On Saturday I was pleased to join local residents at a family fun day on Lincoln Road in Hanworth. This lovely community get-together was organised by local residents including Zahoor Ahmed and M. Essak, who were supported by newly elected councillor Cllr Aysha Tariq.
The event saw a range of activities including face painting, music, games, food stalls and a raffle. It was an opportunity for neighbours to catch up and meet each other. Some residents who had lived on the street for twenty or thirty years were meeting neighbours for the first time.
The activity was supported by the Council’s Thriving Communities Fund, which has provided small grants to support similar street parties across Hounslow in recent year. Where residents have come forward with an idea, the Council has worked with them to take relevant health and safety measures and support temporary road closures, so that the event is safe for all to enjoy.
It was wonderful to see people from different generations sitting together on their doorsteps, catching up with friends old and new, sharing experiences and even advice, and helping build the local networks that are the bedrock of strong communities.
Such events take on an even greater significance in the wake of the riots of early August. I know that fear was felt not just in Hounslow, but across the country, about forces that seek to divide us. At a time of misinformation, anxiety and distrust, it is important to invest resources and time in rebuilding community connections that may have been broken during the pandemic, and to take steps to help tackle isolation for the elderly and the young alike.
It is also why I think it is so important that the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, has commissioned a rapid sprint to take a practical approach to countering the growing and changing patterns of extremism across the country.
Investment in community-building and cohesion is a vital part of what we need to do. One of the lessons from August is that when residents work together with the Council, the Police, and community groups, it allows a more agile response to the threats we face, whether it is extremism, exploitation of young people, or fraud.
I continue to work with residents in different areas across the constituency, looking to build more local residents associations, Neighbourhood Watch groups and community groups that will bring new ideas and new activity to our area. Such organisations help to build community cohesion and keep us safe, informed and connected. If any residents in the area want to get more involved, please get in touch at malhotras@parliament.uk.