Bassam Mahfouz AM Praises Funding Boost for West Drayton After Hotel Protests

West Drayton has received £61,000 as part of the Mayor of London’s Loved and Wanted Fund. This announcement follows unrest in the local area due to its presence of asylum seeker hotels.

The funding will go to Bell Farm Christian Centre; a church-based charity focused on promoting community unity and supporting households with advice, advocacy and access to foodbank, which has been attacked twice in the last 3 months, having its windows smashed and door kicked in due to their support for vulnerable members of the community, including those in asylum hotels.

The Loved and Wanted Fund is a campaign from the Mayor of London that aims to promote social cohesion across London by funding local organisations who conduct activities aimed at promoting greater levels of social cohesion.

Bassam Mahfouz AM recently visited West Drayton as part of a police walkabout, where he spoke to police on their on-the-ground presence to support community cohesion, following the attacks.

Bassam Mahfouz, London Assembly Member for Ealing and Hillingdon, said;

“I know lots of people are hurting in West Drayton, suffering following years of austerity and a cost-of-living crisis that has hit hard. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we come together to support one another.

Attacks on charities that provide sanctuary and support to those who most need it, no matter who they are, what they look like, or which God they pray to is unacceptable. It’s not us. It’s not who we are and we won’t let it define our community.

This funding will play an important role in helping the Centre support the elderly, children, families and those in the greatest need and bring the community as a whole together.

It’s an investment that will help strengthen cohesion and rebuild trust in West Drayton so we can move forward together and create a safer, more united environment for everyone. Showing that whoever you are, there’s a place for you in London and that we are all loved and wanted.”