Virtual Get Together is a project presented by Trapped in Zone One with support from Tower Hamlets Homes.
Hosted by Inspiring City, Virtual Get Together is a monthly themed online event connecting communities through creativity, showcasing short films featuring our friends and partners with We Wrote a Poem creating a bespoke poem together with the audience.
The objective of Virtual Get Together is to entertain and encourage creative participation.
This event will be hosted on Zoom where you can view and interact and streamed live on Facebook on the Trapped in Zone One page.
Tuesday, 25 May 2021
‘Connect with Nature’ for Mental Health Awareness Week, premiering a new short film produced by Wapping Youth FC
Mental Health Awareness Week this year has a focus on ‘Connecting With Nature’. We know how important access to green space and being outdoors has been for many Londoners throughout the pandemic. During this month we spoke with our creative friends and partners who work and exhibit in Tower Hamlets to find out what barriers they faced during the pandemic are and how did nature play a positive part towards their mental health wellbeing.
We asked:
How has the past 12 months impacted your mental health?
How has nature helped you with your mental health?
Why is nature important when it comes to mental health?
Contributions from;
Goro, Graffiti Writer
Lieke van Velthoven, GoodGym Tower Hamlets
Squarms, Street Artist
Dd Regalo, Street Artist
Andrea Tyrimos, Contemporary Artist
This film is part of our youth initiative project 'Voice of the Youth', providing creative opportunities to young people from Tower Hamlets supported by Tower Hamlets Homes
The film was produced by Miftaul Islam from AIP Exposure.
In Lockdown We Fell in Love - Poem by We Wrote a Poem
In lockdown we fell in love
Park, bark, tree
Solace I have found
I never noticed birds so much in my whole life
Nature helps enormously
Space to think, reflection, growth
You need to get away from concrete living
Shadows that trees create
Slowed me down a bit and everyone started reflecting
My kitchen won’t be offended
If I go on woodland walks
Vitamin D, sun, sun makes you happy
Thank you, park walk
Some things don’t matter anymore
And you appreciate the smaller things
We look to the sky for birds
We slowed down a bit and everyone started reflecting
Improving the things that are already here
Trying to listen to the right things
A tree or a branch or a leaf doesn’t question where it is
I’m wearing a homage to that experience
And nature continued and went on its way.
Sunday, 25 April 2021
‘Climate Change’ for Earth Day, produced by Wapping Youth FC
This is our short film about Climate Change for Earth Day with young people from Tower Hamlets.
We asked young people,
What worries you most about climate change?
What are you doing to address climate change in your community?
What is your message to those in power about climate change?
The film is part of our youth initiative programme ‘Voice of the Youth' supported by Tower Hamlets Homes, providing creative opportunities to young people from the borough.
The film was produced by Miftaul Islam from AIP Exposure.
The Colours of Climate Change - Poem by We Wrote a Poem
Grey, the legacy we leave future generations.
Turquoise, having no land whatsoever.
Red, declare a climate emergency.
Lime, communities living in a flat in Tower Hamlets.
Light blue, gives long-term solutions that help all communities.
Mustard, like planting things in my garden to attract wildlife and bees.
Orange, making it sustainable.
Purple, every household, educate, explore and learn.
Sunshine yellow, the legacy we will leave future generations.
Wednesday, 17 March 2021
‘Females’ as part of International Women’s Day, in support of Young Women’s Trust
Your donations received from the ticket registration will go towards Young Women’s Trust to fund vital services to help women recognise their own strengths, help train young women to drive local community change and fund campaigns to build equal and respectful workplaces.
We took part in Tower Hamlet's Council's International Women's Week Online Programme on 11 March 2021, premiering a short film which we have created with young females from Tower Hamlets as to why provisions for 'females' is important in the borough and will be reshowing this film again at this event.
Young Women’s Trust - No Young Woman Left Behind
Before coronavirus young women were already undervalued, underpaid and ignored. Now, young women are amongst the hardest hit by the crisis and are struggling to make ends meet. In this video young women speak in their own words about how the crisis is affecting them.
We'll also be showcasing a short film by Louis Thornton featuring the founder of Cut Glass Studio, Annahita Hessami. Annahita will be taking part in a Q&A talking about how COVID-19 effected her business and being of the one of the leading female bespoke stained glass artist in the UK.
Cut Glass Studio Ltd, founded in 2011 by Annahita Hessami, is one of London’s leading architectural glass service covering bespoke design, manufacture and installation. The studio prides itself on using the finest quality materials and craftsmanship. Passionate about exploring every aspect of stained glass, Cut Glass Studio has undertaken projects ranging from contemporary installations, collaborations to traditional reproduction and restoration.
The Studio believes anything is possible and are passionate about pushing the boundaries of the craft, so whatever your project or idea they would love to hear it.
And we have a live spoken word performance from Thrive LDN Participation Advisor Priscila Hernandez, 'GrowwithHER' is an artist, expert by experience, and postgraduate Public Mental Health student from south-east London.
A first-generation Venezuelan migrant and survivor of CSA. Her work explores personal experiences of trauma and their relation to socio-economic, and political contexts.
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 - Theme - ‘Identity’ as part of LGBT+ History Month
Our poem titled ‘Identity’ created with We Wrote a Poem
I don’t know where to start.
I miss raving.
I’m sitting on my Jack Jones.
It feels a bit like a damp squid.
You’re going to be okay you know.
Feeling a little more seen, a little more understood.
I’ve got to be extra, extra, read all about it.
I’ve got the funniest story.
Amazing!
There’s a lot of kindness.
I can’t find the words.
But Siri says, ‘It’s all good.
1996, the year I met my dear friend.
Stuart. Stuart is a great name.
The majority didn’t like people like us.
Great point, food for thought.
Until we don’t have to have coming out stories.
Reclaiming the words, you’ve been called in an aggressive sense.
Everyone is welcome.
I was free to be the person I was supposed to have been.
Just turn your radio up really loud and slam.
They’ll never know how much they helped me.
Jenny with Words performed ‘1996’.
Jenny is a Big hearted human who has a brain brimming with ridiculous nonsense. She writes and performs rambunctious spoken word poetry about late night tales, love, friendship and misbehaving. Jenny is the 2021 Scottish Poetry Slam Champion. Prepare for a whirlwind adventure through the wonderful world of Jenny Foulds.
We also showcased a short film from St. Margaret’s House about their new Heritage Lottery and Arts Council England funded project Molly's Masquearade. In memory of their 18th century queer ancestors, through the project they will work towards hosting the Molly's Masquerade Spring Gathering on April 1st, and the Molly's Masquerade ball in summer 2021.
‘Molly’s Masquerade’ is coming to Bethnal Green with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund! Molly’s Masquerade focuses on early LGBTQIA+ culture through ‘Molly Houses’. ‘Molly’ was a slang word for a homosexual man or a lower-class woman who was sometimes a sex worker, with Molly Houses becoming a meeting place for early homosexual subculture between 1700 and 1820. Did you know that there was a Molly House close to St Margaret’s House on Whitechapel Road?
Wednesday, 20 January 2021 - Theme - Aspirations for the New Year with ‘Purpose’
Our poem titled ‘Purpose’ created with We Wrote a Poem
Come on. You are here for a reason.
Me thinking about the purpose of life.
It’s become a bit of a cult film.
A message of hope.
Go Biden.
My mum is watching.
Encouraging you to carry on.
They’re not too strict and that’s a good thing.
Got a little microphone, like I’m a pirate.
You kept me sane and gave me a sense of purpose.
Hold those words.
As big as we can.
Words on walls.
Love letters to the street.
I hope they stop and read it.
This what it means to our community.
CBC Arts - DD Regalo
Wapping Youth - Summer Camp 2020
St. Margaret’s House - "REACH" Online Performance with Rosamond Martin
Learn more about our previous collaborative project The Bigger Picture, featured in Foundation for Future London here.
