EDITOR'S CHRISTMAS LETTER

By Simon Schofield

We can’t sugar coat it. It’s been another tough year riding out this pandemic together. Life has not yet returned to normal as hoped. The trials and tribulations of this unique moment in history are well-documented. Our great problem-solving skills are why we are among the most resilient creatures on the planet, thriving in Arctic tundras, arid deserts, and tropical rainforests. However, when you wield the hammer of problem-solving, every issue looks like a problematic nail. We are primed not to notice as much when things are going well than when they are deteriorating and require attention.

However, if you cease looking for problems to solve for a moment, you will notice people going out of their way to solve problems for others. Since the dawn of the pandemic, I have come to know my neighbours better. Whilst we would exchange awkward pleasantries before lockdown, now we take the time to ask each other how we are doing and do small things to make life easier – getting a spare key cut for the communal door, helping take shopping to an ill relative, or just stopping to chat and offer some support. I have noticed this online, where Facebook groups and Twitter feeds have sprung up for local people to ask for and offer help to one another.

The Covid outbreak has foisted a multitude of inconveniences on us all and exposed some of the less flattering facets of human nature. However, it has also unleashed a spirit of generosity that had hitherto been dormant. This is the essence of what David Cameron called ‘the Big Society’. It may have been communicated somewhat ambiguously, and the cynics poured a surprising degree of scorn on the policy, but it is something many of us do instinctively. The Government has spent unprecedented amounts of taxpayers’ money on the Covid response, providing vaccines, grants, and emergency supplies. However, in the spirit of the Big Society, we haven’t all just sat back and let the Government do all the work. What we can do for ourselves and each other, we have.

The pay-off for doing this is that we build something that a bureaucratic government struggles to create: community. A hackneyed buzzword it may be, and many find it increasingly boring. It’s treated like free marshmallows – nice to have and cheap to give away, but lacking substance, and easily forgotten. However, the meaning of community is deeper than platitudes, it is human connection, the stuff that truly makes life feel meaningful. It’s the difference between a supermarket where every customer is treated like just another person looking to scan their items, touch their card and leave before they’re forced to make eye contact with a stranger, and a place where John from round the corner comes to buy sweets to reward his son for achieving an award in class, or where Jane from down the road comes to buy a newspaper to read to her ailing mother. That difference is everything, and it’s something we can all decide to build for ourselves and each other every day.

At Centric, our mission is to give a voice and a platform to people and perspectives that often go unheard. We believe not only in diversity of people, but diversity of ideas. It is only in a free market of ideas that we can sort what works to open doors of opportunity for everyone, and what is old hat that needs to be consigned to the wastebin.

Christmas, whether you celebrate or not, offers a chance to reflect on the year, reconnect with those we love, and recharge our batteries. However, there are people out there for whom it is an incredibly hard time, who often go unnoticed by those around them. Some people will be forced to isolate this Christmas, away from their friends and family, having tested positive for Covid-19. In the spirit of both our mission and the Big Society, please keep an eye out for opportunities to serve your community. Ask your neighbour how they are coping, even if you don’t normally talk to them. Ring that friend who hasn’t been doing so well lately. Join your local community page and see if there is anything you have, but don’t need or use, that might make life easier for someone else. It’s not an original idea, but it’s needed now more than ever as we amble into the third year of the pandemic, blinking into the light (which might be the end of a tunnel, or a harbinger of hardship), and anticipating what ups and downs 2022 will bring. To all our readers, thank you for your support in 2021. We hope you have a restful and enjoyable Christmas, a very Happy New Year, and a bright and prosperous 2022.      

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED STANDING TO BE A LOCAL COUNCILLOR?

By Selina Seesunkur

I was elected in 2018 and, having been a Councillor for over 3 years, I have met some incredibly wonderful people, who rather selflessly help members of their community and make their towns a better place. They do not do this to pursue political aspirations or to further professional ones, they are genuinely the salt of the earth and I feel humbled to know them. I believe that, to change the face of politics, we need more people who are community-focused and fewer traditional cut-throat politicians. This might be an ideological statement to make because there is a point in every politician’s life where you have to fight to survive, whether it is to be re-elected for another term, or just to gain a place in the management team or cabinet. However, I truly believe the purest of community champions would win any day of the week, as they are winners to the people they were elected to serve.

Being a Councillor is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done, but can you be a community champion without entering politics? Yes, of course you can. We have quite a few residents who campaign because the Council have proposed something their community does not agree with, from developments to road closures. They petition, protest, and more.

So why become a Councillor if you can make a difference anyway? Well, there are things Councillors do that an activist or member of the public cannot do. In summary, if your Party is in control of the Council, i.e., they hold the majority of the seats, Councillors run the Council. This means they can set local policies, be part of a Cabinet that decides which schemes to run, and manage the public purse, (budget). If your party is in opposition, Councillors scrutinise the policies, schemes and budgets to ensure taxpayers’ money is being spent properly and in accordance with the needs of the community. Whilst Opposition Councillors have less power, they tend to petition and challenge more, and therefore can still make a significant difference.

Aerial Shot by Simon Taylor showing the land between the leisure centre and Larks Wood – 7th October 2020

In my borough (Waltham Forest, which is Labour controlled) the Council decided to propose a mature green forest space as a development site for over 200 homes. This would have replaced precious woodland with big blocks of flats. We had just entered lockdown, so traditional methods of gaining support, like door-knocking were off limits. Given this space was enriched with wildlife and mature trees, residents wanted to save the space, as did I. Once we had a consensus, my colleagues and I launched a petition and campaign “Save the Green Space”. Residents were so passionate about this space, we collectively gathered over 2,000 signatures and over 380 residents wrote letters to the Council. We were successful in saving this space, once known for its famous Larkswood Lido.

However, the story did not end there. A small Community Group, the Friends of Ainslie and Larks Wood (FOAL), teamed up with the Highams Park Plan Group and we all worked together on an application to designate the land as green open space, which would have protected it against future development. Given the overwhelming response by the public, the Council agreed to designate the space, meaning the space will not be built on during my lifetime and beyond. It is a legacy which will resonate with FOAL and me forever. It is moments like that which make me proud to be a Councillor. I was able to champion the cause with the Council as I was part of the Council and it was impossible for Officers and Councillors to ignore me. I was able to raise it at key meetings including Cabinet and the scrutiny committee and, because we were in lockdown, these meetings were televised, making it hard to ignore. If you have a bit of spare time and want to make a difference to your local area, please consider standing to be a Councillor, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your lifetime.

Selina Seesunkur



MAMA, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU

By Tamkeen Shaikh

One of the most common questions asked to me is “Why The Conservative Party?” My answer, which some find surprising, is that the Conservative Party is the only party that unites the country, and believes in equality by creating opportunity for all. 

It’s the Conservative Party that treats the people equally before the law. I believe in the moral, legal, and political equality before the law and so does the Conservative Party. We never would want to leave anyone behind. 

I am most passionate about creating opportunity by providing people with excellent education and training opportunities and supporting small businesses which in turn boosts the economy, enabling people to succeed. 

With that belief and faith, I joined the Party in 2015. In Barking, which is the heartland of Labour, supporting the Conservative Party was very uncommon. However, I was determined that Barking and its residents deserved better. 

I was born in India, graduated in Accountancy & Statistics, after which I became a journalist. I always dreamt to visit other parts of the world, so 17 years ago I moved to London to pursue my Masters and I fell in love with the city.  Since joining the Conservative Party there has been no looking back, I was first elected as Deputy Chair Political in 2016 for The Barking Conservative Association and later in 2018 as Chair. I quickly understood that funding is the key for any association to be successful. I decided to run a membership drive and hold fundraising events. Barking held its first ever fundraiser organised by the Association, well-supported by neighbouring associations. 

With a strong belief in Conservatism, during the General Elections 2019, I stood as Parliamentary candidate for Barking and increased the vote share by 4%.. Online abuse is something that has become very common. Standing as Parliamentary candidate, I experienced this first hand, with some people taking things beyond the pale. I received some messages saying that  “I was a sell out”, “You will burn in hell fire”, and was also accused of taking money, all  because I was a member of the Conservative Party. 

I was angry and upset to read these messages but they were of course unfounded accusations, and I saw them as a political attack to bring me down. I decided to move on without wasting more time on it. I am working on breaking down barriers and the only way to respond to such attacks was to carry on with what I was doing. Empowering people and speaking my mind fearlessly. 

Standing as a candidate in the general election taught me a lot. The biggest lesson that I learnt was to 'Filter, ignore and move on.' 

After moving to Southend in 2019, last year I stood as a councillor candidate in Southend, as soon as I posted this on social media the abuse began again, with comments that I was an extremist because I wear a hijab, which I do out of choice. This time I decided to call out the perpetrator. The support from Southend Conservative group, from the public, local MPs and of course my friends and family was unbelievable. It gave me so much strength and confidence to fight against such negativity. 

Despite accusations of Islamophobia against the Party, my hijab has never been an obstacle in my political career. The Conservative Party has welcomed me with open arms and I have never experienced any discrimination. Equality is something that society as a whole is fighting for and we Conservatives are at the forefront of that effort. To take this forward, I have joined the Conservatives Against Racism for Equality (CARE), a Conservative group that firmly believes in equality. 

Apart from politics, I have a huge interest in working with all communities, to build a more cohesive society. With Barking being one of the deprived areas of London, homelessness is something that needs to be addressed and we must all play our part. Lat year, I was part of an initiative to give a Christmas meal to the homeless. I not only prepared, but also served the meal at ‘The Barking Salvation Army”. This was a great success and really helped to build some community spirit.  

Last but not the least, after a long day of canvassing when I return home its very rewarding to hear my 8-year old daughter say to me, “Mama I am so proud of you.” It just empowers me to strive even more harder and gives me the assurance that nothing is impossible. 

Hard work and perseverance can achieve anything in life… We all are humans no one less or more than the other.

Tamkeen Shaikh