MORE THAN 250 people from across Redditch came together to celebrate the Great Bangla Heritage Bazar, a vibrant community event held at the library.
The event was funded through the Community Wellbeing Grant from public health Worcestershire County Council and delivered in partnership with Redditch Library.
The grant supports community-led projects which improve health, reduce inequalities and strengthen community connections, enabling local volunteers to deliver a year-long programme of activities culminating in this celebration.
The day featured traditional arts and crafts, cultural displays, music, food and family activities, along with information and conversations about healthy living, preventative healthcare and reducing health inequalities.
The Worcestershire Breast Unit attended the event to encourage women to take up breast screening and raise awareness of the importance of early detection through regular screening.
The event welcomed a number of councillors, including Coun Allan Bales, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing.
He reiterated the county council’s commitment to supporting community-led schemes which improve health and wellbeing.
Guests also included Insp Richard Field from the Redditch Policing Team and town MP Chris Bloore, who joined residents in celebrating the diversity, culture and community spirit across the borough.
The Great Bangla Heritage Bazar was the culmination of a year-long community programme that began in 2025 when Bangladeshi community members Jamaya Hossain, Rita Ahmed and Rajmine Ahmed met with Public Health Worcestershire to explore how they could work together to address health inequalities affecting the local Bangladeshi community.
Former Mayor of Redditch, Juma Begum, helped facilitate initial discussions and supported the development of the project.
Over the past 12 months, the community team organised regular arts and crafts sessions, wellbeing activities and community gatherings across Redditch.
These sessions helped reduce social isolation, encouraged people to stay active and created trusted spaces where important conversations about health could take place.
The programme also raised awareness of cancer screening, NHS health checks, healthy eating and lifestyle choices.
It highlighted the increased risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes within the Bangladeshi community, encouraging residents to seek support and make informed decisions about their health.
Ms Begum, said: “Communities are not harder to reach – we simply need to be smarter in how we reach them.
“We must make services more accessible, build trust and work alongside communities rather than expecting people to come to us.
“Within the Bangladeshi community we know rates of heart disease and diabetes are disproportionately high.
“This programme has helped start important conversations about healthier eating, healthier lifestyles and looking after ourselves.
“For many people, demanding jobs and unpaid caring responsibilities mean their own wellbeing is often put last.
“This project has shown that by working together, we can begin to change that.”
Mr Bloore added: “Events like this bring people together. They help us learn from one another. They celebrate what makes our communities unique and remind us of the shared values that unite us.”
Redditch resident Rubina aged 96, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the day. It reminded me of my childhood when whole streets would come together to celebrate special occasions such as the Queen’s Birthday.
“Somehow we’ve lost that community spirit over the years – this event gave me hope that we can find it again.”
