By Nishall Gabala

Harlow isn’t a bad place!

Over the past few days, Harlow has received so much negative press from the national media, and the vast majority of news given does not represent Harlow. Harlow is a multicultural place and it is appreciated by most people.

Over the past few days, I have personally seen people being shamed of where they live, which upsets me greatly. I work incredibly hard to promote our town, whether I am in Harlow or not, but due to recent events it has become incredibly hard, and often feels like a losing battle. I know Harlow isn’t a bad place, and many people would agree with me. So please let’s all come together and promote our town, we should be proud of Harlow, because the town has come a long way since it was first built and is successful, but then when incidents happen we have to stick together and work to make things better. I know Harlow isn’t perfect, but it’s the place where we live, study and work.

Harlow offers everything from arts, culture and theatre to sport, parks and nature reserves. These are just some of Harlow’s highlights and whether you’re planning a few hours, a few days or a lifetime here, Harlow won’t disappoint. However, people from the outside will not see this past the grey cloud that the national media has created, so join me to #BigUpHarlow. I know people find it hard to promote Harlow, but it’s not always about facilities we have, it can be about community groups, business or positive events that have taken place, we need to show the rest of the world Harlow is a good place.

Bad things do happen in towns up and down the country and it is incredibly sad to see this, but please don’t drag the reputation of the towns down due to one or two individuals, Harlow isn’t a bad place!

I have a Heart for Harlow and I’m Proud of Harlow, that is why I #BigUpHarlow, and I also believe, every hour should be a positive #HarlowHour, and I believe you should feel the same. Let’s rebuild our community’s reputation and show everyone what the real Harlow actually looks like!