Walthamstow HOPE not Hate

HOPE not hate / Searchlight by Sam | Monday, 20 April 2009

Walthamstow took up the call for HOPE not hate yesterday afternoon with one of the best community organising meetings I have had the pleasure of speaking at in some time. Forty people turned up from every possible part of the community.

Most were not experienced campaigners and many had never been to a community organising or 'political' meeting before. They included the Salvation Army who provided the refreshments and the meeting hall, to a pastor from a local Afro-Caribbean Church, the Anglican area dean, Friends of the Earth activists, bloggers, journalists, teachers, Conservative councillors, Labour Party members and councillors, the local Kashmiri Association, students and people of every age from 5 to 70 odd who were concerned about the BNP and wanted to know more.

In fact I would go as far as to say it was a model meeting – not top down top-table speeches but just two presentations, one from myself on the threat of the BNP in the European elections and what the BNP really stands for once the mask slips, and one from John Page, the Hackney TUC Community Organiser, on what a community can achieve when organised and working together. This was followed by a truly participative workshop, where each table of people was given a few large sheets of paper and marker pens. Each sheet had a title: faith groups, community leaders, organisations, business leaders, and each group was asked to map who were the key 'gate-keepers' in each of those areas.

Mapping your community and local area is key to building an organised network of people willing to stand up to the BNP and get involved in the campaign. Each group then discussed key local issues and what the best messages would be to work locally so our campaign material could be targeted and localised.

I'm hoping that this could be the start of an excellent new HOPE not hate network in Walthamstow and I am confident they will build a big day of action on 23 May.

Thanks to Stella Creasy, a local community activist and Labour PPC who put so much effort into organsing the meeting and the Salvation Army for the kind support, as well as the two women who baked the delicious home made cakes and biscuits!

Sam
HnH Community Organiser