large companies like Be First and the McLaren Construction Group and most recently for BRL – a mural for their Wilds Ecology Centre in Barking Riverside. I am so proud of what I have achieved from the very beginning of my career until now and I’m excited for university; to study art and see where art will take me next!

In the future, I hope to become well known not just because of my work but because of how young I started and what I was able to do. I now have confidence in my work through the Community Comics and numerous other art based projects and connecting with TWCP opened the door to these opportunities. Even with social media, I remember having only a few followers but now I see it growing. It’s not a rapid increase but one that progresses as my artwork progresses and that is what I love, the progression! After university I plan to do more work professionally and to gain experience in other related fields such as film, costume design, fashion, it could be anything!

Emmanuel Oreyeni

Local artist and TWCP steering group member

Tag: arts