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OCF is proud to be supporting the 7th Oxford Mela, which is an annual one-day festival in East Oxford, presenting multicultural activities for a secular society to reach different communities of Oxford. The Mela will take place on Saturday 21st May at Rose Hill Community Centre.

OCF has contributed £1,000 towards the cost of the event, where people can enjoy music, dance, food, family activities and new experiences. It will be an occasion for people to learn about diverse celebrations and be a part of the action. It is open to all and it is hoped that it will be especially accessible for residents in the Barton, Blackbird Leys, Wood Farm, Northway and Cowley Road areas.

The Mela is valuable because it provides accessible activities for families, children and grandparents, and supports community cohesion and integration. It gives communities an opportunity to find out about educational opportunities and other relevant services in a safe and informal atmosphere, providing a platform for mainstream and community services to promote employment, work experience and voluntary opportunities to communities that are perceived (sometimes wrongly) to be ‘hard to reach’ or hard to engage.

Organiser Kanta Gopal of the Oxford Hindu Temple says: “This year again we have decided to pack in all the fun for children, youth, adults and seniors with cultural dances, sports taster activities, bhangra music and dances, arts, face painting and mouth-watering Indian food – one of its kind in Oxford.”

To find out more, follow the Oxford Mela event on Facebook.

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