Pride of Brent 2020 announced - those who contributed so much in this most difficult of years

Brent Council has published its Pride of Brent list for 2020, those individuals and organisations that have gone 'above and beyond' in this the most difficult of years. Rather than the usual gala style celebration at the Civic Centre their  contribution will be acknowledged this year through articles in the Brent Magazine and the council's social media channels.

Among the many deserving names there is one that strikes a jarring note.  Chetan Harpale, the Labour candidate for the Alperton by-election is listed despite having been suspended at the time for alleged Islamophobic comments. LINK LINK

One of the most amazing events of the early days of the pandemic was the sponataneous rise of Mutual Aid groups across the borough who delivered food and other support to people who were self-isolating.  Alongside them the borough's food banks stepped up their efforts and were augmented by other organisations and individuals. They are all still working selflessly as we enter Tier 4.  Some are listed for Pride of Brent but many are not, so I am acknowledging their contribution here.

The Brent Council announcement:

This year has been a challenging time for us all, but during the uncertainty we have seen some amazing people step up to support their fellow residents.

We asked you to recognise the people you think have supported Brent’s communities through this difficult time and you did not disappoint with more than eighty nominations received.

Here are the people and organisations who have worked to make life a bit easier for others in 2020. They are the Pride of Brent.

Individuals –

Alice Ekwalia

Alina Nicoleta Balatchi Lupascu

Ava Brosnan

Ayan Abdi

Ben Shapiro

Chetan Harpale

Daksha Varsani and Paresh Jethwa

David and Sol Williams

Debbie Thomas, Christians Against Poverty - St. Gabriel's Cricklewood

Desi Dhaba

Doreen Gill

Dipesh Ahir

Dr Silvia Gerea

Emily Morris

Geraldine Darroux

Geraldine Reid assisted by Cathryn Walsh

Giles Deards

Giuseppe Caggese

Hema Mistry

Imam Abdullah Hassan Salloo

Ishrat Malik

Jacqueline Bunce-Linsell

Julia Straker

Kalyan Patel

Kelli Eboji

Kirti Soni

Louisa

Leroy Simpson

Maureen Anthony

Maxine Anderson

Muhammad Ata Ullah

Patricia Wharton

Rajeshri Sheth

Ramesh and staff

Renata and Peter

Seva Mitra Mandal

Sharon Aninakwa

Tariq Dar

The teachers at Lyon Park Primary school

Toni Trent

Vivekananda reddy Sadhu

Yvonne Wilson Equi Vision

 

Community Groups –

406 (Willesden) Squadron RAF Air Cadets

Ansar Youth Project

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha

Brahma Kumaris

Brent Thrive

Daniels den parent and toddler group

F.O.H Brent / Warren Reilly

Iraqi Welfare Association

Jason Roberts Foundation

Kensal Green Under Fives Group Community Nursery

Kingsbury Community Group

London Elite

Granville Community Kitchen / Leslie & Dee

Romanian Women in UK

Rumi's Cave

Shree Swaminarayan Temple Willesden

The Angels Academies

Wembley Central Mutual Aid group

Youth With A Mission Urban Key London

 

Private organisations and businesses –

Abigail Simon - The Yum Yum Food Company

Brent Library Customer Services

Cuore Italian Deli & coffee shop

eStudyit

Harrow Care Plus (Brent)

Housing Plus Qara Limited

Kilhan Construction Ltd

Kylu

Mahogany Carnival Arts

Meera Nursing Home

Mario’s Restaurant: Mr Mario Nunes

O' Farrell's Traditional Family Butcher

Red Lotus Events CIC

Sewa Security Group

Shara Grossman Pharmacy

The George/McDonagh's Bar/Manuel Elvis Pinto

The Larder

Wembley triangle massage

VoxBrain LTD

 

Newly established groups –

Harlesden Mutual Aid

Parent Anchor

 

 

Kilburn Times breaks story over Brent Council leader's attendance at prayer service during lockdown

Great work by reporter Nathalie Raffray has just been published on the Kilburn Times website LINK.

In summary the report says that Brent Council leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt amd Councillor Sangani attended a prayer service at the Ealing Road Mandir despite a government ban on collective acts of worship in faith buildings as part of the Covid19 restrictions.

To make matters worse they were joined by former Alperton Labour Party council candidate Chetan Harpale who was suspended from the Labour Party and  subsequently defeated at the Alperton by-election by Liberal Democrat Anton Georgiou.

Harpale was suspended after his social media posts applauding Tory MP Bob Blackman and Indian PM Modi, calling Jeremy Corbyn a 'pro- Jihadist and labelling Pakistan a 'Terror State'.

Do read the full story for all the circumlocutions.

Green Party candidate calls for Labour to withdraw support from their Alperton by-election candidate over anti-Muslim views

The website Order-Order.com has today published more extracts from Tweets allegedly written by the Labour Party candidate in the Alperton by-election, Chetan Harpale,

Andrew Linnie, Green Party candidate for Alperton said:

I am shocked and disgusted by the racist, islamophobic views aired by Labour's candidate in the Alperton by-election. I think it is important, given the hostility of the language used, that Labour leader Cllr Butt not only condemns these views but withdraws support from this inappropriate candidate from the election while there's still time. Mr Harpale has no place representing anyone, let alone representing an area as culturally diverse as Alperton.

Did Labour's candidate for the Alperton by-election tweet admiration for Bob Blackman?

There may be more than one person with the name Chetan Harpale but if this is the same person who is standing for Labour in the Alperton by-election I am rather perplexed.

Expressing admiration for Bob Blackman, a right-wing pro-Modi Conservative (and ex leader of Brent Conservatives), who local Labour activists mobilised to unseat at the General Election may be one thing - but calling Jeremy Corbyn 'ProJihadis'...?

There is of course the possibility that the Twitter account was hacked and I will be happy to publish any clarification from the Labour Party.

The Twitter account @HarpaleChetan is now locked.

Harpale is standing to replace ex-Cllr James Allie who resigned under a cloud.