Manitoba·Video

Meet Me at the Bell Tower celebrates five years

Dozens came out to celebrate the weekly meetings that help bring together people from across the North End to counter violence.

Weekly meetings held every Friday in the North End

Michael Redhead Champagne on changes in the North End

8 years ago
Duration 2:24
Meet Me at the Bell Tower co-founder Michael Redhead Champagne tells CBC's Marjorie Dowhos about the changes he's seen over the last five years in Winnipeg's North End.

A weekly event that helps knit together a sometimes fractious community is celebrating five years meet-ups.

Meet Me at The Bell Tower's five-year anniversary drew dozens out on Friday to celebrate.

Co-founder, Michael Redhead Champagne, said the group has lived up to its mission of reducing violence in the North End.

The weekly community-building event Meet Me at the Bell Tower celebrated five years on Friday. (CBC)

"In 2011, the year that it started, we got together just as many times as a community but it was at funerals, it was as hospitals, and it was at vigils. But today in 2016, we have celebrations like Meet Me at the Bell Tower, we have opportunities like Got Bannock, the Bear Clan Patrol," said Champagne.

The Bell Tower meetings serve as a model, he said, to other organizations looking to lift up and empower people, especially young people.

"Bell Tower exists to amplify our young people's voices," Champagne said. "I'm so proud."

Last year, Meet Me at the Bell Tower was given the Annual Human Rights Commitment Award by the Manitoba Human Rights Commission and other civil liberty groups.

Meet me at the Bell Tower meets every Friday night at 6 p.m. on Selkirk Avenue and Powers Street.