‘Now we’ve got confidence and pride’: How a community rebuilt itself after street murder
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: From left, PCSO Mike Kelly; Ben Ali, volunteer; Salem Ali; PC Waqas Tariq; Jamal Choudhury; and Faisal Iqbal
Simon Bristow visits The Peel Project to find out how a community has transformed itself after overcoming tragedy and fear
On a bright autumn morning on Peel Street, the stillness of the air is punctured by the clang of metal upon metal.
The sound is coming from behind two large shipping containers, where two men are repairing bicycles suspended in the air on stands. They will soon have them back in good working order.
This is good for the cyclists, good for the environment, and particularly good for anyone who lives in the area, as the service that is being provided – like many others in this revitalised community in inner-city Hull – is free.
And the demand is high – 184 bicycles have been repaired at this street hub in the last three months, a figure that is proudly reeled off by Jamal Choudhury, who with Salem Ali and Faisal Iqbal, are founders of The Peel Project, a community-led initiative that has transformed the neighbourhood.
‘THEY FEEL PART OF SOMETHING’: Children brought together by The Peel Project
It was all very different two years ago, when Peel Street was in the news because of violence and tragedy following the fatal stabbing of Abdullah Balouchi, a promising college student who was just 20 when he died.
The community found itself at a crossroads – give in to the antisocial behaviour and crime that had blighted the area, or seek a path of hope and renewal. That it chose the latter is evident all around – the Peel Street park that was once deemed off limits is now a safe space for children to play and has become the focal point for community events.
The Peel Project has driven this change, ably supported by Humberside Police, Hull City Council, and other organisations who have come together to provide the necessary assistance. It was the police who provided the numerous shipping containers around the site, which as well as holding sports and other equipment are also used for offices.
They are now a hive of activity. Jamal is slightly late for our meeting because he was in another – with Sport England, which is considering funding for the project. It was one of five meetings Jamal had that day.
AWARD: Left, Salem Ali, and right, Jamal Choudhury, receiving an award from the then High Sheriff of the East Riding, Richard Shepherdson
He emerges from the container with an engaging smile that suggests it may have gone well. Thinking back to the project’s origins and the difficult place his community had been in, Jamal said: “This was a reaction to that incident [Abdullah’s murder]. We wanted to set something up for the community, to provide a focus and activities, and to make the area safe again.
“The council and police came together and said ‘Well, you must make this happen’. That huge support was vital and we did community engagement work because there was a lot of tension, a lot of kids were upset, and we were very much at the forefront of trying to turn things around.
“We spoke to residents, community leaders, and as a result of that the police and council wanted to help us set up something for youth engagement because there was a lack of that. The police and council took a leap of faith because we were asking, ‘How do you do this’?
SUCCESS: Members of The Peel Project after competing at a national jiu jitsu tournament in Liverpool
“Now the park is busy, it’s clean and the grass is cut regularly, and the police donated the shipping containers and that’s how it started. Now we are growing and we have these community facilities. When we needed our first lot of equipment the police purchased £3,000 of sporting equipment, and as a result of that we started our summer Holidays Activities and Food programme – we had 1,500 kids participating over six weeks in summer 2021.”
The children who took part gained a free meal at the end of it. Such intervention is a blessing for parents in an area where 60 per cent of children a registered for free school meals.
The project and the park around which it is based burst into life after lockdown ended, and Jamal said the pandemic restrictions had hit the area harder than others. “You’ve got to remember that this area was severely impacted by Covid-19, more than other areas,” he said. “A lot of families and households are reliant on public services, and a lot work in the hospitality industry or are taxi drivers.
A LIFE CUT SHORT: Abdullah Balouchi, who was murdered in Peel Street
“Because all the schools were closed everyone was stuck at home and they don’t have gardens or play spaces. Parents were going potty. It’s not an area like Willerby where you might have a massive garden and a five or six-bedroom house.”
The day after lockdown ended more than 800 people attended a community fair on the park. They did it again this summer with a football tournament attended by 1,100 people.
The celebration of Eid was another big occasion, which the project managed to arrange into an open-air community event at short notice after speaking to local Mosques. “In the space of about three hours we set up speakers and a PA system and put prayers mats on the floor,” Salem said.
NOURISHMENT: About 60 per cent of children in the Peel Street area are registered for free school meals
“We planned for about 800 people but in the end it was between 1,200 and 1,400 who came. It goes to show there is a need for this. What that does is create a sense of belonging. For people from minority communities and local residents and that’s what community building is about.”
And it’s not just football when it comes to sport. Table tennis, hockey, youth and adult fitness sessions, basketball and badminton are among the other activities being enjoyed by people accessing the project. Sometimes this includes organised trips, including swimming, go-karting, and ice-skating – the latter being a first-time experience for most. And for those who don’t have their own bicycle, a bank of bikes is available for use.
The project has also begun exporting its success, with considerable pride. Thanks to a grant from The Tribune Trust, The Peel Project was able to enter competitors in a national jiu jitsu tournament in Liverpool in July, where they won four Silver medals.
There are also hopes of entering football teams – Peel Park Rangers – in local leagues at Under-9, Under-12, and Under-16 levels. “We wanted to join the league this year but we lacked the funding,” said Salem. “We are looking into that. Hopefully next season.”
Socially, the project has also made an impact. In its first year, 120 females from marginalised groups attended befriending sessions it hosts. More than 60 per cent of people accessing services provided by the project are from ethnic minorities.
‘IT’S A BIG PART OF OUR LIVES NOW’: From left, Faisal Iqbal, Jamal Choudhury, Salem Ali, and Ben Ali
None of it would be possible without the 27 dedicated volunteers the project has. They speak more than ten languages between them, and last year performed 969 hours of volunteering in service delivery.
It’s a remarkable transformation. Salem said: “There used to be a lot of antisocial behaviour. The park was known for it, with kids hanging about smoking, drinking in the park, and you would see young kids being exploited.
“I’ve lived here over 20 years and we didn’t have anything like this growing up. These kids are now part of something. The confidence we have given them is great. If you hear them coming out of school now they are proud to be part of the Peel Project.”
From a policing point of view, the time and investment has undoubtedly paid off.
PC Waqas Tariq and PCSO Mike Kelly, who are neighbourhood beat officers, are part of it, and delighted to see the progress that has been made. “It’s just an absolute game-changer the way things are now,” said Waqas. “A big part of what we do is engagement, and this has made it so much easier.
“It really opens the eyes for everybody to see what can be achieved when the community comes together. It shows when we work together we can make a difference.”
‘IT’S A GAME-CHANGER’: PCSO Mike Kelly, left, and PC Waqas Tariq
Mike said: “I’ve recently come back to this area and used to work here a couple of years ago before this project was here. The difference you can see is huge.
“I think the whole Peel Project makes conversations easier for us, because they can see us talking to these guys and being friendly with them and then they feel comfortable speaking to us. We’ll even play a bit of sports with them.”
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The project has been so successful it now draws service users in from other postcodes. Looking forward, Jamal said they would like to replace the shipping containers with buildings. For the work they have done they certainly deserve it.
Signing off their 2021 Annual Report, Salem, Jamal, and Faisal said: “In a day and age where time is a precious commodity, we would like to thank all our volunteers, steering committee and local organisations for making The Peel Project the success it is today. Your generosity means the world to the people we serve. We’ll never forget your hard work.”
To offer help or find out more about The Peel Project email enquiries@thepeelproject.org.uk