Community Celebrations – Croydon Youth

“LOVE NOT HATE YOUNG STARS OF CROYDON 2025”

This was a fundraising event but also an opportunity to showcase the work and talents of young people. the meeting started with prayers and greetings from different faith representatives. It was an evening of a variety of performances and styles, not only from Croydon young people but those from other boroughs across Greater London. Traditional and street dances and music were performed. There were short speeches from a number of guest speakers, including myself. There was a facilitated discussion as part of the programme involving experts in their field. The event raised over £6,000 which was shared between the Mayors’ and other charities.

The Love Not Hate initiative was first launched in 2016 in response to rising hate crimes after the EU referendum, with the goal of promoting unity and positivity within communities. Since then, the campaign has evolved to address growing concerns around knife crime, youth violence and mental health stigma, using the power of performance to foster hope and connection.

This year’s event expanded to a London-wide platform, celebrating the diverse talent of young performers from other boroughs including Croydon, Wandsworth, Merton, Southwark, Lewisham, Bromley, Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Sutton, Southall and Newham. Their performances—ranging from dance,music, instrumental acts, special educational needs contributions, martial arts, cultural and ethnic displays, contemporary dance, rap, street hip-hop to traditional Chinese and Indian dance—captivated the audience, reinforcing the power of art in building safer, more inclusive communities.

A video summary of the event can be accessed at this link.
Highlights: https://youtu.be/CsbkkmuO228
Millicent Grant | High Sheriff of Greater London: https://youtu.be/EYVGKwlVxAc