Tuesday 20 October 2009

Lewisham Mayor Commits to Prendergast Ladywell Fields College

All it took was an email.

And a phenomenal group of committed students passionate and confident that they are going to make a change in their local community.

So it was that Amanda and Alice, Year 9 students of Prendergast Ladywell Fields College, Lewisham, sent their borough's 'power players' a simple email asking for their support in helping them make their local Catford community better. And top of their hit list was Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham.

And just two weeks later they came face to face with their targeted recipient - following South London Citizens' 'Delegates Assembly' at Lambeth Town Hall. The Mayor was there to be contragulated for, and reaffirm, his support for London Citizens' 'City Safe' campaign - a community-led response to make local streets safer, by bringing shopkeepers, police and communities together, a response triggered in south London by the tragic murder of teenager Jimmy Mizen.

It's the kind of real change Alice and Amanda want to achieve. And, hand in hand with a strong team of students from Prendergast students present at the event, they met the Mayor afterwards and were delighted when he committed to meeting with them to discuss their 'Citizen Schools' project more to see how he could support it - before they even had to press him on the matter.

So now they have their foot in the door - and it just took an email (and the commitment to make that happen). Now the real hard work begins: convincing the Mayor to support their ideas.

Watch this space for more - from both the school and the Mayor!

London Youth's Got Talent - Calling all Creative Schools - One Brilliant Opportunity!

THE EVENT
On 25th November it is London Citizens' Annual Assembly at The Barbican. 2000 people from 130 schools, universities, faith groups, youth groups, trade unions and community groups will gather with London's power players (Mayor Boris johnson included) to make London better for its citizens.

THE OPPORTUNITY

And we want London's young people to turn the Barbican into a venue showcasing their amazing talent.

We are looking for talented poets, spoken word artists, circus skills artists, visual and physical theatre artists to perform to a PROFESSIONAL STANDARD in the prestigious Barbican foyer on the night of the Assembly. We also have one space for a Jazz Band/Orchestra. We need a total of 5-6 acts on the evening.

THE AUDITION: CIRCUS SKILLS/PHYSICAL THEATRE/POETRY & SPOKEN WORD/JAZZ BAND or ORCHESTRA
Auditions to find the five acts will take place on Tuesday 3rd November, 6-8pm, at Central Foundation Girls School, Harley Grove, Bow London, E3 2AT).

To book places for acts/performers from your school, please contact:
Ben Hammond, Citizen Schools Co-ordinator, ben@citizenschools.info / 0772 33 780 44

The audition is limited to 20 acts so please get in touch as soon as possible to confirm your place(s).

THE ARTWORK
If you have artwork you'd like to display on the evening it needs to be mounted on A1 boards - see here for more.