A short while ago, the We Are One Foundation received a generous donation of £364 from our friends at #lockdownsolidarity, a campaign run as part of #WeShallOvercome, a nationwide grassroots, social justice movement that began after the general election of 2015. This campaign was set up by Joe Solo and a small group of dedicated activists, intent on standing in solidarity with people in desperate need because of austerity.  Joe describes himself as a  folk-punk musician, writer, activist, poet, broadcaster and a quarter of Lithium Joe (a fine band from Hull originally).  Joe has a full time job but spends almost all of his free time on activist projects, raising cash and consciousness to support individuals and causes that are struggling in these hardest of times.  To find out more about We Shall Overcome, visit the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/weshallovercomeweekend/

The ‘About’ information says it all: Since May 2015 We Shall Overcome organisers have run more than 1100 events in 150 different towns and cities,raising an estimated £500,000 worth of food, cash, clothing, bedding, furniture and electrical goods for those struggling at the sharp end of Tory Austerity. Visit http://weshallovercomeweekend.com and follow us on Twitter @WeShallWeekend and join the working Facebook group at WE SHALL OVERCOME 2020

2020 throws up more challenges than ever, but we will fight until they lose. The compassion and generosity of the #lockdownsolidarity donation means We Are One can feed sixty families for a week.   Joe rightly says the We  Shall Overcome is ‘not charity but solidarity’ it is a way of standing together and supporting each other and those who most need help while we live through hard times. 

Joe is one of those individuals who walks an authentic walk, putting his money where his mouth is and standing up for social justice, solidarity and compassion.  He’s what you might call a good lad. 

Coming to you direct from the Sun & Moon Festival: Issue 6 of the Proud East Marshian!

Get it from the Sun & Moon website: https://www.sunandmoonfestival.org/proudeastmarshian

Or download here

In this edition, we visit self-confessed East Marsh Womble Ernie Brown at his home, Maria gives us a beautiful piece about autumn, Gordon celebrates the fantastic achievement of one of our own from the East Marsh, Josie tells us about the windows project and, as restrictions lift, we
think about reunions. All this and some original writing too, so dive in!

Annabel has worked her magic and turned the film footage from the East Marsh Windows project into a video. Watch it here:

As always, stay safe, stay positive and stay proud.

Watch this beautiful video that shows the beating heart of our East Marsh

It can sometimes be hard to keep your children occupied and doing fun things during the holidays. Here at the Sun and Moon Festival, we wanted to help you have a creative summer, especially as we still face some lockdown restrictions.

We invited you to get creative with your front window and create a beautiful display of your own design on the theme of Our World, Our Environment.

We invited families to take part in this project and provided all of the craft materials required.

Covid safety procedures were put in place and the free boxes had to be quarantined prior to use.

The result, as you can see, is joyous!

Thanks to the whole community arts gang, Annabel, Carolyn, Josie, Rachel and Vivienne.

Check out the rest of the Sun & Moon website: https://www.sunandmoonfestival.org/

Coming to you direct from the Sun & Moon Festival: Issue 5 of the Proud East Marshian!

Get it!

From the Sun & Moon website: https://www.sunandmoonfestival.org/proudeastmarshian

Or download here 

East Marsh Gardens

The theme of this month’s edition is the environment, but we’re not just talking nature here; we’re covering our whole environment: the streets of the East Marsh. We catch-up with Ernie Brown and chat about his journey from hotel chef to head gardener at Your Place, an oasis tucked away on an East Marsh street.

East Marsh Windows

And some East Marsh families have been working their magic to transform their front room windows with the craft boxes that Josie has been busy putting together and delivering to homes around the area (she had to be surgically removed from Boyes on more than one occasion)! Add East Marsh imagination to the craft boxes and – hey presto – windows are now storyboards that tell the stories of their family lockdown experiences. As you’d expect, there’s humour (look out for the toilet rolls), there’s empathy and there’s positivity: all the traits that sum-up the East Marsh spirit.

So, the next time you venture out, keep a look-out for these window theatres. They’ll brighten up even the dullest of summer days.

East Marsh United are looking for a Community Project Developer to work alongside our PBSA Project Coordinator in implementing our strategies and vision for the next three years. We are a dynamic and progressive grass-roots community group working in the heart of Grimsby’s historic East Marsh. We’re involved in a number of fantastic funded projects with more in the pipeline and need an experienced, big-hearted, genuine, empathic and trusting person who is creative and community-oriented.

The people of the East Marsh want what every other human being on this planet wants: a nice home, pleasant streets, friendly neighbours, meaningful and gainful employment and the very real prospect of a creative happy and healthy future for all on OUR East Marsh. Come and stand with us Proud East Marshians and help us make change happen here…

Find out more and apply now via the Indeed jobs website: t.ly/sfbN (or search there for ‘Community Project Developer DN32’)  – UPDATE: INDEED WEBSITE NOT WORKING SO WELL FOR US! JUST EMAIL US HERE AND WE’LL SEND YOU THE INFO: info@eastmarshunited.org                             www.eastmarshunited.org 

This post is generously funded for 3 years by Tudor Trust. The purpose of the funding is to increase the resilience of East Marsh United and hence the impact and engagement of our development work in Grimsby’s East Marsh neighbourhood.