Category: News
Job Vacancy: Thames Ward Health Outreach Worker
L&Q Awards £5525 Grant For 12-week ESOL Programme
Barking Reach Residents Association Awarded £10K for New Barking Food Forest
New Communications and Outreach Officer for TWCP – Zainab Jalloh
BARKING RIVERSIDE RESIDENT SINCE 2019
I want to share with you all why 2020 was a year of positive change for me.
Understandably, myself, as I am sure many of us, were grateful to just finally put the last year behind us. It is true, the pandemic and its effect on the world have been devastating. Lives have been lost, livelihoods destroyed, and lockdowns have intensified the cries of the lonely. It has been heartbreaking, but there have also been moments of undeniable goodness.
Last year, I welcomed my son into the world. There is nothing more profound than watching human life persevere against what at that moment is the greatest adversity; grounding your legs with enough strength into the floor and finally being able to stand. 2020, with all its uncertainty, challenged people out of their comfort zone to live more fulfilling lives. Against the darkest backdrop, we learned gratitude, had meaningful conversations, took walks, shared meals, fell in love with learning again, and took a risk on a new start. That’s what happened to me.
Why TWCP?
Prior to this role, I was working in the legal sector. I hold a Law degree from Greenwich University and have always sought a career that would allow me to advocate for the rights of others. I am skilled in community engagement, communications, and motivating people! I wanted this role as I am incredibly passionate about working alongside local people to create a sustainable community that is accessible to all. As part of TWCP, I would like to ensure that our community has a strong voice and an image that commands attention, creates dialogue, and produces tangible change.
As your Communications and Outreach Officer I will…
- Help create a strong and cohesive communications framework that best presents our vibrant community.
- Promote the community voice through high-quality communications, both digital and print, which will be informed by regular community outreach.
- Ensure that we are all inspired to be proactive and enterprising citizens of our community!
Another successful ESOL Programme completed in December 2020
Local artist brings Christmas to life with BRL
After submitting a illustration for the virtual run, TWCP Steering Group member and Barking Riverside resident Emmanuel strikes again with Barking Riverside London to create a illustration that shows the festive cheer of residents in Thames Ward, uniting the community in the lockdown.
On the 17th October, 2020, Emmanuel shot his shot with Barking Riverside London asking them if they wanted an illustration for their virtual run. With speedy delivery as usual, Emmanuel drew an illustration of people running with their masks on, socially distanced. On 23rd November, 2020, BRL contacted him again in collaboration that gave him the opportunity to create a landscape Christmas illustration that was needed ASAP, as always, Emmanuel mustered his festive creativity and painted a moonlight scene with houses on the opposite side of land, the Thames in the middle and families on the shore, looking to the stars with a glimpse of Santa on his slay whizzing past the moon. Not only did he paint the landscape he also filmed a time-lapse of the piece with breath-taking visuals of himself creating the piece, all using his phone!
“I am blessed to have the opportunity to work with BRL, as a young resident it is music to my ears when the youth of Thames Ward who have talent are being represented in the Borough by the same people who decide what goes on in Thames Ward. With this piece I hope to unite the community in truth, solidarity and prayer at Christmas and all year round most and especially help one another in this climate”.
Emmanuel Oreyeni, 18, TWCP Steering Group member and Barking Riverside resident
TWCP 2020 Project Report
As we come to the end of 2020, a year like no other, TWCP would like to take this opportunity to look back on our journey so far.
Since its inception in 2017 TWCP has been working hard to improve outcomes for the people of Barking Riverside, Scratton’s Farm and Thames View via our interventions around Arts & Culture, Environment & Blue-Green Spaces, Health & Wellbeing, Housing & Growth, Skills & Enterprise and our work empowering young people via our Young Citizens Action Group. This has involved some major milestone achievements for us and the residents we work with, not least the creation of our new Community Development Trust, led by resident trustees and the first of its kind of the people of Thames Ward!
Please see below a link to our report on the first 3 years of TWCP where we detail our key achievements from 2017-2020:
https://www.thames-life.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/TWCP-Evaluation-Report-web.pdf
Local artist brings virtual Christmas to life for the borough!
Barking and Dagenham Council have asked local artist and TWCP Steering Group member Emmanuel Oreyeni (@Oreyeni_Arts) to produce 16 Christmas-themed landscape drawings for their virtual Christmas event taking place on the 5th December.
This is one of many new opportunities that have come Emmanuel’s way recently to share his talents with the borough following on from his work with TWCP. On Sunday 20th September 2020 Emmanuel created a stunning piece of artwork for the Summer of Festivals ‘One Borough, One Love’ Festival, drawing all of the acts that performed from ‘Beans on Toast’ to Andy Day from CBeebies, he still has people talking about his contribution to this day!
The council just got the go ahead for a virtual Christmas event for children on 5th December from 1.30pm to 5.30pm and wanted to get Emmanuel’s help to create some virtual backgrounds for part of the event that will interact with kids as they put on their detective hats with Mrs Clause and find out “who ate all the cookies?”
“It will be tough to get all of these pieces done in time, but I know that I can do it! I’m really happy to have been asked by the council to do this work because it’s more valuable experience and it means a lot to me that my art will make children happy during a difficult Christmas”
Emmanuel Oreyeni, Local artist and TWCP Steering Group Member
Will Emmanuel rise to the challenge of getting all of the pieces done in time? To find out more and follow along with his progress follow him on Instagram @Oreyeni_Arts and also check out Summer of Festivals for more info about the event.
Good luck Emmanuel!
Job Vacancy: Thames Ward Health Outreach Worker
The post will connect both local people and the local groups who are interested in improving the health of their community by working through the Thames Ward Locality Board to jointly create health programmes with LBBD Public Health, social care and lifestyle teams; NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), primary care networks (PCNs) and local provider trusts (including BHRUT and NELFT); and the community and voluntary sector (including local groups and regional / national organisations).
The post-holder will support and enable the mobilisation, development and implementation of the project. They will play a catalysing role, helping to deepen and embed the emerging model of care, working alongside residents, community groups, commissioners and health professionals.
Reports to: Director for Community Engagement
Salary: £33,240 (35 hrs per week, plus 17.2% pension contribution)
Location: Thames Ward, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Contract: 12 month contract from start of post in early 2021 (with plans for renewal)
Start date: As soon as possible.
Closing date for applications: 12:00 midday, 14th December 2020
Interviews: 21st December 2020
For further details please see links below: