Carnival's united aim

For decades it has been the greatest showcase of multicultural London. And today Notting Hill Carnival chiefs backed the Evening Standard's London Stands United campaign.

Chris Boothman, one of the carnival's directors, praised the campaign, which aims to bring communities together in the face of the terror threat, and urged people to enjoy the carnival this year as usual.

"People are getting together for carnival irrespective of their race, colour and what's going on in London at the moment.

"And it's even more important this year that carnival goes ahead," he said. "It is a unifying force in London and increasingly it's a multicultural event about creating good relations between different groups, race and religions. It's about celebrating life, which is the opposite of terrorism."

Mr Boothman was speaking at the annual Notting Hill Nursery Carnival, now in its 21st year, which is an opportunity for the under-fives to enjoy the spectacle before the main carnival on 28 and 29 August.

More than 250 children attended the event at Kensington Memorial Park. Kim Woolford, 37, secretary of the Children and Parents' Carnival Association, echoed Mr Boothman's support for our campaign, which is backed by everyone from Tony Blair to Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

She said: "Despite what has gone on over the past few weeks, people have shown no hesitation in coming out today.

"They're happy and smiling, which sends a message to terrorists that they are not going to destroy our way of life - it's just not going to work."