The Trust Thamesmead Summer Festival took place on Saturday, 11 July.

The day started at Hawksmoor Youth Centre where approximately 400 Thamesmead school pupils and community groups took part in the festival parade. Led by Taru Brazil, they walked carnival style through Bentham Road onto Southwood Road and into Birchmere Park, where they paraded around the site before taking part in a fashion show on the community platform.

As the Trust Thamesmead marquee, community stalls, Children’s Zone, party tent, farmyard and Chocolate Films began, so did the main stage, which started with the Trust’s annual talent contest’s final, The T Factor. Six Thamesmead residents battled it out to win the final, which would see them support the headline act at the festival and a recording session at Abbey Music Studios. “Trust Thamesmead offered all six finalists the chance to work with Thamesmead performing arts group, Theatre Street to improve their stage presence and work on an act that would impress the judges.” said Trust Thamesmead’s Marketing and Communications Officer Julia Hickson, who led The T Factor and festival main stage. “All six did really well. The judges found it really hard to choose a winner but they had to pick someone and that person was 20 year old Becky Downes.” adding: “Becky has an amazing voice and sounds uncannily similar to chart singer Adele.”

Also on the main stage were a range of artists to reflect the residents of Thamesmead, including a flamenco act, an African band, tribute acts: High Skool Musicool, Take That 2, Alan Beck as Dean Martin, The Great Pretender, Brian Rock and the HRH Band as Queen and of course Laura White from ITV’1s The X Factor, who not only sung a 40 minute set and introduced The T Factor winner back onto the stage but stayed behind for more than an hour, signing autographs for fans.

Trust Thamesmead’s CEO Mick Hayes said: “It was fantastic to see so many families turning out to enjoy the day.” Adding: “Trust Thamesmead would like to thank everyone who had a positive involvement, from sponsors to the police but most of all the community; festival goers and participants.”