Teenagers celebrate 2020 at non-alcoholic teenage bar
Hannah Chowdhry and friend dancing at a 2020 celebration at the BACA Teenage Chill Out Lounge. Our teenage chill-out lounge is gaining popularity and at the last event on 14th Januaary 2020, over 20 teenagers enjoyed some fun and frolics in a supervised surrounding. Our small hall has disco lights, a music box and even a new slush puppy machine which means revellers come to a place with an ambience of fun. Juliet Chowdhry, supervises the event with her daughter Hannah Chowdhry, who thought up the project and brought it to fruition. Current visitors come from a range of diversities and we are seeing an increasing level...
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BACA to trial homeless feed at community centre with hope of future weekly provision
Image of some homeless people receiving prayer support, counselling and food at Redbridge Community Fayre, organised by BACA. For a while BACA have been planning to begin a regular feeding centre for the homeless of Ilford at our community centre. Plans have been thwarted due to a paucity of funds and suitable volunteers but we seem to have made some headway this year and are planning to begin the programme next Thursday. BACA first became aware of the major homelessness issue in Redbridge while organising the first Redbridge Easter Parade back in 2009. While running the multi-church event in Ilford Town Centre we became acutely aware of...
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Community Christmas and New Years Eve Party chance to sow seeds of unity
A Community Christmas Party and New Years Eve Party was held for residents of Ilford close to our community centre, in order to dispel myths about Christianity and allow people to build new friendships while partaking in some traditional festivities. On 23rd of December we had a traditional Christmas meal not one that would usually be recognised in the UK where the western tradition of eating turkey and roast potatoes is prevalent. BACA had decided that visitors would be treated to an Asian Christian meal of Chicken Biryani Rice, lamb curry and other Asian food. The invitation was open to all the local community to attend and we were ha...
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Christmas cards at mosque to stimulate friendship, peaceful dialogue and share Gospel
Written by Ian Sleeper (centre of Image) a volunteer for BACA"If there is one thing, I am determined to do, it is to reach Muslims for Christ." Two years ago, I took the decision to stand outside our local Islamic prayer centre handing out Christmas cards in a bid to reach out to our local Muslim population in Ashford, Kent, trying to introduce Christmas into the lives of our local Islam worshippers. For the first year, I didn’t know what I was doing nor what to expect and rather nervously stood outside holding a box of Christmas cards, gingerly handing them out, to worshippers as they arrived and left the Friday afternoon prayer. My wife was coerced...
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Halloween Party leads to discussion on good v evil
A Halloween Party with a difference was held at Clementswood Community Centre on Friday 1st November. The event was agreed by regular visitors to the British Asian Christian Association teenager Chill-out-lounge sessions, who sought a themed celebration of the historic festival. Close to 20 teenagers attended BACA's Halloween Party during which a visit from the local police drew young people's attention to how to be better citizens. The Sparkz Chill Out lounge project is designed to link young people with charities, community groups and statutory services, while also providing a safe environment for young people to socialize and have fu...
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Community Citizenship promoted by new chill-out lounge for teenagers
Some of the teenagers and two of our adult volunteers during our soft launch in September- taken after event with parental permission. After a series of evenings at our Teenage Chill-out Lounge in Ilford BACA will be organising a Halloween costume party for young people - at their request. The lounge allows children to socialize in a safe adult-supervised environment and also provides an opportunity for charities, coummunity groups and leaders to share messages of hope and unity and to make young people aware of services available to them. During the Halloween party we hope to have a short talk from local police advi...
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Non-alcoholic Chill-out Lounge for teenagers launched in Ilford
On Friday 13th September 2019 Redbridge's first Non-alcoholic Chill-out Lounge will launch at Clementswood Community Centre on Connaught Road, Ilford. The project itself was devised by volunteer Hannah Chowdhry (16 yrs) who was concerned about the lack of facilities for young people in the borough of Redbridge, especially ones that were 'relevant'. Hannah, said: "The project has been delayed due to lack of funding but we have managed to create a small kitchen at Clementswood Community centre and can use a small hall that will serve around 30 young people."Through contacts at my school I have been able to build up a small team of voluntee...
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BPCA partners with City Gates Church on knife crime summit
British Pakistani Christian Association volunteer Hannah Chowdhry led a youth panel at the Serious About Youth Crime summit held at City Gates in Ilford on Saturday 15th June 2019. Hannah was joined by a number of local youths who were impacted on by the increase of knife and drug crime in Redbridge. During the meeting one of the young panellists described the difficulties many young people face in our unequal society, he said: "If you mother cannot afford to put electricity on the meter, you take matters into your own hands and often school becomes a hindrance to survival rather than an opportunity for progress." Panelists agre...
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Teenager seeks Non-alcoholic bar to steer youngsters away from violent crime.
A teenager concerned about knife crime has asked people to support her in a project that would provide a welcome place for East London teenagers to meet, socialise and 'address personal problems together', under a safe supervised environment. Watch Hannah live on Premier Christian Radio with Presenter :Mary Rodrigues: Hannah Chowdhry, wrote a letter to the London Mayor Sadiq Khan and and PM Theresa May earlier this year, which received personal responses from both of them. In this letter she refered to her roles as both an Essex and Redbridge Youth Councillor and shared the contents of a survey she took...
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New Police knife crime video launched at Redbridge violent crime summit
A few of the weary attendents joined a photshoot at the end of the meeting at 11pm. On Saturday 6th April at a knife crime summit organised by Hannah Chowdhry an Essex Youth Councillor and member of Redbridge Youth Council following growing concerns about national treen knife crime and several incidents within local boroughs. Sgt Simmonds from Goodmayes Ward Safer Neighbourhood Team brought three colleagues with him to engage with visitors and share some of their work to tackle gang related crime and other violent crime. At the meeting PC Gakhal launched a new video directed and produced by the local police cadet force, which will be used in the ca...
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