Bush Festival is a youth-led event; it is an inclusive, community-based celebration bringing local people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities together to explore our local heritage through arts, entertainment and workshops. It is a day where we all come together to relax and listen to good music or take part in workshops, in our common space (Shepherds Bush Green).
As well as being a family fun day, Bush Festival aims to allow young people themselves to be the driving force in its organisation. Planning meetings at the Masbro Centre will give them the opportunity to confront issues such as social awkwardness, communication problems and self-motivation while developing decision-making, leadership skills and event management experience, present and promote our diverse heritage through a photographic exhibition, musical events, workshops, talent contests and international cuisine.
It is hoped that Bush Festival will also change the minds of people who have preconceived ideas about the youth of today allowing them to overcome those prejudices.
I organise together with the Masbro Centre and Town Centre management an event that is expanding and carrying forward the youth carnival tradition that the Masbro Centre provided for so many years before it was closed in 2007.
In 2011 we had the support of the Hammersmith & Fulham Council, W12 Centre, The Happiness Centre, Waitrose and Unipec and through them raised enough to cover the whole event.
Last year Bush Festival was planned for the 13th August but Summer 2011 was marred by riots across the UK. Everything was put on hold and we were unsure whether the event would be allowed to go ahead at all.
Thankfully we were given the go-ahead to continue our Festival that weekend. Bush Festival turned into an opportunity for celebration and coming together of our community after such terrible events and more than 5,000 people joined us in this wonderful day.
2012 brought us the Olympics and an overhaul to prepare for millions of tourists that were expeced. This meant that Shepherds Bush Green would finally be redeveloped and wouldn't be ready until the following year.
We decided to let Shepherds Bush Festival hibernate for 2012, letting it spread it's wings in 2013, ready to take off once again! The date is booked 17th August. Now we just have to raise the funds!
