Cllr Portia Thaxter
I am the councillor for St Helens ward, where Bay 20 is situated. My passion and interests are to improve people's lives through health and wellbeing. I am an activist for social change and for the betterness of the community, social inclusion and community cohesion. My hope for the future of the space, is to facilitate the healing of the community and to ensure that local residents are treated with the fairness to improve their mental and physical health going forward.
I joined the steering group because, I wanted to advocate for residents in the discussion and also as a local councillor, that is my duty.
Natasha Gill
I am a resident of North Kensington, a mother of two young men and have lived in the locality of Bay 20 my whole life.
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The community has been home to my family, friends and children and we have been supported and given support to services over the years. My father was a youth worker in the community before I was born and his influence on people and the way in which it has enriched his circle of friends and life was always an inspiration to me. For that reason I have always felt I owed it to myself to get involved in any way I can.
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The opportunity arose to put myself forward as a member of the Bay 20 steering group, to be a part of the centre's inception and I jumped at the chance.
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To help create a path for implementation of a space that is to be of such great importance to the people of this area. To be able to assist in the creation of a forum which allows people to be heard within the community, those that don’t always have a voice to push for what they need collectively.
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As part of the steering group to be able to positively challenge and assist in a plan for change that will shape the future of the community, for me is an integral and privileged process to be a part of.
Funke Adebusuyi
I began my life in Ladbroke Grove and have lived in North Kensington for most of my time since. I am passionate about this beautiful, vibrant and unique part of London and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
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In my personal as well as my professional life I have spent many years leading teams and managing events, activities and spaces. As a qualified and experienced learning, development and education practitioner, I have extensive experience of managing customer-facing staff and volunteers in the pubic sector and voluntary sector. I am also a seasoned user and client of venues and spaces and have a strong understanding of what is required in order to run a venue and ensure safety, security and satisfaction for both event organisers and venue users.
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Bay 20 is a wonderful resource and I am committed to seeing it develop into a space that can be used and enjoyed by the diverse range of citizens and groups who form our community.
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Education, entertainment, parties, support, advice, advocacy, companionship, meetings, exercise, safety and shelter – these are all activities I expect to see people participating in and benefitting from at Bay 20 as we move into the future; and I look forward to contributing to the development and implementation of these activities and a range of other things in my capacity as a member of the Steering Group.