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Home > Council & democracy > Council meetings > ePetition - Recognise Cockney as a community language

Petition details

Recognise Cockney as a community language

  • Browse all current ePetitions
We the undersigned petition the council to ensure Cockney language, identity and its unique cultural heritage related to the East End of London be recognised as a community language and be celebrated annually on 21st February on International Mother Language Day, and for Cockney to be included in any community language provisions by the Council.

Cockney is geographically related to eastward boroughs of London although the cultural heritage is most prevalent and significant inside Tower Hamlets. Cockney is traditionally considered a part of English working-class identity, though many diverse groups like Black, Bangladeshi, Jewish, Greek and Irish communities also identify with a Cockney identity. We want to see Cockney better understood, protected and celebrated across communities just as other community languages are, to instil a sense of civic pride and confidence within embedded communities.

In 2022 our group called Cockney Cultures held the first ever ‘Cockney Conversations Month’ and we featured on BBC Radio and BBC London News. We think that regional languages and accents should be celebrated across the United Kingdom.

This petition has been started by Grow Social Capital CIC and Bengali East End Heritage Society.

Further links:

1. Grow Social Capital CIC website: https://growsocialcapital.org.uk/campaigns/cockney-conversations/#:~:text=An%20innovative%20and%20pioneering%20project,Society%20and%20Grow%20Social%20Capital
2. Conversation: Is Cockney Dying?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtQ6Akyt_TI
3. Conversation: Can you succeed in film, advertising and PR with a Cockney accent?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOHZ289UbwU
4. Feature on BBC Radio’s Robert Elm show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og50krTkZmE

This Petition ran from 25/11/2022 to 09/01/2023 and has now finished.

31 people signed this Petition.

Council response

Thank you for the presentation of your Petition requesting Cockney is recognised as a community language. The Council are extremely proud of our heritage and welcome our residents and community advocating and promoting our rich history. As discussed at Council the new Community Language Service is scheduled to commence in Autumn 2023 and we are just about to recruit an officer to lead the service. Consequently, we are at the very early stages of designing the service but there will be opportunities for engagement with the community to shape what the service will look like including the breath of the community language offer.

For information, the council’s Arts and Events team promote events and activities through our digital newsletters and social media channels. Through these platforms we have recently promoted the Speak Cockney Day at Museum of London Docklands https://www.towerhamletsarts.org.uk/?guide=Events&cat=44&cid=75733. We are happy to consider events for inclusion in the digital newsletter, please send any information to artsandevents@towerhamlets.gov.uk The Arts and Events team have also recently hosted exhibitions and paintings of the East End and had workshops at the Art Pavilion last October with The Cockney Geezers, a local organisation. In addition, the borough’s Heritage Manager has hosted sessions at Bancroft Library for the Bow Geezers. We also support communities to host events in our parks and open spaces, including street parties and community celebrations. If you are interested in holding an event then please contact festivalsandevents@towerhamlets.gov.uk for further information.

Regards

Matthew Eady
Director of Commissioning & Culture
Matthew.eady@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Children & Culture Directorate
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets Town Hall
160 Whitechapel Road
London
E1 1BJ
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk

Disclaimer

Tower Hamlets Council accepts no liability for the petitions on these web pages. The views expressed in the petitions do not necessarily reflect those of the Council. If you have any queries about petitions or any comments or suggestions, please email Committee Services at committee.services@towerhamlets.gov.uk or call 020 7364 4878.

 

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