The new Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Michael Bear, accompanied by his wife Lady Mayoress Barbara Bear, visited the Osmani Trust yesterday to see some of the work of the organisation, meet with young people and lend their support for the new Osmani Centre being built at the corner of Vallance Road and Underwood Road. The Lord Mayor related the time he spent in the Spitalfields area as a young man and how he felt an attachment to the people of Tower Hamlets. After a tour of the current Centre and meeting with young people, he said ‘young people need organisations like Osmani Trust, and the fantastic work they do. I urge everyone to support the development of the Centre. It could only serve to improve the lives of the people living here’.
Upon completion the new Osmani Centre will boast a community cafe, active health and fitness studio, youth gym, workshop and training facilities, as well as a multi-purpose hall and roof garden.
The Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, also came to show his support: ‘I know the fantastic work they do to take people off the streets, to develop the skills and capacity of local people, that is why I have and continue to support the Osmani Trust and the building of a new Osmani Centre’, said the Mayor of Tower Hamlets.
The current Mayors also heard from young people involved with Osmani Trust, including 2 candidates for Young Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Tabassum Noore and Nadeem Miah. Tabassum related her experience of participating in the Healthy Futures project: ‘playing football and badminton on a weekly basis has helped me stay fit and healthy and inspired me to live an active lifestyle’.
Accompanying the Mayors were business leaders from the City of London and Canary Wharf as well as Stephen O’ Brian, Chairman of the Barts and the London NHS Trust, and Sir Trevor Chinn, Chairman of the Mayor’s Fund for London, who showed keen interest in the work of the Trust and a willingness to contribute to the development of young people and the local community.
The Lord Mayor and Stephen O’ Brian have agreed to become the patrons of the new centre.
Syed Tohel Ahmed, Chairman of the Osmani Trust, thanked the visitors for taking time out of their busy schedules and inspiring staff, management and volunteers associated with Trust to continue working hard for the community.