The 100 Black Men of London has been in existence for the past 8 years. They are a voluntary men's organisation, focussing on four key areas of interest to the Black community, namely Education, Mentoring, Health & Well-Being and Economic Development and we develop programmes and activities around all these areas. 

They have mentored over 400 children on our Community mentoring programme. In the last three years, we have established new mentoring programmes and now have 4 simultaneously running programmes in North and South London. These include our Youth Leadership Academy, and our Peer Mentoring programme which trains graduates from our mentoring programme to become leaders and mentors to be reintroduced into our ex panded community mentoring programme. Last year, as prizes for being Mentees of the year, they raised money from some corporate partners to sponsor the two most outstanding youths to attend a life-changing trip to the 100 Black Men of America annual conference in Miami, Florida last year. As a result of the trip, the young men were offered student exchange and potential scholarship opportunities, as well as widened their international support and friendship network. We currently have 150 young people on the community mentoring programme.

They have run their acclaimed Education Through Film programmes in over 15 locations to an audience of over 1000 people in the last year. Over the past 8 years, over 5000 people have attended these valued film screenings where they have been exposed to films of our lost heritage and highlighting issues pertinent to the Black community's economic, physical and social well-being. These films include: How Black People Won World War 2, Black Women Freedom Fighters, African-British Civil Rights Heroes 1596-2006, How to Brainwash the Youth and make them act like Fools, How to support your child through the educational process, Lumumba the Movie, The MauMau and the History of Kenya, The Fela Kuti story, The Sybil Phoenix Story, Black Women: Hair, Skin and Beauty, etc. More details of these films are on www.blackhistorywalks.co.uk.

In late 2008, they hosted 1968 Mexico Olympic Black power hero gold medal athlete Tommie Smith at a public event held at Caribbean Scene Docklands. They organised an Obama celebration week, which not only provided the community with a free opportunity to mark the seminal election but also an avenue for making public statements of commitment to excellence and promoting a renewed zeal for networking and mutual support amongst various Black community organisations.

Last year as part of their ongoing Health & Well-Being programme, they supported Black Mental Health UK in a campaign against the government’s proposed mental health bill which would have resulted in serious discrimination against Black people. They also used their connections in the House of Lords to arrange a public meeting hosted by Sarah Teather MP where the issue of Black men with mental health issues were placed on the DNA database was debated and community awareness raised. As a result of these campaigns, over 200 people lobbied Parliament and the original bill was withdrawn and redrafted.

They originated and for the past 7 years have run a London-wide Inter-Schools Black History Challenge which has been participated in by over 50 London schools, involving over 250 young people who have learnt more of their true history as a result. They have run mentoring sessions, and assemblies in over 20 primary and secondary schools, and have also run sessions in prisons and other youth offender units.

They have a monthly electronic newsletter through which we raise awareness of not just the work that we do, but also other issues and events of relevance to the community. This e-news has a circulation list of over 5,000 and an estimated readership of 10,000 from all over the world (we have received letters from USA, Brazil, Nigeria, Kenya, Sweden, Korea).

They host an annual Fathers’ Day Quality Time programme, where Black men and the children in their lives spend a day in fellowship having fun together. Last year, they took 150 men and young people to a day out at Chessington World of Adventures.

Over the next two years, they intend to increase the number of their youth mentoring programmes by 100%, expanding into the East and West of London. We will also expand our presence in schools by running at least one full (16 module) programme in there and re-launch our Black History Challenge to an increased number of schools and colleges. They will expand their Youth Leadership Academy and Peer Mentoring programmes to accommodate more young people (at least by 100%).They will develop their income generation potential and develop the sustainability of our organisation, increasing and retaining more members and volunteers in the process.

A final figure to impress upon you our seriousness and commitment to the cause: till 2008, this organisation had not received a penny in public funding, all their efforts having been funded by their members and our fundraising efforts such as that which DUNSTAN CREAVALLE is now graciously undertaking on their behalf. Every penny that they raise is spent strictly and solely on the furtherance of their youth and community development activities.They have no office space, no employees and therefore minimal overhead costs. 

Thank you for your interest in the 100 Black Men of London and I hope they can count on your support. I would also kindly ask that you spread the word of their efforts to your friends and networks. For more information about them, please see their website – www.100bmol.org.uk.

Your contribitions are most appreciated.

Respect

Dunstan