After being at No.33 Giesbach Road, London N19 for over 18 years, Islington Chinese Association (ICA) said their farewells to their immediate neighbours. In celebrating the friendships and thanking their members and all Islington residents, especially the immediate neighbours on and around Giesbach Road, for their support all these years, ICA held a Thanksgiving Street Carnival outside their existing premises on 30th August 2008 with 4 hours of non-stop Chinese cultural variety show beautifully performed by their members aged from 8 to 80, Chinese and non-Chinese, including lion dance, Chinese music, singing, and martial arts – a great snapshot of what activities and contribution Islington Chinese Association bring to the community for more than 2 decades.

 

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The Mayor of Islington Cllr Stefan Kasprzyk officiated the Carnival. The Mayoress of Islington, the leader of Islington Labour Group (Cllr Catherine West), Director-General of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London (Ms Sarah Wu), the Chairman of Bowerman Court Tenant’s Association (Ms Michelle Breen), Father Kevin McDevitt of St Gabriel’s R.C. Church, etc also attended and sent their best wishes.

 

ICA was grateful to their guests for their continued support and kind words of encouragement through their speeches or emails. Co-Founder and CEO of ICA, Lady Katy Blair said, ‘This whole Saturday afternoon turned out to be beautiful. Not only because the weather was fantastic, but it was very touching to see so many neighbours, friends and members showed up. We are blessed!’


At delivering the welcome speech at the beginning of the Carnival, Colonel Brian Kay, OBE, TL, DL, and Chairman of ICA said, ‘It is a very sad and happy occasion. We are sad that we are moving out of Giesbach Road, but happy that we will be able to continue to provide our services to the community at another place which will be bigger and within the same borough.’ Colonel Kay also added, ‘I am sure that St John Ambulance will continue to be a good neighbour for everyone here at the Giesbach Road.’

Incidentally, Bowerman Court Tenant’s Association was celebrating their 50th anniversary on that day. The Tenant’s Association had been holding their regular meetings at ICA for many years. The Chairman of Bowerman Court Tenant’s Association, Ms Michelle Breen said that ICA will be sadly missed, especially the sound of Chinese music, and the amazing fragrant of Chinese food coming out from their kitchen!

Islington Chinese Association was established in 1986, and No 33 Giesbach Road has been their home for the last 18 years. It has been providing different services for all ages in Islington and beyond to enjoy. The most noticeable ones are the meals-on-wheels service, luncheon club for the elderly, Chinese musical instrument classes for all, and the Children’s choir. They are the only Chinese charity organisation received the Queen’s Awards for the voluntary services in England in 2005. ICA is required to move out of their existing premises before 1st October 2008 when St John Ambulance, the owner of the building, moves in and turns it into a first-aid training centre. With God’s blessings, Islington Chinese Association is believed to have found their new home at St Gabriel’s Community Centre, 21 Hatchard Road, London N19, which is just about 8-minute walk from their existing premises.

Islington Chinese Associated also wanted to thank Islington Council, See Woo Group, Westmill Foods and Dragon Page Group for their support and making the Carnival possible. All donations received at the Carnival food and book stalls were greatly appreciated. If you want to help ICA financially to renovate and refurbish their new home, please make your donation online at www.justgiving.com/islingtonchineseassociation, or send a cheque payable to ‘Islington Chinese Association’ to No. 33, Giesbach Road, London N19 3DA.



The performance at the Carnival included:

  • Lion Dance
  • ICA Children’s choir and Sam Sing Singing Group (Tutor: Mdm Der-Shin Hwang)
  • Chinese music - yang qin and erhu (Tutor: Mr Christopher Li)
  • Tai Chi demonstration (by master Liu of Tai Chi Circle and students)
  • Martial Arts demonstration (by 9-year old Jeremy Nockels of Shaolin Kung Fu City)
  • Cantonese Operatic singing (Tutor: Master Lok)
  • Beijing Opera: The Drunken Imperial Concubine (by London Jing Kun Opera Association)
  • Social Dance (by Michael and Ellie, social dance competition champion 2008 )
  • Open karaoke (members and neighbours)