PEACH
People's Empowerment Alliance for Custom House
The Birth of PEACH
PEACH was launched on the 17th April 2013 at The Cundy Centre, Custom House E16.
Almost 150 residents and business owners gathered to set an agenda for the future of their community.
The work to get to the launch date began almost two years before, when £1,000,000 was allocated to Custom House through the National Lottery Big Local Fund.
A Steering Group was established and Hero Austin appointed Community Organiser in the summer of 2012.
By working together Hero and the Steering Group estabilished Listening Groups in our Schools, Community Centres, Churches, Streets and the Garden Cafe. PEACH slowly but surely began to evolve.
A successful Action Plan Workshop took place at the Royal Docks School December 2012 and the launch date was set.
After months of listening to hundreds of conversations and testimonials, a vote was taken and a clear agenda for action was agreed.
Priorities were set, namely:
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Jobs & education
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Housing
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Safety
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Health
A Vision Statement was agreed upon.
And our name, People's Empowerment Alliance for Custom House or PEACH for short, chosen.
VISION STATEMENT
Our purpose is to empower our community in Custom House.
We are not a service provider or lobby group.
Instead, we exist firstly to support each other and secondly to build our strength as a community, so we can have a say over decisions which affect us.
We are broad and diverse in our members and in the issues we address.
Our aim is to make a real difference and to put Custom House on the map.
To do this, we need to achieve a respectful neighbourhood, with homes people can be proud of, streets people feel safe in and jobs that offer stability and dignity.
Our belief is that we can make change by coming together, recognising our common interests and taking action.
