London Kids

Kadeem Rhyeon-Little, 10

Best thing about London in the summer?

“I can ride my bike around the park and play all day because I don’t have to go to school.”

Home:

Islington

What have you done this summer?

“I’ve been decorating my room and the kitchen; just helping my mum out with stuff like that.”

Plans for the rest of the summer?

“Yeah, I might be staying with my dad for a week. He lives in Neasden. I don’t get to see him that often.”

Parents are from:

“My mum is from Jamaica and my dad is from St. Vincent.”

Vevica Patel, 15

Best thing about London in the summer?

“Going out shopping and visiting the Hare Krisna Temple in Watford because it’s really nice and spiritual.”

Home:

Wembley

Plans:

“I might be going on holiday in the summer. Somewhere in Europe. Maybe Denmark.”

What’s the worst thing about London?

“Traffic and loads of pollution.”

Ryo Heatherwick, 4

What have you done this summer?

“Dunno…EATED!”

What have you been up to this summer?

“To my house in Spain.”

Parents are from:

London

Home:

Spain

Worst experience in London?

“What do you mean worst thing?”

The thing you really dislike?

“I broke something in London. I broke something in the house. The curtain rail.”

Tommy Jennings, 6

What’s the best thing about London in the Summer?

“Funny! Whah!” (Tommy jumps onto a wall and scuttles off).

What have you been up to this summer?

“We’re going on holiday to Ireland today!”

Local wisdom:

“Have dinner to eat and have Scooby snacks!”

Parents are from:

England

Home:

Hampstead

Worst experience in London?

“Jealousy.”

Zara Tec, 11

Best thing about London in the summer?

“Playing football, going to the Science Museum and the IMAX cinema.”

What are you going to do for the rest of the summer?

“I want to go to see an exhibition of Formula 1.”

Parents are from:

India and Italy

Home:

Italy

Worst experience in London?

“Running through a park.”

That’s your worst experience?

“Yes.”

Autumn Amajoutt, 10

What’s the best thing about London?

“My favourite thing is the shops. Shopping with my mummy.”

Any local wisdom?

“Well I do cheerleading and I really like that ‘cos we get to go to competitions and we get to win stuff!”

Parents are from:

“My mum is from America and my dad is from Morocco.”

Home:

“Off Edgar Grove.”

What ringtone do you have on your phone?

Shakira — “Hips Don’t Lie”

Amber Mitchell, 15

Best thing about London in the summer?

“The sun, the nice fruit that we get, guys walking around topless, and you get a tan.”

What have you done this summer?

“I’ve been mainly busy modelling, going out and visiting people and hanging around the ends.”

Local wisdom:

“At night time, you can’t feel safe, no matter where you are. Half of the streets don’t have lamp posts on. The best place to hang out is central London, but it’s so expensive.”

David Yakerman, 14

What’s the best thing about London in the Summer?

“Coming up to Camden Market checking out clothes and stuff.”

Local Wisdom:

“Haggle with everybody.”

Parents are from:

Bexley Heath

What ringtone do you have on your phone?

My Chemical Romance — “To The End”.

Worst experience in London?

“I don’t think I’ve had any.”

Reece Ramsey, 11

Best thing about London in the summer?

“Probably riding my bike up and down Finsbury Park, and playing football with my friends. You can do whatever you want in London during summer.”

Home:

Islington

Parents are from:

“My mum’s from St Lucia and my dad’s from Jamaica.”

Local wisdom:

“Just be yourself in London. There’s no need to be fake.”

Haydon Thompson-Christian, 10

Best thing about London in the summer?

“I like seeing my dad and my mum. There’s nowhere good to hang out in the summer, so I’d like to see a beach and a couple more fun fairs in London; then it would be more fun. Also, I’d like to see less McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King restaurants. I hate them.”

Home:

Islington

Local Wisdom:

“Don’t talk to tramps.”

What have you done this summer?

“I went to the pictures, went to the park, and went around to my friend’s house a lot. It’s hard to find stuff to do.”

Plans for the rest of the summer?

“I want to go to the museum, strip the wallpaper off my nan’s room and move around my dad’s room.”

Parents are from:

“My dad is of Jamaican descent and my mum is of Irish descent.”

Ringtone:

“I ain’t got a phone yet.”

Natalie Turner-Mitchell, 18

Best thing about London in the summer?

“Everyone is on a high, you just get along and do what you want. It’s cool.”

Plans for the rest of the summer?

“I’ll be working until the end of summer. I’ve got a job as an educator in mental health, so I will go to schools and youth clubs, and do activities with children about mental health and let them know what mental health is, basically.”

Parents are from:

“My mum is from England, but I don’t know about my dad. I’ve never met him.”

Home:

Stoke Newington

Local wisdom:

“Be nice to people, but don’t be too nice because people can take advantage. Stoke Newington is not as violent as Clapton or Hackney, but you still need to be careful.”

Ringtone:

Sean Paul — “Break It Off”

Amy Laird, 18

Best thing about London in the summer?

“Boys at Piccadilly Circus”

What have you been up to this summer?

“I’ve dossed about and planned to meet boys off myspace.”

Local wisdom?

“Camden Stables market smells of cheese.”

Parents are from:

Dudley

Home:

Tipton

Ringtone:

Gareth Gates — “Any One Of Us”

          PHOTOS & INTERVIEWS BY ALEX STURROCK, JAD SALFITI & ALEX TEMPLETON-WARD