Meet Haroon Lukka! He's 14 years old and has been actively involved with our
Big Local Youth Action Team and MADE in HESTON WEST film club for the past
20 months and is making a real difference to our community with all his wonderful work. In December 2017, he was awarded our first ever Brian Clark Youth Leadership Community Award for his excellent contribution and support in our community programme. 

For more information about the MADE in HESTON WEST film club please click here. 

Saturday 24th February 2018 - The Heston West Big Local team (made up of our committee and youth action team members) visited Royal Holloway University to begin planning our Big Local legacy. We were joined by our Big Local Rep John Morris, Chairperson Alan Fraser and representing the rest of our committee we welcomed Ruby Bharaj, Debbie Noad, Harry Parmar and Yasmin Lukka. We also welcome few members from our Youth Action Team who have been involved with some of our outstanding projects in the past few years, including: Layba Nisar, Anjali Parmar, Haroon Lukka, Serena Lola, Rhys Jones, Rajan Sandhu, Anjali Kumar, Harpreet Kaur, Juhi Kumra and Abbie McFerran.

Our chair Alan Fraser led the session, he invited us to think about what legacy means and the impact everyone wanted us to make in the next 7 years and beyond. The workshop activities were engaging, informing and entertaining, we even had the opportunity to write our own song/rap about what we would to see and achieve.

John Morris was delighted with the session, he said: "The day was hugely enjoyable and inspiring. It was a very special location and I can't imagine many other Big Local areas having an away day to discuss legacy while still in year 3 of their 10 year plan and with the 18 year olds and under outnumbering the adults in the room!"

Throughout the session, ideas started to spark and it was evident that everyone was pulling in the same direction, everyone was working harmoniously together with a common purpose and goal. It was exciting to see the group generate such amazing ideas.

Harpreet Kaur, 17yrs old, added: it was an experience like never before as we were in such a inspiring environment talking about the legacy for what we all have been contributing towards. It was motivating to see the group express their ideas for the future and to realise we all share the same goal. Would definitely love to part of this again."

Meanwhile, Anjali Kumar, 17yrs old, enjoyed the format of the workshop, adding: "We all came up with different ideas from writing songs, drawing and working with our partners."

It was interesting to see different ages work together, learn more about each other and also have fun. Heston West Big Local main ethos is health, happiness, family spirit and creating an intergenerational community where people feel part of something special.

Serena Lola, 16yrs old, said: "Royal Holloway was a beautiful university and ignited the creativity and imagination in all of us. It was a day filled with fun and productiveness and we managed to come up with some amazing ideas, it was the perfect venue for exploration and enjoyment."

Rajan Sandhu, 17yrs old, added: "Saturday was a great opportunity for me and the other volunteers get to know each other even better than before and to be able to learn and understand what we all stand for, which allowed all of us to know the direction we should be heading in order to help make our community more safer, happier and a healthier place to live in."

We would to thank all our amazing volunteers for participating in the workshop and helping us begin to  develop our legacy. We also would like to thank the staff at Royal Holloway University for their hospitality and support on the day.

Our next Legacy Phase 2 Workshop will take place on Saturday 28th April 2018 at St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconcilation and Peace, Liverpool Street, London. The goal of this workshop is for us to establish our legacy and help form our Big Local plan for the next 3 to 4 years.