The rhythm of the drums, the buzz in the crowd, there are few things as exciting as Carnival in full flow, but it’s not always possible for older people to attend given the sheer numbers of people that visit the area.
This was the conclusion of a survey of service users at Age UK. “I was very surprised that the majority of the feedback we received said ‘we want to be part of the carnival’ and could we do something about it,” says Ximena Chiesa, Activities and Events Team Leader at Age UK Kensington and Chelsea.
So she approached the Venture Centre and Westway Trust and set up the Age UK Carnival Party 2019, an afternoon under the canopy at Portobello Green on August 22 with music and food.
“I approached Westway for funding, venue and table and chairs,” says Ximena. “It’s great to do this with Westway and other partners.”
Addressing isolation in North Kensington is a key aim of Westway Trust, as is supporting local organisations in their operations.
The event was co-hosted by the Venture Centre, and director William Roberts was similarly pleased to be part of the Age UK event: “Venture Centre was very much at the heart of Carnival when it started so we always host events and activities around Carnival and for us this is just another way of bringing people into that carnival activity,” he says, adding, “When the community comes together then that really is community.”