Youth

Manchester, early evening, early new year. This was the first request of me to film an event.

The request was from X Events, the venue; the Eastern Pearl, Plymouth Grove.

The event centred on raising awareness of the plight of youth in the face of poverty within communities in the UK, how to address prevailing issues through appropriating focused services, and donating personal time and understanding to redressing the imbalance within today's society.



When I arrived to film, two performers soundchecked their way to contentedness prior to the arrival of the guests. I liked the coupling of the two styles - Mohammed Yahya and Umar Abdullah, mixing soulful faith with street rap - a dress rehearsal for their finale after the fundraising.

I have, prior to the date of writing this entry, read poetry at the Eastern Pearl for charity. That, as this night, shared a similar tenor, excepting the premise of this particular event was to highlight youth within communities, and how attendees could better consider how to help and assist via X events, which, as well as being a service which promotes events - notably the recent Imran Khan Floods event in Manchester - also provide a raft of health and social care services.



After the guests had settled, Shayk Iqbal Qadri spoke, and the above mentioned performers delivered, Zahir Mahmood Mohammed spoke of the street and how best to re-engage with serving the community.



His interfaith comparisons i felt sighted to hit the gut-spot-place before the buffet arrived; and the fundraising commenced...



I only hope that X Events service-bridge-planning-in-powerpoint becomes a reality for today's youth. For my mind, such strategic lateral thinking is well needed.


Stay tuned for the film...