Charlene McLean
CM: Charlene McClean
INT: Interviewer
INT: Introduce to us who you are and what you do.
CM: I’m Councillor Charlene McClean and I’m the Cabinet Member for Residence’s Engagement and Residence Experience and I’ve been a Councillor since 2010 in Newham.
INT: Can you tell us about your connection to Rosetta and when you started?
CM: So, from 2018, as part of my portfolio, I’ve worked quite closely with Rosetta, you know they are a valued local partner within the arts sector and the work that they do here is really important.
INT: Can talk about your connection with Newham.
CM: So, I have lived in Newham for all of my life and for as long as I can remember really, Rosetta has been a part of Newham. I’ve seen the courses that they do and have always thought, well, actually, that would be a nice thing to do, but I’m not creative in the least so it’s not been something that I have participated in, but I have family members that have been to Rosetta and taken part in the courses and some of the things that they run. It’s really an exciting place to be.
INT: Can you talk about changes within the neighbourhood around Rosetta?
CM: So, Rosetta are here in Newham doing their thing. There are lots of changes happening around the local area. There are lots of developments. It’s just nice that Rosetta are here as a constant for the community.
INT: Have you felt there are any changes that are happening in that time?
CM: So, in Newham, we have finally got a cultural strategy, and Rosetta were a valued partner in producing that. And it’s nice that we now have a vision to show that Rosetta and organisations like Rosetta now have a place here in Newham. There were a lot of organisations that have gone elsewhere and Rosetta have stayed in Newham, it’s really part of them. They really value what’s here and what the future holds.
INT: What’s your vision for the future?
CM: So, with the East Bank Cultural Quarter in the Olympic Park, you know there are new organisations that see the value of being here within the borough, but then you’ve got organisations like Rosetta who were here and saw that a long time ago. It’s important that all partners work together to make sure that the cultural identity within Newham remains, and is strengthened.
