Unsung heroes recognised in park portraits.
Byline: EMILY CRAIGIE [email protected] @emilycraigieIF you have been to Albert Park recently, you may have seen the huge portraits celebrating heroes who have made a massive difference to others peoples' lives.
It is all part of the Seeds of Hope exhibition which showcases local people who have committed selfless acts of kindness.
Those who were chosen were photographed by award-winning Portrait of Britain 2020 photographer Joanne Coates.
Cllr Mieka Smiles, Middlesbrough's deputy mayor and executive member for culture and communities, said: "It's brilliant to see some of our true community heroes gain recognition for the amazing work they do for the people of Middlesbrough, which all too often goes unrecognised."
John Kabuye had been planning the Ubuntu Centre for a while but the pandemic made the need for it even more urgent.
John, 46, said: "Ubuntu, as a name, means to look after your neighbour, your friend, your brother, everyone."
For his community in Newport and the central areas of Middlesbrough, that's what John, who is a proud community leader, school governor and a maths lecturer, has worked tirelessly to do throughout the pandemic.
He said: "The need at that time was food parcels, so as the new Ubuntu Centre team we organised food parcels for Middlesbrough and Stockton.
"Many of the community members don't have families around here that they could ring and say, 'Can I have dinner or food.'.
"But our community members didn't want food parcels. The reason behind it, from my perspective as an African person and an African man, I don't want free things, I want work and if someone gives me something for free I feel like I am losing my dignity. "So when I took this on I said that there is no need to suffer in silence."
The centre has now amended its approach and they have an eco shop where people pay PS2 and they get food which is donated from Fare Share an organisation working to feed disadvantaged people while reducing food waste.
John, who left Uganda in 2000 and has lived in Middlesbrough since 2004, wanted to make a place where people from the black and other minority communities could go to receive support.
Speaking about his portrait in Albert Park, John said: "It's fantastic, it's good to be recognised and it's in a public place where everyone can see you, it's wonderful."
Kim May started at Streets Ahead as a project manager in 2006 on a three-year contract but has remained ever since, saying it is the people who have made all the difference. She said: "We have good days and we have bad days but we have more good days than bad days and you do go home thinking, 'yep, I have just made a little bit of a difference',' which makes it all the more worthwhile." Like the Ubuntu Centre, Streets Ahead has also been providing PS2 food packages as well as working to ensure people don't feel so isolated.
Kim, 61, added:"We do things like park walk, creativity sessions, English classes, and we are looking at support for Afghan refugees who could be coming to Middlesbrough.
"We also run a gardening competition, Gresham in bloom and that's people's back alleys and gardens."
At one of the charity's walks, one of the walkers made the group do a detour to see the images.
Kim was shocked the first time she saw how large the photos were.
She added: "It was lovely, it was all just very softly, softly, I don't think we all quite understood that there were going to be huge pictures in Albert Park."
The installation is part of Middlesbrough's new public art programme, delivered by artist-led organisation Navigator North in partnership with Middlesbrough Council, using Arts Council funding.
CAPTION(S):
John Kabuye of the Ubuntu Centre with his portrait
Kim May of Streets Ahead with her portrait
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| Title Annotation: | News; Teasers |
|---|---|
| Author: | EMILY CRAIGIE [email protected] @emilycraigie |
| Publication: | Evening Gazette (Middlesbrough, England) |
| Geographic Code: | 4EUUK |
| Date: | Sep 14, 2021 |
| Words: | 645 |
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