Darren Barrenger, community activist and former parliamentary candidate

Darren gave the opening address at the recent Creative Partnerships Haven Gateway Schools Event held at Colchester United's Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Darre has been chair of Creative Partnerships in this area since it was established in 2005. His organisation now works with 59 schools in the area and invests over £500,000 a year in schools across the area to help them to encourage creativity in their teaching and consequently help children to be more adventurous and innovative in the way that they learn.

In Darren's address he spoke of some of the unique projects that the partnership has introduced since becoming part of the highly successful Colchester United Community Sports Trust, which Darren also helped to establish in 2000 and chaired for the first 7 years of its existence.