Published: 11 May, 2012

• BECOMING the Mayor of Islington has been the greatest honour of my life.

This borough has given me and my family so much since we settled here 20 years ago and I am delighted to have the chance to give something back.

The central focus of my year as mayor will be to promote unity and equality for all local people and to demonstrate how we are all Islington United.  

With this in mind, I have chosen the Manor Gardens Centre, in Upper Holloway, as my Mayor’s Charity for the Year.

I know from my experiences as a councillor the excellent work it does to support some of the most vulnerable people in our borough.

Through its campus it gives space for more than 50 community groups to provide a range of health and social care services – from a pre-school nursery to a phone befriending service and a stroke after-care project.

Manor Gardens will celebrate its centenary during 2013, and it seems the perfect time to recognise the fantastic work it does. I hope everyone across Islington joins me to help raise funds for this very worthy cause.

CLLR JILANI CHOWDHURY
Mayor of Islington