On Thursday last week, I was delighted that the Town Hall hosted a Unity Event for all communities within Crawley. It was a wonderful turnout that shows how much we care here in Crawley.
I am sure we all remember the events of the summer and the national tensions there were, triggered by the unspeakably appalling act of one disturbed individual.
We lived through difficult times where even a careless remark on social media was enough to create panic. Understandably these events made people anxious locally. I know, the council was one of the first places people came to express that unease.
So I very much wanted to have an event where we could unite and talk about what brings us together, in a less confrontational setting than could have been arranged back then. We are at our strongest when we are together. We have proved this here in Crawley time and again. The length of time we have all lived and worked together, with very few issues, just demonstrates that.
I want to praise the level-headedness of Crawley people. Despite all that was going on elsewhere, the vast majority of us just got on with our lives, stayed calm and recognised the people who were trying to divide our community for what they were.
We all have something to contribute to our local life here in Crawley, recognise our differences and celebrate the strength that gives us in dealing with all of life’s challenges and successes. I thanked the Police and the community leaders who provided reassurance to our residents and helped through those difficult times.
Thankyou to those who attended, for representing your community and most importantly making a strong statement that there is no room for hate and division here in Crawley Borough. Many of us have come to Crawley and made this our home. Some generations ago, some much more recently. I know we all recognise it is a special place, worth keeping safe and pleasant for all who live here. We will remain vigilant – and most importantly, united. This may be the first Unity event of many.
Cllr Michael Jones
Leader, Crawley Borough Council