The Carisma Annual Meeting for 2006 was held on December 11 at The Saltshaker, Moss Side.

Local people, Councillors, Police and representatives of various organisations attended. After sharing some good food (provided by Chicken Run) reports were given on the previous year's activities including:

• PeaceWeek
• Stop & Search Roleplay training
• Financial Report
• Trustee Training Day
• Street Pastors

We also looked ahead and discussed...

• plans for PeaceWeek 2007.
• clearer perception of Carisma's role as a networking 'umbrella' organisation, not taking over, but serving.
• the need for more people (volunteers and paid) to get involved... and the need for funding.

A well-timed piece of news was shared by Carisma chair Erinma Bell who had just received a letter to say that Carisma has been nominated for a Queen's Award for work in the community.
CARISMA 2006

Events organised included:

• PeaceWeek 2006 (PeaceFM, Good Riddance - weapons hand-in, Lighten Up - lantern march and bonfire; Zion Arts launch event; youth concerts, peace prayers and vigil, Peace Book, school assemblies and much more)
• Community Consultation with Stephen Timms MP
• Stop & Search Consultations

Press & Media: interviews, articles, letters, including...

BBC Northwest Tonight, Granada Reports, BBC1 News, Newsnight, Channel 5, BBC News24, RAI TV (ITaly), Channel M, BBC GMR, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC website, Piccadilly Radio, Galaxy 102, All-FM, PeaceFM, Carnival FM, RefreshFM, Manchester Evening News, Metro News, Area News.

Events and Groups participated in included:

• MMAGS Independent Advisory Group
• GMP Moss Side & Hulme Independent Advisory Group
• GMP Divisional Independent Advisory Group
• Sedgely Park (GMP Learning & Development) IAG
• Community Network for Manchester
• Home Office Stop & Search Community Panel
• GMPA Stop & Search Scrutiny Committee
• Street Pastors (Moss Side, Longsight, Gorton)
• Street Pastors Weapons/Drugs protocol - local implementation
• Culture Week at West Indian Centre, Longsight
• GMP Crime Awareness Days in Schools
• NBPA (National Black Police Association) Conference
• Guns and Gangs Strategy Group / ‘Enough is Enough’ Report
• WIOCC Youth Club
• MAV website
• Moss Side Carnival
• REACH Project
• Common Purpose
• Harmony Project
• Greenbelt Festival
• MAES/Lifelong learning

“We are all CARISMA!”

CARISMA is about being an umbrella for all the different expressions of community response to the problem of gang violence and seeking to create life-chances for our young people. Not to take over but to serve, link together, encourage, motivate, represent.

To create together a Movement for Peace.

It is important to get new people involved with CARISMA bringing fresh ideas and energy and to make sure all of the community is represented as far as possible.

There is a commitment involved - regular meetings, plus work to be done in between, & other events and activities to attend to represent the community through CARISMA. And then there is PeaceWeek to be organised...!

If you would like to find out more , send us an or phone 227 9776.
Carisma is a Registered Charity no. 1112586
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