A campaign has been launched today (Monday 3 June) to celebrate the rich mix of people who call the London Borough of Barnet home.
• Wheelio - which will feature in the Together, we are Barnet campaign - helps people socialise and stay healthy through free cycling sessions in Basing Hill Park, Childs Hill, from 12noon to 2pm every Saturday.
Together, we are Barnet will highlight some of our many groups, sports teams and local projects, as well as individuals, who contribute so much to our community.
Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Dan Thomas, said: “Barnet has a proud history of people from diverse communities living happily side by side. It’s great to see how people of different backgrounds naturally come together. We want to celebrate the fantastic groups and individuals who make Barnet such a great place to live.”
Wheelio, which will feature in the campaign, helps people socialise and stay healthy through free cycling sessions in Basing Hill Park, Childs Hill, from 12noon to 2pm every Saturday. Bicycles – funded by Transport for London (TfL) – are made available for people to use for free.
Founder Anthony Dawodu said: “This is an area of mixed income but many low-income families don’t have the money to buy bikes or the space to store them. We have people of all backgrounds, of all nations, of all ages, regularly taking part. Our youngest is three. We taught a Chinese lady in her 70s to ride. The club has become a hub, bringing everyone together.”
Together, we are Barnet is a joint initiative of Barnet Council working in partnership with NHS Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group, Metropolitan Police, Saracens Rugby Club, West London Business, Inclusion Barnet, Groundwork, Federation of Small Businesses, Argent, Middlesex University, the Department for Work and Pensions, Barnet and Southgate College, Brent Cross Shopping Centre, and Volunteering Barnet.
Help us celebrate Barnet: whether you live, work or study in the borough, we’re asking you to send us a selfie or photo of yourself and a message about why you love living in Barnet’s diverse community. You’ll feature in our online gallery and could become one of the ‘faces of Barnet’ included in our community artwork project. And if you’re a member of a community group and want to be featured in the campaign, then drop us a line! Visit engage.barnet.gov.uk/togetherbarnet