On the 3rd November, after months of hard work and dedication, the third annual autumn Spirit event succeeded in raising the bar yet again for youth achievement in Redbridge. Yes, it’s remarkable that anything could top the extraordinary display of talent witnessed last spring, but it’s safe to say that this year’s group of dedicated young people were triumphant.


Spirit is an event specifically for the youth, organised by the youth, and celebrates their on-going positive contribution to the borough. With many young people picking up awards, showing off their talents and piloting the whole event, an ambience of achievement filled the air, brilliantly rounding up what can only be expressed as a prosperous past few months.


So what does Spirit encompass? Throughout the borough, it was commonly noticed that people attending a whole spectrum of different youth provisions felt that their achievements were neglected, thus the birth of Spirit. Spirit is essentially an accreditation evening open to anyone who’s done something they feel is worth noticing. This ranges all the way from Duke of Edinburgh awards to dance class, or even knitting club!


Young people have a free reign on this event; they get given a budget and a creative licence to tailor the evening to the wants and needs of their peers. “The planning for the event was rigorous” said Pearly Garg, a member of the planning team, “we had to make sure every tiny aspect was perfect so that it could run as smoothly as possible”. With a wad of money in their pockets and an expecting audience, decisiveness and responsibility was key, and all too evident through the efficiency of the show.


The talent also never failed to astound each member of the audience. Who would have known that Redbridge was full of such budding young singers, or gifted rappers? Their stage presence was of professional quality, with confidence and flair oozing from every note to dance step. “The talent was amazing” said Jabin Chowdhury on the day, “it was so awesome to see how much young people have done, and I was pleased to receive my award on stage too.” This evidences how rewarding recognition can be, and how much difference it can make to a person’s outlook on involvement.


So, it looks like the bar has been truly raised for the coming spring Spirit event; can young people outdo themselves yet again? We’ll just have to wait and see what the youth have in store for us next!