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Christmas Card Competition 2024 Launch

I am excited to announce that my annual Christmas Card Competition has officially launched! Each year I run this competition for primary school students across our constituency to produce amazing artwork that is sent out to local stakeholders in Erith and Thamesmead.

The theme for this year is: ‘What makes Erith and Thamesmead a fun place’. Pupils can draw or paint a design that shows what they love about places in our constituency, ensuring it has a Christmas theme. This might include sporting activities that make them happy, the parks or open spaces, local communities, shops, landmarks or even family and friends.

Entries must be accompanied by a few sentences explaining what the landmark means to the young artist and why they chose to draw it. The artwork will be assessed by a panel of judges, and the winning design will be used as my Christmas Card and sent to more than 1,000 local people and groups.  

In addition to the main prize, the winner and two runners up will receive a gift. 

The submission process is as follows:  

  1. The artwork must be A4 in size (including the pupil’s name, age, class and school) 
  2. It must be accompanied by a few sentences explaining why the pupil chose to draw it 
  3. Pupils or teachers must scan or take a photo of the artwork and send via email to abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk 
  4. Submissions must be received by close of play on Friday 25th October 

The winners will be announced in an email to all participating schools shortly after the deadline. I hope to attend the winning schools to present the prizes in person and will be in touch with the relevant school(s) to arrange a suitable date and time. 

Below are some previous winners to provide some inspiration!

Previous Winners:

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Plumstead Open Studios Visit

Whilst visiting Plumstead Open Studios, I got the chance to see how many talented people we have in our constituency. It was brilliant to view a wide range of locally-produced artwork and creative designs, including painting, photography, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, prints, and sculpture.

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Attending the Ballad of Thamesmead

I had a fantastic time recently at the ‘Ballad of Thamesmead’ performance. This was part of the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, and presented By Dante or Die Theatre

Live folk songs by Abbey Wood singer Marie Bashiru were great, and the Thamesmead Community Choir impressed with a soaring sound design that included local peoples’ voices, culminating in the clocktower illuminated like never before.

It’s great to see such a broad array of talented artists, musicians, designers and creators on show in our constituency.

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Summer Festival at Shrewsbury House

I had a wonderful time at the Summer Festival at Shrewsbury House on August 2nd. It was such a great lineup of live music, with some brilliant local beers from Bexley Brewery, and tasty food from the Garden Cafe!

It’s great to have so many creative people and organisations in our constituency!

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Parkfest at Bostall Gardens

It was lovely to be at Parkfest at Bostall Gardens last Sunday with the Mayor of Greenwich, Cllr Jit Ranabhat, and Cllr Ann-Marie Cousins.

Great to meet so many families and local businesses there and I want to thank Bostall Gardens Friends Group for organising such a great community event.

Social Media Post on 22 July 2024:

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Cambridge University’s Black History Month Dinner

I was delighted to attend the recent Black History Month Dinner at Cambridge University alongside Naomi Campbell and friends, old and new. 

The dinner was a great celebration of Black Britons and Black British History, and I was so pleased to meet so many inspiring people there.

I want to thank the hosts of this event – Simon Wooley, the Principal of Homerton College and also the President of the Cambridge University African Caribbean Society, Michael Lawson-Falomo for hosting such a fantastic evening.

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New Defibrillator at Lesnes Abbey Lodge

I was delighted to pop in and see the new defibrillator at Lesnes Abbey Lodge this month. It was great to be invited by Lesnes Abbey Friends to meet them and hear how they raised an incredible £2,000, with support from local organisations, to install this life saving device.

You may be aware that increasing access to and awareness of defibrillators is an issue I’m incredibly passionate about. In July this year, I organised a Westminster Hall debate on this issue and challenged the Government to do more where possible on public access to defibrillators. In the debate, I said:

“Defibrillators represent an incredible technical advance. They are lightweight, easy to use and designed only to help and not harm the patient. The issue is not about their design but their distribution and public awareness of what they are and how to use them.”

It was great therefore to join Lesnes Abbey Friends as they celebrated adding this important device to our community.

I also got the opportunity to join Lesnes Abbey’s first ever Woodland Festival. This event involved a jam-packed day of events and activities and was a great celebration of Lesnes Abbey and Woods.

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Visit to Lakeside Open Studio

Lovely to pop into Lakeside Studios in Thamesmead to attend their fantastic Open Studio Event. It was very nice to celebrate this amazing space and to hear from some of the artists about their work.

If you don’t know already, this venue is listed as one of the top 10 must-see buildings this year by Architects’ Journal.

I would highly recommend everyone tries to visit if you haven’t already.

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Pride on the Pier Erith

I was delighted to be a guest at the very first Bexley Pride event in July held on Erith Pier. This event has been a long time coming, and it was truly a historic and heartwarming moment for our community. I would like to extend my thanks to all the stakeholders who worked tirelessly to make this incredible celebration of diversity and inclusion a reality.

It was not only a joyous occasion but also a testament to the power of unity and acceptance. Meeting so many locals, partners, and small businesses that came together to support this event was inspiring. It demonstrated the strength of our community and the shared commitment to fostering a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone in Bexley.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to Councillor Nicola Taylor for her exceptional leadership and dedication. Her unwavering support for Bexley Pride has been instrumental in bringing our community together and creating an event that will be remembered for years to come. Additionally, I’d like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the dedicated volunteers who poured their time and energy into making this event a resounding success. Your hard work and passion truly shone through, and it was evident in every aspect of the event.

Bexley Pride’s inaugural celebration was a powerful reminder that love, acceptance, and unity can overcome any obstacle. I look forward to witnessing this event grow and evolve in the years to come, continuing to celebrate diversity. Thank you once again to everyone who made Bexley Pride a reality.

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Ukrainians in Greenwich Celebration Event

I was very pleased to join the Ukrainian community and a number of constituents from Erith and Thamesmead at this celebration event this month.

Last month, we all paused to reflect on the one-year anniversary of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. While the illegal war started by Russia continues, I want all the Ukrainians who have settled in our area to know that our support for you and all of the Ukrainian people remains.

It was a great event with great music, dancing, performances and beautiful artwork on display from across the community.  

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