Peckham often appears on the News and in the Newspapers as a town were gun crime is high and 'Gangsters' roam the streets, so I wanted to highlight some of the positive elements of Peckham that hardly get shown in the media and deserve to be recognised.
Peckham has one of the most colourful and busiest libraries in Southwark, designed by Will Alsop from Alsop & Stormer and it received the 2000 Stirling Award for architectural innovation. It was in this same library that I sourced my first books on jewellery making in August 2003 and taught myself the basic techniques that sparked the beginning of my career.
Peckham is also home to the organisation BBI (Black Business Initiative), who offer a range of support to young people aged between 16-30. They can help turn your dreams of helping your own business into a reality with the help of a test grant of up to £1000. I went to BBI when I started my business and they awarded me with a test grant of £750, which was a great stepping stone for my jewellery business.
Gisella Boutique set-up business in Peckham in 1991 designing and making couture womenswear and bridal wear and are also stockist of Elisha Francis Jewellery. They have won many awards for their amazing designs and are a great examples that hard work and determination pays off.
Celebrities from Peckham include actress Linda Henry (Shirley in Eastenders), footballer Rio Ferdinand and Andy McNab former SAS soldier and best-selling author.
Every cloud has a silver lining but sometimes you have to search for it amongst the mist, I would like to be a good role model for my community and show that against all odds you can strive for success. No matter where you come from or where you live you can make a positive difference in your community by looking for inspiration, you can become an inspiration.
www.elishafrancis.com
----------------------------------------------------http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/437/libraries_and_locations/909/peckham_library/2
http://www.bbinitiative.com/
http://www.gisellaboutique.net/
