Hackney is not at all hackneyed

I was in Hackney yesterday for a Carnegie shadowing event. I'd never been to Hackney before and the only thing I really knew about the place was what I'd seen on the telly last year with the riots. Turns out there is so, so much more to Hackney. The schools involved all gave their own interpretations and presentations on the shortlisted books, which were amazing. They were imaginative, thoughtful, inspiring and questioning. The students used film, art, drama, poetry - and they did it well. Hackney - I salute you.