Young Hasbi gets younger Omar on the way with his first bike - seasons greetings!

Two of Hackney boys have been brought together by Interlinkx CiC & CC Hackney. They are from two housing estates (E5 & E9) and don't know each other yet but are connected by being club members and cycle enthusiasts. Eleven year old Hasbi pictured below is a regular attendee at Fawcett Estate's bike maintenance club. He volunteered his session time to renovate an old discarded bike to donate to Kingsmead Estate's eight year old Omar, of Concorde Bike Club. This is Omar's first ride, he is most happy with it and wants to send Hasbi his thanks and very best wishes.

Omar

Hasbi

 

Omar with his mother Isatou

Interlinkx CiC convert CCH's youth track bikes

Seven down three to go!

Ten CCH youth track bikes are being converted from fixed wheel track bikes (with limited use applications) into regular use single speed freewheelers. This is mainly so that if any young attendees arrive without bikes they can still enjoy rides with their club on quality and youth size related cycles.

Most of the costs for this operation were paid for by a Young Hackney grant of £500.00 via Hackney Borough Council. Other costs including labour have been covered by Interlinkx CiC. The amount for up grading each bike in the end was £78.30 - good economy & money well spent.  

CC Hackney & Interlinkx CiC - encouraging and developing riders from the whole community in the area.

Looking back to the Summer 2018

Well it's October and it's been getting colder and gloomier lately, but we have to remember the good times we've had this summer with our project groups in the sun. Here's a few images for the memories:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staff meeting at Lea Rowing Club

Yesterday evening ICiC held a staff meeting at Lea Rowing Club (LRC) We discussed numerous topics on the agenda including; staff training, events, activities, Aspiring Rider Development Project (ARDP) *cross training, delivery ideas at LRC and our travel club in 2019. 
Giuliana Molinari was present and took out meeting minutes and the picture below:

Thanks G!

 
*Cross-training is athletic training in sports other than the athlete's usual sport. The goal is improving overall performance. It takes advantage of the particular effectiveness of one training method to negate the shortcomings of another. 

Another typical session at Fawcett

Fawcett bike club is where people come to learn how to fix their bikes. This location has been consistently drawing a mixed group of young people, their friends and family since 2007. Long live Fawcett Youth & Community Bike Club! 

Fawcett bike club's get together Thursday 28th June 6-9pm

It's not about the bike!

World Cup Football comes to Fawcett Bike Club

Another 'Great Get Together' coming up in Hackney

A fine time was had by all who came along to our Great Get Together

A fine time was had by all who came along to our Great Get Together event at the Concorde Youth Hub last Friday. It was well attended and everyone was happy with the sounds, refreshments, performances and activities. Well done to all who helped to make this happen. Also Member of Parliament Meg Hiller (Hackney South and Shoreditch) came along to have fun before delivering a short speech about her former colleague MP Jo Cox who was brutally murdered two years ago this week. Meg highlighted what these get together events are for; a celebration of diversity and having a good time with new and old friends.

A special mention must go to sound engineer, all round good guy and team player, Devon (pictured on the left with Keir) who volunteered his time to make sure the set was sounding sweet - Thanks Devon! Also credit must go to Gary Burgess of Hackney Marsh Partnership, the Concorde Youth Hub manager (Joyclen) for taking care or everything including plenty of excellent hot Caribbean.

Jay & Joyclen

Member of Parliament Meg Hillier (Hackney South & Shoreditch) welcomed & surrounded!

In house dancers E-Kids in action 


 

Concorde social up-date, big things a gwaan!

Well we are under two weeks to go until our date and our 2018 installment of the The Great Get Together, honoring Jo Cox at the Concorde Youth Hub. It's on Friday 22nd June 4-9pm
This is a nation wide series of events with many shows taking place up an down the land, also there are happenings in Ireland, Luxembourg and Netherlands.

Locally our preparations are going well, we have a full complement of ICiC & CCH staff lined up to be on duty during the session along side Concord's regular youth worker team. 
A MiHS sound test will be carried out as part of the Concord's youth group's session on Thursday evening 21st June. And we hope to be able to promote well on the day by setting the rig up outside to go on show (sounding out neatly) for a few hours before the event starts inside at 4pm.   
Caribbean food is on the way, Concord's artists are getting their acts together and the World Cup will be on the in-house big TV screen. The match happens to be the Group D game Nigeria  V  Iceland 16:00 at the Volgograd Arena on BBC TV 

              Hope you can make it, it's going to be a good one, sounds will travel!

The Great Get Together

On Friday 22nd June 2018 Interlinkx CiC are working with Hackney Marsh Partnership and the Concorde Youth Hub to deliver a social event at the Concorde Centre to honor the memory of Jo Cox. 

https://www.greatgettogether.org/

Look out for news and posters for our other two Great Get Together events to be held at Fawcett Estate Thursday 28th June and Elsdale Hall Saturday 23rd June (London Youth Games after party)

Hackney's had a share of the trouble going on out in the streets lately, the generally divisive atmosphere some try to push and that 'hostile environment' government policy. By coming together (young & old) at The Concorde Youth Hub, we will demonstrate that we much prefer to protect and look after each other. Getting on and having a good time while celebrating our history, culture and diversity it what we are really about in Hackney and on Kingsmead Estate.

Keir Apperley

Safety - community leader consultation meeting

Last Thursday evening an urgent, community leader consultation meeting was held. It was called for by Hackney Council in response to the tragic loss of life of a young resident that occurred recently in central Hackney, an incident that has had an impact on all of us. I was in attendance to represent CC Hackney & Interlinkx CiC along with so many youth club leaders, councilors, parents, religious leaders, educationalists and council officers. Also there were the Mayors of Hackney and London; Philip Glanville and Sadiq Khan. At the start a minutes silence took place to remember young Israel Ogunsola, the latest victim to pass away on a road in London.
We were told that this is part of an on going programme and conversation to bring on change to make Hackney safer for everyone. The arrangements were for those present to sit at round tables in assorted groupings to discuss the effect, causes and possible solutions to the resulting climate of fear after rising violent incidents in the borough. By the end, each table would present their main outcomes for the facilitators to record. For my part I contributed by stating that reports of gun and knife crime has caused lower attendance at our youth sessions and that parents are expressing anxiety over their children when they are out of sight. As for the causes I offered my belief that there has been too much of a disconnect between adults and young people in general for too long and that social divisions in Hackney make for a loss of community feeling, guidance and protection for our most vulnerable people. This has exasperated the sense in some youngsters, that there is little hope for them to find a prosperous and successful future. None of this is helped by the austerity policies that are being implemented by central government. Such as the 20% cut in police funding and successive enforced local government spending cuts that have inevitably impaired services, including youth work provisions and structured, inclusive sporting practices.
During the final presentations a young man stood up and quoted the old African saying 'it takes a village to raise a child' and followed up to say that his table had agreed that committed community leaders and role models should be viewed in high regard and especially those who are from, live in and serve the area. Hackney Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement Caroline Selman was supportive and pleased to know that ICiC and CC Hackney's young adult outreach staff fitted this description. That's Henry Boateng, Kevin Cabey, Michael Anuyagu, Sulaymaan Altamash, Ceasar Bryan and returning original Fawcett leading boy, Sean St Louis. Before leaving I spoke with Mayor Philip Glanville saying that as if it's not hard enough a problem we have already thanks to the spending cuts from powers in Westminster. He said (words to the effect) that Hackney will act smart despite this, and do everything possible to make society changes for the better.

Keir Apperley - let's stay safe and look after people.
Dir. Interlinx CiC & CC Hackney's lead coach/manager.

New youth session starting at Elsdale Hall

Interlinkx CiC, CC Hackney & local youth club Hackney Quest are coming together to deliver a new youth training session, starting at Elsdale Hall on Tuesday 24th April. 

Hackney Housing are funding this provision. This project is aimed at those new to cycling and group riding, also young people who'd otherwise not get to ride good cycles with qualified coaches.

Young volunteers wash Concord's youth & community bikes

Volunteer help for others makes the world go around! 

Last Wednesday CC Hackney & ICiC's estate based bike club aspect (at Kingsmead Concorde Centre E9) had plenty of help and good will from youngsters, some of whom don't even go out on the winter rides. It was the time to get down and wash the bikes regularly used on loan to members who do not have their own cycles.

Three down - twenty two to go.

Sessions canceled - Fawcett Youth & Community Bike Club

Weather warning

Fawcett bike club attendees - due to the extreme weather conditions this week, the session at Fawcett Youth & Community Bike Club tonight has been canceled. We're expecting to be back on next Thursday 8th March.

 

  No slip ups OK & stay safe out there!

Young volunteers apply themselves - Youth Oportunities Fund

Fawcett and Concorde bike club regulars Ahmed, Hasbi and Nihatcan have come together to work on Young Hackney's (Hackney Council) Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) They are looking to win local government grant aid in order to carry out much needed repairs and servicing on all of CC Hackney's community loan bikes. These are stored in several locations around the borough and used regularly by young residents and school children who'd otherwise not get to ride good cycles with qualified coaches.   
Interlinkx CIC and CC Hackney staff wish this project well and are hoping for the best with their application.

Ahmed, Hasbi & Nihatcan

Schools Streets Hackney 2018

New trial for selected schools - Hackney Council in 2018:

"School streets is a pilot scheme where the road outside a number of schools is closed to traffic at the schools' opening and closing times. Closing the street to school traffic and through traffic helps to make a safer, more pleasant environment for everyone while ensuring residents, businesses, pedestrians and cyclists can still use the road."

 

More here: https://www.hackney.gov.uk/school-streets