Light Parade in Tower Hamlets. Photo: Marie Segger

Around 200 people took part in this years’  Tower Hamlets Light Parade on Saturday which was running for the third year in a row.

The event was designed to unite local communities and was organised by local organisations including Fern Street Settlement, youth project Eden Bow and All Hallows Bow Church.

The parade was the brainchild of both Sara Brayford, of Fern Street Settlement, and Alex Hall from the Eden Bow youth project in 2014.

“There was a stabbing outside a local mosque and that created quite a lot of tension in our community,” said Brayford. “As a result, we decided that we needed to respond. We wanted to bring people from different faiths and ethnicities.”

Mahfuj Alom (age 8) and Mashud Alom (age 7). Photo: Marie Segger

Since then the number of participants has grown year by year. Last year’s parade theme was “Noah’s Ark” and this year they decided to choose “Space” so spaceships, stars and galaxies floated through the dark Rounton Park and down Fairfoot Road.

The participants spent most of November building the lanterns. At the after party, prizes were given to the groups with the most creative lanterns. The winners were picked by the Met Police officers who patrolled the march.

Local vicar Cris Rogers, from All Hallows Bow Church said: “We believe there is light and where there is light, there is hope.”

The feedback from residents for this year was very positive and the parade included more participants than before, according to Brayford.

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