The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 by The Phoenix Newspaper

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Page 2 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

NEWS

High Note for Child Road Safety

l Mohinder Singh and Fay Goodman perform for charity.

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l Tim Watts presents a cheque for £10,000 to Fay Goodman as part of The Conies national fundraising campaign

hildren’s road safety heroes The Conies have struck a chord with one of the UK’s leading recruitment groups as the nation recently celebrated Road Safety Week. Midlands-based Pertemps Network Group has matched the money raised by the charity from busking and other musical fundraising events across

Europe to the tune of £10,000. The brainchild of Fay Goodman, Director of Birmingham road safety organisation DriveSafe & StaySafe, The Conies are an animated family of traffic cones that take part in amusing and instructive adventures to help children improve their road safety. Fay, who launched The Conies in a new Walking to School

Journal trialled successfully across a number of Birmingham primary schools this year, aims to make the characters as much of a role model in safety education as the Green Cross Code man and Tufty the Squirrel were in their day. Tim Watts, Lifetime President of Pertemps, presented a giant cheque for £10,000 to Fay to support her efforts in promoting an initiative that matches his company’s health and safety ethos. Fay joined special guest artist Mohinder Singh, a tabla player who performed recently with Take That, violinist Pete Harley and The Celturian on The

Conies fundraising tour. Ms Goodman, who is also a world-leading martial artist, said: “We used a mystical fusion of 4,000-year-old tabla rhythms by Mohinder and 400-year-old Japanese sword kata, as well as a Tessan dance (a war dance using fans), to provide a dramatic and rewarding show that thrilled our audiences.” Tim Watts, also a Conies Ambassador, said: “Pertemps are proud supporters of The Conies. This fantastic charity works to raise road safety awareness and helps to save the lives of children. “Fay works extremely hard to organise fun and different events

to raise funds for the charity and I am pleased to be able to help out such a brilliant cause.” Fay said: “I am delighted by this generous donation which will help turn our ambitious plans to reality, and I hope that other high profile companies will follow this wonderful lead. “It is devastating to hear of a child being seriously injured or, worse, killed - and essential that we do all we can to help children and guide their parents and other adults in all dangerous environments. “This is particularly pertinent as we acknowledge Road Safety Week 2017.”

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 3

mac birmingham asking to gift a ticket to children this Christmas

NEWS

ne of the country’s leading art centre is calling on local businesses, its customers and supporters to offer the gift of theatre to children across the city this winter. Now in its second year at mac Birmingham, in Canon Hill Park, in Edgbaston, the MAC’s Gift a Ticket campaign will offer free tickets to ‘Father Christmas,’ which is open until December 30. Recipients will be local children who have little or no opportunity to enjoy a trip to the theatre. Donations will help to ensure its target of gifting 250 tickets can be achieved and hopefully surpassed. ‘Father Christmas’ is a heart-warming adaption of Raymond Briggs famous story, produced by Lyric Hammersmith and Pins and Needles. Full of merry touches, plenty of live music, songs and playful puppetry, audiences young and old will be enthralled as hidden doors and secret hatches are revealed. Last year’s Gift Ticket campaign raised over £3,000, resulting in 250 tickets distributed to local children. Individuals and businesses who would like to support the campaign can do so in several ways, including: Via MAC’s website at - macbirmingham.co.uk/support or via MAC’S Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/macarts. Nicola Saunders, mac birmingham’s fundraising manager said: “Last year we were so thankful for the support of our many visitors and supporters. “We know, from talking to parents and teachers that the children remembered the performance long afterwards and we hope that many more children will experience the magic of theatre this year too.”

FREE Donations welcome

2 DEC 2017 – 15 APR 2018 A ground-breaking and vital contemporary art exhibition including works by Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin, Andy Warhol, Derek Jarman, Sarah Lucas, David Hockney, Chila Kumari Burman, Sunil Gupta, Steve McQueen and Francis Bacon.

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SEXUALITY, GENDER & IDENTITY

birminghammuseums.org.uk Coming Out is a touring exhibition conceived by National Museums Liverpool, in partnership with Birmingham Museums Trust as part of the Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme 2016–19. Arts Council Collection is managed by Southbank Centre on behalf of Arts Council England.

Page 4 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Electric taxis showcased in city ahead of new infrastructure

Emerging Trends in Faith Entrepreneurship across Britain

l Cllr Alan Bolshaw, Chairman of City of Wolverhampton Council’s Licensing Committee, and Alastair Fairgrieve of the London

Taxi Company with the TX Electric taxi at Grand Station, City of Wolverhampton

axi drivers and council officers from across the UK got their first look at the new all electric taxis that could soon be on City of Wolverhampton streets. The taxi forum at Grand Station in the city centre showcased the London Taxi Company’s TX Electric taxi and the Dynamo Motor Company’s all electric taxi. It was a chance for representatives from the taxi associations in the City of Wolverhampton to find out more about the types of electric taxis on offer ahead of new electric vehicle charging points being installed in the city centre. City of Wolverhampton Council was handed £478,000 government funding in March to help fulfil a longterm plan to grow the number of electric taxis in the city. The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has since confirmed

the electric charging network can also be made available for public use. The funding means work can now start in the city on building the infrastructure to facilitate electric vehicles as they become more readily available over the next decade. An initial 24 charging points will be installed over the next three years, with the aid of funding from a private sector partner, and the first points could be in place by summer 2018. The management of the project will be put in the hands of a specialist private partner, who will be responsible for building, operating and marketing the network as well as providing 24/7 service, maintenance and repair. The OLEV funding comes at a time when the Government has announced its plan to phase out sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2040. The widespread introduction of electric cars in the city would have

significant environmental benefits such as a reduction in vehicles’ exhaust emissions to help improve local air quality, reduced carbon emissions, and a reduction in traffic noise. Cabinet Member for City Environment, Councillor Steve Evans, said: “We are working closely with the taxi drivers in the city on this project and we are delighted OLEV has allowed us to broaden the scheme out for public use. “Electric vehicles bring many benefits. They improve air quality and public health, make the city more attractive, support the economy of the Midlands, and support innovation and transformation, as well as helping to reduce carbon emissions. “The idea of bringing on board a private sector partner also means we don’t anticipate any need to use council funds.”

Fitnniss Shortlisted for Entrepreneur Awards

t has been announced that West Midlands based Fitnniss has been shortlisted for the 2017 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Small Business of the Year award. Fitnniss beat off some tough competition in order to make the regional shortlist, with over 1000 businesses entering the awards nationally across the wide range of categories.

Now in its fifth year, the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards has celebrated some amazing entrepreneurs over the years, many of whom are now household names. Past winners include David Buttress of Just Eat, Julie Deane of The Cambridge Satchel Company, James Watt of BrewDog and Alexander Solomou of TheLADBible Group. “It really is exciting to be shortlisted for such an amazing award with GBEA! We really couldn’t have done this without all of our service users, so a big thank you to you!” says Founder Matthew Inniss (www.fitnniss.co.uk) Creator of the Awards, Francesca James, said: “We have been inundated with some incredible entries this year, and all shortlisted applicants should be extremely proud of themselves! “This year has seen a record number of entrants and we’ve been absolutely blown away by the strength and diversity of applications.” We cannot wait to celebrate entrepreneurship across Great Britain

with them, and put a spotlight on the incredible talent within the British entrepreneur ecosystem.” Gordon Merrylees, Head of Entrepreneurship at NatWest said: "I want to thank all of the entrepreneurs who entered this year and congratulate those who have been shortlisted, I look forward to seeing them at the regional finals. It is clear that entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well and NatWest is thrilled to be able to support these awards to celebrate success with the businesses that are the lifeblood of the UK Economy as they start, scale and succeed.”

he ritualisation of faith and religion has led many to believe that this practice is limited to the spiritual nature of human beings rather than the nature of daily economics –life and living matters per se. Very little policy measures on faith entrepreneurship exist in Britain today, although some research has been done to measure income levels of faith-based charities. So, why is faith entrepreneurship so important to modern Britain? The contestation of ideas between religion and commerce or between the ‘Church’ and ‘State’ has existed since time immemorial. For instance, literature on faith economics has derived from sections of the African-American community from conceptual and analytical perspectives (Thomas and Blake 1996:p.137). Whilst British African churches have translated versions of faith economics, it was Caribbean-led churches that pioneered mini-‘Garveyist’ principles of self-help and self-reliance. The 1970s-1980s witnessed national policies which encouraged individual enterprise, as faith groups played a pivotal role mobilising residents within inner-cities areas where incidences of economic deprivation and social exclusion were rife. The birth of the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) 1 to 6 during 1994 and 20011, was a direct signal for faith groups to access resources to deliver community regeneration projects (Cabinet Office; Ethnic Minority Business Initiative 1981). Christian Research recorded the number of Protestants, Catholics and other congregants, along with other faiths, that evolved over the past decade. The growth of ethnic churches in African communities - Ghanaians, Kenyans, Nigerians and Ugandans and others - is described as a ‘reverse mission’; that is, to help bring back the UK to Christianity from which it benefitted centuries ago (UK Christian Handbook: Religious Trends 7, 20072008, p5). Estimates show variations in church membership between the years 2000 and 2050, according to the following data (figures are rounded for uniformity):• England 1,898,000 (decrease by 50%). • Wales 40,000 (deprecation by 15%). • Scotland 212,000 (reduced by 20%). • Northern Island 890,000 (lessened by 6%).

Faith-based Practices

As of July 2016, the UK population stood at 64,430,428 million with English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh comprising the majority (87.2%), followed by minorities of which South Asians are 6.8%, Africans and Caribbeans 3.4%, Chinese 0.7% and other ethnic groups 1% plus. Like their ethnic ‘cousins’, South Asians contribute to over £5 billion per year to the British economy with an admixture of faith persuasions contrary to popular opinion. In its report on ‘Faith Matters: Understanding the Size, Income and Focus on Faithbased Charities’ (June 2016), the New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), highlighted the presence of 187,495 registered charities with 27% or 49,881 being faith-based. There is clear evidence of the impact faith groups have on economic development since their market share of income in England and Wales, is around £16.3 billion or 23%. Further, the comparison of different faith groups, illustrates the extent to which they have influence on the economic and social lifeblood of Britain. This too, is indicative of the need for consistent policy measures to assess the value of faith within the wider context of local ecologies and the national economic sphere.

Enterprise Economics

The structural composition and size of these key entities, typifies the real importance and relevance of faith economics to modern Britain. Their net contribution is also reflective of the scale of functionality and the extent to which the following groups are able to sustain operations in the midst of protracted economic uncertainty and [almost fettered] financial stringencies. For example, • 459 Hindu enterprises have (75.16% micro & small, 21.35% medium and 3.49% large). • 312 Buddhists organisations consist of (73.04% micro to small, 23.08% medium and 3.53% large). • 2,054 Muslim firms have (71.96% micro to small, 25.27% medium and 2.39% large). • Christian NGOs consist of (71.91% micro to small, 24.30% medium and 2.99% large). • 320 Sikh not-for-profit groups make up (66.56% micro to small,29.38% medium and 4.06% large). • 158 Quaker voluntary organisations have (59.49% micro to small, 31.01 medium and 6.33% large). • 2,147 Jewish groups have (58.17 micro to small, 33.21% medium and 7.87% large). In addition, the number of

w a r d - w i n n i n g journalist, editor and publisher Dr Christopher Johnson writes his monthly column in The Phoenix aiming to inform, educate and entertain.

faith-based charities’ activities hinge around themes ranging from culture, economic, social and other ‘rights’ issues. Roughly 20,858 do work in education and training, poverty (12,601), health (6,123), overseas aid (5,763), arts and culture (5,571), sport (4,877) as well as environment and heritage (3,839).

Essential Services

Nevertheless, very few charities conduct routine appraisal or evaluation to determine or showcase collective knowledge, skill-sets, experiences and at best, their potentialities (Reese and Clamp 2000, p.12). This area of strategic operations is vital and hence, trustees can invest a significant portion of reserves in the following services for their respective congregants and broader service users:• Enterprise Operations – development of free-standing businesses exclusive of faith organisations and or control. • Job Training – initiate relevant programs in conjunction with companies in an effort to fund vocational skills programs for young people and women. • Financial Schemes – the creation of credit unions to grant low interest loans to congregants and other communities living in disadvantaged areas. • Citizenship Education – advisory and guidance support for new migrants and refugees, by familiarising them of ‘citizenship’ rights and entitlements. • Cultural Development – bridging gaps in cultural misunderstanding amongst diverse groups, by investing in neighbourhoods where differences in language, dialect and other linguistic factors inhibit social cohesion. Mobilising social capital for the common good is an object lesson in both participatory democracy and civic engagement. Undoubtedly, faith economics as a principled factor, can occupy a central role in also initiating different types of ‘public service-type initiatives’ that can add value and real change to communities riveted by exclusion and deprivation and further compounded by ‘ethnic penalties’.

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 5

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Catering Firm Opens New State-of-the-Art Learning and Development Centre

n organisation which school meals across Birmingham marked National School Meals Week with the official launch of a brand new state-of-the-art learning and development centre at its city headquarters in Birmingham Science Park. The centre will become a hub for training for catering staff from schools across the city, as well as other organisations nationwide. Boasting state of the art presentation technology, a lecture theatre, break-out spaces, meeting rooms and a refreshment area, it was officially opened by Birmingham City Council’s Cllr Majid Mahmood with guests including Cityserve staff, children from Wheelers Lane Technology College in Kings Heath and Turves Green Girls School in Northfield. Head of Birmingham City Council’s Foodservice division, Cityserve Service’s Dale Wild, said: “The launch of our Learning and Development Centre is the latest milestone in our ongoing work to make Cityserve the best in the business and it will allow us to offer a whole range of training for our own staff as well as other organisations who want to take

advantage of the unique environment. We’re looking forward to talking to a variety of organisations about how they can take advantage of our stateof-the-art resource to help them reach the high standards that we aspire to.” The new Learning and Development Centre provides a dedicated space for training and a bespoke learning environment that can be tailored to its users’ needs, making it the ideal place for employers and organisations to stage courses and training days. Councillor Majid Mahmood said: “I was honoured to cut the ribbon for this amazing Learning & Development Centre – the latest step in Cityserve’s journey to become the leading municipal foodservice provider in the West Midlands and beyond. “As well as supplying children with excellent and healthy school meals, this new facility offers industry-class accredited training to their 1400 strong catering workforce and now to the wider food-industry as a commercial venture.” Cityserve ran a range of activities to mark National School Meals Week, which rans from November 13th19th.

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Page 6 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT - PROMOTING EXCELLENCE

g n i t o Prom xcellence UoW Launch E As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting the positive and inspirational individuals and organisations in our communities, The Phoenix Newspaper presents Promoting Excellence - a closer look at our role models, entrepreneurs, community figures and success stories.

Who are the Ancestors? M by Kesa Malemba Nkulu

undu Dia Kongo is the guardian of the culture of Ne Nsaku Ne Mpanzu and Yaya Nzinga. The Bukongo teaches that; there are 3 categories of Ancestors.

The Divine Ancestors

The Longhi (teachers) Nabi (Pharaohs) = Holy Saints who have become the mangers of the living.

The Good Ancestors

The volunteers, charity workers, people who sacrifice themselves in the service of others.

The Bad Ancestors

The iniquity workers, murderers, thieves, liars etc. The Divine Ancestors will bring Positive change to the world and the Bad Ancestors bring Negativity, by the fruit of their works they shall be known! We do not worship the Ancestors however, we acknowledge, thank and glorify them for what they have laid down for us. Every Race have their own particular Ancestors. As an example the English acknowledge St. George, the Irish have St, Patrick, Christians, Jewish people and Muslims all glorify and acknowledge Abraham as being one of their Ancestors/ Patriarch’s. Ancestors can be religious leaders, political leaders or indeed anyone that has contributed to the advancement of that particular race. Sometimes a person can be elevated by all race’s and be seen to have contributed to the whole of humanity. Problems arise when an individual has been imposed on humanity as a Global Saviour,

but their works may have negative impact on others, causing disruption, displacement, death and irrefutable damage. Today many religions want to associate themselves with their roots that lie in African culture which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, the fusion between religious ideologies forcibly imposed via the slave trade, has led to a bastardisation of some of our traditions. Today Bundu Dia Kongo has taken the positive aspects of our culture, which acts like a lighthouse to rehabilitate the Bantu Culture. If a people glorify and follow another race’s ancestry, that can only lead to a form of self-imposed domination, because they have accepted that another race’s: culture, language and practices are better than their own. The rehabilitation of our own traditions and practices are on the rise. The return to our cultural principles and way of life will have a tremendous impact upon the future of our children. The subsequent re-connection to our own natural way of life, as spoken of by The Honourable Marcus Garvey and Ne Muanda Nsemi, will see the rise of an African people that will recreate a civilisation that will astonish the world. After all wasn’t it the Ancient Egyptians that laid the foundation of civilisation for the rest of the world? Did not the Patriarch’s of Greece, like Plato, Pythagoras, Tales etc kneel at the feet of the Ancient Egyptians! Thousands of years before Asia and China grew into great Kingdoms, the people of Ekipata, Ngipiti, (Egypt) and

Nubia/Ethiopia mastered the Sciences = Astrology, Mathematics Physics etc. Global religious ideologies can be traced back to our glorious Ancestors. The wealth of knowledge that exists within our culture has led recent scholars, Shiek Anta Diop, Dr John Henrick Clarke, Amos Wilson etc, to trace a path back to greatness with the intention of inspiring the present and the future. One of our Great Ancestors, “The Honourable Marcus Garvey, elevated Black people back on the Throne of Honour.” (quote by Ne Munada Nsemi). Many African statesmen like Kwame Nkrumah who would become the President of an independent Ghana, would give testimony stating; “I think that of all the literature I have studied, the book that did more to fire my enthusiasm was the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey published by his wife”. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Jomo Kenyatta would both lead their respective countries Nigeria and Kenya to Independence. Like Nkrumah they would pay reverence and acknowledge a debt of gratitude for the vision of a colonial free Africa, directly acknowledged by the teachings of Marcus Garvey. The Great Mfumu Kimbangu was also inspired to start his work after hearing that Garvey had started his work. Mfumu Kimbangu has shown us by his works and sacrifice, that he was indeed a Divine Ancestor. Ingeta. Ibobo ibobo.

arked as the flagship world music event, the inaugural World Music Conference is set out to bring together artists, singers, musicians, of all ages, faiths, race and cultural backgrounds, in an attempt to share good values, practices, knowledge and to promote peace, harmony and togetherness. Organised by the British Carnatic Choir, the launch, at the University of Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, was an opportunity to inspire and encouraging the next generation of musicians in world music and deliver key musical insights from around the world. Music on the night was provided by the likes of the 2-piece Nandi; consisting of bassist Pascal Lovergne and pianist Stefan Orins, who provided some spicy jazz with a touch of India flavour, plus choir; Kol Kinor (Voice of the Lyre), who performed traditional Jewish music at the highest level. That said, though, a greater diversity that would more represent a WMC (World Music Conference) 2017 would have been more the order of the day as a bigger mix of musical diversity was seemingly

lacking for an event of such promise and magnitude. “This is a launch to inspire people from around the world,” said Dr Chithra Ramakrishnan, Director at British Carnatic Choir. “And, we hope to instil a new confidence – during and after this event.” And, though there was a distinct lack of their present, the conference, in particular, was aimed at children and young people in a bid to inspire and encourage them to consider a career in music, regardless of all differences. This World Music Conference strived to develop an emerging stage to engage and develop musical skills, creativity and personal development, transfer of learning, improve their cognitive competence, a deep appreciation and engagement with music. “This is about teaching and discussing skill development and the emotion that music provides,” said keynote speaker, Dr Hans Neuhoff, Professor of Music Psychology & Music Sociology at the University of Cologne, in Germany. “We have more similarities than differences, but our race and pace in life has created wider gaps. The ethos of this World Music Conference is to bridge these gaps.”

Held in the Midlands for the first time, WMC 2017 was set out to offer a great opportunity to present academic papers, networking and learning from workshops conducted by top international artists and musicologists; also serving as an integral part in support this important economic and cultural activity in the Midlands and elsewhere.

UoL and Riders Foundation Announce Partnership

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 7

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT - PROMOTING EXCELLENCE

h WMC 2017

invited to Downing Street to meet consecutive Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and David Cameron. She is also the author of ‘Black Boys Can Make It’ which was launched at the University of Oxford where she obtained her PhD. Where enterprise is concerned, at the age of 29 she was appointed managing director of Coventry Women’s Business Development Agency which then Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt described as the “most successful enterprise agency for women in the UK.” Subsequently, she chaired the now defunct national “Women’s Business Development Agency” one of the oldest business support agencies in the UK and was the first black woman to hold a senior management post at the University of Wolverhampton, where she established an Enterprise Centre to support budding graduate entrepreneurs. Dr. Byfield’s vision to inspire academic excellence in others and business acumen has resulted in the establishment of King Solomon International Business School, which opened its doors in September 2015. King Solomon, in Birmingham, is the only free school in the country offering the prestigious International Baccalaureate and will annually equip over 1200 students to live, work and trade in the global economy.

A Doctor’s Inspirational Vision Rewarded

xcell3, a leading national educational charity and King Solomon International Business School recently announced the inclusion of their CEO/Founder Dr. Cheron Byfield in 2018’s ‘Power List’ which profiles “Britain’s Most Influential People of African and African Caribbean Heritage.” Dr. Byfield’s list of accomplishments over the past 20 years spans the full gamut of education and enterprise leading to her being

described as an education entrepreneur. In the educational arena, she is known both nationally and internationally for being the founder of Excell3, which seeks to raise the academic and social aspirations of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Excell3’s ‘Community Franchise’ model and four pillar strategy of stakeholder engagement has resulted in strategic partnerships with the UK’s leading universities including ‘Oxbridge’ and has led to Dr. Byfield being

lity a u q High rom f e r ld ca child e years o iv f o t birth

Day Nursery

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ritain’s No.1 basketball team, Leicester Riders, and its Foundation and the University of Leicester have agreed a partnership for the Riders to provide coaching support to the University, for the partners to work together on local community initiatives, and for the University to become a commercial partner of the Riders for the new BBL season. The Riders are national champions in British Club basketball, and have highly successful women's, underage and student programmes, and deliver a range of community projects via their charity, the Leicester Riders Foundation. The University of Leicester has been collaborating with the Riders

across a range of initiatives over the last year, and is committed to improving the sporting options available to their students, and the University's and the University's student's engagement with the local community. The partnership will include coaching and preferential access for University students to the Leicester Arena and to Riders programmes and activities. Professor Paul Boyle, President & Vice-Chancellor of University of Leicester, was pleased to be supporting the Riders: "We are delighted to partner with the Riders. “The University of Leicester plays a significant role in the community and it's great to form an education and sport partnership with one of the most successful basketball clubs

in Britain. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and, also, for sport in local schools. We wish everyone at the Riders a happy and successful season." Riders Chairman Kevin Routledge was also delighted to agree the partnership: "The Riders are excited to be working with the University, and the opportunities that will bring in terms of access to their expertise and support, and the ability to engage with their students. “We believe this is a great opportunity to increase awareness of basketball and its ability to make a difference, and to improve the quality of coaching and the extent of our support to local schools, colleges and communities."

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Page 8 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

EXCLUSIVE

INSIDE THIS MONTH

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Dinner And Awards Presentation 2017

The Launch of the Esther Ajayi Foundation

The MAgazine That Becomes a photo album for your event!

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 9

Music fashion Film Gadgets holiday education health and fitness

DECEMBER 2017

The ghanaian artist with a passion for education /streetcredmagazine

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Page 10 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

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TV - Online - MAGAZINE /markdwaynemusic

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Editors note

had probably the most exciting and educational weekend ever in my life courtesy of the Phoenix Newspaper. I witnessed the company bring over a traditional king from Nigeria and organize a massive state visit comprising of Birmingham City University, Nehemiah Housing, Birmingham City Council and of course the main event which he came for - the Phoenix Newspaper 7th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation at the ICC. Seeing a King with his kings was a powerful sight and knowing that there are kings and queens of

today from Africa and being able to actually meet one was something else. To my surprise I actually won the Musical Dedication award at the Phoenix 7th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards, where I was nominated amongst legends Steel Pulse, UB40, Shayal Patel, Winston Mexican, and Apache Indian. I was totally overwhelmed and felt appreciated for the first time about my existence. Meeting a king was an eye opener for me and I learnt things that I didn’t know which was important. What I will say is don’t underestimate yourself, know your

worth and fly. This is the way I feel right now and its how we should all feel.

www.streetcredmagazine.com

STEEL BANGLES GOING ON BAD!!!!

ad stands as Steel Banglez’ second solo single following the release of his hit ‘Money’which came out earlier this year and stood as a ferocious statement of intent for what’s to come. "'Bad’ is a track produced by me and my brother Zeph Ellis. I had a vision to bring together the most successful and unique artists of 2017 on one track. “It was great to see such energy and I’m very grateful to all of them, especially Mo Stack for blessing me again with such a great chorus. “This is a club banger for the mandem to play for the gal dem

and a track for the ladies to vibe to with each other. ‘Bad’ is a perfect scenario of a woman who’s part of the gang and is down for the team,"explains Steel Banglez. The singles follows on fromSteel Banglez’s production work for the likes of Mist, Krept and Konan, Rudimental and more. Most recently, Banglez worked his magic onDave and MoStack’s hit single ‘No Words’ which charted in the UK Top 40 and stands as a testimony to Steel Banglez’s potential to storm the UK charts. ‘Bad’is a perfect reflection of the exciting time in Banglez’s career. The feel good track features verses from some of the UK’s

hottest talents such as Yungen, MoStack, Not3s and Mr Eazi. Each artist brings their signature but unique style to the track over a classic, melodic Steel Banglezbeat. “I’m heading to a place where I’m perfecting my sound. It’s gonna go global and I’m gonna create a lot of hit records. I can feel it. And I’m going to be one of the most in-demand producers that people want to get in the studio and it’ll go for a long time. And then I’ll just retire: become a philanthropist, get the f*ck out of here, and go live in my treehouse,” he speaks.

Kourtney Killing it!

Kourtney is looking fabulous in her new clothing shoot for Pretty Young Thing available a all top stores!

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 11

ENTERTAINMENT

www.streetcredmagazine.com

BIGScreen

uelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes, it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions. Oh, DC. How can you consistently deliver such high-quality comic books and animated features while struggling to deliver a high-calibre live-action epic? The groundwork is already there. The money is already there. The talent, both on and off screen, is already there. So, what the hell is going on? Man of Steel was a strong start. Things got a little shaky with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but it was still pretty solid, only for things to get shakier still with the frustratingly bad Suicide Squad. But guess what happened next? Wonder Woman rode in like a freight-train that appeared to breathe some much needed life in to the already flagging DCEU. It was a huge step forward for the franchise and filled fans the world over with hope for the future. Unfortunately, after such a fantastic solo outing for Wonder Woman, Justice League is a big step back for the DCEU. Plagued by behind-the-scenes issues, it’s not difficult to see why Justice League has so many glaring issues. It simultaneously feels like a film that has far too much going on, while nothing really happens. It’s a film comprised of jarring tonal shifts, action scenes that

BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY

December 08 Catapult Club feat. Sketch 08 Propaganda - Slaves (DJ Set) 09 Ryders Creed 09 The Darkness 09 The Smyths: More Songs That Saved Your Life Tour 10 Kodaline 11 Normandie & William Ryan Key (Yellowcard) 12 Dirty Thrills 15 Catapult Club ft. La Dharma 15 Shed Seven 15 Propaganda - Official Shed Seven Aftershow DJ Set with Lead Singer Rick Witter 16 [spunge] 17 Extreme 23 The Twang 29 Propaganda 31 Propaganda Prohibition NYE

O2 INSTITUTE

December 07 Lotto Boyzz 07 Cadet 08 JP Cooper

review

wORDS by antony brown

Justice League have been haphazardly slapped together and some surprisingly subpar CGI, considering the final production budget for the film, including reshoots, tipped the scales at a whopping $300 million. No single person is to blame for the issues in Justice League; it’s simply the unfortunate and inevitable outcome of a production that seemed doomed from the very beginning due to a lack of forward-thinking. Up until this point, it honestly feels like Warner Bros have just been making it up as they go along, instead of formulating a clear and concise plan for their franchise. It’s as if a bunch of executives sat in an office after every movie and said “okay, we made some money...what shall we do next?” and it really shows. However, despite the many, many issues Justice League has, it is still a relatively entertaining movie, at least for the most part and a lot of its successes can be credited to its cast, who are all fantastic. Ben Affleck returns as the

08 Nothing More 08 Black Parade – 00’s Emo Anthems 09 Bayside 09 LANY 09 Highgrade feat. DJ Guv, Eksman, Herbzie & Total Recall 12 Wretch 32 15 Jaykae 15 Red Jumpsuit Apparatus 16 Grafton Ash 16 Hoodie Allen 19 The Shades 21 Nathan Dawe 0121 LIVE 31 NYE 2017 with Charlie Sloth / Trevor Nelson and Friends

NEC

December 01-23 Manhattan | Birmingham Christmas Party 08-17 The Beast – The World’s Biggest Bouncy Castle! 09-10 Ladies Kennel Association 14 Jewson Live

Caped Crusader, accompanied by his epic chin-dimple, and while he has lost the edge that made him a standout character in Batman v Superman, it’s in service of a logical character development so it’s difficult to be annoyed. The exquisite-in-every-way Gal Gadot is back as Diana Prince/ Wonder Woman and continues to be the most badass character the DCEU has introduced thus far. She’s fun, she’s powerful, she’s charismatic and she’s an excellent leader. Ray Fisher joins the cast as Victor Stone/Cyborg who is nowhere near as boring as the trailers would have you believe. He’s actually a solid addition to the cast and there are several moments where he really gets to shine. The bearded, long-haired, most manly man in the world (also known as Jason Momoa) also steps up to the plate as the most badass version of Arthur Curry/ Aquaman you’ve ever seen, complete with bulging muscles and a total surfer-dude attitude, which is a lot of fun.

Then, of course, there is Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash, who will definitely go down as a fan-favourite here for his quirky performance and excellent comedic timing. Although, at times the comedy is very hit-and-miss, but that’s definitely more of a script issue, not a Miller issue. He’s a lot of fun whenever he’s on screen and they all have fantastic chemistry so, if nothing else, Justice League succeeds at bringing together a team of likeable heroes for us to root for. So, the heroes are good...but what about the villain, you ask? To be honest, the less said about Steppenwolf, the better. He’s the very definition of a dull, generic villain whose motivation never extends past “I want to destroy the world”. He’s a largely forgettable badguy that nobody will be talking about a few weeks from now, who has been rendered in CGI that, at times, makes him look like he’s been ripped straight from a video game. It’s very jarring, especially

ARENA BIRMINGHAM

In Progress (TH) 09 Christmas With The Overtones (SH) 10 Christmas With The Salvation Army 2017 (SH) 12 Robert Plant plus special guest Seth Lakeman (SH) 13-14 Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra (SH) 16 Roy Wood’s ROCKMAS 2017 (SH) 17 Christmas With Katherine Jenkins (SH) 19-21 A Choral Christmas with Ore Oduba (SH) 23 Geeta Brothers Live in Concert Featuring Jus Reign & Babbu (TH) 30 The Magic Moments of Burt Bacharach (SH)

December 08-09 Kasabian 10 DreamWorks Animation in Concert 12 Liam Gallagher 16 Queen + Adam Lambert 17 Five Finger Death Punch 20-24 Peter Pan - The World’s Biggest Panto

GENTING ARENA

December 09 Steps 10 Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets™ 15 UB40 16 I Love Reggae 21 André Rieu 29 Let’s Have A Rock ’n’ Roll Party

TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL

December 07 Prokofiev’s Cinderella (SH) 07 Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain With Bells On (SH) 08 City of Birmingham Choir Handel Messiah (SH) 08 JASON MANFORD: Work

SLADE ROOMS, WOLVERHAMPTON

December 09 VIP Music Fair 09 Vega Plus Theia & Gin Annie 14 Peter Hook & The Ligh 15 Strawberry Moon Showcase 31 Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

when he’s interacting with real actors. This “villain problem” isn’t exclusive to Justice League, or even exclusive to DC, as Marvel rarely deliver engaging villains — aside from Loki, Ego, The Winter Soldier, Obadiah Stane and (fingers crossed) Thanos — their villains have been largely forgettable, so this is something superhero movies need to improve upon as a whole. This is the first time we have ever seen the Justice League on the big screen and what should have been a huge, historic moment for superhero cinema ends up being nothing more than a mildly entertaining adventure full of issues that are too obvious to ignore. Sometimes you need to walk before you can run, but DC have been sprinting from the very beginning, trying to cash-in on the modern day obsession with Cinematic Universes, by scrambling together countless parts and hoping they end up with a puzzle, but they’ve left vital pieces of said puzzle way back at the starting blocks. Justice League would have benefitted greatly if they had adhered to the tried and tested formula of giving each character their own solo adventure first, allowing them to develop their individual personalities and allowing audiences to fall in love with them. Instead, they have jumped headfirst in to a team-up movie where audiences hadn’t even been introduced to most of the characters. Justice League is a brisk ride that is entertaining enough to keep you engaged, but it’s difficult not to be disappointed in something that should have been so much more than it is. The truth is, Justice League isn’t even one of the best superhero movies of the year, let alone of all time. In fact, of the superhero movies released this year - Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, SpiderMan: Homecoming, Wonder Woman and Thor: Ragnarok - Justice League is at the bottom of the pile.

CIVIC AND WULFRUN HALLS, WOLVERHAMPTON

December 07 Jive Talkin (Bee Gees Tribute) (Wulfrun) 08-09 Greg Davies - You Magnificent Beast Tour 2017 (Civic) 08 Paul Chowdhry (Wulfrun) 09 Darkside - The Pink Floyd Show (Wulfrun) 10 Sir Ken Dodd - The Happiness Show 2017 (Wulfrun) 10 Kanwar Grewal - Mastana Jogi Returns 2017 (Civic) 11 Jason Manford: Work in Progress (Wulfrun) 15-16 Thunder - Xmas Show (Civic) 15 Gogol Bordello Plus Lucky Chops (Wulfrun) 16 Abba Mania (Wulfrun) 19 The Prodigy (Civic) 20 Russell Brand - Re: Birth (Civic) 21 Roy Chubby Brown (Civic) 23 Blast Off - Xmas Party (Civic) 29 Joel Dommett: Live 2017 (Civic)

Agony Aunt

A Rose Between Thorns

l Dr Saroj ‘Rose’ Duggal

don’t know what to do! I’ve been with this guy for 3 months now, and everything seemed to be going well, then one day, it’s like he just up and left the planet! Everything was brilliant, we met up most weekends, talked most nights, and messaged constantly. We were even talking about moving in together in a few months when I had got settled and so had he. Suddenly he isn’t responding to any texts, WhatsApp messages, Snapchats or anything! It’s like he just turned into a ghost! What should I do to get him back? I really love him and I saw a great future together until this happened. I’m sure it must just be a little misunderstanding and once I can talk to him it will be all sorted out. What should I do? Ciara, Wolverhampton. Oh Ciara, I’m sorry, but it does look like you have hit the nail on the head when you said that he’s turned into a ghost! Ghosting is the terrible practice of literally just up and disappearing into thin air. It’s a horrible thing, but unfortunately it is something that is becoming more and more commonplace in todays society. By all means try to track the young man down, but if I’m being brutally honest I don’t think it is something that will come to fruition. Focus your energies elsewhere, find a new person who you can spend your time on, and create a new future for yourself. You’re worth far far more than you’re giving yourself credit for by pining after this man. Pick yourself up and make yourself happy! I wish you all the best! Don’t forget you can contact me by emailing your queries in to rose@thephoenixnewspaper.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Page 12 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Mica Paris to channel Ella Fitzgerald for special Valentines gig

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talwart Soul Singer Mica Paris will perform renditions of Ella Fitzgerald classics during a very exclusive night in Birmingham. Ella Fitzgerald is one of the most revered jazz singers of the 20th century, known to many as ‘The Lady of Song’. Mica Paris is one of the UK's most respected female singers with a career full of Top 10 hit singles and albums worldwide. Her albums and singles include Black Angel, Stay and Carefree, together with collaborations with respected artists such as David Gilmour, Prince and Jools Holland, before turning her many talents to London's West End stage starring in Mama I Want to Sing, The Vagina Monologues and Sweet Lorraine. In April 2017, Mica Paris released two tracks with legendary trumpeter, jazz producer and arranger Guy Barker to celebrate the centenary of Ella Fitzgerald’s birth. Mica has recorded Imagine My Frustration and Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye two classics from the Ella Fitzgerald songbook. Mica Paris is set to make an impact on stage with her powerful soulful voice alongside her immensely talented jazz musicians. The range, power, and sheer soulfulness of Mica Paris' singing made an immediate impact on the UK music scene. Expect to hear many of Ella’s wonderful songs during this special evening of classic live music.

n Wednesday 15th November 2017, as part of ‘This Is Africa’ The 12th edition of Punch Records annual BASS festival, Global Afrobeats superstar FUSE ODG visited City Academy, a free school in the heart of Birmingham’s city centre to take part in a Q&A with a select group of year 11 music enthusiasts. The Ghanaian artist best known for his hit songs ‘Antenna’ and Sean Paul collaboration ‘Dangerous Love’ was empowering and encouraging the next generation of artists as he celebrated the release of his latest single ‘Boa Me’ featuring British pop favorite Ed Sheeran. Fuse’s interest in the education and success of young people can be traced back to 2007 when he raised funds to build a primary school for the children of a deprived area of Ghana. In 2017 he is continuing this mission further, not only by inspiring British school children, but by continuing to promote education for the young people of Ghana, this time by raising funds to build a secondary school in the same area as the primary school for those students now old enough for secondary education Before Fuse sat down with the students, we caught up with him to talk about everything from Ed Sheeran to his love of Ghanaian food.

Where did your artist name ‘Fuse ODG’ come from?

ODG stands for Off The Ground - it was a group that we created when we were kids in Mitcham, South London, so I just kept it as my surname because they were like my first family in the street. ‘Fuse’ is because I just want my name to be in every household, like a fuse in a plug. Also ‘Fuse’ incorporates different vibes, like fusing stuff together

Your latest single ‘Boa Me’ featuring Ed Sheeran is out now, what was the inspiration behind this track?

Every song that I made with ed in ghana was inspired by the day that we had. He was there for just over a week and everyday we would go out. Maybe we would go to the beach or to a local restaur-

ant, I always made sure he experienced the real culture of Ghana and then we would go and make music. When we made ‘Boa Me’ I had taken him to a school we are building in Akosombo, we have built a primary school over there and I was telling him about the mission and what we are trying to to for these kids by giving them an education. Its all about helping people and the song actually came off that vibe. ‘Boa Me’ actually means ‘Help Me’. Every Time we were at the house together it was so lively and fun, that vibe definitely came through in the track. We wanted to make something authentic and different. Ed actually was the one that thought it would be sick if we did the chorus in ‘Twi’ - the local Ghanaian language. Ed doesn't speak any English in the song, every single word of the song he sang in ‘Twi’ which made it much more special and authentic.

Which do you prefer more, being in the studio or performing live?

I really love performing because you're connecting to the crowd and you're seeing people's reactions and seeing them sing along to your songs. I also really love recording the music as well because again it's just fun. You start with nothing and then all of a sudden you have a song. Its nice to see the transition from being in the studio to being on stage. I love both just as much so it's hard to choose.

Do you have plans to tour soon?

Yes - next year (2018) we will be doing a tour 100%, my next Album is coming next year, so after a few

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 13

HEADLINE SPONSOR

7 Anniversary th

GALA

Dinner And Awards Presentation 2017

Special Souvenir Pullout

Page 14 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

A Royal Arriv A

l Reverend Esther Ajayi of the Esther Ajayi Foundation with His Imperial Majesty The Ooni of Ife

l Meeting with His Imperial Majesty The Ooni of Ife’s entourage at Heathrow

n imposing vision, The Ooni’s arrival into the UK would set the tone of what was to come as, leading a line of fellow kings and chiefs alongside him, as the Royal entourage marched solemnly through Heathrow Airport it was an occasion which no-one could miss as other passengers and by-standers stood agog with cameras and camera phones clicking away at a speed hardly before seen. Facilitated by the effervescent Reverend Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi, founder of the Love Of Christ Generation C&S Church in London, Royalty, with its fanfare – Nigerian style, colour and regalia, plus centuries of history behind it, set off for Birmingham and what was going to be

the most memorable of State visits-the likes of which has never quite been experienced. With a dynasty going back centuries, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the 51st Ooni in the lineage, the Ooni would soon be in the second city, as preparations for the Gala Dinner & Awards were well under way. As he descended on Birmingham’s Hyatt Regency Hotel, the sound of music filled the air for hours before his eventual arrival, enticing hotel stayers and passers by to take part in the joyous celebrations surrounding His Imperial Majesty’s visit. As the drums died down following his entrance, in the early hours of the morning, the group was left to rest and prepare for the itinerary ahead.

val In The UK

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 15

l Omisore Lateef Oyewale Ijala Ode announces the Kings arrival into Birmingham

l Marcia McLaughling, Founder and CEO of The Phoenix with Reverend Esther Ajayi meeting with His Imperial

Majesty at the Hyatt Hotel

l Emeke Alex Akwaeze, Operations Manager, Phoenix Nigera Magazine, Marcia McLaughlin, Founder and CEO of The Phoenix Newspaper, and Dr Neslyn Watson-Druee CBE, Chair of The Phoenix Newspaper

Page 16 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

A Royal Visit to

l His Imperial Majesty The Ooni of Ife and his Kings and Chiefs meets with Marcia McLaughlin, CEO and Founder of The Phoenix, as well as Nehemiah UCHA Leadership Team and Dr Beverly Lindsay OBE OD VLL proud, yet humbled, Ms McLaughlin by his side – aided by TPN Media Chair, Dr Neslyn Watson-Druee - The Ooni would fire excitement and huge anticipation with his first visit, to Nehemiah UCHA, a retirement living scheme, in Aston. Enabled by Dr Beverly Lindsay OBE OD VLL, the meeting at Nehemiah’s Plummers House shared best practices of assisted living and retirement schemes which the Ooni stated would be good to take back to Ile-Ife to improve the si-

tutation over there. Following a showing of respect by his Kings and Chiefs, His Imperial Majesty heard about the history of the organisation from Jimmy Ogunshakin, Chairman of Nehemiah UCHA, and Llewellyn Graham, Chief Executive of Nehemiah UCHA and was introduced to Plummer House Scheme Manager Beverley Ramhi before being taken on a tour of the assisted living. “It was a real honour and very humbling indeed to have been included in His Imperial Majesty’s

tour of the West Midlands – and it was our absolute pleasure to meet him and show him around Plummer House,” Llewellyn Graham, Chief Executive of Nehemiah UCHA, says. The Royal party was given a tour of Plummer House, one of seven retirement schemes and Nehemiah UCHA’s earliest founded scheme, built in 1991. The scheme underwent an extensive refurbishment programme in 2016, benefiting all 37 self-contained flats that house older people, aged 55 and over.

Yoruba Descendants Midlands

s part of The Phoenix Newspaper’s itinerary for His Imperial Majesty The Ooni of Ile Ife, the King visited a Yoruba Descendants Midlands gathering in Birmingham. Meeting with the members of YDM, lead by Mr Stephen Akin Babasanya, the Ooni felt at ease and comfortable as he laughed and jokes, speaking the Yoruba language all the way. It was a lovely slice of home for His Imperial Majesty, before retiring back to his hotel with his hosts, TPN Media

l His Imperial Majesty meets with members of the Yoruba Descendants Midlands group.

and his entourage of Kings and Chiefs. In attendance were John Okundaye of Jecom and Co Accountants, and Olusegun Dosumu, Professor at Newman University and Doctoral Researcher at Birmingham City University.

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 17

Building Links with

is impact took on a greater awareness when his entourage, led by the ever-present band of hearty musicians, marked his presence at Birmingham City Council. It’s the 18th Anniversary of the ever-popular German Market, in Birmingham, and even the thousands of revellers there, and stall holders, stood to attention to greet the royal entourage. “I feel blessed to be able to witness Royalty in our midst,” one on-looker said. Explaining the present structure and future strategy of Nigeria, on a world stage, The Ooni said: “We must make provisions for a growing population with extensive amounts of money going towards our youth.” On an eco-political stance, he went on: “With Birmingham being the centre for gold, in particular, and jewellery in general, the links between us two can be unending. “We just have to remain transparent with our minerals and raw materials.” Continuing, he said: “As the ‘Mirror of Africa,’ we have to be more pro-active with Birmingham-based companies setting up in Nigeria – through trade missions and the likes.`` “With oil and gas already prominent in the country, we are in a position to open more commercial properties on a grander scale. “After all, the largest diamond bolder in world history was found in the Yoruba kingdom and originally used to light up that country. “Now we are looking to open strategic partnerships to work with us…not abuse us, and also create exchange programmes that would be mutually beneficial.” “Connections with the commonwealth is vital for all parties,” was the Council’s reply. “It’s about what we can deliver to you as well as what you can to us. “We are happy and willing to discuss a focal point to work from.” A commitment endorsed by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO, Jerry Blackett, who highlighted the city’s “big appetite to explore new opportunities since Brexit. “After all, when British people first visited Nigeria the first people they came across were the Yoruba people.” An opportunity it was for His Royal Highness to, as he did at his previous visits, present a gift to Birmingham Lord Mayor, Councillor Anne Underwood; a bronze embossed framed figurine depicting the history of the Yoruba Kingdom in Nigeria and worldwide. TPN Media chair, Dr Neslyn, added: “We look to the future with a new vision and understanding with us at the forefront.”

l His Imperial Majesty at Birmingham Council House after meeting with The Lord Mayor Cllr Anne Underwood and Birmingham Commonwealth Association

l His Imperial Majesty exchanges gifts with The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Cllr Anne Underwood

Page 18 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

Rolls Out The

l The Ooni of Ife’s Visit to Birmingham City University brought students and business figures from across Birmingham together to ce

A l Jimmy Ogunshakin and Julian Lloyd Webber, Principal of Birmingham Conservatoire

t Birmingham City University, in the presence of world renowned former cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, Principal of Birmingham Conservatoire, which is part of BCU, plus other dignitaries including; Satinder Kaur Taunque OBE DL, Dr Beverly Lindsey OBE OD VL, BCU chair, Keith Stokes-Smith (also chair of Birmingham Commonwealth Association), His Imperial Majesty was warmly received. “Your Royal Highness, you exude love, harmony and hope,” said Dr Neslyn. “And TPN Media gives value to connecting communities as

Marcia continues to do wonders as she continues to be a mountain in all our communities. The Ooni’s visit would provide an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the large number students of Nigerian/African descent at the seat of learning. “Birmingham City University is testimony of the multicultural diversity of the city as a whole,” he said. “It’s an honour to be here at BCU. I thank the Vice-Chancellor for taking his time to welcome all of us to this beautiful University. It’s a great honour and we will not forget what you done for us. We are proud to be associated

with this University and to be in the thoughts and feelings of your students who are potential leaders of our great country of Nigeria and the entire Black race.” Birmingham City University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Philip Plowden, said: “Our Nigerian scholars are integral to our diversity and success going forward. “The visit by His Imperial Majesty is a chance for us to reflect on our collective past, present and future, and celebrate the success of our Nigerian students, both here and in their home country. “I hope this visit will mark the beginning of even more fruitful part-

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 19

e Red Carpet For The Ooni

elebrate his visit, following the exchange of gifts with Birmingham City University Vice Chancellor Professor Philip Plowden (top left)

nerships between Birmingham City University and Nigeria, and the Yoruba people in particular.” Speeches were also given by Oluwadamilola Adebambo, President of the Nigerian Society at Birmingham City University Students’ Union (BCSU) and Akin Babasanya, University alumnus and President of the Yoruba Descendants in the Midlands. It is thought there are almost 100,000 Yoruba people currently living in the UK. His Imperial Majesty spoke of the historic significance of Africa and appealed for global unity. “Africa is the next frontier if the entire world. It is a continent that everyone has a

stake in. All of humanity has a stake in it. “Everyone has a cot there, that’s where the entire history of mankind began,” he said. “We belong to one big happy family and that’s what we should preach.” Following his speech, the Vice-Chancellor announced, that in the Ooni’s honour, a series of partial scholarships would be made available to prospective Yoruba students commencing their studies in 2018 at Birmingham City University. The scholarship, based on merit, was further marked by the exchange of a commemorative plate from the Vice-Chancellor to His Imperial

Majesty. The event at Birmingham City University concluded with a performance from a Nigerian student at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Classical singer John Eclou from Edo State was accompanied by pianist postgraduate Stefanos Politsakis before gifts were exchanged on stage. “I hope today will mark the beginning of even more fruitful partnerships between Birmingham City University and Nigeria, and the Yoruba people in particular,” Professor Plowden said.

l Dr Beverly Lindsay OBE OD VLL and singer John Eclou from Edo State

l His Imperial Majesty and Birmingham City University Vice Chancellor Professor Philip Plowden

Page 20 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

Making A Spiritual Co O

l Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE KSG shows His Imperial Majesty around the Gurdwara

l Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE KSG with Marcia McLaughlin, CEO/Founder of The Phoenix Newspaper

n the morning of the 25th November, mere hours before he was to attend The Phoenix Newspaper 7th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation at the ICC, His Imperial Majesty, The Ooni of Ife arrived at the Nishkam Centre on Soho Road. With a congregation standing waiting in white for the King, he was received by Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE KSG, Chairman of the centre. Presented with flowers, signifying love and warm welcome, he was ushered into the Gurdwara where he was shown around, offering flowers and prayers at various points within the Gurdwara. The Ooni offered and presented a flower to the center as a sign

onnection at the of love and peace in return. It was a remarkable visit for His Imperial Majesty as the centre was well built and decorated with gold. The Nishkam Centre is a Sikh faith-led organization working for the benefit of all communities. The organisation is known for its mission to enrich mundane life through the practice and promotion of the Sikh values which is earning an honest living, sharing and active volunteering that are embedded in their spiritual and Dharmic heritage. The Ooni and his entourage enjoyed Langar, the sharing of food that is available to everyone at the Gurdwara every day regardless of status, religion or race. His Imperial Majesty was later entertained with a warm reception to show appreciation of his visit to Nishkam Centre. He was presented with various gifts in recognitions of his visit and His Imperial Majesty in a swift reaction made a presentation to the Centre itself for their kind gesture done to him and his entourage.

l His Imperial Majesty pays his respects at the Gurdwara

l Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE KSG exchanges gifts with His Imperial Majesty

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 21

Page 22 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

We Are

Family!

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 23

Page 24 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

The Official Launch of the

l Reverend Esther Ajayi of the Esther Ajayi Foundation

l Patrick Campbell of the Esther Ajayi Foundation

HE ESTHER AJAYI FOUNDATION has been established by Reverend Mother Esther (Iya Adura) Ajayi, as an expression of her deep and heart felt desire to touch as many lives as possible through charitable and philanthropic giving, based on the biblical principles that have been fundamental in blessing her with such a fruitful and abundant life.

Her vision for the Foundation is to lead the organisation to become world-class in giving and to help raise, inspire and support a new generation of givers. With a serious focus on philanthropy, volunteerism, and making a difference in the world, Reverend Mother Ajayi believes in the power of what can be achieved, when we place giving at the centre of our lives. She is passionate about making her life a demonstration of just how much change one individual can affect, when that individual makes giving a way of life. THE ESTHER AJAYI FOUNDATION is this vision at scale. Inspired by her own experiences, she has had long standing determination to support some key causes dear to the heart such as the plight

of the Homelessness, those held in Detention Camps, moving people out of poverty, rehabilitation of offenders, as well as assisting other organisations with the same passion for changing the lives of those less fortunate. The Foundation applies the principles of Venture Philanthropy, investing both money and expertise, to achieve systemic change within its chosen sectors, recognising that money alone will not solve some of societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest inequalities. As will initiating its own projects, THE ESTHER AJAYI FOUNDATION encourges partnership and colloboration assisting organisations to develop and implement sustainable and successful programmes as well as providing the necessary support required in terms of training, guidance and evaluation. Over the next 12 months the THE ESTHER AJAYI FOUNDATION will roll out an exciting programme of projects partnerships and events that will showcase an innovative approach to charitable and philanthropic endeavor.

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 25

The Unveiling of

l Emeke Alex Akwaeze, Operations Manager, Phoenix Nigeria

l Holly Lynn, Mrs England Earth

he Phoenix Nigeria is a fresh and vibrant publication bringing the quality and content from the highly respected UK publishing company, TPN Media Ltd. The Phoenix Newspaper is renowned as the “voice of the people” truthful and professional journalism, in depth reports and interviews, facts and not fiction, presented in a bright and refreshing publication that attracts and captivates its audience. Now these exciting developments are coming to the people of Nigeria in this First of its kind Exclusive FREE Issue Monthly Magazine. Working with the people and communities of the regions, connecting with senior government departments and embracing the leaders of major business enterprises, we will be bringing something for everyone, in this new and exclusive monthly publication “The Phoenix Nigeria”. Following the Unveiling of Phoenix Nigeria at The Phoenix Newspaper 7th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation by His Imperial Majesty The Ooni of Ife, we will be working closely with him in Nigeria to ensure that the publication does as much as it is able to do to serve the people of Nigeria. The Magazine will be available in print and online!

www.phoenixnigeria.com

Page 26 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

The Phoenix Newspaper 7th

l International Businesswoman Of The Year Award 2017 - Deborah Leary

l Spiritual Leadership Award 2017 - Reverend Esther Ajayi

l Charity Of The Year Award 2017 Ronald McDonald House Charities

l Enterprise Award 2017 - Kenneth Grey

l Musical Dedication Award 2017 Mark Dwayne Gillespie

l Media Personality Award 2017 - Noreen Khan

Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation Photographs by Mo Naheem Ash of Motions Media unless otherwise stated

l International Businessman Of The Year Award 2017 - Paul Ramsey

l Local Entrepreneur Of The Year Award

2017- Joel Graham Blake

l Sporting Legend Bunny Johnson

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 27

Anniversary Award Winners

l Emissary of Peace Award 2017 - Honourable Farouk Adamu Aliyu - Received by his representative

l Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 - Satinder Kaur Taunque OBE DL & Jagjit Singh Taunque MBE DL

l Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice Award 2017 - Abbey Paseda

l International Sports Development Award 2017 Steve Hollingworth

d Award 2017

l Local Hero Award 2017 - Dean Alexander

l Connecting Communities Award 2017 Garry Peal

l Heart Of The Community Award 2017 Jeanette Nicholson AKA Miss Lily

l International Communications Specialist Award 2017 - Johnson JohnRose

Page 28 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

The Spectac

l Photo by Elijah Thompson Photography

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 29

cular Show

l Photo by Elijah Thompson Photography

Page 30 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

Editors Choice Awards

Presented by Headline Sponsor Reverend Esther Ajayi

l Faith Connection Award 2017- Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE

l Editorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Choice Award 2017 - Poppy Brady

l Veteran Award 2017 - Cecil Morris

l Lifetime Contribution To Music 2017 Gurcharan Mall A.K.A. King G Mall

l Motivation Award 2017 - Dr Neslyn Watson-DruĂŠe CBE

l Humanitarian Award 2017 - His Imperial Majesty Alayeluwa Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II, 51st Ooni of Ife

l Special Community Veteran Award 2017 - Sted Wallen

l True Friend Award 2017 Olusegun Dosumu

l Employee Of The Year Award 2017 - Daniel Riley

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 31

The Phoenix Rises l Andy Street CBE, Satinder Kaur Taunque OBE DL & Jagjit Singh Taunque MBE DL and High Sheriff of the West Midlands John Hudson OBE DL

l His Imperial Majesty The Ooni of Ife presents Marcia McLaughlin, Founder and CEO of The Phoenix Newspaper with a gift from Ile Ife he Dhol Blasters met His Imperial Majestyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s procession along with host Marcia McLaughlin and co-host Reverend Esther Ajayi at the Hyatt Hotel, leading the group past Symphony Hall and into the foyer of the ICC. Preceeded by the drumming of the Dhol Blasters, the procession was led to the VIP Drinks Reception, where The King was introduced to the other dignitaries and VIP guests. The Royal Navy, Air Force and Army marched the procession onto the Red Carpet of Hall 4 before the King Cross Pathfinder Drum Core brought the VIPs into the room. The night was packed with guest speakers including Johnson JohnRose who gave a passionate and rousing speech, as well as Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE, The Jamaica High Commissioner, His Excellency Mr Seth George Ramocan, Deborah Leary OBE, Keith

Stokes-Smith of the Birmingham Commonwealth Association and the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street who all spoke of the Commonwealth and how The Phoenix epitomises that celebration of Queen Elizabeth and her love for the Commonwealth. His Imperial Majesty spoke with gusto following a sumptuous dinner, praising The Phoenix Newspaper for its efforts in Connecting Communities, and the drive to bring together the diverse cultures of the Commonwealth. The hosting team on the night included Toastmaster Reuben Lynch, Adrian de Redman and main presenter of the awards ceremony, Henry Bonsu, who prostrated in front of His Imperial Majesty as a mark of respect, an unexpected but appreciated gesture by the man of Ghanaian heritage who had only just lost his father and yet l Keith Stokes-Smith, Chair of the Birmingham Commonwealth Association and Richard Loftus, Town Hall continued on in a true professional manner.

Continued on Next Page

& Symphony Hall Director of Sales & Marketing

l Martin Levermore MBE, Lloyd Blake, Errol Failey, Wayne Irie

l Award Winners Cecil Morris and Bunny Johnson l Grace and Michael Sturridge

l Maz Iqbal and Mrs Iqbal

l Barry Tomes and Monica Price

l Garry Peal with his daughters Sian and Georgia

Page 32 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

The Phoenix Rises Continued from Previous Page

Entertainment highlights on the night included standout performances from the Wan Sheung Dance Group, Choy Lee Fut Lion Dance Team, Peter Spence, Mark Dwayne, Camara Fearon and Daniel Riley. There was a launch and an unveiling on the night before the awards started - The Esther Ajayi Foundation and Phoenix Nigeria respectively. Headline Sponsor Esther Ajayi took to the stage where Patrick Campbell shared her vision of a foundation that aims to touch over 1 million lives in the next year alone. Phoenix Nigeria was unveiled by Marcia McLaughlin alongside His Imperial Majesty and Reverend Esther Ajayi. The publication aims to provide a free high quality business publication to the masses in Nigeria and was unveiled by His Imperial Majesty cutting the ribbon on stage. An impassioned speech by Rubie Marie highlighted her Journey in-

spiring everyone present to never give up, before Grace Sturridge and her Sturr Crazy sauces let everyone know what their tastebuds had been missing. The awards were a reflection of what is true and great about our community with an eclectic mix of the great and the good celebrating together. The Humanitarian Award was given to His Imperial Majesty, awarded for his tireless work promoting the Yoruba people and connecting communities worldwide. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to two Deputy Lieutenants who are joined at the hip, Satinder Kaur Taunque OBE DL and Jagjit Singh Taunque MBE DL, acknowledging their years of selfless service to all communities across Birmingham. The night was a resounding success with everyone leaving feeling uplifted and content, bring on next year!

l Mark Dwayne and Camara Fearon performing Imela, High Commissioner of Jamaica H.E. Seth George Ramocan, and Andy Street CBE

The Last Supper O n Snnday 26th November, the hosts, TPN Media, and His Imperial Majesty, along with specially invited guests had a final meal together before the King and his entourage returned to London. Set in the beautiful Hyatt Regency, Birmingham, the group sat to

break bread and reflect on the events of the previous few days. Many words of thanks were spoken, from Marcia McLaughlin, Founder and Managing Editor of The Phoenix Newspaper, Reverend Esther Ajayi of the Esther Ajayi Foundation, and even from the Ooni and members of his entourage. Noticing the calibre of vocalists

around the table on the night, host Patrick Campbell organised an impromtu singing competition. At the end of the night, despite a closely fought battle between Lady G, Daniel Riley and Dave Wilkes, the winner by public vote was Daniel, who received a commemorative piece of artwork from the Ooni of Ile Ife.

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 33

More Secure By Royal Appointment

uring the visit of His Imperial Majesty to Birmingham, security was tight with close protection security the order of the day. Clint Dunkley aka Beva along with his trusted team were responsible for the Kings safety at all times. Behind the wheel of his trusted beast, he ensured that the King was transported safely and securely between each destination. Towering over even His Imperial Majesty himself, The Ooni had to make mention that his Close Protection were both rather tall people!

Working closely with His Imperial Majestyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own CSO, they were able to put together a tight mutually beneficial security system of close protection that had us all in awe. Beva said that he prides himself in protecting all important people that come into Birmingham, including Presidents, Prime Ministers, and now Kings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a proud moment for us to be in close proximity to His Imperial Majesty, and at the same time graining greater knowledge of the traditions and history. God Bless The Kingâ&#x20AC;?

Page 34 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

Give Thanks To The L F

ollowing The Phoenix Newspaper 7th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation on the 25th November, the 26th saw a thanks giving service to God almighty for the success of the event. The church service which took place at the Shilonite Gospel Church of Cherubim and Seraphim in Birmingham, started with praise and worship to God almighty and Bible readings with emphasis, doing and abiding on the perfect wills of God for our lives. Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi, also

know and called Iya Adura, in her message did not mince her words but spoke as an oracle of God, by reminding the congregation that as a servant of God, she owes the church the responsibility of telling them the truth, about the expectation of God from us. She emphasized the need for the Church to see themselves as one, with the same mandate from God almighty , and encourage each and every one to make sure they have a right standing with God, to be an encourager rather than discouragement to the body and growth of the word of the almighty.

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 35

Lord For He Is Good In a swift message by the host pastor, he acclaimed that the service is a unique one in the sense it was able to attract His Imperial Majesty the Ooni of Ile-Ife to this special event and urged all members of the church to see this royal visit as a blessing. His Imperial Majesty, in his sermon talking about the power of the tongue, with bible readings taken from John 1 verse 1 and Proverbs 18, verse 21, advised we watch what we say as it will affect our lives and how our future will turn out to be. He mentioned that being posit-

ive-minded is key for greatness. With the hall full to the brim with the congregation in attendance, His Imperial Majesty ministered in songs of thanks giving for all that God has done. He recognised that God almighty is the only reason why we are alive and out of the love he have for us we have been redeemed, that Christ is the King of all Kings and that anyone who do not have him is dead. The thanksgiving service came to an end with a dinner to celebrate the love for all that God has done.

Page 36 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

Thank You TPN Media would like to thank His Imperial Majesty for taking the time to come to Birmingham to celebrate our 7th Anniversary with us, and to officially unveil the Phoenix Nigeria Magazine, honouring us all with his time and presence in the Second City. We thank him for his commitment to working with us on Phoenix Nigeria ongoing. We hope it was as fruitful a trip for you as it was for everyone involved in Birmingham. A special thank you to Reverend Esther Ajayi and Patrick Campbell of the Esther Ajayi Foundation for being our main sponsor. Thanks also to Birmingham Commonwealth Association, Birmingham City Council and the Nishkam Centre for working in association with us for this event.

To Nehemiah UCHA, Birmingham City University, Yoruba Descendants Midlands and the Nishkam Centre, thank you for helping to make the itinerary a great success. Thank you to all the guest speakers including Johnson JohnRose, Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE, Jamaica High Commissioner, His Excellency Mr. Seth George Ramocan, Mayor of the West Midlands, Mr Andy Street CBE, Deborah Leary OBE, and Keith Stokes-Smith, Birmingham Commonwealth Association. As our chosen UK charity, Birmingham Childrens’ Hospital is a very worthy cause close to many of our hearts. We thank you all for your support and generosity in providing raffle and auction prizes for this effort. We would also like to pay thanks

to His Imperial Majesty’s Entourage Abdul Ganiy Adekunle Salau H.R.M Aseyin, Abiodun Abisoye Mulatto Obaluru Of Ife, Adejimi Samuel Adu-Alagbado H.R.M Ogoga Ikere, Aderemi A.A Adedapo H.R.M Alayemore, Awotilade Samson Awosogbon Elewo, Biodun Niyi Alaba Elewo, Daodu Paul Akin, Emmanuel Olawale Kolawole Chief Security Officer, Ifagbaju Akeem Famakinde Elewo, Joseph Adebayo Adewole H.R.M Ajero, Julius Oluwole Adetimehin H.R.M Ile Oluji, Lateef Adeniran Akanni AdoAdo Yewa, Lateef Oyewale Omisore Ijala Ode, Moses Olayera Olafare, Nurudeen Adedayo Adelekan Emese, Oladapo M o s h o o d O l a f i r a n y e Osogun Of Ife, Olayiwola

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Olatunji Emese, Omloye Joshua Odunmorayo Emese, Oosabukola Olaoye Egbedoyin Elewo, and Oyebadejo Saidi Amoda Emese.

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For a more exclusive Photo Album of the event, check out Peepoo Celebration Your Feature Event Magazine Order Your Copy Now! Name........................................................................ Address..................................................................... Number of Copies................................................... Contact Number..................................................... Email Address.......................................................... Send your information to: TPN Media, The Colmore Building, Birmingham, B4 6AT

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 37

ENTERTAINMENT

more singles and the Album i’ll be going on tour. I’ll definitely be coming back to Birmingham for the tour!

You've collaborated with some huge names during your career so far. Who would you like to work with next and why?

Thats a hard one because before Ed Sheeran was actually at the top of the list! I like Damian Marley, he's really someone that i’d like to work with. I like Pharrell as well actually.

If you weren’t an artist what would you have done instead?

I’d probably be doing community projects and working with young people. I’d be running my businesses, being an entrepreneur and then using that to support community work.

As part of Punch Record’s BASS2017, you’re visiting students at the Birmingham school ‘City Academy’ today, and you are known for raising funds for schools in Ghana, why is contributing to schools so important to you?

The best way to educate the world is to start with the young people. From the age of a baby to like fifteen, that’s the best time to teach someone because that’s when they soak in the most information. After around 20 people get stuck in their ways and it’s hard to teach people. Starting from early onwards is the best way to teach people and it’s very important that we all do our part and teach them the right way. No matter what they are going to be taught from the TV to stuff they see on social media and on the streets, so we need to do our part to place the right educational tools for them to learn the right way. I feel like I have to do my part, that’s why we are building another school in Ghana, so we can teach them the right way, so they can think the right way, so they can love themselves the right way. Rather than them being influenced by another group or company with the wrong agenda, we have to make sure we teach our kids to that they can go forward and lead the world because we are all going to get old someday and need them to take over.

Recently African influenced music is enjoying a lot of commercial success in the UK, why do you think this is?

Because it’s good vibes and good music. Music isn't really about language, there's no language barrier, it's about what feels good you know? Just Rhythm and melody and the message s o m e times. It’s music that's nice and

makes you feel good, everyone likes to be happy and African music is all about that and good vibes. It’s not just that thought, the UK is such a diverse country and very embracing of other cultures, that makes me proud to be British. So even if you're interested in a different genre of music, you might have a friend that’s African that starts playing it and then you start dancing to it and enjoying it, so the music gets shared across cultures.

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BASS2017’s theme is ‘‘This is Africa’, it celebrates the culture, art and heritage of Africa. What do you celebrate most about your Ghanaian heritage and culture?

WED 13 & THU 14 DECEMBER SYMPHONY HALL

A FAMILY CHRISTMAS WITH THE TOWN HALL GOSPEL CHOIR

I love the food and I love the music. So food and music is the perfect combination. The food in Ghana is everything, its proper heavy food too but everyone can still stay slim. There this food called Waakye, it's like rice and peas but it's rice and beans, it's got a really hot pepper in it called ---, it's really hot but I like spicy food. We have jollof, we have so many different local dishes that I know the world would love, just like they love our music. When Ed came he said his favorite food was Waakye, so you should come to Ghana and try it and see that we have amazing food. Also everyone dances in Ghana, the music just moves people in the street, from people in the market to drives, everyone's dancing all over the place. So I love our music, our food and our dancing.

FRI 22 DECEMBER TOWN HALL

GEETA BROTHERS LIVE IN CONCERT SAT 23 DECEMBER TOWN HALL

You're currently raising money to build a secondary school in Ghana, having already helped to fund a primary school, where can people find out more and support this cause?

You can go to Gofundme.com/ wewillrizetogether - We have now also teamed up with a Jamaican organisation to raise funds for refurbishments on a school there. So we are building a school in Ghana and refurbishing Haile Selassie high school in Jamaica. The idea is to connect these young people, kind of twin the schools so they can start communicating with each other from early. There's a crazy distance between Africa and the Caribbean and also there's no direct flights, which is something i've not been happy about for a while and we are doing something about it, we are making noise and letting people know that needs to change because there's such a barrier between Africa and the Caribbean, physically and logistically, it just doesn't make sense. We need to fix all of that, we are doing what we can with linking the schools so that these young people are talking from early, so that they can start seeing each other, talking and building relationships and doing business in the future naturally. We have to start early.

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION PRESENTS LA HAINE FRI 19 JANUARY TOWN HALL

JAZZLINES PRESENTS ZARA MACFARLANE WED 7 FEBRUARY HARE & HOUNDS

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Page 38 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

TEEN FLAIR WITH RHEA DEHANEY

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ow what is one thing you notice about the picture’s over there? Yes!

Hair. Over the years, some people style changes, or maybe it’s there change in music. For me it’s my hair! I gathered pictures taken over the years of the different hairstyles i’ve worn. For the hair lovers out there you’ll most likely be the same, Now a lot of my friends age 16 and upwards even run their own little hair business to earn cash on the side, I personally admire this, as some learn to do hair from either watching someone close to them do hair, or even just personal experience of having different hairstyles. Now we all have our favourites hair companies who provide (weaves, wigs, lace frontals, closure fronts) for those who might not know what these are, here are some picture’s below. UniWigs human hair wig collection provides a large variety of human hair wigs, including celebrity styles, classic lace human hair wigs, and custom wigs. They sent me the beautiful 30 inch loose wave brazilian virgin remy hair weave plus a brazilian lace frontal closure with baby hair. The hair is soft and manageable. And the one thing that is important to me is if the hair is true to length and minimal

shedding. I love the length and one quality about this hair is that not only do the curls last long but when the hair is straightened, the texture last for more than 3 weeks, when kept in a good condition. “Unique to our industry, we make our hair designs at our design center in LA and produce them at our factories based in Asia. Design, development, production, quality control and sales.” Uniwigs controls every step of the hair making process and ensures high Uniwigs quality. They take responsibility in providing our customers the

best. Uniwigs offer the largest discount since Friday. It is at least 35% off everything on our website. A great chance to save money! UniWigs is an on-line wig store that offers human hair wigs, synthetic wigs, hair extensions and hair pieces for women who want to look their best and feel confident. Whether it is for fashion, for fun or to compensate for hair loss or thinning hair, you can always find the perfect products here! Click on Uni wigs and you should find these products under ‘Weaves and closures’ 3 Bundles Loose Wave 6A Brazilian Unprocessed Virgin Remy Hair Weave: https://goo.gl/iMWCGZ Brazilian 13x4 Loose Wave Lace Frontal Closure With Baby Hair: https://goo.gl/eyQG88

Dress Sense - Your Views? S

JOBS

ome of you may be either in sixth form or college, or maybe you’re in the stage of looking for the right one to attend. Well in my sixth form, the teachers recently presented an assembly only for the girls on how we should dress. The posters you see above were put up as a response to the assembly, it caused some

debates and tense arguments between the boys and girls. I attend a mixed sixth form and the teachers were saying that is it important to dress modest, and that we should be aware of our clothing. As boys in younger years get excited, and that we obviously shouldn’t be dress like how we would on the weekend at home or wherever.

What are your thoughts? Personally, I think subjects like this are good to talk about, and it’s interesting to see a male and female perspective. I encourage you to ask questions, maybe look up what debates you could begin during free time. What are you passionate about? What do you think needs to be talked about?

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This is the place to be on the 22nd of December, a free event, for all you singers, rappers etc you don’t want to miss this one opportunity to network! I’ll be singing along with some talented people… It’s going to be amazing!

KEEP IN TOUCH As we are all aware there is power in social media, I will be using these networking sites, to promote this newspaper page, and #TEAMFLAIR which will not only advertise, but will promote what to look forward to in the newspaper. I’m not only hoping to create just another column, but a movement, for young people of all races.

Go and check out new twitter page #TEAMFLAIR twitter page! To keep updated with activities, polls and more, do not forget to hashtag #Teamflair

Contact me at rhea.dehaney@thephoenixnewspaper.com with all your news, information and more!

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 39

ENTERTAINMENT

www.streetcredmagazine.com

‘Stormzy’-ing the MOBO Awards

tormzy stole the show winning 3 MOBO Awards on a night that saw the best of the industry recognised for their talents. This year also saw a “Paving the Way Award” given to Idris Elba, for recognition for achievements in the arts and contribution to British culture. With Stefflon Don and Damien Marley also grabbing gongs for Best Female and Reggae acts respectively, it was a night for celebration.

Best Male Act Stormzy

Best Female Act Stefflon Don

Best Album

Gang Signs & Prayer by Stormzy

Best Newcomer Dave

Best Song

J Hus, "Did You See"

Best Video

Mist, "Hot Property"

Best Hip-Hop Act Giggs

Best Grime Act Stormzy

Best R&B/Soul Act Craig David

Best International Act Wizkid

Best African Act Davido

Best Reggae Act Damian Marley

Best Jazz Act Moses Boyd

Best Gospel Act

Volney Morgan & New-Ye

Paving the Way Award Idris Elba

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Page 40 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

CELEBRATION OF THE Reunification of Jerusalem And the Balfour Declaration

Connecting Communities

he honourable Shimon Shetreet, Rev Mother Esther Ajayi, Baron Taylor of Warwick, David Waterman, Chairman of HADASSAH, Pastor Olatunji Adebayo of Redeemed Church, Chairman of ISAC joined other eminent guests at The ShangriLa Hotel at The Shard, London to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, and 100 Years of the Balfour Declaration. Following Jewish and Christian prayers at the beginning of the evening, guests were treated to speeches from a number of high profile speakers, including The Honourable Shimon Shetreet, an Israeli politician who has held several ministerial portfolios between 1992 and 1996. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We meet in a very special month, both full of happy memories, and sad memories. I would like to say that we in Israel consider strong relationships with Africa for many many years a

cornerstone in our foreign policy.â&#x20AC;? On an evening celebrating the connecting of these diverse communities, the joyful and philanthropic nature of the many people in the room was infectious. Alongside the celebrations of the night was another reason to celebrate, as Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi launched her foundation, The Esther Ajayi Foundation. The Esther Ajayi Foundation was established in response for support for issues and causes dear to the heart of Reverend Mother including Homelessness, Detention Camps, Moving people out of poverty , Rehabilitation of offenders as well as assisting other organisations with her same passion and mission. Later on in the evening, Reverend Esther was presented with a gift by the Honourable Shimon Shetreet, as well as an award by David Waterman of HADASSAH UK.

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 41

AZUZA STREET

National Interfaith Week Launch I

l Representatives from the numerous faiths that are practiced across the city gathered at the Council House to celebrate the Launch of National Interfaith Week

So Long, and H Farewell

undreds turned out for a Celebration Mass in honour of Father Patrick Joyce of St Mary & St John’s Church Erdington last month following his retirement after 33 years at the Parish. Presided over by Bishop Pargeter and attended by a number of Bishops, Priests and Canons from across the city and beyond, the night was a beautiful celebration of a wonderful Priest, Mentor and Friend.

n the presence of the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Anne Underwood, at the Council House in the City Centre, the Birmingham Council of Faiths held the launch of National Interfaith Week 2017 in Birmingham. With representatives from most, if not all of the religious organisations that are a part of the Council of Faiths, it was a truly diverse affair. National Interfaith Week this year occurred between Sunday 12th November and Sunday 19th November, however for Birminghams larger programme of activities, this was extended on either end. The initiative is there to build good relationships and working partnerships between people of different faiths and beliefs, and is part of the year-round work of many people and organisations across the UK. Although Interfaith initiatives are something that happens all year round in Birmingham, having a special Week provides a focal point, helping to open inter faith activity up to a wider audience so that more and more people are made aware of the importance of this vital work and are able to participate in it. The three aims of Interfaith Week are: • to strengthen interfaith relations at all levels; • increase awareness of the differ-

ent and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society; • and to increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs. There were cultural presentations including a musical performance by members of the Nishkam Centre, and a presentation by Lynsey Rutter of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Faith Gallery. “Interfaith is very very important, no matter where you live in this world, we are living in a global village.” explained Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr Mohinder Singh OBE from the Nishkam Centre. “In Birmingham we are taking it one step further with our multi-faith Nishkam schools. Children of every faith and denomination are able to come to our schools.” There were a number of interfaith events happening right across Birmingham during National Interfaith Week, as there are all throughout the year. For more information on these and any future Interfaith events, check out the Birmingham Council of Faiths website at https://bhamfaiths.org.uk/.

Page 42 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

National Conference Celebrates Excellence in Healthcare

l Emma Plunkett, Speaking at the Conference

nationwide conference celebrating an initiative aimed at capturing and studying peer reporting excellence in healthcare took place in Birmingham. More than 250 delegates attended the Learning from Excellence (LfE) Community Event, with attendees coming from as far as Finland. The LfE project is an initiative that has been running for three years and is led by Adrian Plunkett, Consultant Paediatric Intensivist at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and Emma Plunkett, Locum Consultant at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. The LfE team believes that studying excellence in healthcare can create new opportunities for learning and improving team resilience, and the project is supported by Appreciating People and the West Midlands Patient Safety Collaborative. At the two NHS trusts, LfE aims to identify, appreciate, study and learn from episodes of excellence in frontline healthcare. Other health and social care organisations in the NHS and beyond are also beginning to adopt the Learning from Excellence approach in their areas of practice. Speakers at the event, at The Vox Conference Centre, included the Learning from Excellence team; Appreciating People; Suzette Woodward, Campaign Director

for NHS Sign up to Safety; Chris Turner, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust; Neil Spenceley, Clinical Lead for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in Yorkhill Children's Hospital; and Andy Bradley, Founding Director at Frameworks 4 Change. Reflecting on the conference, Emma Plunkett said: “We were incredibly pleased with how the day went - it was brilliant to be able to bring everyone together to share their experience of Learning from Excellence and Appreciative Inquiry. “The presentations from the speakers captured the theme of the initiative; emphasising the importance of promoting positive workplaces behaviours and a culture of kindness and compassion. “I also learnt huge amounts from the teams who have introduced LfE from around the country, and have already made some tweaks to our system at University Hospitals Birmingham. “We've had lots of requests to make it an annual event and which we are looking into.” Helen Hunt, Assistant Programme Manager for the West Midlands Patient Safety Collaborative, said: “It has been a privilege to work with Emma and Adrian to deliver what was in my eyes a fantastic event that brought together more than 250 people from across Europe and the UK."

or any parent, or carer, who has a child with communication difficulties, Autism, Spectrum Disorder, or a speech and language impairment Heather Jones offers very practical, hands-on suggestions for getting your child to engage in conversation exchanges. Some of her personal suggestions include using trips to the supermarket to aid communication and making dayto-day tasks into games; like practising potential conversations with your child, so that they can have small wins in communication exchanges. Using a child’s interests to encourage communication; i.e. watching films and then checking understandings by retelling the story and describing the emotions of characters during films. Using simple games, to encourage turn taking and conversation. Take To Me is concise and is written in short manageable chunks, where each chapter focuses on a different method for encouraging and increasing conversation, allowing the reader to dip in and out according to what is of interest to them. At the end of each chapter, is a short summary and bullet points of the key strategies to use with your child. The book is a personal journey and starts with general advice on ‘how to get your child talking’, which you can use at any age and finally ends with ‘Preparing for the first day at work’. It is therefore relevant for parents/ carers at any stage of their child’s journey. A very useful and thought-provoking book, it gives positive strategies, where the reader feels encouraged that they can take action to help their child.

Dementia and Football

by Steve Williams The Football Association and Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) have jointly announced a long-awaited study into the links between heading a football and brain damage will start in January. Dr Willie Stewart, the doctor who claimed former striker Jeff Astle died because of repeated head trauma is to lead the study titled 'Football's Influence on Lifelong Health and Dementia Risk' and says his report would aim to "provide some understanding of the long-term health impact of football within the next two to three years." PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor added: "Neurological problems in later life which may be connected to concussion, head injuries and heading the ball have been on our agenda for the last 20 years." In the recent BBC documentary ‘Alan Shearer: Dementia, Football and Me,’ the former England captain highlighted the case of Astle, the West Brom and England player who developed dementia and died in 2002 at the age of 59. He said: “For every goal I scored with a header, I must have practiced it 1,000 times in training. That must put me at risk if there is a link.”

Talk to Me

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 43

n 11-year-old singer has released his very first single to raise funds in support of his cousin who is battling blood cancer. Liam Price, who won ‘Open Mic UK’ at the NEC earlier this year, has been singing ever since he started to speak and with support from his parents Donna and Kevin and stepdad Adam, he now has his music on global music platforms including iTunes. Liam’s cousin, Harrison (Harry) Price, is battling Philadelphia positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare form of blood cancer and Liam hopes to raise at least £1,000 for Cure Leukaemia in support of his 12-year-old relative. Liam, from Solihull, in the West Midlands, currently attends specialist music school Kimichi in Acocks Green and he is becoming very well known in the Midlands and nationally winning Pontins Talent Quest, John Lewis Star Quest, performing alongside Diversity at Dancefest 2017 and he appeared on Sky TV’s Teen Star 2017 which showcases the top 30 young singers in the UK. He wanted his song, ‘You & I,’ which was written and recorded by The Famous Company at their London studio, to sound like an ‘X Factor winners song’ and he hopes the public are keen to purchase a copy to support Harry and Cure Leukaemia. “Having lost my great aunt to cancer, seeing the battle Harry is going through and knowing another of my cousins has cancer too, I was passionate about using my voice to raise funds to help support people like Harry. “I’m really proud of the song and I hope people will download it and donate to Cure Leukaemia as they are committed to helping beat blood cancer.”

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

11-Year-Old Releases Charity Single for Cure Leukaemia Support Column

A Christmas Wish –

Egg Freezing: The Myths

l L-R Liam’s mum Donna Belcher, Liam Price and stepdad Adam Belcher

His stepdad Adam Belcher is a staff nurse at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital A & E department and, along with his wife Donna and Liam’s father Kevin, has helped Liam realise his dream. He said: “Liam is so talented and we are incredibly proud that he has chosen to use his talent to help others. “I have treated Harry a number

of times when he has come into A & E and his bravery in battling this horrible disease is an inspiration to the whole family. “I hope Liam’s song touches a chord with the public and hopefully he will smash his £1,000 fundraising target for Cure Leukaemia.” Cure Leukaemia CEO James McLaughlin said: “The generosity of Harry’s family and friends

Pioneering Technique saves Jamaican farmer’s life in the Cayman Islands

Jamaican farmer who had a life-threatening case of leptospirosis is thankful for healing, following a pioneering intervention by doctors at Health City Cayman Islands. Clester Christie came to Grand Cayman for work but fell seriously ill a few days after his arrival. Fortunately for the 31-year old, Dr. Nelson Iheonunekwu, an Internal Medicine and Nephrology Specialist at the Health Services Authority (HSA), recognized Christie’s vitals were falling fast and quickly referred him to the East End, Grand Cay-

man facility. At Health City, doctors confirmed the HSA’s diagnosis that Christie was suffering from a complication of the zoonotic bacterial infection Leptospirosis, called Leptospirosis Pulmonary Hemorrhagic Syndrome, which is a rare bacterial disease that forms blood clots in the lungs of the afflicted. Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil, Chief Cardiac Surgeon and Senior Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon at Health City, accepted the emergency case from Dr. Iheonunekwu. “He came here [and at] that time he was in a very critical

stage. I would say his oxygen level, his saturation level was in the 50s, so if he stayed like that a few more hours he would have arrested … within half an hour we took him to the operating room,” Dr. Chattuparambil said. The Health City team hooked Christie up to an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine via the venovenous route to support his lungs, marking the first time Health City doctors had used ECMO in this manner. For previous patients, ECMO had been used to support both the heart and lungs. Seeing the patient on the road to recovery was doubly reward-

never ceases to amaze me and this is a really original and inspirational fundraising idea from Liam. “The song is fantastic and I really hope this can capture the hearts and minds of the public in the Midlands and further afield in the lead up to Christmas. “Every penny raised will go towards our £1m Appeal to expand the internationally significant Centre for Clinical Haematology at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital which, once completed, will double its capacity for blood cancer patients, pioneering clinical trials and specialist research nurses.” ing for the doctors who treated him. “We are very happy for this man, who is doing well now,” said Dr. Dhruva. Dr. Mahantesh Patil, Medical Intensivist at Health City, said: “Mr. Clester, I would say he is very lucky to [have been] on the island at the right time ... in my last 15 years of clinical experience I have not seen such a severe form of leptospirosis.” Dr. Patil also noted that the mortality rate for patients in Christie’s condition is “extremely high, I would say as high as 70 percent ... despite all support and if you don’t have a facility to do multi-organ support, I would say he had no chance to survive.” Grateful for the care received at Health City, Christie, a father of two young children, said: “If I never came here, I would have died. If I was in Jamaica, I would have died ... they don’t have the same equipment like they do [at] Health City to help me.” Dr. Binoy, as he is commonly known, noted the severity of Christie’s condition when he arrived at Health City. “We knew that if we didn’t extend help, he was going to die,” he said, adding that the facility got its reward in seeing Christie reunited with his wife and children.

ith the run up to Christmas, the topic of infertility is bound to creep up for those women who are struggling to convenience. The topic, still shrouded in myths and stigma, makes it difficult for women to come forward and openly talk to one another about these problems.

This is where Cysters comes in.

Cysters is a grassroots community organization dedicated to improving the health, educational, human welfare, and opportunities for women living and effected with reproductive health and gynaecological problems. We recognise that reproductive health, daily pain, and the social attitude to women’s intimate health can be a strain for even the strongest woman, we want to support your every step of the way. Cysters aim to reduce the cultural barriers, tackle exclusion issues and ensure equality for all irrespective of their access to information, protects or health awareness. We provide a forum for women to meet and talk to other women on similar journeys to them, in a confidential and accessible environment. Lately with the run up to Christmas, family pressure, societal women are under pressure to have an answer for their difficulties in baring children. Due to the embarrassment and lack of knowledge the conversation of IVF and Egg Freezing is relatively unheard of. So here are some of the Egg Freezing Myths and Facts we thought you should know!

Myth: Egg Freezing is a last resort, and I can have it as late as I want.

It’s better to freeze your eggs early, usually before 35 however there is some research that suggest 28-30 is the ideal age. Fertility rates slowly decline as we get older so, if you freeze your eggs early, theoretically you have a higher chance of success.

Myth: I can get this done easy

Although clinics try to make the process easy, it still requires your time, effort and most importantly the right mindset. The medical expert will initially go through your file, and medical

notes as well as you having various blood tests etc. The actual process results after having hormones injections 2 to 3 times a day, you are sedated and the doctor will insert a long needle into your vagina to pull out the eggs. You don’t have to have one round; a number of women have two as the greater number of eggs raises the chances of getting pregnant long term.

Myth: I don’t need time off work

As with any invasive surgery we would suggest that you have some time off to recuperate. The ovaries can be swollen, and you can feel bloated an uncomfortable after the procedure. Make sure to make time for you too!

Myth: Freezing Eggs doesn’t work

Whilst the process can’t guarantee a pregnancy, around 40% of procedure result in a birth. Sometimes the eggs may not survive the procedure, the thaw, to all will be healthy eggs and some may not fertilize. Also, it can sometimes depend on the clinic you go to and their experience.

Myth: Its only busy women who freeze their eggs

Oh Please! Women can freeze their eggs for any reason, some chose to due to their reproductive health issues, financial issues or medical diagnosis such as cancer. There are lots of different reasons and each individual approaches egg freezing with their own unique perspective. So Cysters, don’t allow society to dictate when or if you should freeze your eggs. Talk to our Cysters within our group, gets their thoughts, support and have your Cysterhood around you. Don’t forget we have our next Cysters Social Meet up on the 16 December 2017, from 12 to 2pm in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham with lots of free cupcakes and pizza. Get in touch for more details Love your Cyster, Neelam x Facebook: Cysters – Support and Awareness Group Twitter: @cystersbham Website: www.cysters.co.uk Email: info@cysters.co.uk

Page 44 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD AND OBITUARIES

Obituaries

Antonio Carluccio

Celebrity chef and restaurateur, he was known for the Italian restaurant chain that carries his name and for appearing on TV programmes, including the BBC Two hit Two Greedy Italians, alongside Gennaro Contaldo. The "Godfather of Italian

cooking" and writer of dozens of best-selling books Jamie Oliver paid tribute to his "first London boss", working with the Italian at Carluccio's in Covent Garden 25 years ago. His kitchen motto was simple - "minimum of fuss, maximum of flavour." He was 80

Brian Bogle a.k.a. ‘Dr Psycho’

DJ for legendary music collective Rampage, he hosted many a night in Europe, Asia and The Americas, and presented major shows and events as well as on radio.

David Cassidy

Jana Novotna

Likely Lad, Rodney Bewes

tar of mid 1970s BBC sitcom ‘The Likely Lads’ and the follow-up ‘Whatever Happened to The Likely Lads?’ he played the going-up-in-the-world and henpecked Bob Ferris. Originally from Yorkshire, before moving to Luton as a child, he and co-star James Bolam played old friends whose lives stayed locked together – Bolam

as the cynical, defiantly working-class Terry Collier and Bewes as the quieter Ferris. In 2015 he did a one-man ‘Whatever Happened to the Likely Lad?’ show at the Edinburgh Fringe. That year he suffered heartache when his wife Daphne had a stroke and died at the age of 73. He was 79.

Notice Board

he Czech tennis star who cried on the Duchess of Kent’s shoulder after losing a Wimbledon singles final in 1993 against Steffi Graf,, triumphed there five years later, after beating Nathalie Tauziat of France, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), to lift the Wimbledon singles trophy for the first and only time. A winner of 17 Grand Slam titles over her career, she also won three Olympic medals and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005.

Having studied Performing Arts, he became an entertaining entity making a tremendous impact worldwide, playing in support and alongside the likes of Busta Rhymes, Jodeci, Chipmunk, Snoop Dogg, J Cole, Jay Sean, Boyz II Men and many

Ivo Kaderka, president of the Czech Tennis Association, described Novotna as a domestic tennis legend whose impact extended beyond the sport. She was 49.

more The Musical Massage host on Mi-Soul Radio, he was a natural performer spending eight years with one of the UKs most successful sound systems, which led him to the highest of demand.

e came to fame as a '70s teen heartthrob and lead singer on ‘The Partridge Family.’ His father was famed actor and singer Jack Cassidy, and his mother was actress Evelyn Ward. His father helped him launch his career as an actor and musician with his early work including appearances on ‘Ironside,’ ‘Marcus Welby, M.D.,’ and ‘Bonanza.’ The singer-actor had recently been admitted to the intensive care unit of a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area hospital before passing away, age 67.

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Until 1st January rman market The largest authentic Ge stria and the outside Germany and Au festive event centrepiece of the city’s ngham. Bir calendar returns to mi to 16 November 24 December

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The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 45

ADOPTION AND FOSTERING

ith a national shortage of Foster carers across the UK, there are more children than ever who need a caring and loving environment, which every child has the right to experience. Whether a crisis in the family, illness or relationship difficulties could be some of the reasons why a child is placed in care.

H Adoption & Fostering Our ongoing campaign to help the children in need in our communities

Conference Aims to Transform Young Lives

ore than 5,300 children were adopted in England in 2015, up from 5,000 in the previous year. Despite this progress, and new measures introduced to simplify the process, there are still 69,000 looked after children in England. Some face an average 18 month wait for adoption while many more will never find a permanent home. The Government’s Adoption Strategy, published in March 2016, sets out plans to reduce the waiting time and match more children with adoptive parents. Measures have included the introduction of Regional Adoption Agencies to encourage cooperation between councils and voluntary organisations and a £14 million fund to support adoptive families. At a recent ‘Adoption and Fostering Conference,’ at the University of Salford, in Greater Manchester, topics covered included: the pub-

lication of the Government’s Adoption Strategy and what is the current state of adoption in England, the funding strategies, the experiences of children in foster care, the mental health effect of children, any major changes and improvements made, the reduction of adoption waiting times, and how to motivate more people to become carers and adopters. Scott Casson-Rennie, Head of Engagement and Delivery at Adoption UK, said: “Despite the significant amount of public money that has been made available to adoptive families….there’s still a huge amount of need, especially in schools and mental health, which is still not being met.” As well as connecting with delegates from a wide variety of fostering and adoption support agencies, other subjects covered at the conference also included analysing case studies and learning from best practice and understanding how to better support both children and parents throughout the adoption and fostering process.

There are already so many fantastic individuals who foster and adopt children into their families- but we need more! At the Phoenix, all of our team are committed to raising awareness of fostering and adoption through our campaign not just for the month of May, but for an entire 12 months!

We will be highlighting the inspiring work of current carers, the extensive support and training that is available and the difference that you could be making in a young persons’ life. If you feel that you can offer this, or even if you would like to find out a little bit more – don’t hesitate! It could make the greatest difference to a child’s life.

Children Who Wait

aving been approved to adopt, the waiting that follows being matched with a child can be frustrating. However, one of the things you can do is to become a member of Adoption UK to keep up to date with adoption and parenting matters and subscribe to the family-finding service ‘Children Who Wait.’ Adoption UK work closely with local authorities across the UK; helping them to match children and prospective adopters by featuring profiles of the many children waiting to find their 'forever homes'. The ‘Children Who Wait’ magazine is automatically sent out to subscribing members each month. It is complemented by the online version of the service which contains additional information about the children, extra photographs and, often, video clips. ‘Children Who Wait’ online also regularly includes profiles of children who do not feature in the printed magazine. The online version service allows prospective adopters to submit an enquiry directly to the child's social worker. Each profile in the magazine includes a unique reference number so that you can request the contact details of the referring agency. Prospective adopters can then

make contact with a child's social worker directly by email or by telephone. If you are a member of Adoption UK who subscribes to ‘Children

Children stop being children. But parents never stop being parents. Every child is different. But what they all need is a parent-figure to give them the love and stability they need. If your children have left home or gone to university, you could give a foster child the family they need to grow to their full potential.

Can you help? Please call 0800 9177937 or visit activecaresolutions.co.uk

Who Wait,’ your magazine will automatically arrive in the post each month but for online access you will first need to register on the website.

If you are a social worker you can feature children that you are family-finding for.

Page 46 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

HOLIDAY AND TRAVEL

Celebrating Chair, Aaron’s Relentless Promotion of Home

elebrating all things Barbados, the 2nd Generation Barbadians & Friends (Birmingham) marked 51 years of Independence as the great and the good gathered, at Birmingham’s H Suite; to marvel at all that is Blue & Gold. Barbadians-from home and abroad-plus friends from neighbouring Caribbean islands – plus further afield - gathered for a glittering night with music and dance topping off what was yet another special occasion for one of the most

romantic holiday destinations you can find. But, as it turned out, this time out was an opportunity to celebrate the work and commitment of one of the island’s favourite sons as all present hailed Aaron Mapp. Chair of the Birmingham branch of the nationwide organisation, Mapp was left unusually dumbstruck as all marvelled at the relentless work he has done, and still is doing, to keep the island paradise exactly that: Britain’s No.1 holiday Caribbean destination. “It’s about broadening and ex-

tending connections throughout the world,” said the night’s Host, Dean Alexander. And broadening and expanding connexions was in full flow as it was also an apt occasion to highlight the delights on offer for sun-seekers for 2018. “2017 was one of our most productive years,” said a tearful, yet hugely proud, Aaron. “Our Sports Tour for 2018 is already gathering significant pace and we (2nd Generation Barbadians & Friends) are not letting up on making Barbados what it has always been…the best place to holiday in bar none!”

The Neilson Mountain Collection

ore than just a range of ski chalet holidays, chalet hotels and ski hotels, Neilson Mountain Collection are places to enjoy winter holiday as it should be. You can relax by doing something and meet like-minded people whilst enjoying a unique, free ski guiding and coaching service with fully qualified Neilson Mountain Expert ski and snowboard instructors. There are hand-picked skiing chalets, chalet hotels and ski hotels from resorts throughout Andorra, Austria, France and Italy because they have a certain charm and homely feel that they know will be loved. Wherever you choose to stay, the crew will be there to offer a warm welcome, answer any questions you may have and offer expert ad-

vice, both on and off the mountain. This winter you can sees some great changes to their Mountain Collection like two lovely new hotels; the Neilson Hotel Dolomites Inn in picturesque Val di Fassa in Italy (part of the 1220km Dolomites area) and Hotel Bruxelles in Soldeu, Andorra both join the Mountain Collection. Their two largest hotels, the Neilson Hotels Aalborg and Del Clos are moving to half board with seven evening meals (afternoon tea is still included too). They are also bringing their popular chalet catering to their chalet hotels. Also, enjoy complimentary wine with your six evening meals. Looking for free on-the-mountain guiding and coaching? Look no further! The Neilson Mountain Experts are fully qualified ski and snowboard instructors, local to your

resort. With various guiding and coaching sessions available throughout the week, they'll not only show you around the slopes, they can make you a more confident skier or boarder too. This is a free service and available exclusively to guests staying in any of the Mountain Collection hotels, chalet hotels or chalets. Happy children mean happy parents. That's a fact. And that's why they have created a range of clubs for kids aged from four months up to 12 years old at their two largest Neilson Mountain Collection hotels. They will make sure the little ones are happy and well looked after, so you can relax and enjoy a bit of a break yourselves.

The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017 - Page 47

SPORT - WITH STEVE WILLIAMS

It’s a Lord’s Double for Bears Games in Birmingham l Eaton Gordon receives Chance to Shine Award from England cricketer, Jason Roy

arwickshire County Cricket Club proved to be winners again, at the home of English cricket, as it came out on top at a prestigious national awards ceremony. Held at Lord’s, the Board’s Community Participation Officer Eaton Gordon and its partnership with Positive Youth Foundation won the accolades at the Chance to Shine Awards, which recognises individuals, projects and community groups that have used cricket to bring positive change to young people. Eaton, who has worked for Warwickshire Cricket Board for three years, won a Special Recognition Award for his impact on Chance to Shine Projects in inner-city Birmingham and Coventry, whilst Positive Youth Foundation won Project of the Year for its Coventry Street project. He has delivered coaching and administrative support for Chance to Shine since the charity’s earlier days at Handsworth Cricket Club, in Birmingham, in 2005. Through to his ongoing commitment and support for recent Street Cricket programmes – with the most notable success story of his work being the development of Warwickshire’s left-arm spinner Sunny Singh, from George Dixon Academy, who was introduced to cricket through Chance to Shine coaching sessions and has gone on to sign a professional contract and make an impact at senior level. Warwickshire Cricket Board General Manager, Ed McCabe, said: “Everyone at Edgbaston is delighted for Eaton as we know how hard he works to encourage children to get involved in cricket and to develop and to believe in themselves. Sunny’s rise to Warwickshire’s professional ranks is an incredible story, thanks to Eaton’s support, and has proved exactly what can be achieved through Chance to Shine programmes.” The Coventry street project of Positive Youth Foundation was named Project of the Year for its work removing barriers to playing cricket, with many participants in the project being refugees who were recently relocated in the city. McCabe added: “Positive Youth Foundation is a great partner of Warwickshire Cricket Board, which has opened Chance to Shine programmes in Coventry to an even wider audience with an increasing number of participants each year.” Ravi Masih, Head of Community Engagement at Warwickshire CCC, said: “Making a difference in young people’s lives is a key objective and it’s been fantastic for the Edgbaston Foundation and Warwickshire Cricket Board to bring the Bears into such great community projects through cricket in 2017.”

Continued from Back Page

Australia and India Returning to Edgbaston

ngland's meeting with Australia next June will be the only IT20 match in the Aussies' limited overs tour of the United Kingdom. It will also be the first time that the great Ashes rivals have met in an IT20 at Edgbaston, whilst India return to Birmingham for the first match of a five Test series with England in August. Neil Snowball, Chief Executive of Warwickshire CCC, said: "Having just finished our 2017 major match programme with a

record attendance for a NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day, we're very excited at the schedule for next year. Hosting the first match of the high summer Test series was previously a regular event at Edgbaston, and we are delighted to see this return for 2018 and hope that it can continue for the 2019 Ashes series and beyond. We've not hosted an International T20 since 2014, so to host the only fixture between England and Australia is a good result for Edgbaston and it's certainly an

occasion where we will have to consider increasing our capacity again with a temporary stand." Edgbaston has accommodated 203,770 spectators across its major match cricket programme in 2017, which has included five matches in the ICC Champions Trophy, England's first ever Day/Night Investec Test match,

versus West Indies, and NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day. The 2018 major match programme at Edgbaston will be followed by a further 10 days in 2019, including five matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup and an Ashes Test match between England and Australia.

“Far too many patients from similar backgrounds, especially children and young people, are too often on the organ waiting list far longer than any other race. We have to address that right now!” Graham Moore, Chair of Westfield Health, said: “Birmingham WILL be the best Games ever – make no mistake. And, it will create the greatest ever awareness of the great need for donors.” The Westfield Health British Transplant Games 2018, with a strong focus on the University of Birmingham campus in Edgbaston, is the flagship event of national charity Transplant Sport UK which has enjoyed the continued support of health and wellbeing company Westfield Health, plus major charity partners including, KidneyCareUK, British Heart Foundation, the Donor Family Network and Anthony Nolan and takes place between August 2 and 5.

Keeping you connected with your community Insatiable Hamilton is ‘Driven’ to More Success

he Mexican Grand Prix was a race like no other giving Lewis Hamilton the 2017 Formula One World Champion - the Mercedes driver securing his fourth drivers' title two races prior to the season finale. Despite World title rival Sebastian Vettel finishing in P4 ahead of Hamilton, the latter still had a lead of 56 points over the German with only 50 points, at that time, to play for

in the final two rounds in Brazil and Abu Dhabi. And, in sealing the 2017 Formula 1 championship title it makes the Hertfordshire man the most successful British driver – ever! Deflated, but magnanimous in defeat, Vettel said "He deserves it. He had a very, very strong season. Two races to go he clinches the championship. In a straight fight, he was the better man. So, congratulations."

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Page 42 - The Phoenix Newspaper - December 2017

Australia and India to Return to Edgbaston - Page 43

It’s a Lord’s Double for Bears - Inside Back

Birmingham Launches ‘Greatest Games Ever’ Wolves Sign-Up Student, Zach

University of Worcester student will combine his studies with playing elite level basketball after signing with the Worcester Wolves squad. Zachariah Noble will be studying for an HND in Sport, Coaching and Physical Education alongside training and matches with the BBL club, which is owned by the University of Worcester. The 20-year-old shooting guard said: "I am excited to be given such a great opportunity at Worcester and I am ready to step up to the challenge. I realise that being a student athlete comes with its own challenges, but I am prepared to work hard to achieve my dreams. It won't be easy, but there is lots of support on offer at the University which is fantastic." Londoner, Noble, told how it was only by chance that he got into the sport at all after taking it up when he lost his place on the school football team at 13. He revealed: "I got into it because my mum wanted to find something else for me to play because I was upset at being dropped from my primary school football team. “I tried it once and found out

that I was surprisingly good at shooting and found something that I was naturally gifted at, and I haven't looked back since. “Being able to play with the Wolves is an incredible opportunity, which I am proud and extremely grateful to be a part of." Meanwhile Dale Ryan, Director of Basketball at the University of Worcester, said: "We see Zac as the epitome of the young British student-athlete and feel that with his talent and understanding of the game, he will make a valuable contribution to the success of both the Wolves and the University BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) team, with the ultimate aim of winning championships in both competitions."

l Athletes, Supporters and Children all gathered with Lord Mayor Cllr Anne Underwood to launch the Westfield Heath British Transplant Games

t marked the beginning of the countdown to what promises to be the biggest spectacular yet as participants – past, present and future – together with special guests, including Lord Mayor Councillor Anne Underwood, plus MPs Khalid Mahmood, Shabana Mahmood and others, gathered at Birmingham City Council House for the official launch of the Westfield Heath British Transplant Games which are set to take place at venues across the City in August 2018. It was a fantastic opportunity to hear from some of the Games

most inspirational athletes, donor families, and supporting organizations, some of the City’s leading dignitaries and transplant athletes from across the UK gathered to celebrate past achievements. All present looked forward to Birmingham being the centrepiece with the Games promising to be one the of biggest of its kind, to date, attracting an anticipated 2500 participants to the region – all of whom have undergone life-saving organ and stem cell transplants – to compete in a variety of sports, with the aim of raising awareness of organ donation, boosting numbers on the

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NHS Organ Donor Register, and demonstrating the importance of recipients leading healthy lives. At the launch event, in the Council House’s Banqueting Suite, Cllr Underwood underlined her pride of Birmingham hosting the event, saying: “We need more cities, like Birmingham, who are willing to host the Transplant Games. “Although I know it’s all about our wonderful city, but, after attending the previous Games, in Glasgow, and my visits to Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital, both experiences opened my mind fully to the fantastic jobs that specialists do when most needed.”

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The Westfield Heath British Transplant Games in 2018 will also shine a light on the hardwork, dedication and talent of the doctors and nurses who work in hospitals across the region who bring hope to families and individuals from all over the UK undergoing transplant surgery.” She did, however, emphasize the great need for more donors from Britain’s Black and Multi Ethnic communities, saying: “I can’t emphasize enough for the need for organ donors from our BME community.

Continued on Page 43

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