Every year the wonderful Balham and Tooting Community Association hold a community awards – the BATCA Heroes – to celebrate all the fantastic individuals and groups who do so much to support our community.
This year the newly founded Resilience Tooting had the opportunity to ‘pop-up’ at the event – we were asked to bring something interactive and took the opportunity to connect people with someone they didn’t already know (with the encouragement that everyone in the room is a neighbour!) We invited them to ask each other the question – What do we have in Tooting and Balham that makes us a strong community? – and share with us what they heard?
So what did we hear about what makes a strong and resilient community?
First of all there was LOTS of references to the benefits of diversity within our community (reflecting the variety of knowledge, experience and perspectives that this diversity brings)
Building on this we heard a lot about the importance of connecting across that diversity – people shared the value of organisations, activities and particularly spaces, where people have the opportunity to meet and connect across difference – finding connection and commonality.
In large urban areas like Tooting and Balham – there are many, many places which operate as ‘villages‘ within the city. There were lots of references to places like this – in particular the value of faith centres (who ‘bring people together for prayer, events, classes and support’), schools (‘multicultural young people growing up with acceptance, tolerance and hope’) as well as cafes, restaurants, local shops and activity and sports groups (including the lido – described as ‘a whole community built around a hole in the ground filled with water’!)
These might be places where you know people more intimately, but also where you can have the kind of light touch ‘just say hello to‘ connections that are perhaps harder in dense urban areas but research shows, great for our wellbeing!
Events like the BATCA Awards are great opportunities to raise awareness of – and create links between these many community ‘villages‘ – building connections and bridges of mutual support.
Another theme was the value of people who ‘notice something is missing and then make it happen’. There were lots of great examples in particular the recipients of the ‘above and beyond’ awards – Indrajit Patel and Naseem Aboobaker – both of whom in their different ways have brought so much initiative, energy and care to our community.
There was reference to the importance of trust, respect and mutual support – and at least one person could see that these values, if evident all around you, would spread – ‘infectious support‘ was mentioned!
Interestingly food was mentioned quite a bit – Tooting in particular is an area of very diverse cuisines – not just restaurants but cafes and smaller independent grocery stores where people meet and connect. A few years ago when we ran a consultation for a potential Neighbourhood Plan people were asked what they loved about Tooting and the top answers were Community, Diversity and Food! Preparing and sharing (and growing!) food together are great communal activities – providing opportunity to share not only the food itself but also conversation and care. Fantastic local examples include Tooting Community Kitchen, Be Enriched and the many community meals provided by faith groups and schools.
Finally there was a strong sense of the value and agency we all get as individuals from feeling a sense of belonging within our communities.
Together the responses make a wonderful celebration of a place where you have ‘everything you need’.
Check out a slideshow of all the wonderful responses we received!
About BATCA
The Balham and Tooting Community Association (BATCA) is a network of individuals and organisations who are committed to creating a cohesive, thriving community where there is trust and friendship between people of all faiths, cultures, ages and backgrounds.
BATCA was established in February 2006 in the wake of the tragic events of 7/7/2005 by a concerned group of local people who wanted to find new ways to bring the community together.
BATCA’s Fun Days, Community Awards schemes and other events bring people from all backgrounds together and build up community spirit.
Find out more and get involved!
Insta – @wearebatca
About Resilience Tooting
Resilience Tooting, in Arabic, written by Hamad at the BATCA Heroes event.
Resilience Tooting is bringing together community groups across Tooting, including Balham and Tooting Community Association, Transition Town Tooting, Tooting Community Kitchen and many more – alongside connection to the Emergency Planning Team at Wandsworth Borough Council. We are rooted in the intersection of the climate crisis and the cost of living crisis and its effect on how we live, where we live. After a summer of five heatwaves it is never more urgent to develop how we, as communities, act as the first responders in the moment of crisis through stronger connections, improved knowledge and practiced experience of collaboration to prevent, prepare and adapt to a changing climate.
Find out more here https://www.transitiontooting.org/resilience-tooting/