2025 Wrapped – Thank You for Your Support

Thank you

As 2025 comes to a close, we wanted to write to thank you for supporting Colours of Redbridge this year. It really means a lot.

Cultural and creative activities are the bedrock of our communities and always have been. They bring us together. They help us to understand each other. They strengthen our identity, improve our wellbeing, and make us proud of where we live.

Over the past year we have heard such amazing stories about how our activities have impacted people’s lives in Redbridge: from making new connections; learning new skills; or feeling seen, heard and represented for the first time in your area.

We are delighted that you’ve chosen to play a part in our journey, and we hope to continue to be a part of yours.

Where it all began…

Two years ago, we had no Community Producers, no big events, and no captive audiences; just a collection of 1,000 community conversations to help shape the programme.

Within two years from that moment, together we have:

• Made nine test projects that led to three amazing commissions over the summer
• Commissioned 14 ‘We Can Create’ projects, supporting local groups to run their own cultural activities
• Created a youth digital programme to support young people in Redbridge
• Employed and trained over 50 highly skilled Community Producers, Future Producers and Data Collectors
• Engaged almost 100 volunteers
• Trained four local artists to lead on our work
• Started ‘Rediscover Redbridge’, the first event to bring together all of Redbridge’s creative organisations
• Engaged almost 150,000 people at our events – half of the people living in Redbridge
• Gained the attention of BBC News, Wes Streeting MP and the stars of Strictly Come Dancing
• Won the Redbridge Social Value Award at the annual Ilford & Redbridge Business Awards
• Secured almost £1m more funding from Arts Council England for the next three years to do it all over again!

Most importantly, we have made friends and created new partnerships, and we thank you for your part in making it happen. We want to ensure Redbridge is a place where people feel welcome, celebrated, and safe – bringing joy, community cohesion, and a better quality of life at a time when we all need it most. All for free, and all led by the community.

We hope you enjoyed taking part this year and we look forward to seeing you again in 2026!