RFF AGM and Public Forum – ‘Fighting Poverty in Ilford’ 9 July 2025
Redbridge Faith Forum and Annual General Meeting & Appointment of the Trustees followed by an Open Forum on “Fighting Poverty in Ilford”
9th July 2025, at Methodist Church, 58A Ilford Lane, Ilford IG1 2JZ
Press Release.
9th July 2025
Redbridge Faith Forum (RFF) - AGM and Open Forum Meeting.
RFF held its Annual General Meeting at the Methodist Church in Ilford lane this evening. Attended by around 70 supporters and members, the Annual Report was submitted by the Chair, Mohamed Omar MBE who highlighted a number of the highlights of the work of RFF during the preceding year. Among these were the Annual Walk of Peace, now in its 15th Year where, led by the Mayor, visited various Faith Venues hearing about this year's topic, 'Kindness, Faith in Action'. He then explained about how we celebrated 20 years of RFF and also the tours arranged to places of worship. All of these events are centred on the main aspects of RFF which are Respect, Cooperation and Understanding. The accounts for the year were submitted and all trustees who had agreed to stand were elected for the coming year. Mohamed also thanked all those volunteers who had supported RFF during the year and in particular Saira Yakub who had diligently kept the RFF office running so smoothly.
Following some beautifully prepared food and refreshments, we moved to the open forum which this year was centred on 'Fighting Poverty in Ilford'. There were a number of presentations which formed the basis of the following discussion. We are grateful to Charlene Butler from Redbridge Food Bank, Alvaro Adair of the Ilford Community Grocery, Angela Beyer from the Welcome Centre, Raja from the Albert Road Mosque Food Bank and George Gaillet, the Redbridge Citizens Organiser. We also received a wonderful input form the Malachi Project who unfortunately were unable to attend.
After the presentations the assembly broke into smaller groups to discuss what was happening in the local Faith Groups which was aimed at Fighting Poverty in Ilford and then focussing on what the real priorities are. This output was then shared and will be the starting point for work on this most important area.
The meeting was closed by our Chairman and all were thanked for both their attendance and their input.
Reflection from Revd. Mmasape Thathane-Tyolweni
"Tonight, I watched faith do what it does best, make room.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Redbridge Faith Forum, we moved through business with grace and intention, then leaned into what truly matters.
Around the room were representatives of different religions, different languages, different dreams yet one shared hunger: justice.
In just two minutes each, voices rose:
The Foodbank, Community Cupboard, The Malachi Project, Rahman Foodbank and Citizens. Not speaking theory, but daily bread. Not casting stones, but casting vision. And then something beautiful happened. Strangers sat at round tables, not to debate doctrine or defend dogma, but to listen deeply. To witness one another’s work. To name the wounds of this city. To dream healing into being. We spoke of poverty not only as a statistic, but as a neighbour. We spoke of homes that cost too much, wages that stretch too thin, families gasping for support, and seeds that could become gardens of hope.
Faith, tonight, was not a sermon. It was a circle. A conversation. A commitment.
And I left with a quiet assurance: that the sacred is not just found in holy books or rituals, but in the courage to gather, the willingness to listen, and the resolve to act together."
We live in a wonderful London Borough with lots of parks and green spaces, good transport links, an excellent education service, and a cohesive multi-cultural community. But all is not what it seems on the surface! In Redbridge, a significant portion of residents, including one in four adults and one in three children, live in poverty. The borough faces challenges with income deprivation and pay inequality; a substantial number of residents earn below the Living Wage, according to Redbridge Council. Redbridge also experiences higher rates of homelessness and households in temporary accommodation compared to the London average. Cuts to local Government by Central Government, the worsening of the economic situation resulting in job losses, the increased cost of living, and cuts to benefits, are all impacting on the daily lives of residents.
How can we respond to this crisis? What actions can we take to help those in need and make a positive change? What is already in place? Can we join together as a community to give assistance and provide much needed support? How are faith and other groups responding to poverty?
We can’t prevent what is happening nationally, but we can ensure that by consulting and working together we can find ways of improving the lives of the Redbridge residents who need it.