News from Barking & Dagenham – February 2023
Fit through social commitment
Emdad Rahman has two passions: he likes cycling and he reads a lot. He combined both for his company “Bookbike”, which brings reading to people by bike. In the meantime, the 13,000th book has been delivered. The action started at the Barking Learning centre with a book from his father and a friend’s borrowed bike.
Many donated books followed. The campaign got a big boost when TV presenter and comedian Russell Howard became aware of the private charity. He not only went through his own bookcase, but also called on the public to support it. Homeless shelters, schools, homeless people on the streets are Rahman’s clients. Meanwhile, he also takes food and other donations on his bike. He does a good business, he doesn’t need a gym, says the book biker.
Time capsule buried
Children from St Joseph’s and St Margaret’s School wrote down how they imagined their future. Their reflections were packed into a stainless steel container and buried in the grounds of Barking Abbey’s entrance tower. Such time capsules as surprise gifts for future generations are popular in England. The Barking Dagenham Witten Club also deposited time capsules in both twin towns, in 1999, but they were not entrusted to the earth for an indefinite period of time, but are intended to show how the world has changed after 30 years.
Dagenham not affected
Ford plants are also cutting jobs in Britain as part of the switch to electric motors. A total of 1300 employees are affected. It was received with great relief that this development will not affect the Dagenham plant.
The plant once had 40,000 employees in 1953. Passenger cars were built until 2002, at last only Fiestas. Then the company concentrated the production of diesel engines in Dagenham. The plant still provides work for 2800 people.
