All News
HomeAbout usNews

Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month

18/07/2024

The south Asian community is an important part of our community, and an integral part of who we are as an organisation.

The south Asian community in Tower Hamlets

Many of our residents and staff are south Asian. Tower Hamlets is home to the largest Bangladeshi community in the UK – 32% of the borough’s population. This figure doesn’t account for other south Asian communities – such as those with Indian and Pakistani backgrounds – who also call Tower Hamlets home. 

That is why this South Asian Heritage Month we want to recognise the people and the contributions that the south Asian community make to Poplar and Bow and to the wider local area. 

Nazma is one of the community gardeners at Limborough Gardens. There she grows lots of vegetables that she uses for her own healthy (and delicious) food. This includes chillies, mustard, and squash.

Nazma is very proud of the food that she cooks. All the recipes hail from her childhood in Bangladesh. “We sometimes cook together,” Nazma says about the other community gardeners. “The food we make uses the vegetables we grow and is really tasty.”

Nazma

Read about our Environmental work
Harri originally hails from Kerala in south India. Harri is the lead designer and director of the fashion brand HARRI. They are based at Poplar Works, on Abbott Road.

Poplar Works is a new space for fashion in east London. Developed in partnership with London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, and The Trampery, there are over 40 studios available across two sites for people working in fashion.

Harri said: "There are so many people in London and so many cultures. You can go to one area and feel you belong, and go to another and feel like you don't. I like that feeling. There's more scope to learn. You're exposed to so many different things.

"My south Asian heritage influences the way I practice my work, the way I interact with my colleagues. The way I grew up, the way I was treated at home... all of these things influence. Probably more than south Asian culture, immigrant culture is what I have. The culture of coming to a new place and being exposed to new things."

Harri

Read about Poplar Works
Sabiha is our Volunteering Partnerships Manager. She helps to create volunteering opportunities for people in the local community. "Our roles are adaptable and they reflect what the community needs."

Sabiha spoke about how her south Asian heritage has instilled a passion for community and caring for other people. "When my parents migrated here they built a community for themselves here. People in our community really look after each other. When you’re sick, someone checks in on you. That's one reason I'm proud of my heritage. That and the food!"

Sabiha believes Poplar is a special place because of this sense of community. "There is a natural synergy. People want to come together – people are welcoming to one another. You may not understand a person, but people are willing to help each other."

Sabiha

Find out more about volunteering

Events to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month

During South Asian Heritage Month, our award-winning youth service Spotlight has a number of free events for young people to celebrate south Asian culture and heritage.

Rep your flag dinner

  • Tuesday 23 July, 5pm to 7pm
  • Location: Spotlight, 30 Hay Currie Street, E14 6GN
  • Ages 11 to 19

We’ll be cooking up a south Asian feast to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month. Come and try something new! 

Book here

Desi dishes, trivia quizzes and henna art

  • Wednesday 31 July, 3:30pm to 5:30pm
  • Location: St Paul’s Way Centre, 83 St Paul’s Way, E3 4AJ
  • Ages 11 to 19

Celebrate, commemorate and educate. We’ll be hosting a south Asian heritage quiz, a collective feast and a chance to do and learn henna!

Book here

Henna decorating and dinner time

  • Friday 2 August, 5:30pm to 7pm
  • Location: Eastside Youth and Community Centre, 6 Parnell Road, E3 2RB
  • Ages 11 to 19

Come and finish the week by celebrating South Asian Heritage Month with a meal and creative activity.

Book here

Before I Die – Bengali language film screening

  • Wednesday 7 August, 7pm to 9:30pm
  • Location: Chrisp Street Market, Market Square, E14 6AQ
  • Rating: 15 (if you appear to be under the age of 15 you may be asked to show photo ID and may not be allowed entry to the screening)

The film tells the story of a highly skilled dehumanized assassin, who has an emotional and spiritual awakening and then becomes a savior of a nation.

This is a Bengali language film, and will be shown with English subtitles.

Book here

Henna decorating and dinner time

  • Friday 9 August, 5pm to 7pm
  • Location: The Linc Centre, 70 Fern Street, E3 3PR
  • Ages 11 to 19

Come and finish the week by celebrating South Asian Heritage Month with a meal and creative activity.

Book here

Bajrangi Bhaijaan – Hindi language film screening

  • Friday 9 August, 7pm to 9pm
  • Location: Chrisp Street Market, Market Square, E14 6AQ
  • Rating: 12A

An Indian man with a magnanimous heart takes a young mute Pakistani girl back to her homeland to reunite her with her family.

This film is in Hindi language, and will be shown with English subtitles.

Book here

South Asian Heritage Month: GIVING

  • Wednesday 14 August, 3pm to 5pm
  • Location: Spotlight, 30 Hay Currie Street, E14 6GN 
  • Ages 11 to 19

Join Katy and the team from Tower Hamlets Emotional Wellbeing Service for a chilled out session making friendship bracelets. We’ll be exploring things and people we‘re grateful for and GIVE back to those we care about. 

Book here

Other events in the local area

You can find out what else is happening in Tower Hamlets to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month on Tower Hamlets Council’s website.

Events in Tower Hamlets