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Local Voices

Rising up to the challenge

The Covid-19 pandemic is placing a stress on our communities unseen in living memory. Yet we are seeing how it is inspiring people to step up and help out.
 
We believe those stories are worth telling.
 

Barking & Dagenham Giving has teamed up with the Council and You Press to tell your stories.

You Press handpicked young creative writers and graphic designers to document local stories and produce a series of illustrations representing Barking and Dagenham’s response to the crisis.

We have tried to capture a wide range of voices from across the borough. As such, the views expressed in these stories do not necessarily represent the views of any of the organisations involved in the project.
 
This is a unique opportunity for you to share your perspective and help inspire others to reach out and make a difference for their community.

Rachel Crossley: History in the making

Rachel Crossley is the museum director for the East End Women’s Museum, which celebrates and shares the stories of women in east London and counteracts gender inequality. She was also one of the decision-makers for the Rapid Response Fund.

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Natalie Smith: Being Brave

Nat Smith works as an Education Director at Arc Theatre, which specializes in creating and performing theatre that challenges assumptions and causes real change in the way that people relate to one another at work, at school and in the community. Arc Theatre received a grant from the Rapid Response Fund to purchase new computer equipment which would allow them to continue their work online and support them after the pandemic.

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Jane Shetewi

My name is Jane Shetewi and I live with my husband, my 20-year-old daughter and my 17-year-old son. I had been mentoring Year 7 students

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Get involved

Whether you have benefitted from Rapid Response funding, the help of volunteers or you are actively supporting others, we want to help you share your experience through this storytelling project.
 

Put your details in the form and we will contact you to arrange an interview.  Our interviews are informal and fun conversations conducted using Google Hangouts or by phone. After the interview, we will create a short article to be published online and – at the end of the project – in a book.