The idea
Happy and active ladies make the world go round. Our weekly Teeyan meetings during August were inspiring. Let’s not wait another year to dance together. Let’s do it all the time. Bring an end to sitting at home alone, frightened of getting Covid 19. Many of us older ladies have heart problems and diabetes and worry our daughters will get the same – dancing will really help us be healthier get rid of these diseases.
Jubilee Park can be the place we mix across our different heritages. Why stop with Giddha? If we learn each other’s dances and songs, we keep our traditions alive for our grandchildren. Why stop with dancing? We have long term plans to construct an amazing covered area where we can both dance and learn new skills – an outdoor classroom for grown-ups.
Fathers, husbands, bothers, sons – the ladies in your family want to get this idea off the ground by buying starter equipment – dresses, music systems, a gazebo and more - help us by pledging to phase 1 of the campaign.
What we'll deliver
- 1. Pioneer weekly Giddha and other ladies cultural dance
- 2. Invite ladies groups from different heritages to share their cultural dance
- 3. Demonstrate that dancing reduces diabetes levels and heart problems
- 4. Improve mental health through ladies talking and connecting as friends
- 5. Develop the fund raising confidence to apply for grants for the covered area
Why it's a great idea
The covered bandstand area in Jubilee Gardens is mostly occupied by men. If a lady is sitting there and a man arrives she will leave - it is not culturally acceptable to be together. Our dream is a second covered area for ladies only which will benefit our mothers, daughters, sisters and grandmothers
This first campaign will start small with a portable gazebo, costumes and music
Covid 19 means many ladies have stopped meeting in each other’s houses.
Husband will be happy their wives can meet alone so we hope our men will commit with pledges from their business connections
Dancing helps with mental and spiritual health as well as physical
By being part of the early planning for the covered area, many Southall ladies will be empowered and contribute their own ideas about ways we can use the space
Southall is a multicultural society – ladies of all heritages will become friends
Let’s Go Southall team and local councillors are already in support
Steps to get it done
- Talk to Ealing Council Parks about using the park for Giddha dancing
- Identify and talk to the ladies groups in Southall and ask them to get involved
- Establish a small steering group with ladies from Voice of Women and other Southall ladies groups
- Start Giddha dancing in Jubilee Gardens to attract women and start further conversations
We see this application to the FEF as our 1st in a series of campaigns as we go through the stages to get the permissions needed to construct a covered area for ladies in Jubilee Park.
Once permissions are in place, we will apply for other grants and have local fund raising events.
We have a number of grants in mind through the Arts Council, Mayor of London Fund London Plus Fund, Lottery funding, Sport England.
We have identified the stages of the project and will form a steering group of ladies (and men) from different Southall community groups to work together for the duration of this project.
