Reflecting on My First 6 Months at BIG Alliance: A Community Journey

As I reach the six-month mark as the leader of BIG Alliance, our Islington-based charity, I thought I would reflect back on the whirl wind journey I have been on.
During these months, I've been struck by the incredible spirit of collaboration within Islington's community. The close knit working between local community partners, funding partners, housing associations and more has been really incredible to see and be a part of. After attending numerous Wellbeing Networks, Cross Community Calls, Community Events and meetings with our wonderful business partners, the penny dropped that I have a LOT of people to meet (still) within the borough, but it has been a joy and one of the most rewarding aspects of this journey to connect with the diverse and talented individuals in the Islington community. The depth of experience and dedication within this network is truly inspiring. Alongside this, attending the events that the BIG team organise are always so engaging and uplifting, including the recent launch event of Young Minds, Brighter Futures, the new partnership between MUFG and City of London Academy Highgate Hill.

BIG Alliance’s business partners also continue to be a driving force behind our work. Our recent Reference Group meeting, in which all of our corporate partners come together to discuss updates and needs, was dynamic, filled with innovative ideas and a firm commitment to Islington's betterment. I left the conversation feeling inspired and on a real high. It really bought home to me that everything we are able to achieve is through the people in these rooms.

Looking ahead, we're excited about the upcoming launch of the Fusion Mentoring program in collaboration with Macquarie Group's Fusion Network, coinciding with Black History Month. This initiative has the potential to empower our community and provide crucial support to our youth; we are very much looking forward to welcoming some of our local London Metropolitan University students onto the scheme.

Thank you all for welcoming me into Islington and I look forward to the next phase of BIG Alliance’s journey and thank you for all that you've done for and with us!

Kerry Peters-Taylor, Head of BIG Alliance