The new Speaker of Hackney, Cllr Michael Desmond.
- Credit: Hackney council
Hackney welcomes the return of Cllr Michael Desmond as the borough s latest civic representative.
Cllr Kam Adams stepped down from the role he held for two years after Cllr Desmond was elected as Speaker of Hackney for a second time at the council s annual general meeting on April 27.
Cllr Desmond was last elected as speaker in 2013 and has lived in Hackney for nearly 35 years.
The Hackney Downs Ward councillor s top priorities for the coming year are fundraising for and promoting the aims of his two chosen charities, St Joseph s Hospice and Hackney Empire.
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Xindi Wei
Hackney speaker Cllr Kam Adams visited the Steam Room.
- Credit: Steam Room
The speaker of Hackney has called for unity amid a surge in racial attacks against the Asian community during the pandemic.
Cllr Kam Adams (Hoxton East and Shoreditch, Lab) spoke at an exhibition showcasing East and South East Asian (ESEA) artists hosted by the Steam Room dry cleaners on February 26.
In his talk, he welcomed the Chinese Year of the Ox, thanked the Chinese community for their contribution to “community cohesion” in Hackney and opposed racism towards ESEA people.
He said: “Racism and hate crime towards this particular group is not new and they have suffered this for decades without recognition or address.”
A virtual 5km walk has been set up to raise money for Hackney Foodbank after demand for the service more than doubled last year.
The food bank's chair of.