August 2011

I am feeling pretty sad at the moment but what I feel about the young people in my community is summed up by the words of Martin Luther King:

"There is nothing more dangerous than to build a society, with a large segment of people in that society, who feel that they have no stake in it; who feel that they have nothing to lose. People who have a stake in their society, protect that society, but when they don't have it, they unconsciously want to destroy it."

Today I found renewed faith in community. I, like many Tottenham residents, dropped several bags of toiletries, clothing and bedding etc at the leisure centre in Tottenham. David Lammy was talking to news crews outside. Inside, a great group of volunteers were meeting people with kind donations and quickly sorting the heaps of plastic bags and toys into usable piles to distribute to the 42 families who have lost their homes and all their belongings on Tottenham High Road. I was taken by the overwhelming amount of goods and the cycle of material possessions - some almost new and bearing price tags - that were now being provided to those who have lost everything through the greed of others.

I am hoping the clean up is going to begin soon. People are frustrated because they want to help, but have been turned away because of police closure. It's great other parts of London have the clean up support but Tottenham needs to not be forgotten as it has been so many times, both socially and financially.