Add a splash of colour to your

Add a splash of colour to your white Christmas

Croydon-born entrepreneurs, Alison Burton and Natalie Duvall, are adding a splash of colour to the UK Christmas market this year with their London-based business, March Muses.

“In 2018, whilst decorating our Christmas tree, my daughters wanted a beautiful angel as the tree topper. I searched online for angels, tree toppers and fairies that represented myself and my girls, but could only find Christmas ornaments of colour in the USA. The shipping fee was £20, and I was disappointed that we would have to pay so much for angels that looked like us, so we ended up using a Black Barbie as our tree topper!” Natalie explains.

These supermums decided to launch their own Christmas decoration business, and created March Muses - the name originating from both founders being born in March and ‘muses’ being their figurines, who are named after inspirational people of colour. The products were launched in the market last October, with a range of six angels to choose from. This year, having built on their success, they now have a whopping 19 products, including a beautiful nativity set.

On average, UK parents spend anything from £500 to £2,000 at Christmas, with Christmas decorations being a high priority for families too. But, when it comes to sourcing Black angels and decorations for your tree, why is it so hard to find?

We are finally at a time where the importance of diversity and inclusivity is being acknowledged. People are beginning to appreciate that representation really does matter – particularly with children, and especially within the home. In the last census in 2011, just over 40% of residents identified as Asian, Black, Mixed or Other. What better time of year to celebrate that than at Christmas – a holiday season that is all about coming together and including everyone.

There have been quite a few studies on the effects of representation in children over the last few years, and it has been proven time and time again the importance of seeing yourself represented in a positive light. Christmas is no exception. Babies as young as six months start to notice ethnicity-based differences in humans. Their doll or action figure collection should include a variety of hues and be representative, so it becomes normal to them rather than novelty.

Alison says: “If you have guardian angels to hang on your tree, why can’t at least one look like you? And likewise, we have many White families that want their Christmas to be reflective of the world they live in. We’ve been delighted by the response. We’re certainly dreaming of an ‘inclusive’ Christmas this year! Dressing your Christmas tree this year will be a whole new experience!”

If, like us, you love decorating your tree with your children, these decorations are perfect for teaching them that not all angels are White.

For more information, call 020 3715 745 or vist www.marchmuses.co.uk.

Follow @marchmuses, @aliburt23, @natsduv #blackchristmas #nubianchristmas #diversity #africa #caribbean #nubian #santa #diversity #kwanzaa #representationmatters

SHIRLEY McGREAL MBE:

In praise of an achiever

BY MARTINS AGBONLAHOR

I wrote in one of my novels that women are made of sterner stuff - that innate ability to handle numerous tasks conscientiously and effectively. Have you ever wondered how a woman can be having a phone conversation, with her left hand holding onto the mobile, and the right, making a cup of coffee or tea, both tasks executed simultaneously and to perfection? We of the opposite sex would need all the time in the world to accomplish that.

As a journalist in my own part of the world, where women are hugely discriminated against and sidelined, I can name only two amongst the few, who have stood staunchly against the odds to rise gallantly in the profession and thus became a beacon of hope to others. Ms Chris Anyanwu, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Magazine (TSM), was one. She singlehandedly guided and took that paper from humble beginnings to become a force to be reckoned with in the area of investigative journalism. I also remember Mrs Doyin Abiola, who, through dint of hard work and that can-do mental attitude, took Nigerian Concord to greater heights, winning well-deserved accolades along the way.

It is in this mould that I see Shirley McGreal, Editor-in-Chief of Keep The Faith magazine, who was recently awarded an MBE for ‘Services to Tackling Youth Violence, Knife Crime and Poverty’. This befitting citation, to me, is just the tip of the iceberg, for Shirley is not just known for her enterprise, but she’s a complete human being, blessed with a sense of courage and a rich array of interpersonal skills. No wonder she is able to steer her magazine - made up of both men and women - to perfection, and also reach out to poor and marginalised Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) people and many others, ragged, discouraged and out of doors. Through Keep The Faith (KTF) and other numerous philanthropic activities she indulges in, Shirley has brought hope to the hopeless and a sincere message to our youths of the African and African-Caribbean population that there are other positive ways to live other than youth violence or knife crimes. KTF has also shown various NGOs and other BAME-propelled charitable organisations to the world, ensuring that they receive due recognition for their worthwhile effect on the communities where they serve.

This award could not have come at a better time, as Shirley has been a pioneer in the media for over 20 years, including being the Chief Executive Officer of the Voice Newspaper Group. A brief odyssey of this exemplary woman with staggering humane qualities is that she has worked assiduously with various organisations, where she held Board-level positions. She has also worked with the Mayor of London’s Office, Street Pastors, the Metropolitan Police, not to mention other groups, such as the YMCA, Social Enterprise Coalition, Synergy Network, the Community Action Awards and many others too numerous to mention.

When I heard she was being bestowed the prestigious honour, I was so delighted that I sent an email to her, singing her praises to the high heavens, but this humble woman I am so privileged to work with displayed that selfless or altruistic trait lacking in most men: “The award is not for me alone, as the magazine is a joint effort. So, we all deserve to take credit for the award.”

Again, congratulations, Shirley!

Martins Agbonlahor is a novelist and journalist based in Greater Manchester. His new novel: Another Poor Cow: The Dangers of Tradition in Rural Nigeria, is available on all online bookstores.

Many called COVID-19 ‘the great leveller’ but children’s charity Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) knew this could not be further from the truth.

The pandemic and resulting lockdown caused everyone huge concern, but for many vulnerable families it was just the start of their worries. With important support structures that provide food, childcare and emotional wellbeing affected, families were left without the critical support they rely on.

TLG acted quickly, along with its partner churches, to adapt its three programmes and ensure no child was left without vital support.

TLG Education Centre staff, the teachers at TLG’s Alternative Provision schools for children at crisis point in their education, conducted lessons remotely and paid socially distant doorstep visits to ensure the physical, emotional and educational wellbeing of their students. TLG Early Intervention coaches, who support children with one-to-one coaching sessions for an hour every week, moved to virtual coaching sessions which included the children and their wider family. TLG Make Lunch clubs, a form of holiday provision, delivered ‘Boxes of Hope’ throughout the crisis – emergency care parcels full of food, essential items, activities and support.

One of the most significant consequences of this pandemic has been on mental and emotional health. In response to this, TLG has launched its brand new Emotional First Aid and Emotional Rollercoaster resources. These will equip churches up and down the country to know how to spot the signs of emotional distress in local families they are supporting and respond to them effectively.

COVID-19 has had a particularly disproportionate impact on the UK’s black community. This, along with the unjust killing of George Floyd and the shocking statistics that Black Caribbean children are twice as likely to be permanently excluded than their white counterparts, has raised awareness about the racial inequalities that are entrenched in our society.

Leaders at TLG are all too aware that they need to not just help the children but also stand up to these injustices. That is why TLG is teaming up with both the New Testament Church of God and the One People Commission to campaign for the school curriculum to fully reflect today’s multi-cultural society.

To keep up to date with TLG’s work please follow TLG on Facebook and Twitter and visit tlg.org.uk.