The Mayor's £45 million Young Londoners Fund is supporting young people from across London to engage in positive and meaningful activities.
Celebrating young people’s creativity and empowering them to gain skills and confidence is at the heart of the Young Londoners Fund, with organisations like The Literacy Pirates (formerly Hackney Pirates) leading the way.
As a result of Young Londoners Fund support The Literacy Pirates, originally based only in Dalston, Hackney, were able to open a new learning centre for after-school literacy activities in Tottenham – a new ‘ship’ for their project, The Haringey Pirates. The project works with young people who have low school attainment and are at risk of social or educational exclusion, providing a year long after-school programme of one-to-one literacy support, led by volunteers.
Participants have produced poems and stories which feature in The Haringey Puzzle. Haringey ‘Captain’ Andrew says “The Haringey Puzzle is a book all about getting to know each other, with ‘pirates’ and ‘crewmates’ sharing their memories and experiences through fantastic poems and stories. Read on to be taken around the world, under the sea, into the sky and back to Haringey!”
Curry
By Mussaddiq
When you hear curry
You just think AAAAAAGH!
It’s just that herbal Asian smell!
It solves all of your problems.
If you’re sad and gloomy,
You have curry
And your instantly happy
And ecstatic!
Congo
By Junior
In the beautiful Congo rain-forest, I can see the moist moss connected to the twisted majestic trees. With the sun making the ground maroon in the open field where people feel carefree, I can see children playing football with passion and energy. There were many fast cars on the highway bursting across the road dangerously and it made me feel frightened driving in the car with my dad. I can smell the goat meat spreading through the kitchen. The lamb-brain fried rice. People say “makasi” (mmmmmm).
The Rolling Wheels
By Melisa
As I put my roller-skates on, my body gets intense.
Roller-skating down the concrete, the green trees
That are making it easier to breathe.
As my hair blusters into my face I smell the Nando’s air.
Stopping by the park table,
eating my chicken burger and my extra salty and crispy chips from Nando’s.
As I pick up my roller-skates and walk to the stadium,
I can hear people cheering for my team (Blue team)
Go blue team!!! Go blue team!!! Go blue team!!!
More information
If you would like to read The Haringey Puzzle in full or would like more information please contact The Literacy Pirates.