Hello Everyone,
Today is Eid al-Adha being celebrated by Muslims from across the breadth of our borough, and globally! While I’ve pretty much been doing my Mayor of Newham stuff all day, I was pleased to have had the opportunity to join hundreds of residents over at Plashet Park this morning to observe Eid prayers taking place – and it was a wonderful experience to have been part of! Here at the Council, we’ve been helping to facilitate such events over these past years as part of our Eid in Park programme. It was wonderful to see the diversity of our community come together in peace and prayer for an important and joyful community moment. Eid Mubarak to you and your family if you are marking Eid al-Adha today, and here’s to joyous celebrations with your loved ones. I am really proud that Newham is always a place where people of different backgrounds, including those of faith and none, are able to come together to celebrate their traditions and cultures; and where inclusion reigns and our diversity is respected. I am determined to protect it. That’s why when Pride Month 2025 began last Sunday, I reflected on why it is important that we raise flags and stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ communities here in Newham. Pride Month is more than just a celebration; it’s a call to action to continue our work towards a borough that is safe, inclusive and empowering for everyone. Throughout June, we’ll be marking Pride with events, activities and reflections across the borough – amplifying voices and building belonging. On Monday, I headed back to school for a visit to Sandringham Primary, one of our many outstanding schools in Newham. I was particularly ‘wowed’ by their new SEND provision unit, designed to give children with neuro-divergent needs such as autism a thriving educational experience. I also had fun speaking with a group of Year 5 students fresh back from a trip to Cadiz in Spain: they were all brimming with stories about their adventures in the town they stayed in, called Arcos de la Frontera. I was delighted by the opportunity provided to our young people by our schools in Newham; and the talent and curiosity that exists across all our children and young people! Like so many schools in Newham, Sandringham Primary represents the best of the opportunities we offer our young people in our borough. That’s why I’m so pleased that this week the government has agreed that from September 2026, any child in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will be able to claim free school meals. It’s part of the universal free school meals campaign we’ve been involved over recent years, and through our work on the School Food Review we’ve been at the forefront of lobbying to get to this tremendously important milestone. We’ve seen first-hand the impact of having free school meals and fantastic schools has on social mobility, with East Ham and Stratford ranked 1st and 2nd nationally. However, while extending Free School Meals to families on Universal Credit is significant, it’s just one step in the journey. Our ambition remains clear: we want to see every pupil guaranteed a free, nutritious school meal, as we’ve long championed through our successful Eat for Free programme. We’re also excited by the government’s commitment to revising the school food standards. This aligns with how we’ve used Eat for Free grant conditions and principles to push for higher meal quality and a whole-school approach to food across all primary schools in Newham. We’ll continue to advocate for healthy, accessible meals that give every child the fuel they need to succeed. Oh my, on Tuesday, I had an incredible time at the launch of the 2025–27 cycle of our amazing People Powered Places programme, which is the largest participatory budgeting programme anywhere in the country. With £1.6 million available to pitch for - distributed across our 8 borough neighbourhoods; community groups can submit proposals and local people vote on the best projects. People Power Places is rooted in the belief that local people should be empowered to improve the places they live and their neighbourhoods. Since 2018, over 10,000 residents have been part of the process and some 300 community projects have been funded benefiting 75,000 people! From community gardens to mental health initiatives, arts projects to support for young people – the impact has been deep and wide-reaching. It’s not just about funding, it’s about democracy in action, and it shows what we can achieve when we empower residents to lead change through people powered initiatives! Applications for the new round open on 18 July and close on 14 September 2025; so get involved and stuck in to do something great for your neighbourhood. More info via the newhamco-create.co.uk platform. This week, I’ve also been working with colleagues at the Council to highlight innovation, creativity and the power of young minds here in Newham over at the acclaimed SXSW London conference, taking place in London for the first time and drawing in some seriously impressive global talent and innovators. This Saturday, I’ll be heading over to SXSW London again with a bunch of young people from Newham who’ll be taking part on our SXSW London collaboration in a Gaming and AI Challenge. It’s all part of our Newham Data initiative to support local residents seize opportunities emerging. The youngsters have spent the past few months learning about all things AI, data, gaming because I want our home grown talent to be the creators, innovators and leaders of the economy of the future. Tomorrow, the young finalists will take the stage at SXSW London to pitch their ideas in front of a judging panel that I’ll be part of, and they’ll be up for winning prizes. It’s another brilliant showcase of Newham’s home-grown talent, and my belief in our young people. More proof that through our Building a Fairer Newham impact, Opportunity Newham is here and happening. Until next week, take care and stay happy in the meantime!
Best wishes, Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter: @rokhsanafiaz | 
