Thank you on behalf of BritBanglaCovid for taking part in our fourth Public Meeting where we passionately spoke about minority communities, poverty and Covid-19 vaccines. We felt priveledged to listen to the feelings and responses of local campaigners, grassroots activists and East London Mayors and academics. No doubt we still have a lot to do to protect our communities in times the pandemic. BritBanglaCovid will play its part to support minority communities in times of difficulties. If you want to know more about BritBanglaCovid, please check here: www.britbanglacovid.com

EARLY LIFE Ima Miah came to the UK as a toddler. She was brought up in a typical Bangladeshi family. She was one of six children. ‘My father was here (in the UK) from the 1960s. My village gran parents were the early cohort of people coming over. My family has been deep rooted for many many decades,’ she explains. When they joined their father in the UK, they first lived in a tiny restaurant in Crystal Palace, South London. Eventually, they lived in a house in Beckenham. She lived in the area for   over 30 years.   ‘I do remember living in a very white community compared to my cousins who lived in Camden and East End…We would have weekly trips into town where my dad would make it absolute priority to go every week at some point in one of the relative's houses. This is how I was able to learn about Bangladeshi culture’. ‘I remember going pass   East End and being quite tearful because I felt I’ve gone back to Bangladesh. I’ve never seen so many brown faces! Living in a town like Bec