For over four decades, I have worked in local communities, bringing many insights and lessons that help shape all we do, especially our events, befriending, and community reconnecting. I have always been connected to the local community through presenting at lunch clubs and building partnerships with the sickle cell services operating out of Homerton University Hospital. I also worked for the Greater London Council for over two decades, until 1990, when it was disbanded.

I remember the year, time, and place vividly. It was February 2023, and the great commission of New Horizon Community Outreach was born as I walked the grounds of London Fields in Hackney with my Chief Supporting Officer (CSO) and my Director of Operations (DOO). We had just returned from opening the brand new Suffolk Estate Football Pitch – Benjamin Close, off-Broadway Market, on the 13th of February 2023, at 4 pm. It was a magical moment, and we saw the faces of the youths beaming with excitement. We knew we had accomplished something meaningful with other charitable organisations, notably Arsenal Football Community, Wickers, and others.

At that moment, the realisation of going a step further hit me. As we three walked through the fields, we began to word storm organisational names that could represent the deepest core of my heart and vision. My age (well into my 80s) has never prevented me from achieving goals. As CS Lewis famously said, “You are never too old or young to dream a new dream”. That was me. I had youth around me in my CSO and DOO. A few weeks later, after that faithful walk in the park, New Horizon Community Outreach was born, and things accelerated from there.

The Mission, Vision, and Motto followed suit, representing the core values of what we wanted to stand for and for the people we wanted to serve. In April 2023, New Horizon Community Outreach was officially launched and registered.

As the leader of NHCO, I stress the importance of having a heart of service and ensuring that it is at the top of everything we do. Under my stewardship, our overarching aim is to enhance the skills and abilities of local community members through integration and reconnection. We aim to promote community cohesion and belonging by working with young people, elders, and local organisations. Our objective is to bring about positive changes that enable individuals to identify their needs better, receive appropriate assistance, and participate more actively in the community and the broader society. We have a proven track record of organising events and creating community-driven initiatives to address various needs.

Our organisation, NHCO, has carried out several projects to serve our community. Some of these projects include the “Nourish U” Foodbank, which helps combat food poverty, and our Single Father’s project, which supports fathers. We prioritise mental health and well-being as part of our work.

We work closely with young people by developing relationships and offering mentoring, youth employment support, and befriending services. Additionally, we help older individuals by reconnecting them with the community and providing them companionship. Our work is done in collaboration with our members and community.

In our inaugural event (14^th of October 2023), which championed the Sickle Cell and Thalassemia event at Hackney Empire 2, we engaged with over 200+ people. Most attendees were from regions where sickle Cell and Thalassemia are more common, such as the Middle East, parts of India, the eastern Mediterranean, Africa, The Caribbean, and South and Central America. However, we also had other demographics in attendance who were not from these regions. The common factor is that they all lived in the City and Hackney.

This is just the beginning, and as my team always says, “Just Imagine.” That’s all we need—the power to imagine a better and brighter future as we invest in the future of the next generation through what we do right here and now.

I was honoured to establish NHCO as its first Chief Executive Officer and appointed to work alongside a group of skilled individuals, such as Ms Jay Davis, my Chief Operating Officer; Mr Robin Jones, my Chief Supporting Officer; Mr Fred Hesse, our Chief Financial Officer, Mr Michael Baptist, my Director of Operations, Mr Sheyi Davies, my Administration Manager and Mr John Rahat, our Digital Technical Officer.

In March 2024, with the approval of senior Management, I decided to promote Mr. Michael Baptist as my CEO successor while I steered the organisation as the Founder and Chairperson. 

After the success of our first event, we established the NHCO Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Steering Committee with Ms Deborah Davies as the Chairperson and Mr Shane Telemarque as the Deputy Chair. Both of them are remarkable sickle-cell warriors. The committee also includes three staff members from Homerton Hospital: Mrs Olufunmilayo Ola-Adenekan (specialist nurse and NHCO Sickle Cell Ambassador), Ms Oluwatoyin Bello-Sanyanolu (Specialist nurse), and Mr Uzair Patel (Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Social Liaison Advisor) as well as Mr Joseph Ossei-Assibey, who is another sickle cell warrior.

These are exciting times, and we believe we are just getting started. We have the grace of God and the fact that we dare to Imagine what can be achieved with an inclusive community we serve coming together, leaving differences aside, for the common good of all.

It has been an honour to witness NHCO’s beginnings, and I believe there is much more to see as NHCO joins arms with other like-minded organisations.

Together, we can touch lives one community at a time across the country and the globe.

Regards,
Founder and Chairperson