A NEW round of projects led by community leaders in Coventry is being put into action as part of Coventry City of Culture 2021.
A group of 10 new Community Connectors will be co-creating cultural projects within their communities, developing and collaborating on projects which create meaningful participation opportunities for community members, following the success of the first cohort launched last year.
The programme, Love Coventry, gives community leaders the platform to engage with their local area by improving and using community spaces, putting on a community event, or creating a piece of art.
The new Community Connectors, include Dan De Feo, a local scout leader and SEN teaching assistant hoping to teach young people to grow their own vegetables before hosting a food festival celebrating a range of cultures.
Dan said: “Community Connectors will allow us to gain links with other groups to develop our project over the next couple of years to leave a legacy.”
Curtis Liburd, a youth worker for the Guiding Young Minds Intervention charity; Viktoria Sesi, who has created a series of workshops to support women with health and wellbeing; and Steve Jones, who is aiming to combat loneliness felt by the over 50s.
They are joined by Daniel Messenger, who is launching a ‘stay and play’ to allow parents to share ideas to help support children through transitional periods; Anna Crockatt, who is hoping to create a new music venue on an old narrow boat; Olugbemi Moronfolu, who is aiming to tackle barriers around integration; and Mark Gibbins, who will launch a cooking project for men with mild mental health.
Chloe Deakin joins the programme to create a book documenting the hidden heroes of Coventry and Fareed Siddiqui, will be working with a range of underrepresented communities across Coventry, teaching them to play the steelpan.
Chenine Bhathena, creative director of Coventry City of Culture Trust, said: “After the success of the initial projects in 2021, our new group of Community Connectors will build on the fantastic work of our first cohort to enhance their community or celebrate it by creating collective moments.”
For more information about the Community Connectors programme visit coventry2021.co.uk/community-connectors
