Knees Up's impact

Knees Up uses street parties and community workshops to bring people together to transform their neighbourhoods. We work on a different estate in Tower Hamlets every year, a diverse borough with huge disparities between rich and poor. We reach out to over 600 households, some of whom benefit from Knees Up's support to go from feeling isolated and lacking in confidence, to becoming forces for positive change in their community.

"There was a lot really on our chest, like where we had nothing, no one to talk to about it. And then when Knees Up came, we were able to get off our chests what we really wanted to say. So it was really good, it's more relaxing, I'm not so stressed and worried about what's going on. I don't feel so intimidated about walking out the block, so it's all right." Tracey

So many diverse ethnic groups live side-by-side in Tower Hamlets: over 106 languages are spoken in its schools.

People in poorer areas are less likely to introduce themselves to a new neighbour than those in richer areas.

2010/11 in numbers

621 residents got involved with Knees Up

4 street parties were held

Over 20 activities took place from community workshops & self-defence classes to leadership training

Marie's story

There was a family on the other side, she'd lived here for 20 years and I didn't even know. But she said, no, she'd been brought up in the estate. And I said "well I've been here ten years".