The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 by The Phoenix Newspaper

Promoting Diversity for Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 happy new year! tO oUR rEADERS, aDVERTISERS Special Dubai Globe Soccer AND fRIENDS Awards Feature - Pages 42-45

JANUARY 2020

Connecting Communities - Inspiring A New Generation

Leading Ladies Win Top Titles

Inside This Month

And even the runners up are psyched for the winners! - Street Cred Centre Spread

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ollowing the very heavy defeat by the Conservative Party in the elections of December 2019, the Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, decided to begin the process of stepping down from this position. Much of the electoral campaign centred upon the issue of Brexit. It seems, British voters, even in historic Labour heartlands in the Midlands and north of the UK, were not inspired by Corbyn’s Brexit strategy of calling for a second referendum. Furthermore, they did not seem to buy into Corbyn’s socialist policies based on significant government spending. The question is, in view of this very heavy election defeat, how will the Labour Party re-define itself over the

next few months and years? Two main reasons help to explain Labour’s defeat. The first was due to Corbyn’s unpopularity and the second was his apparent ignoring of the will of the majority of people to leave the EU. Despite a recent YouGov Poll (Feb 2016) that found British people, especially younger people, were keener on socialism than capitalism, it seems Corbyn’s socialism was not able to garner much national support. The origins of what became the Labour Party, go back to the 1890s. The party has, since its establishment, based itself on a ‘coalition’ of social democrats / democratic socialists and trade union organisations, devoted to working in the broad interests of the working classes historically located

Five Ways to Keep Up Your Workout Motivation According to research conducted by the health and wellness booking app, MINDBODY, over half (55%) of those who exercise frequently say they are least motivated to exercise during winter. Leading UK Sports Performance Mind Coach Nick Davies explains: “Winter is that time of year where temperatures get a lot colder and we get a lot less sunshine. This can lead to low mood in some people and a desire to curl up in the warmth of our own homes, meaning the likelihood of going to the gym is a lot less than in

warmer months.” With these figures in mind, MINDBODY has shared five simple tips to help beat the seasonal slump this year, to keep you on track to meet your health and wellness-related goals.

The perfect playlist

Whether you’re struggling to find the motivation to hit your fitness goals, or you’re in need of a little energy boost mid-cardio, the right music could be the missing ingredient in your workout.

in the industrial heartlands of the Midlands and north of the UK. It is generally described as a centre-left political party. One great personal quality of Jeremy Corbyn has been his continual and steadfast belief in his core socialist principles. It seems, however, under his leadership, the Labour Party became increasingly out of touch with its core support base. Whilst most people in the UK voted in the referendum to leave the EU, the party, in its election manifesto, wanted to remain in or at least call for another referendum on the same issue. One of Corbyn’s greatest challenges from the very day he became leader of the party was probably his socialist stance. Corbyn represents the old school of socialists who were never comfortable

Workout with a friend

Having someone alongside you during a tough workout can go a long way when it comes to motivation. In fact, over a third (34%)3 of gym-goers believe having a partner to workout with increases their motivation and makes them work harder. One in four (24%) even said it improves the effectiveness of their workout.

Tune your alarm

That early morning alarm is probably up there with the worst sound in the world. But, what if your morning alarm actually made you excited for the day ahead? Change the boring, painful tune you’re familiar with to something you love. Maybe it’s your favourite song, or music that makes you feel energised.

with the emergence of ‘New Labour’. He was part of the Socialist Campaign Group that had been formed in 1982 following a rift in the party mainly between followers of Tony Benn and Neil Kinnock over attempts to modernise the party following a heavy defeat in the 1979 general elections. Between 1979 and 1997 when Tony Blair took office, the Labour Party was in the wilderness redefining itself. The party leadership adopted a new identity for ‘New Labour’ and this could be seen from its revision of Clause 1V of the original constitution of the party in 1994 that had stressed the need for public ownership and control of the means of production or the main wealth or resources of the country. It seems the vast majority voters in the UK are positioned nearer to the centre of the political spectrum, rather than to far left or right. To win their votes and support, political parties need to be more closely aligned with this mass support. Corbyn’s election manifesto focused on rebuilding public services, tackling poverty and inequality, green industrial revolution, a new internationalism and giving the people a final say on Brexit. There was a clear evidence here of increased government spending to finance these first four policies. Much of this, however, was probably not as exciting nor new for the majority of voters. In 2020 the Labour Party will have to do some soul-searching and try to redefine itself. One thing seems certain. The new leadership might not adopt the same level of socialist traditions upon which the party once thrived. Jeremy Corbyn was never completely supported by the Parliamentary party membership and one of the reasons was down to the fact that he took the party too far towards the Left. The party needs a re-birth otherwise they could once again spend the better part of two decades in the political wilderness.

Try a new class

From Pilates to Barre, HIIT, Bootcamp and Spin – whatever your fitness goals may be, there will be a class suitable for you. Not only do most classes take place indoors (so you’ll stay nice and warm), but they are also great for your motivation as you’ll be working out alongside other class participants with an encouraging instructor guiding you through the routine to ensure you’re always hitting your personal best.

Recover

If you’re really struggling to find the motivation to work out, then don’t. Instead, focus your attention on rest and recovery, which has a whole host of benefits ranging from injury prevention, to minimising fatigue, and reducing stress.

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NEWS

Billionaire Businessman Economic King of Ada

ichael Victor Roberts, Sr is an entrepreneur hailing from St Louis, Missouri, born on October 24th, 1948. Now he is the economic king of Ada, the eastern part of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. He has been turning the business world on its head, but he started off with his first business selling African merchandise to area bookstores. He earned his J.D. degree in 1974 after studying law at St Louis University School of Law, and set up a business and construction management firm, Roberts-Roberts and Associates in St Louis. Year of Return, Ghana 2019 As part of the Year of Return, started by the Ghanaian Government, there have been invites sent to people the world over. Featuring visits to theatre and musical performances, heritage sites and healing ceremonies, as well as investment forums, relocation conferences and lectures, the aim is to promote Ghana to the world, as an investment opportunity and tourist destination. In support, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo said “we know of the extraordinary achievements and contributions (Africans in the diaspora) made to the lives of the Americans, and it is important that this symbolic year – 400 years later – we commemorate their existence and their sacrifices”. Michael was among those who were blessed by the Chief of Cape Coast Ghana, and attended the adoption, renaming, and baptism ceremony at the Royal Ocansey healing waters. Dr M.V. Roberts Snr as he is known in the USA took his place as Nene Akrofi Kubi Ocansey, and was a part of the Royal Return: Return of the Royals at the beginning of December, after HRH Nene Tetteh Ayiku

Abordonu IV and Rev Dr. Princess Asi Ocansey adopted him into the Ocansey family. Roberts worked as the St. Louis campaign manager for Jimmy Carter in 1976, and in 1981, Roberts and his brother began Roberts Broadcasting. WRBU-TV was established in St. Louis, and eventually the Roberts Brothers would build eleven more television stations across the country. The Roberts Brothers opened the first Sprint PCS-affiliated wireless store in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1999 which was the only PCS-affiliated company owned by African Americans at the time. Totalling a $460million, thirtyfour company organisation, The Roberts Companies includes a gated Bahamas community, an aviation division, and other real estate developments. Roberts serves as chairman of the board, while his brother Steven serves as president. His first royal decree stated: “According to the Prophecy of Genesis 15:13-14, I, H.E. Rev. Dr. Michael V. Roberts Snr., a descendant of thechildren of Africa taken from the continent to United States, have broken the spell of no return. I returned as a representative of my ancestors to reclaim that which was taken away from us; our family ties and our names. Today, I reconnect to the Royal Ocansey family as my new family and I add unto my name given me during the first 400 years of oppression Michael V. Roberts Snr. and I add to that name my new royal name Nene Akrofi Kubi Ocansey. I promise to share the knowledge that I have acquired about our collective spiritual journey and I pledge to give a hand up to the rest of the race so that we may all stand and walk in wealth together, as we were meant to be as the chosen people of God. So help me God.

l HRH Nene Kabutey Kubi Ocansey(Rev. Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant) and HRH Nene Akrofi Kubi Ocansey(Dr.M.V. Roberts)

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NEWS

UK Charity, Ihezie Foundation Works With Local Councillor To Donate 10,000 Books To Lewisham Schools

l Cllr Caroline Kalu with some of the books donated. Lewisham Councillor Caroline Kalu of Evelyn Ward, is partnering with Ihezie Foundation Book Relief, to donate books to five local primary schools within Evelyn Ward, Lewisham. Each school will receive 2,000 reading books for their libraries. Ihezie Foundation

works to donate children’s literacy books to primary schools here in the UK, and educational and textbooks to schools, libraries and universities in Africa. To date they have donated over 100,000 literacy books to primary schools in the UK.

l Children taking part at Birmingham Hippodrome

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raises a record breaking £28k For The Big Give O ver £28,000 has been raised by generous donors for Birmingham Hippodrome to expand their work with over 5,250 young people in Birmingham and the West Midlands in 2020. A challenging £20,000 target was set when the theatre joined The Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign, which saw donations doubled for just seven days between the 3 – 10 December. The £20,000 target was beaten in record time, enabling the venue to raise further donations throughout the week to support an additional 1,250 young people from the original target to support 4,000 young people. The donations raised will support the Hippodrome Education Network activity, which enables young people from areas of low-social economic engagement to visit shows, participate in workshops and develop career opportunities in the creative industries. Rachael Magson, Head of Fundraising at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “A huge thanks to everyone who donated to our Christmas Challenge this year. You’ve helped us smash our

target and bring the magic of live theatre to even more young people than we hoped over the next year.” Individual supporters and local businesses were equally generous, with donations kindly contributed by Darwin Escapes, DRP Group, IMI plc Charitable Trust and Professional Polishing Services Ltd. Further donations were also generously gifted by The Bishop

of Birmingham Charitable Trust and The Patrick Trust. Zaylie-Dawn Wilson, Head of Learning & Participation at Birmingham Hippodrome added: “To raise over £28,000 in just seven days is phenomenal and we are truly grateful for these donations which will help us to continue our work with young people and transform lives.”

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NEWS

Town Hall Symphony Hall @THSHBirmingham thsh_birmingham townhallsymphonyhall

TRANSATLANTIC TERENCE SESSIONS 2020 BLANCHARD FRI 7 FEBRUARY & THE 7:30PM E-COLLECTIVE SYMPHONY HALL ©Henry Adebonojo

l HSBC win Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large Category

HSBC UK Scoops National Dementia Friendly Award

Anna Inman, Customer Experience Manager at HSBC UK in Birmingham, collected the award saying: “We are so delighted to have won the award. Anyone thinking of nominating a person or a group or an organisation for a Dementia Friendly Award I’d say just go for it.” In becoming a ‘Dementia Friendly’ business HSBC formed awareness sessions such as Dementia Friends training to create a greater understanding of how they could improve their services and the way they communicate with customers living with dementia - with key feedback including, ‘I don’t want to have to keep repeating my needs’, ‘Give me more time’ and ‘Get to know me as an individual’. Dementia is the 21st century’s biggest killer. Someone develops the condition every three minutes – but too many face it alone. Alzheimer’s Society’s 2019 Dementia Friendly Awards recognise, celebrate and promote the inspirational achievements of those uniting to making a real difference to people living with dementia. Jane Moore, said: “This year’s

Black Country Centre Celebrates A Very Successful Year A centre dedicated to studying the Black Country has celebrated a successful first year. The Black Country Studies Centre (BCSC) is a partnership between the University of Wolverhampton and the Black Country Living Museum. The Centre marked its one

year anniversary with a special event at the University of Wolverhampton’s Chancellor’s Hall. At the event a new Black Country Studies Research Network was launched, bringing together over 60 researchers, museum and heritage professionals and community

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awards celebrated individuals, organisations and communities leading and inspiring a change that will transform the lives of people living with dementia across the country forever, challenging misunderstandings, changing attitudes and taking action. My own mother-in-law had dementia so I understand what a heart-breaking condition it can be, stripping people of their memories.” Jeremy Hughes, Alzheimer’s Society CEO, said: “It is amazing that HSBC UK won the Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large Category Award and it is a testament to their tremendous dementia-friendly work. “The level of nominations received this year was truly phenomenal and there were some exceptional stories heard. There are over 441 Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland ensuring people with dementia are empowered to live a relatively normal life. “All the finalists and winners have demonstrated how we can unite against dementia and support those affected by the condition.” group representatives. The BCSC partnership formalises an existing collaboration and strong relationship between the University of Wolverhampton and the Black Country Living Museum. In bringing together two of the region’s flagship institutions, the Centre aims to make a unique and ambitious contribution to the future of the Black Country, whilst engaging with and exploring its past and present. With the Museum’s recent announcement of expansion under the Forging Ahead funding, the creation of a physical learning centre will further enhance the partnership.

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SBC UK has won a National Dementia Friendly Award in the category ‘Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large Category’. The Birmingham-based winners were announced at the prestigious awards ceremony that took place in London, where Sun journalist and Loose Women panellist, Jane Moore, hosted the ceremony. HSBC was one of three finalists in the category ‘Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large’. This award, open to all businesses and organisations including leisure, tourism, the arts, emergency services, finance, health and social care, recognises an organisation that has implemented a dementia friendly initiative. HSBC – one of the world’s largest banks serving 14.5 million customers in the UK – partnered with Alzheimer’s Society for three years between 2016 and 2019. HSBC engaged teams from across the bank to implement dementia friendly initiatives including the Customer Support team and Customer Care Needs team to support customers with dementia.

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Steve Harvey Recieves Warm Reception At Sharjah Book Fair By Delroy Constantine-Simms

merica’s most-loved host, Steve Harvey, was the Principle Guest of Honour at the 38th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2019)’s ‘He is dubbed the busiest man in Hollywood,” the entertainer, businessman, philanthropist, and New York Times bestselling author. accomplished public figures in the world. Steve Harvey, the American TV host and motivational speaker, who is famous for naming the wrong winner in the 2015 Miss Universe beauty pageant, told an audience at Sharjah International Book Fair on Thursday ‘that you have to fail to succeed’. “Life is 10 per cent what happens to you and 90 per cent of what you do about it,” the 62-year-old told an audience of mostly school students, in an interactive session at Expo Centre Sharjah. “You are bound to fail many times, but you have to fail to be successful.” “In my 30 years as a standup comedian I made several mistakes, wrote several jokes that weren’t funny, but the world will only write about successes,” he added. “The world knows about the 140 successful shots of Michael Jordan but not about the 800 missed attempts, because that is how the world is. “You have got to know how to learn from each failure.” Touching on his early life as a boxer, autoworker, carpet cleaner and mailman, he went on to discuss his three years living homeless. “I have seen so many failures, being poor, homeless, being expelled from school, losing my parents, my brother, but I have gotten used to always getting back up.

Five stars and a special guest served for Wolverhampton dessert shop “In school I had a terrible

Universe incident, Harvey added,

stuttering problem, I failed school and was expelled, I had to live in a car for three years, I made a lot of mistakes. I was black, poor, and school drop-out but I had to be focused on achieving my dream. My belief in God kept me going through the darkest moments of my life. Hollywood is an ugly and dangerous place. If you are not a person of faith you cannot survive. One has to make peace with the fact that life is never going to be all happy. Your dreams have to be bigger than all your problems. When you have God on your side, you have everything,” said the father of seven. Of the now famous Miss

“Many a times I asked God to make me a global and famous brand. Then in 2015, despite the best rehearsals and following the teleprompter, I declared Ms Colombia the winner of the pageant when it was actually Ms Phillipines. I got a lot of flak for that, I couldn’t step out of my house and people told me my career was over. However, in those 48 hours I was googled four billion times. So although I did not appreciate God’s way of making me a Global brand, he actually made me one in 48 hours.” “I dreamed of being a television star. People told me you can be a construction worker like my

l Steve Harvey talking at the 38th Sharjah International - Photo by Delroy Constantine-Simms brother, or a coal miner like my dad, but I knew what I wanted to be. It was an important facet of my life and I aspired to be something more than anyone in my family had ever been. You cannot survive in this world without wanting something more for yourself. It is this feeling that propels you to education that helps you translate your vision and dreams.” “Once you know your dream, there are a lot of challenges one faces on way to fulfilling it. Being disciplined is a big part of staying focused but more important than that is to have faith (in God). You have got to hold on to your faith. It is really hard to be successful.”

Heavenly Desserts received a visit from the Mayor of Wolverhampton shortly after achieving top marks for food hygiene. City of Wolverhampton Council’s food safety team inspected Heavenly Desserts’ Wolverhampton branch, based on Darlington Street, and awarded the business with a food hygiene rating of 5. Following this achievement, the Mayor of Wolverhampton popped in to try one of their signature creations. Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Claire Darke said: “I ordered the house special waffles, strawberries, ice-cream and chocolate sauce. It was a generous portion and it was absolutely delicious. Friendly staff and great coffee to wash it down. “For anyone with a sweet tooth – I highly recommend popping in to Heavenly Desserts, I can certainly see where they got their name from. Heavenly indeed! I will definitely be returning.”

Faye Pearson, food safety officer at City of Wolverhampton Council said: “Food hygiene is so important and often gets overlooked. “Last year, we launched our bespoke consultancy service Trade with Confidence to help all businesses achieve the best food hygiene rating possible. “Achieving a food hygiene rating of 5, fills customers with reassurance that they’re eating in clean and safe environment to the highest standard as well as the business genuinely caring about its customers. “I would like to congratulate Heavenly Desserts and the many businesses who continue to achieve such high ratings. “I encourage anyone who owns or is thinking about setting up a food business get in touch with Trade with Confidence to see how we can help you to improve score and boost your customers – who knows who may walk through the door.”

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 7

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Page 8 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

NEWS

Recycle Your Old Real Tree From January 1 to 10, trees will be accepted at the following locations (All of the disposal points are clearly identified close to the main entrance to each park): • Lickey Hills Country Park (at Warren Lane) • Sheldon Country Park (Old Rectory Farm off Ragley Drive) • Sutton Park (Visitor Centre adjacent to Town Gate) • Woodgate Valley Country Park (Visitor Centre off Clapgate Lane) All of the trees that are collected will be chipped and retained within the UK to create biomass electricity. Cllr John O’Shea, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Parks, said: “If anyone is unable to replant or reuse their real Christmas tree this year, we are offering a free and convenient way to dispose of them. “This scheme has proved popular in the past and we are pleased to be able to make things simpler for citizens at the end of the festive period.”

City centre barber joins national campaign to tackle knife crime

Southside barber is playing his part to help reduce national knife crime by joining UKwide initiative, Barbers Against Blades. Jonny Cox from Clip Around The Ears, based at Tandis Hair

and Beauty on Smallbrook Queensway, is the first city centre barber to get on board with the campaign, which sees amnesty boxes placed into barbershops, giving young people a place to safely and anonymously deposit a weapon.

New Years Honours For Birmingham Heritage Champion

As well as providing a safe drop-off centre, #FadeTheBlade draws on the intimate setting that a barbershop provides – a place where clients talk openly about issues affecting them, giving the barbers involved a chance to advise and assist. Barbers Against Blades started recruiting shops in September, and hopes that Jonny’s involvement will lead the way for other Brummie barbers to get involved with a potentially lifesaving scheme. Barbers who join the scheme have also committed to donating the cost of one haircut a month, along with raising awareness within their salons. They will also wear t-shirts, display stickers and anonymously dispose of any knives that are handed in to the police. Since the initiative was launched by West Country barber David White in the autumn, ten blades have already been passed on to the police across the country. Jonny Cox, who is leading the campaign in Birmingham, said:

“When we heard about the idea, we wanted to get involved straight away. In our job, we’re often privy to more information than a young person would tell their parents, their teachers and sometimes even their friends. We have a unique platform, and Barbers Against Blades is a great way for us to help tackle a nationwide issue.” Julia Robinson, manager at Southside BID, said: “It’s great to see our businesses getting involved with campaigns that can really make a difference to Birmingham and the UK as a whole. We hope that more barbers across the city follow Jonny’s lead and join this life-saving project.” David White, founder of Barbers Against Blades, said: “I want the streets to be a safer place than they are for my children and everybody else's children. If everybody does a little bit then a lot gets done. That's not much to ask. We want to thank Jonny and Tandis Hair and Beauty for getting involved, and we hope many others join in as soon as possible.”

Cllr Phil Davis has been made an MBE for his services to heritage in the New Year’s Honours. Councillor Davis, who represents Billesley Ward, has been Birmingham's Heritage Champion since 2012. Appointed by the Leader of the Council, he aims to provide a voice and focus for heritage and conservation within the Council and the wider community. He chairs the Heritage Strategy Group; this provides a network and link for heritage groups and funders and supports Birmingham's successful Heritage Week, held each September. He is a former English Heritage Commissioner, was founder chair of the Local Authorities World Heritage Forum (LAWHF) and chairs the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust. The Grade 1 listed Wake Green Road pre-fabs are in Councillor Davis's ward of Billesley. Cllr Davis said: "It's a pleasure to receive recognition for my work supporting heritage and conservation. This is mostly about bringing people together to celebrate our city's fantastic industrial and social history, plus the skills and diversity we have here in Brum. "As a kid coming into town from Winson Green on the 96 bus, I was fascinated by the Victorian houses I saw and the industrial streets of Hockley. “It's a privilege to play a part in winning greater recognition for what this history means to the present and future of our city, region and country. "

Bristol’s homeless gifted food the weight of a reindeer Kindhearted Airbus staff collected more than 100kg of food produce, for homeless people in Bristol, equivalent to the weight of a fully-grown reindeer. The early Christmas present of non-perishable food items, such as tinned goods, dried pasta and biscuits, was handed over to Airbus Filton’s charity partner Help Bristol’s Homeless. The initiative, organised jointly with trade union Unite, encouraged Airbus employees to drop off items at five foodcollection points across the Filton site. Unite also redeemed vouchers with supermarket Iceland to make a donation of breakfast items.

Chris Young, Deputy Convenor for Unite at Airbus Filton, said: “We wanted to make a contribution to Help Bristol’s Homeless in support of their Christmas Appeal. The employees here at Filton have made a terrific difference and l Left, Caroline Jenkinson, Airbus; rear, I’m grateful for their Jasper Thompson, Help Bristol’s contribution.” Homeless; lower front, James Dixon, Caroline Jenkinson, Airbus; right, Mike Byfield, Unite. Change Platform Agent at Airbus, said: “It’s heartbreaking can only hope it will help some to see people sleeping rough in people this Christmas.” The food was collected the cold in today’s day and age. from Filton by Help Bristol’s Help Bristol’s Homeless were founder, Jasper a natural choice being one of Homeless our five partner charities and I Thompson.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 9

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Page 10 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

BIG DAVE’S SAFE PAGE

Enough is Enough! Senior police officers, politicians, local city councillors and others have come to the conclusion that the issues that we are facing today in our communities are becoming an epidemic in our towns and cities and we need to work together to find a solution. Now is the time for the community to stand together and be counted and say Enough is Enough. This is now beginning to happen and accelerating with various groups set up around the country to look at the issues that touch us all in some way in our normal lives and can be devastating when families find themselves having to deal with its effects. With this Enough is Enough attitude and mindset people power is starting to make a difference and having a positive effect and beginning to turn the tide away from negative pathways. So it shows that people power does have an effect and can be the silver bullet that many of these senior figures are looking for. So we all need to stand up and be counted and to send a strong message to the youth of today that Enough is Enough. Most importantly spread the Love and stop hating each other and learn to Respect one another. So that we can build safe positive relationships and make our communities a safer environment for us all to live and work in. Because this is the ethos of the Phoenix Newspaper people power lately has shown to lead the way on all sorts of issues and topics that matter to us all. So it shows that by standing together we are much stronger and can build a wall that can halt negative influences rather than be the lone brick which will struggle to do so by itself.

lick & Shop Coupons is a virtual shopping mall portal in the UK which provides the fast and easy way to shop online, saving you both time and money. Discount coupons are available from over 500 major High Street and online brand names for almost everything that you are looking for on a wide range of products and services. Click & Shop Coupons aims to help you to find the best deals, promotional offers, as well as discount codes on different products and services. They cover all the major UK stores and on-line brand names and through their partners Groupon, Savoo & VoucherCodes and others, they have a selection of deals and discount offers that are updated as soon as the latest deals and coupons are made available. This ensures that you don’t miss

Taking A Trip Down Memory Lane

have sad news to inform you about on something that has has been a major part of my life for three decades or more. I have to tell you that I have been informed that what was previously known as Dave’s Health Factory now known as the Fitness Factory in Kings Norton, Birmingham is to close. This leisure facility came about after I successfully achieved turning it from an industrial outlet into a leisure facility, (which was the first successful application in the country to do this), thereby laying the path for others to follow. I was fortunate to have have owned my own Gymnasium in the beginning which allowed me to interact with household names from the world of sport, including boxers, wrestlers, martial arts, tennis players, rugby, football, athletics, film stars, TV celebrities, Captains of Industry and you the people of Birmingham. The word of mouth made it the success it became and quickly grew due to the special people that trained in my Gymnasium. My own personal achievements

out on up to date savings and also get to see Exclusive discounts that are not available on some other coupon sites. They also post notification of other sales promotions such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday store promotions. Click & Shop Coupons can help to save you and your family money when they shop online having made it easy to compare price savings to be had from the stores using various coupon codes on products & services as well as the various cashback schemes available to the shopper from the two major cashback companies Quidco & Topcashback. You can also find comparison prices on thousands of products with idealo and Kelkoo. You can can get amazing savings simply by entering a Discount Code but the website also allows you to quickly compare how much

Muscle Elixir

came about due in no small part to the time that I spent training and honing my body and strengthening my muscles, combined with the right nutrition and the intense training regime I undertook on a daily basis. This allowed me to achieve the world strength records as a world strength athlete over the years. Together my work as a strongman enabled me to develop my community work as a People’s Champion and started me on the path to be able to coach and engage with the young people. Over the years I have been running my campaigns on anti-bullying and other anti-social behaviours I have presented to over 1 million UK school children on these issues and have helped to steer them away from negative pathways. I have received many accolades for my work in this area including one of my first awards being the The National Oyster Education Award from a National Newspaper for grit and determination to help others (which sums up my character perfectly, through to this year’s Phonenix Newspaper Community

savings are available or you can shop direct by clicking on the link shown to the secure website. Many of the stores will themselves be offering sale price reductions on offers and deals, so it pays to check the store first. Often first time buyers on the website and newsletter subscribers as well as Students will benefit from additional discounting on products and services. They have made this fast and easy to use by grouping the links on the same page. This means that when you visit the page you can write down the possible savings to be had and you can quickly return to the same page. This will allow you to easily compare and make your choice as to which discount coupon code you want to use. If you are a member of a cashback scheme you can always benefit from the cashback available by clicking on

Engagement Award and many other acknowledgements), to numerous to mention. One of the most proudest achievements was to become an Ambassador for the great City of Birmingham for my work in Standing Up For Birmingham. The time I have spent in Dave’s Health Factory and the people that I have met there are memories that will stay with me forever and is something I will always be grateful for as it has helped me to develop my career and sporting path in life. To put it in some perspective if you totalled up all the weights I have lifted over the three decades this would be in the millions of tons. But the good news is that like the Phonenix it has risen again and will be re-opening as the Fitness Factory Birmingham with a new owner and the legacy will live on. I will still be continuing to train in the gymnasium as will many of its patrons. The love of fitness training will continue to be spread throughout Birmingham and new members will be welcomed to create new memories. Stay strong everyone.

the relevant cashback scheme. Their Top Tip for shopping online is to search for the store you are looking for and when you have found what you have searched for then to check to see if there are any price discount codes available with the three main UK discount partners, Groupon, Savoo

I have two parts to my story, one as an award winning community champion and the other is as a world strength athlete. So on a subject that is very close to my heart (pardon the pun) because this is about my physical training and the strength events that I have set myself and have conquered over the years and now have 26 world strength records from pulling, lifting, carrying and preventing from moving (please see www. dgangelofstrength.co.uk website for details). As you will see I have proved time and time again that the mind is the highest level of strength. Also good nutrition plays a major part in my gruelling training regime and a major part of my nutritional program is my muscle elixir drink that suits my personal training requirements. This drink is unique to myself and I have more or less consumed this daily over more than a ten year period. This muscle elixir consists of:

and DiscountCodes. (Remember some might be Exclusive) and don’t forget there are also free or reduced delivery service discounts to be had with some stores. So if you want to save money when you shop online, check out the savings to be had on www.clickandshopcoupons.co.uk

6 bananas, 6 raw eggs, one pint of raw oats, half a pint of semi-skimmed milk and two scoops of raw cocoa powder all of which is blended through a food mixer. This makes two pints of muscle elixir and consists of 1500 calories per drink. So over a ten year period this is how the ingredients add up and it is staggering what I have consumed throughout this time. I have calculated that I have consumed: 22,000 raw eggs, 22,000 bananas, 3,640 pints of oats, 7,280 scoops of cocoa powder, 1,816 pints of milk. This combination has enabled me to achieve the extraordinary world strength records and maintain my intense daily training regime that I adhere to. This muscle elixir helps to power my body strength and my ‘Never Say Can’t’ attitude powers my mental strength. Together they have combined to enable me to achieve the great things I have been able to do so far!

for some amazing offers and deals online. Proud Supporter of Big Dave Online helping to make our Community a safer place and building positive relationships for us all.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 11

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Restaurateur praised for giving away food to the homeless The owners of an Indian restaurant in Dudley, in the West Midlands, were praised after giving away food that a customer ordered as they tried to shortchange the delivery driver. ‎Robby’s Indian Fine Dining’s Mohammed Saeid said that he was left gobsmacked after the un-named customer tried to underhand him by more than £10. He said he received a call at the restaurant, in Kingswinford, late on a Saturday night, from two customers who were drinking at a local pub. Despite the kitchen being closed, Mr Saeid took on the order and sent a driver to deliver it. Knowing that the order was over £20 the customer pulled out a handful of coins and told the driver ‘there’s roughly about £10 here so take it or leave’ – to which he (the driver) left, with the food, which was later given to a rough sleeper. For that he was widely praised by the local community. “We are just creating awareness of how hard we all work”, he said, “to serve our locals and ensuring they get full value for your money”. He did emphasize: “This kind of tactic can be highly damaging. Businesses work hard to offer highquality food at affordable prices but, sadly, this isn’t the first time it has happened. “I hope we will be able to stop this kind of thing happening in the future”.

Akon Warns Against Celebrity-Backed Cryptocurrencies S

By Delroy Constantine-Simms

l Akon is about to launch his own Cryptocurrency - Akoin

enegalese-American singer Akon preparing to launch Akoin in early 2020 Akon, who was speaking on the sidelines of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, is initially targeting Africa. Senegalese-American singing star Akon has warned against celebrityendorsed cryptocurrency as he prepares to launch his own branded Akoin to the world. Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is just one celebrity to have been caught up in a cryptocurrency controversy in recent years for his work with Centra, which claimed to have partnerships with Visa and Mastercard and that it was working on creating a cryptocurrency you could spend at stores like a debit card. DJ Khaled was also involved in Centra, while veteran actor Steven Seagal had his fingers burnt for an association with Bitcoin. 46-year-old Akon, who was speaking on the sidelines of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, told Arabian Business: “I think a lot of the entertainers went with the wave and also the hype of cryptocurrency, not understanding what it was or what it is and I think a lot of them got caught up into the companies that got eventually folded or were scams. “That’s just a lack of education in getting into certain

things because as an entertainer you find yourself endorsing a lot of products that you don’t do due diligence on.” Africa target Akoin, which is expected to be launched early next year “on every exchange” and even in ATMs, is built to be a worldwide platform but is initially targeting Africa, in particular, aimed at supporting African youth as well as combatting corruption. Akon said the continent boasts 15 percent of the world’s population and is the most valuable region in the world in terms of under- and above-ground resources, yet it remains among the poorest. He revealed the minute the idea came to him to create his own cryptocurrency, when he was unable to spend his French-printed Senegalese CFA in an airport in France. “That’s when I realised this was a big problem, a big issue. Our local money is not worth anything outside the country,” he said. “That’s what made me say ok, I want to be in a position where we can create a currency that’s going to be worth something and, not only that, but you can trade it all throughout the world, through every currency exists and that’s how Akoin came to birth.” The project has been six years in the making. Akon, who wrote smash hit singles ‘beautiful’ and ‘lonely’, added: “It’s a real currency, but it took all those other cryptocurrencies to fall and be erased, basically remove a lot of the trash before the good ones popped up at the top.” This is not the first project Akon has undertaken aimed at helping the people of Africa. In 2015 the singer launched ‘Akon Lighting Africa’, a megasolar project in the Malian capital of Bamako, aimed at providing electricity to some 600 million Africans. He is also currently involved in building a smart city in Senegal, which he hopes can be replicated across Africa. He said: “This city is going to be the pilot to create and construct a model that actually works and that we can duplicate throughout Africa.”

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Page 12 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

g n i t o Prom xcellence 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.

Former DJ and social-rights activist-turned-writer celebrated on inspirational school tour

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en N Copm Birm ingoswoaot i n g Birmin ham B n to gham uB sines usinses Park s ! Park

g Takin ns ssio i m d a now For more information or to enquire about admissions visit:

www.wigglesandgigglesdaynursery.co.uk Contact us: 4360 Waterside Centre, Birmingham Business Park, Solihull Parkway, B37 7YN 07825082937 contact@wigglesandgigglesdaynursery.co.uk

ward-winning author Alex Wheatle was in the West Midlands visiting pupils at Yardleys secondary school in Birmingham. There he spoke to nearly 200 pupils, aged 12-13, about growing up in challenging circumstances and how he coped by writing poetry and song lyrics and even turned his hand to DJing in his teenager years in Brixton, South London. Alex found that by writing about characters in similar situations, he was able to deal with his emotions and express his frustrations. He grew up in a children’s home, which he says was violent and traumatic. In his adult life he spent time in prison for his part in the Brixton riots in 1981. While serving his sentence, a cellmate gave him a book to read, which Alex told pupils helped to save his life. Alex also held interactive workshops with students, giving them a chance to write their own stories and come up with plot themes and characters based on

their own experiences. Thanks to BookTrust, each pupil also got their very own free copy of his ‘Liccle Bit’ book, a YA novel and the first book in his Crongton series, about a teenage boy who gets caught up in gang culture on an inner-city estate. In discussing why books and reading are so important Alex said: “Children and young adults can find it hard to express their emotions and sometimes struggle to show vulnerability because it may not be considered cool but books, poetry and written word make it easier to do that. “I was delighted at the students response to my life story presentation and creative writing workshops and my dearest wish is that they believe that reading books can change lives. Pupils Imaan Mazar and Amina Younis said: “We really loved hearing about Alex’s story and learning about different cultures. “He talked to us and told us that no matter your background, culture or the hard things you’ve been through in your life that anything is

possible and inspiration can come from anywhere.” Eddie Halliday, Asst Head, Yardleys secondary school, said: “The morning was fantastic with an entire year group sat in rapt awe and the workshops took this to a different level with our pupils loving hearing the stories behind the books. “They left deep in discussion about how wonderful it was cluthing their signed copies. As an inner-city school, we strive to get our pupils to love reading and this was a massive step towards that.” Director of Children’s Books, BookTrust, Jill Coleman, said: “Alex is a hugely talented writer and the students were energized and motivated by his visit.” Alex Wheatle concluded: “For me it's crucial for young people to have their own books, something they can treasure and read. Reading leads to empathy and an understanding of so many other things. This is especially important for young vulnerable people who might not necessarily have a bookshelf in their home”.

University of Pretoria Vice-Chancellor receives honorary doctorate University of Pretoria (UP) Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Humanities by Michigan State University (MSU). He also delivered a speech at the graduation ceremony where postgraduate degrees were awarded. Announcing the accolade, MSU said Professor Kupe “is a scholar of media studies and journalism, having notable records in publication and activism. He has worked on several books outlining recommendations for public access to media across Africa. In addition, he is Chairperson of the board of Media Monitoring Africa, an entity dedicated to media accountability and promoting the role of the media as an institution integral to sustaining democracy.” Furthermore, he is a leader in providing quality education to

Olive School pupils help vulnerable communities

more than 53 000 students at UP. “Kupe previously served at the University of Witwatersrand as the executive dean of the Wits Faculty of Humanities. While there, he led several new initiatives, including the creation of the Media Studies Department and development of the Wits Arts and Literature Experience.”

Pupils from The Olive School, Small Heath held a festive charity drive to help support young and old in Birmingham. The kind-hearted pupils collected gifts to help spread joy among young people who would be spending the festive season at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Residents at a local care home were delighed to receive a special visit from Year 6 pupils who delivered hampers packed full of gifts to bring comfort. The school’s drama club also performed a play to raise funds for the homeless charity, Centre Point.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 13

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

Christmas Comes Early As Severn Trent Apprentices Graduate

pprentices from FTSE 100 Company Severn Trent are now taking on permanent roles within the company, after graduating from its apprenticeship programme. It means that 46 operational and maintenance apprentices will now settle into working life, and help look after the water and waste services for around eight million customers across the Midlands. Marie Smart, New Talent Manager at Severn Trent said: “This has been a brilliantly talented

group of individuals, and they’re definitely going to flourish and help make a real difference in how we look after our customers in their new, permanent roles. “The graduation is a lovely way for us congratulate our apprentices and recognise all the hard work and dedication they’ve put into completing their course, while hearing from them about their achievements and reflecting over the past couple of years.” Severn Trent is the first water company to have apprentices complete the trailblazer

apprenticeships specifically designed for front line operations and maintenance roles. The graduating apprentices have spent up to two or three years learning and developing with the company, working in various placements across the region, and will now begin their new roles in their speciality areas. “There’s no denying that all of our apprentices have an absolutely integral role in our company, and there’s no doubt that in their new roles they’ll play an even more important part in helping look after

our customers,” adds Marie. “The great thing about our apprenticeships, is that our programmes are designed to give people the chance to learn and develop, while getting a hands-on experience in an industry that’s ever evolving.” Severn Trent now offers thirteen different schemes, including programmes such as solicitor, finance, group commercial and project management, alongside the previous operational and engineering schemes.

Student Of The Month

Emmanuel Kabu Ocansey of Watson Comly Elementary School was the Student of the month of December, for going an extra mile with his school mates. “Very cheerful, polite and a heart full of gold. His ability to collaborate as a team player and excel is a delight to behold. “Once again we present to you Emmanuel Kabu Ocansey of Watson Comly Elementary

School of Philadelphia. USA.” Watson Comly Elementary School Mission is to provide students ACCESS to a rigorous curriculum, INCLUSION in high-quality instruction, and the ability to take OWNERSHIP of their learning in an environment of JOY, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE and ACCEPTANCE. “We will do whatever it takes to increase student growth and success.”

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Page 14 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE

Teenage climate change activist, Greta Thunberg, a true Woman of Excellence A lthough she might only be just turn 17, but Greta Thunberg FRSGS has become famous all over the world for campaigning against climate change. Having already given a number of powerful speeches since she first started her #FridaysForFuture movement, millions of young people have joined her on protests, with many children walking out of school to take part and disrupt the world’s daily routine to get their point over to the planet’s leaders and power-brokers. After a three-week voyage to be at an important climate summit in New York she addressed the world leaders in a passionate speech to encourage them to do more to protect the planet. Speaking directly to Heads

of State and Government, business leaders, and senior representatives from the world’s so-called ‘civil society’ she told them, in no uncertain way; “You are failing us and you have betrayed young people. “My message”, she said “is that we'll be watching you. This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. “How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. Yet I am one of the lucky ones. “You are not mature enough to tell it like it is. You are failing us. “People are suffering”. Bluntly she added: “You are failing us, but the young people are starting to

understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are on you and if you choose to fail us, I say, we will never forgive you." The lead-up to the Summit included the latest scientific report of potentially catastrophic global warming, unprecedented demonstrations for climate action, and a steady drumbeat of pressure from the UN Secretary-General, who demanded that world leaders take on “bold action and much greater ambition”. Having started his now global movement after fronting a school strike, back in Stockholm, it wasn't the first time that the Swedenborn activist has spoken out about the issue and she has talked many times about the importance of world leaders taking action to deal with

climate change. And, again it’s worth pointing out; she is 17. Recognised with a ‘lorryload’ of awards and commendations including: the ‘Goldene Kamera,’ ‘Fritt Ord Award,’ ‘Rachel Carson Prize,’ ‘Ambassador of Conscience Award,’ ‘Fellow of the Royal Scottish,’ ‘Geographical Society’ (including ‘Geddes Environment Medal’), ‘Right Livelihood Award’ and the ‘International Children's Peace Prize’ – all of which were in 2019 alone, she, herself, has proved without doubt, to be THE ‘uniter’ of nations – without the pretentious, self-absorbing bum-fluff heard at too many of today’s seat of power. That’s why she’s a (never too young to be) Woman of Excellence.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 15

Music fashion Film Gadgets holiday education health and fitness

JANUARY 2020

/streetcredmagazine www.streetcredmagazine.com

Birmingham goes panto mad! The Fairest panto in the land lands at the birmingham hippodrome

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Page 16 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

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THE HOTTEST ENTERTAINMENT SUPPLEMENT

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Pussycat Dolls reunite for 1st UK & Ireland tour in 10 years

he era defying, charttopping, buttonpushing, mega-group is back! The Pussycat Dolls have announced they are reuniting for a U.K. Tour, performing together for the first time in over a decade. The voices of a generation will be taking their Pussycat Dolls 2020 Tour on the road next year, hitting arenas across the U.K. calling at Dublin, Cardiff, Birmingham, Nottingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds and London. The multi-platinum pop sensations – Nicole Scherzinger, Ashley Roberts, Kimberly Wyatt, Jessica Sutta and Carmit Bachar are bringing back Doll Domination. Having sold more than 54 Million records worldwide and streamed over 1 Billion times, X2 Winners at the MTV VMA and achieved eight U.K. top 10 singles the dolls have Stick Wit Ya throughout the decades. Nicole Scherzinger says “I love all my girls so much and cannot wait to show you what we've got in store for you. It’s been a long time coming but this feels like the perfect time to remind the world what it means to be a Pussycat Doll”. The Pussycat Dolls’ founder,

Robin Antin, says: “I created The Pussycat Dolls back in 1994 and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it would become one of the most iconic girl groups of our time. “I’ve been working on making this reunion happen now for years, so I am very excited that the stars have aligned for THE PCD REUNION! “It’s with gratitude to our fans and during this amazing time of female empowerment, to be able to announce the launch of our PCD reunion, celebrating ALL GENDERS, & the brilliant success and talent of the girls that helped influence a movement that was long overdue”. In their first television performance in ten years, The Pussycat Dolls will return to the X Factor with an exclusive performance on Saturday 30 November which is set to back the PCD sparkle, excitement and anthemic hits. The Pussycat Dolls will embark on a nine date U.K. wide tour bringing hits such as ‘Don’t Cha’, ‘Stickwitu’, ‘When I Grow Up’, ‘Buttons’ and more fan favourites back to life with their iconic dance routines and show-stopping vocals.

JANUARY Gig Listings BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY

January 09 Paul Smith: Following 10 Catapult Club feat.The Reptars 11 Catapult Club ft. Club Row 11 Mark Morton 17 Insomnium 18 Sidhu Moose Wala 24 Catapult Club ft. Vermillion and the Moon 25 Krept & Konan 30 Sam Fender 31 Catapult Club ft. Snowflake Generation 31 Bombay Bicycle Club

O2 INSTITUTE

January 10 PJ Morton 10 New Model Army 16 Wage War 17 Chase Rice: The Pint Of Anything Tour 17 Catapult Club ft. Lost in Transition 18 Winter Carnival ft Shenseea 27 Waterparks 28 The Teskey Brothers 28 The Interrupters 29 ScHoolboy Q with special guest Jay Rock 30 Deno 31 Thy Art Is Murder

RESORTS WORLD ARENA January 31-Feb 1 The Arenacross Tour 2020

ARENA BIRMINGHAM January 16-19 Strictly Come Dancing The Live Tour 2020 22 Vitality Netball Nations Cup 2020 24 Slipknot Plus Behemoth 25 Kaiser Chiefs Plus Very Special Guests Razorlight 26 BBL Cup Final 2020 29 Jonas Brothers Happiness Begins Tour 31-Feb 2 Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live

NEC

January 09-12 Autosport International 25-26 The National Running Show

TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL

January 01 The Johann Strauss Gala 02-12 We’re Going On A Bear Hunt 05 Viennese New Year 07-08 Birmingham City University Graduations 09 CBSO: A Vision of the Future 12 Black Dyke In Concert

13 Lunchtime Organ Concert – Thomas Trotter 14 Sir Simon Rattle & London Symphony Orchestra – Berg & Beethoven 17 Moscow City Ballet: Swan Lake 18 CBSO: Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand 18 Judy Collins 21 Miloš Karadaglić in recital 22 CBSO: Yamada: Brahms and Schumann 24 The Milk Carton Kids 25 Anton & Erin 26 Beethoven, Missa Solemnis 27 Lunchtime Organ Concert – Thomas Trotter 28 Echo Eternal Youth Arts Festival 2020: Horizons 28 Orchestre National de Lille 29 CBSO: Mirga’s Beethoven 29 Noa Wildschut in recital 29 Post-concert Conversation with violinist Noa Wildschut 30 CBSO: Mirga’s Beethoven 30 Ed Byrne: If I’m Honest... 31 The Classic Rock Show 2020

SLADE ROOMS WOLVERHAMPTON 17 Francis Dunnery’s IT BITES 18 Toyah 23 Darren Harriott 25 The Guns N’Roses Experience, Wrong Jovi

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 17

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Thousands pay tribute as the legendary Birmingham Alldayer returns for a special night

s the genre was restricted to hearing the odd Jackson 5, young solo Michael, Earth Wind & Fire, or Diana Ross track on the radio in the 1970s, the all-dayer proved a mass release for many – and an all-round musical ‘education’ for many more. With DJs playing some of the hardest, edgiest jazz-fusion tunes that were never heard before, a new culture was created in the UK as the ‘70s said ‘goodbye’ and the 1980s said ‘hello’.. Jazz, Funk, Electro and HipHop and Soul became a new music order, with all-dayers and all-nighters the new ‘go to’

for young, fresh hipsters – with Birmingham ‘the city’ and the then named Locarno top of the tree nationwide, for both ‘night’ and ‘day’ – that was before the closure of the popular nightclub. But, then, step up Frenchie-T, as, for a period of time, Birmingham’s alldayers would be held at venues such as Maximillians, Snobs, Romeo & Juliets, Steptoes and Hummingbird. The DJ, promoter and music entrepreneur would front a comeback, with the newly renamed ‘Powerhouse’ The Birmingham All Dayers forged a culture of dress styles and a unique atmosphere that are pretty much staple to this day. Rare music, rare fashion and common friendships were the recipe forging the cult movement. And, 36 years on, a ‘Tribute to the Birmingham Alldayer’ saw some of the legends of back then return to the frontline smashing some of the rarest of groves at a packed Mama Roux's in deepest Digbeth. They came from near and far, from home and abroad, to pack a venue that was teaming with people who – as was always came to dance, dance and dance again – from 11.00 at night through to the late hours the following morning. With the likes of Frenchie himself, Chris Reid, Bruce Q,

Kenny B, Shakil Dixon heading a line of DJs from back then who were ahead of their game then – and still so today – paid homage to some of the DJs who featured large back then, including: Shaun Williams, Colin Curtis, Funky Jonathan, Paul Murphy, Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson, Trevor M, Baz Fe Jazz, Eric X, Mike Smith, Tim Westwood, Chris Rhythm Doctor, Cleveland Anderson and many, many more. And, remembering those who were leaders – on the decks and on the dance floor – throughout, the Tribute was also inspired by the passing of just some of the individuals who made their names - not only locally but all over the country, individuals like Smiler, Errol T, Chico, The Baptiste Brothers and Gully. “It is only fitting that a tribute and reunion should take place in memory of those events which has seen artists such as Roy Ayers, Loose Ends, Kenny G, Afrika Bambatta amongst the biggest names of the day to perform at the Birmingham Alldays”, Frenchie – who, during his time, interviewed the likes of jazz=funk legends; Leroy Burgess, Aleem and Aurra - said. “The anticipation of sharing great memories and music at what was a very special reunion captured the imagination, created a special ‘feel good’ factor and

was truly inspiring. “It is impossible to name everybody involved with the fantastic journey with the legacy of some of the great memories now legendary”. With the likes of the Lowe & Hassell Brothers, Trevor Hodge, Bulldog, Rico, Sandra, Robert Johnson, Sharon Phylis, Barbara, Steve Seymour, Stretch, Lozz, Brezhnev, Lizard, Cutey, Sarah Swindler, plus other legends of ‘the scene’ making their contribution, this truly was a memorable night that will go down in the annals of Birmingham’s music scene, with a second – 2020 – dale already on the cards. .

ENTERTAINMENT

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Page 18 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

head of performing at Symphony Hall Birmingham in Big Band Broadway next year, Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp made a visit to the site of Symphony Hall's £13.2 million redevelopment and met with members of Birmingham community big band, The Notebenders. For ‘Big Band Broadway’, Martin and Shirlie Kemp will be joined by legendary Broadway music-man Larry Blank and the London Concert Orchestra. Along with sensational vocalists Rachel Tucker and Matt Ford, audiences on February 16 will enjoy an exciting concert of music from the searing rhythms of ‘Sweet Charity and Cabaret’ to the blistering brass of ‘West Side Story’. Performances continue throughout the major transformation of Symphony Hall’s foyers where, on completion, it will boast a brandnew performance space for talented local artists to have even more opportunities to perform as part of a daily programme with free and affordable performances. The Notebenders Big Band - the brainchild of our patron and inspiration, Andy Hamilton MBE - will be one of many local community groups who will benefit from the state-of-the-art performance space. Band members hail from all sections of the diverse and dynamic Birmingham

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Martin Kemp meets Notebenders ahead of Big Band performance

communities and the wider West Midlands region. They are a true representation of crossing and breaking down barriers through music. Mary Wakelam-Sloan, Jazz Programme Manager, said: "Town Hall Symphony Hall has been working for over ten years with Ladywood-based community big

band The Notebenders. “Led by Conservatoire graduates and supported by the Jazzlines Talent Development programme, The Notebenders is a unique and important part of Town Hall Symphony Hall’s commitment to supporting the musical aspirations of the people of Birmingham and enabling free access to quality

performances in a world class venue”. Town Hall Symphony Hall present a wide-ranging programme of music, comedy and spoken word, and the £13.2 million project will mean that even more people can access and enjoy this work.

The Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Eclipse Theatre announce the world premiere and cast of ‘The Gift’ Eclipse Theatre and the Belgrade Theatre Coventry today announce full casting for their upcoming co-production of Janice Okoh’s ‘The Gift’, the third show to emerge from Eclipse’s groundbreaking Revolution Mix movement, which is spearheading the largest ever delivery of new Black British stories in theatre, film and radio. ‘The Gift’ will premiere in Coventry from 18-25 January before embarking on a UK tour. Set in both 1852 and the present day, the outrageously funny play explores themes of cross-racial adoption and cultural appropriation, partly inspired by the remarkable true story of Sarah Bonetta Davies, a young African girl who was adopted by Queen Victoria and raised in the Queen’s circles. Her story is juxtaposed against that of a second Sarah – a middle-class Black woman staying in a modernday Cheshire village with her husband and small child. The two Sarahs’ timelines are brought together when they meet Queen Victoria for tea, in a gathering which

promises to be anything but a regular tea party. Featuring a six-person cast, ‘The Gift’ has been written by Janice Okoh (whose first play, Egusi Soup, won a Channel 4 Playwriting Award in 2017) and will be directed by Dawn Walton (Red Dust Road for National Theatre, Scotland; Black Men Walking for Eclipse Theatre; Salt for Selina Thompson). Writer Janice said: “I first heard the story of Sarah Bonetta Davies when I was at primary school, but for many years I wasn’t sure if it was actually true or not. “As part of my research, I read personal diaries and journals kept by Queen Victoria and got a real insight into their incredible relationship.” The theme of cross-racial adoption is a difficult subject to tackle, but the comedic elements of the play allow me to do this in a way that is playful, as well as thoughtprovoking. We look forward to sharing this incredible show with audiences across the UK and adding to the important body of work being created by Revolution Mix.”

The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 19

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ENTERTAINMENT

new venue and ‘vinyl bar’ opened its doors to music fans with a huge four-day launch featuring 45 bands, musicians, artists and DJs from across Birmingham and the Midlands. Dead Wax Digbeth hosted a series of specially curated free events running across its three spaces - including two all-dayers, late-night DJ sets, rare live performances and acoustic sets. Some of Birmingham’s hottest live acts, including Swampmeat Family Band, Brain Food, Violet, RISCAS, The Empty Page and Wax Futures took to the stages at the 120/230/100-capacity multiroom venue, formerly punk, rock, metal and alternative haunt The Wagon & Horses in the city’s creative quarter of Digbeth. Fully transformed by Brighton’s Laine Pub Co, Dead Wax Digbeth features a renovated and expanded building incorporating live music spaces both upstairs (120 capacity) and outside in the ‘Duck Bath’ yard (230 capacity). The main bar area (100 capacity) will present a craft beer offering from Beavertown and Laine Brew Co. alongside guest draft lines from local breweries including Dig Brew Co, plus a Dead Wax Pizza menu with fresh carnivore, vegetarian and vegan choices overseen by city food tastemaker Anthony Duffy.

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ENTERTAINMENT

New venue and ‘vinyl bar’ opens its doors to music fans

Music fans and vinyl lovers will be encouraged to choose and play albums and singles from the bar’s large 4000 record collection as well as enjoy vinyl-only sets from a diverse line-up of DJs in a bright and vibrant setting in the heart of Digbeth designed and created by local artists. A mural, curated by in-demand

street artist Gent48 featuring influential Birmingham bands, musicians and DJs including Big Bear Records, Birmingham Promoters, Catapult Club, Chicks Dig Jerks, ColdRice, Die Das Der, Distorted Tapes, Iron Man Records, Punch Records, This Is Tmrw, and Sweat amongst others will complete the visual identity

for this latest addition to the city’s live music landscape. The launch comes as good news in light of a number of concerns around Birmingham’s music and pub mainstays with city-centre venues including The Flapper, Scruffy Murphy’s and the Eagle and Tun all under threat from closure due to redevelopment.

Sutton Coldfield BookFest is back for 2020! It’s a fantastic chance for children to meet their favourite authors, discover astonishing books and experience hands-on storytelling. Visitors will be able to meet Jacqueline Wilson and Nick Sharratt! Enjoy adventure stories, Tiger Who Came to Tea Tea Parties, mystery writers, Dr Who script-writing, and stories for the very young. Events for 0-12 year olds all take place on one fabulous day, at Sutton Coldfield Library and Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, with a fun, free Where’s Wally book trail taking place between the two venues. There will be a book shop and opportunities to have books

signed by their authors. So if you know a young book worm - or someone who’s ready to be inspired – then don’t miss out! Sutton Coldfield BookFest is produced by Bournville BookFest and FOLIO Sutton Coldfield. Our grateful thanks go to Heart of England Community Foundation and the Peddimore Community Fund, and to Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID and Sutton Coldfield Town Hall for their support. Festival director Sarah Mullen said: “We are very proud to be bringing Sutton Coldfield BookFest back in 2020 and really have something for everyone, from famous authors to storytelling for tots. Join us for a Leap Day to remember – a chance to #LeapintoBooks!”

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ENTERTAINMENT

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It’s The Fairest Panto In All The Land! P

anto fever gripped Birmingham once again as the QDOS Production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs started its takeover of Birmingham’s Hippodrome for it’s over 2 month run on the main stage in the second city. Matt Slack returns once again for his 7th consecutive year in Birmingham’s Pantomime and is a welcome addition to an impressive lineup of talent. Lesley Joseph as the

Wicked Queen brings the required level of “bad guy”, while being hilarious, especially with her interactions with Matt Slack as Muddles. The regular use of her real name during the performance, with Joseph retorting instantly as well Matt getting stuck in her wig caused the whole place to erupt in laughter. Slack showed what a pantomime afficionado he is with a number of obviously improvised lines, not least to Jac Yarrow as The Prince, after he stated that he feels he’s falling in love with the beautiful Snow White, “Then how come you’ve been found in Joe McElderry’s dressing room so often, hmm?”, causing another wave of laughter as The Prince himself cracked before regaining composure to continue. Speaking of Snow White, Faye Brookes made the transition

from Coronation Street to the Pantomime very well, with a surprisingly beautiful, strong and fitting vocal performance from someone not well known for singing. The Magnificent Seven were in good comedic and vocal form, in the shape of Josh Bennett, George Coppen, Simeon Dyer, Craig Gardner, Lee Hill, Jamie John and Blake Lisle, short in stature but overflowing with talent. The hilarity of the chaos that ensued during the edited version of The 12 Days Of Christmas was once again a massive highlight and pure entertainment as the whole cast came together for this brilliant piece. Obviously no Snow White performance would be complete without The Spirit In The Mirror, which Joe McElderry perfectly encapsulates with the sass and

vocal skill to back it up. Flawless appeared as the Wicked Queen’s Men, and living up to their name, their high octane synchronised dance performances were Flawless, even allowing Matt Slack to join in on one section which was very well received. Once again directed by Michael Harrison, continuing his decadelong reign at the helm of Birmingham Hippodrome Panto, the production is guaranteed to leave you in pain – your cheeks will hurt from laughing so hard and your sides will have split! Snow White runs at Birmingham Hippodrome until the 2nd of February.

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midst the sounds and colours of a Barbados Tuk Band, courtesy of headline sponsor, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., the big winners of the 2019 Caribbean Travel Media Awards were revealed at an exclusive networking evening held at the Crowne Plaza London Docklands. Shortlisted by a panel of 14 judges representing the industry, the winners across eight categories were each awarded a prestigious trophy with Certificates for runners-up, in the presence of visiting Caribbean ministers and UK Chapter members, including individual sponsors of the awards. The first award of the night went to Martin Steady winning in the Best Travel Trade category for ‘A Journey to Belize’ in Selling Travel Magazine, an excellent account of his cultural and historical journey through the Belize islands. Within the national and regional press categories, Juliet Rix picked up the Best National Newspaper award for her inspiring coverage of Dominica two years after the devastation of Hurricane Irma featured in the Telegraph’s print as ‘The Calm After the Storm’ and online as ‘Rediscovering Dominica two years after the hurricane’; with the Best Regional Newspaper award going to Hannah Stephenson for the second

ENTERTAINMENT

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CTO Announces the Big Winners of the 2019 Caribbean Travel Media Awards

year running. Her feature ‘ Spice of Life - Grenada’ syndicated nationwide for PA Media (formerly the Press Association) offered a refreshing focus on Grenada’s community spirit and its unspoilt nature. Amongst the other accolades the Best Consumer Feature went to Ronan O’Shea who takes his readers off the beaten track to

discover amazing hiking trails and coastal food in his feature ‘ Antigua Beyond the Beaches’ for Escapism Magazine. In the biggest category overall, with over 40 entries submitted, Blogger Macca Sherifi of An Adventurous World scooped the combined Best Online & Blog Post award. In his feature and video, Macca brings the island

of Dominica to life through his passionate and inspiring travel guide ‘ What to do in DominicaMy Travel Guide to Dominica’. The Best Broadcast category brought up some surprises with two episodes of Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen, Antigua and Dominica, reaching the finalist stage. Presented by Ainsley Harriott, Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen –

Antigua, which showcased the island’s local culinary treasures alongside stupendous footage, scooped up the winner’s award. View the trailer at YouTube Antigua Trailer. . In the Social Media category, three impressive campaigns made the shortlist with the winner of the Best Social Media Campaign going to #WhatCoolLooksLike for

the Traverse Antigua Conference 2019. Up to 10 UK influencers representing blogs including Dejashu, Travel Documentaries, I Want You To Know, Sandy Makes Sense and Travel Colourfully were part of a Campaign involving 33 content creators who individually presented excellent content across numerous social media platforms. In the final category for 2019, Audrey Gillan and Nicola Trup scooped the Best Caribbean Round Up award for their feature, ‘Caribbean Cook Up’ in National Geographic Traveller, a fascinating and beautifully illustrated culinary journey through the Caribbean. Carol Hay, the CTO’s director of marketing for UK and Europe, said “Congratulations to all the finalists and winners in the 2019 awards; the Caribbean Travel Media Awards have successively drawn a high standard of entries in all categories, each entry playing their part in raising awareness of the Caribbean as a region, and this year has been no exception. “I would like to personally thank all the entrants who took time to submit their entries and express my gratitude to our headline sponsor, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, our individual award sponsors who very generously provided the prizes and the Judges for taking time out to review the entries.”

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Billy Ocean announces ‘One World’ 2020 Show Following his sold-out tour earlier this year, British soul icon Billy Ocean has announced a huge UK headline tour for autumn 2020, including dates at Symphony Hall Birmingham on Monday, 16 November 2020. Billy will be performing the best of his greatest hits and songs from his upcoming new studio album ‘One World’, which is due for release in spring 2020. Billy Ocean is the biggest selling black recording star Britain has ever produced and has sold over 30 million records in his lifetime to date. Having achieved extraordinary success as both an artist and a songwriter, Billy has collected multiple gold and platinum records across the world, and hit the number one spot worldwide in the pop charts including the USA, Australia, Germany, Holland, and the UK. 2016 saw the ‘Here You Are: The Best of Billy Ocean’ album released in the UK. Gaining a number four chart position, this was Billy’s highest charting album since 1989. This year Billy celebrated the anniversary of his ground-breaking album, ‘Suddenly’. Originally released in 1984, the record spawned the monster hits ‘Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)’, ‘Mystery Lady’ and ‘Loverboy’.

Black Beau Shines At P F or the first time ever, the crowned winners of top beauty pageants, namely Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA are all black women This may sound like a feat in and of itself, but when you look at the history of pageants such as

Gearing up for the highly anticipated release of his new album, 2020 is set to be another big year for Billy.

these, it’s an even more impressive achievement. Until about the 1920’s women of colour were banned from even participating in such pageants, and even after changes to the rules, there was still opposition and frustration to their joining. 2019 Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, 2019 Miss World Toni-Ann Singh, 2019 Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, 2019 Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris, 2019 Miss World, Miss Jamaica Toni-Ann Singh hails from Morant, Jamaica and graduated with degrees in Womens’s Studies and Psychology from Florida State University, with plans to enrol in medical school. "I will continue to be an advocate for women," she said, after winning the Miss World Jamaica crown in September. "I believe women are the lifeblood of our community. So, I will continue to inspire and work with them, so they understand just how great their potential is." M i s s Universe, Zozibini Tunzi is from Tsolo in South Africa and speaks Xhosa as well as English. "I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair —

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9th Anniversary Special Celebratory Supplement

uty Inside And Out Pageants was never considered to be beautiful," she said in her last response before she was crowned. "I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine." When she began competing in pageants, Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris has had to fight general beauty standards suggesting straight hair was better than her natural curls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; standards that were evidently smashed as she sailed through Miss Connecticut Teen USA and then Miss Teen USA. Miss USA Cheslie Kryst has a passion for helping prisoners who may have been sentenced unjustly, free of charge, practices civil litigation for a law firm, and is licensed to practice in two states. "Glass ceilings can be broken wearing either a skirt or pants," she said. "Don't tell females to wear different clothes while you give the men substantive feedback on their legal arguments." The support shown to these ladies was immense, and none more so than for Miss World, Tori-Ann Singh from Miss Nigeria (pictured right). The scream and excitement shown by Miss Nigeria Nyekachi Douglas as she jumped for joy and ran on the spot was a beautiful display of mutual support for another woman of colour, something sadly usually lacking in the general population. As we move into 2020, hopefully we can help each other to rise, and celebrate our successes.

Spreading The Love

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ENTERTAINMENT THE PHOENIX NEWSPAPER 9TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER AND AWARDS

Introducing HRH Nene Tetteh Ayiku Abordonu IV

RH Nene Tetteh Ayiku Abordonu IV, is the King of the Kabiawetsu People of the Ada Kingdom and was born into the Royal Ocansey family as Frederick Tetteh Ocansey in Accra, Ghana. As a young man, the King had a passion for football, and during his early childhood

and adulthood lived and went to school in the Ghanaian capital city of Accra. From the late 80’s to the late 90’s, the King lived in the United Kingdom, before settling the United States. He pursued his dreams in the USA, to further his education by completing an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and an MBA with

l With Ghanaian First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo

concentration in Marketing and Finance. The King is currently the owner of Trade Latitude LLC Transportation and import -exports business. In addition to this, As part of his ongoing vision for his native Ghana, he has set up a foundation called Another Life Saved in his home country, which is for youth empowerment, advancing rural development, raising finance to support poor rural women in their trade in order to support their children through education by establishing rural banking. Furthermore, it is looking to build an Entrepreneur Development Centre to train the youth in different fields of vocation, and building a leadership training centre to recruit and train the best brains to lead Africa because of the leadership crisis facing the continent. “We are also thinking of building a world renown research library for the youth. Another area we are very much concerned about is industrial agriculture development to feed the continent,” explained the King. The King’s return to the UK in 2019 was by the invitation of The Phoenix Newspaper, to attend this wonderful 9th Anniversary Dinner and Awards Presentation, under the theme of Spreading The Love and Youth Empowerment. This celebrated 70th Years of the Commonwealth as part of The Phoenix’s ongoing mission to connect communities and promote the positive impact that the Commonwealth has on every aspect of everyday life. HRH Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has an obvious and deep rooted love for all the nations of the Commonwealth, and it is evident to see in her when she visits each and every one of the countries under the Commonwealth banner. In his capacity as Chairman of the Council The Royal Returns in Ghana, the King came to the UK to initiate collaborative talks with The Phoenix Newspaper to promote the Return of the Royals and black people living outside the African continent.

We are pleased to announce that as of January 2020 The Phoenix Newspaper will be working in partnership with HRH Nene Tetteh Ayiku Abordonu IV on a number of exciting ongoing and upcoming initiatives including the Return of the Royals. HRH Nene Tetteh Ayiku Abordonu IV stated at the announcement of this collaboration, “As the Biblical philosophy indicates that my people will be in slavery for 400 years and after these they will return home gloriously, this is exactly 400 years since slavery was abolished. “I humbly stand as an ambassador of the Royal Returns, and with the partnership of The Phoenix Newspaper, we are looking to connect people from the diaspora with their roots in a positive m a n n e r . The sky will be the limit for Africa’s progress, development, and prosperity.” HRH Nene Tetteh Ayiku Abordonu IV has made it clear that with the positive nature of the work that Dr Marcia McLaughlin has been doing for over 25 years, he would like to honour her by Enstooling her as a Queen and a member of the Royal Ocansey family. As a celebration of our partnership, The Phoenix Newspaper will be keeping you updated on all matters arising from this wonderful collaboration.

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THE PHOENIX NEWSPAPER 9TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER AND AWARDS

l With former Ghanaian President John Mahama

l With Ghanaian Prime Minister Nana Akufo-Addo

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ENTERTAINMENT THE PHOENIX NEWSPAPER 9TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER AND AWARDS

Black Beau Shines At P

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 27

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ENTERTAINMENT

uty Inside And Out Pageants was never considered to be beautiful," she said in her last response before she was crowned. "I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine." When she began competing in pageants, Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris has had to fight general b e a u t y standards suggesting straight hair was better than her natural curls – standards that were evidently smashed as she sailed through Miss Connecticut Teen USA and then Miss Teen USA. Miss USA Cheslie Kryst has a passion for helping prisoners who may have been sentenced unjustly, free of charge, practices civil litigation for a law firm, and is licensed to practice in two states. "Glass ceilings can be broken wearing either a skirt or pants," she said. "Don't tell females to wear different clothes while you give the men substantive feedback on their legal arguments." The support shown to these ladies was immense, and none more so than for Miss World, Tori-Ann Singh from Miss Nigeria (pictured right). The scream and excitement shown by Miss Nigeria Nyekachi Douglas as she jumped for joy and ran on the spot was a beautiful display of mutual support for another woman of colour, something sadly usually lacking in the general population. As

we move into 2020, hopefully we can help each other to rise, and celebrate our successes.

Girl Power!

Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Ghanaian Minister of Tourism, with Tina Knowles-Lawson, Beyoncé’s mother, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, Foreign Affairs Minister and H.E. Rev. Dr. Princess Asi Ocansey in a Presidential Cocktail in Ghana earlier this month

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Arena Birmingham Offers First Ever Audio-Described Live Show Arena Birmingham has offered audio description to its visitors for the first time at Marvel Universe LIVE! Following a request from a customer whose sons are visually impaired, Arena Birmingham partnered with VocalEyes to offer audio description of the action-packed show. The describers, who saw an earlier performance of the show and prepared a script, were able to offer the real-time description via headsets, making the show more accessible to those with all levels of visual impairment. The describer’s audio is broadcast using a digital radio system, ensuring a good quality reception with a range of

between 50-100 metres. Claire Eccles, who wrote in to the Arena to request Audio Description, said: “It meant so much to my family that we were able to enjoy Marvel Universe LIVE! with audio description. My sons are both severely visually impaired and love coming to live events, but it’s often hard for them to work out what’s going on. I try my best to explain but it’s difficult. The smiles when they put the headsets on said it all. They can’t stop talking about the fantastic time they had - it made such a difference to their experience. I can only hope more local venues will follow suit.”

Spike Lee Urges Arab Film Makers To “Do The Right Thing” At On.Dxb By Delroy Constantine-Simms

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pike Lee, the Oscarwinning director behind movies like BlacKkKlansman, Malcolm X and Do The Right Thing took part in An Audience With Spike Lee in the ON.DXB dedicated film theatre in front of 1,000 creatives, professionals and film fans. He gave a talk about his 30-year journey, to becoming an Academy Award-winning director in 2019 for Best Adapted Screenplay for the aforementioned BlacKkKlansman. Speaking in a 'Power of the Media' session on the final day of ON.DXB, an initiative of Dubai Media City in collaboration with Dubai Film & TV Commission, The acclaimed filmmaker responsible for revered movies including Malcolm X, BlackKklansman and She's Gotta Have It, is no stranger to career advice - Lee is also professor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Lee told the crowd: "You must love what you are doing more than anything, because only a love of filmmaking will sustain you when you're trying to get something done. You have got to work hard. Lazy people are not going to work, and neither are negative people. Positive people only, otherwise they have got to go." "This is a very tough industry. I often hear students say something is hard and my automatic answer is: what is easy? This is an industry where we are told 'no' a lot and a lot of doors close in your face. You have to keep faith in yourself and your ability to keep going - you can't quit," said Lee. With the topic of securing a 'big break' figuring prominently amongst the enthralled audience, Lee discussed a 30-year career which has unearthed a constant stream of talent, including

industry luminaries such as Samuel L. Jackson, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, John Turturro and Queen Latifah, to behindthe-camera icons Ruth Carter, an Oscar-winning costume designer who brought the Marvel Studios kingdom of Wakanda to life in mega hit Black Panther, to longtime editor, Barry Alexander Brown. Lee explained why he routinely turns to unknown talent, Lee said: "I enjoy working with talented people, but people need to have a start. It is a tough business and it is very hard to get in. “I have always been aware that I have to be on the lookout for new talent, in-front or behind the camera, and I understand that having talent is not always enough. Talent needs a stage to show their work and a platform to shine." When asked where filmmakers should showcase their material to increase their exposure, Lee advised: "YouTube. Studios and record companies look at that stuff. “That is where the talent goes now. You don't have to be in New York or Los Angeles, you just put it up on YouTube. It sounds crazy but people are discovered on the Internet again and again, it happens all the time." While most emerging filmmakers can only dream of Lee's journey from indie breakout to Oscar glory, the film pioneer offered words of wisdom on how to deal with disappointment, citing his own early career mistakes. "I have a bunch of disappointments. My biggest is the film that was supposed to be my first feature. It was a complete disaster, a fiasco. “Laurence Fishbourne and John Esposito, two great actors who I got to work with later, were going to be in it but I was naïve and did not know what I was doing. “I would not be here if it had been made, it was that horrible. I had written car chases that I was

incapable of directing. It didn't get made and I thought that was the end of the world, but I found out something sprouts out of a disaster and that disappointment led into the best thing that happened to me, my first feature film in She's Gotta Have It." Lee also weighed in on the current debate about streaming services and their impact on the film industry: "I think Netflix, Hulu and Amazon are great, especially for young filmmakers. The more places to show films the better. Take the debate about Netflix and Martin Scorsese's new film, The Irishman; Martin is a good friend and I know he went all around Hollywood and no-one would do it. He knew with Netflix he wasn't going to get a theatrical release and that was a decision he had to make. It is the same with Da 5 Bloods (Lee's upcoming production about African American Vietnam veterans). It is on Netflix because no-one wanted to do it either, so Netflix is a great place for films that no-one wants to do. Streaming has changed the game; it is not just studios now." When asked specifically for advice on the new Saudi film industry by a female Saudi filmmaker in the audience, Lee offered his final piece of sage advice. "People should tell their stories no matter what their background is. You know your story better than anybody and for young filmmakers it is easier - you should know yourself. “Write what you know first, not to say you can't get off that in the future, but write what you know and know what you write." In conclusion he urged regional filmmakers and creatives to 'Do the Right Thing', follow their passion and keep working hard if they're intent on breaking through in the "very tough" film industry.

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O TLC returning Coventry Pride 2020 Headline Stage Is Moving to Broadgate Coventry Pride has announced that the Headline Stage for their annual festival is moving to Broadgate, in the heart of the city centre for Pride 2020. Martin Pink, Chair of the Board of Trustees said “University Square has served us very well for 3 years and we thank Coventry University for all of their support, but

the time has come to expand. With our visitor numbers increasing every year, a larger, more central location is now required for Coventry Pride, ready to take us into 2020 and beyond for UK City of Culture in 2021. Coventry Pride festival is back on June 13-14th 2020.

St. Lucia's locally-owned and -operated Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa and Dermalogics Aesthetics Medical Clinic, a medical aesthetic company, recently pampered emerging R&B/Soul artist Lucki Starr with their world-class proprietary treatments during her first trip to the island. The U.S.-based artist and her family spent six nights at the award-wining resort, at the invitation of Dr. Desmer Destang, owner of the clinic, which is located near the resort in Rodney Bay. Ms. Starr sought out the services of Dr. Destang, a St. Lucianborn, college qualified medical aesthetic clinician with 15 years' experience, for a personalized skin consultation, analysis and treatment. The two had first met during Dr. Destang's previous visit to New York where the doctor recommended a skin care regimen for the star, which yielded positive results, Ms. Starr's mother, Shana Gordon, said they'd felt like they were in a tropical "home away from home" from the moment they arrived at the resort. From the daily hugs they received from "Ms. P" (resort general manager Waltrude Patrick) to Lily at the concierge desk, who arranged for a private hair stylist to come to the resort, Gordon said they couldn't have felt more welcome. The family also raved about the Caribbean-inspired gourmet food offered at each of the restaurants on site, including Hi Tide and Seagrapes Beach Bar, and reveled in zip line, horseback riding and

for exclusive London show

ST. LUCIA "STARR" TREATMENT AT BAY GARDENS BEACH RESORT

other experiences for which St. Lucia is famous. Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director of Bay Gardens Resorts and brother of Dr. Destang, said: "We were thrilled to welcome Ms. Starr and her family to our beautiful island and our resort and

we're looking forward to them returning in the future." Ms. Starr and her family are already planning their next visit, hopefully for 2020 St. Lucia Carnival, and checking back into their newly discovered "home away from home".

ENTERTAINMENT

ne of the greatest legacies in music history can be summed up by just three letters — TLC. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the culture-shifting and seminal album ‘CrazySexCool’ the legendary group have announce their return to the U.K. with a performance at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. TLC, those characters merely hint at the talent of Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins, Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas, and the late Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes, but they immediately evoke an unparalleled journey nonetheless. That journey encompasses immortal anthems such as ‘Waterfalls’, ‘Creep’, ‘No Scrubs’," and ‘Unpretty’, to name a few, as well as sales of 70 million records worldwide, four GRAMMY® Awards, two RIAA diamond-certified albums among a total of four multiplatinum albums, ten Top 10 singles, and four Number 1 singles. The U.K. performance celebrates the incredible twenty-year milestone since their debut headline ‘FanMail’ Tour. T-Boz and Chilli are bringing their highly anticipated show to London next summer in June 2020, after recently embarking on the "Whole Lotta Hits Tour" co-headlining with Nelly and supported by Flo Rida across North America. This unmissable return to the stage for fans will bring the sass and attitude that is synonymous with one of the most iconic girl groups to grace the earth. There’s no doubt the undisputed "best-selling American girl-group of all-time" continue to captivate global audiences, most recently with their first album in fifteen years “TLC”. TLC of course return to form, picking up exactly where they left off just sharper, smarter, sassier, and even a little sexier than before, all while keeping the inimitable chemistry that simultaneously drove the twelve-track album straight to the #1 spot on the Billboard Top 100 Chart. Fans can expect an incredible, non-stop party with hit after hit all night long. TLC will be at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Monday 29 June 2020.

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Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Immersive Experience Tate Liverpool and National Museums Liverpool, with a little help from The Beatles and Dolby Laboratories, launched a unique experiential presentation of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in Dolby Atmos, as a Christmas gift to the city. This worldwide first, immersive experience will be presented daily at the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building at the Royal Albert Dock Liverpool until Thursday 9 January. Tate Liverpool and National Museums Liverpool have collaborated with Apple Corps Ltd. to present the remixed version of The Beatles’s pioneering Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band played in Dolby Atmos, an immersive sound environment that feels as if the band is performing live in the space. This free event, situated at the heart of Liverpool’s iconic Royal Albert Dock Liverpool will transport listeners to Abbey Road this Christmas. Helen Legg, director, Tate Liverpool, said: “We’re excited to be working with National Museums Liverpool to bring this unique listening experience to the city. “At the time they made Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles were at the epicentre of pop and performance art of 60s London which strongly influenced this tremendous record. “Listening to this special mix is like hearing something familiar for the first time. It sounds so fresh, you can hear every element which just underscores how wildly inventive it was.” Giles Martin, son of the legendary Beatles producer George Martin and a Grammy Award winning producer in his own right, created this mix ofSgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band from the original tapes. Giles Martin said: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is one of the most important and ground-breaking albums of all time. In many ways it changed how records could be made. The Beatles stopped just simply making music and started painting pictures with sounds that hadn’t been heard before.”

Arise Sir David Bintley

Sausage Rolls Top The Christmas Charts For The Second Year Running!

adBaby are back at the top of the tree as their current single ‘I Love Sausage Rolls’ has claimed the title of 2019’s Christmas #1. It follows in the footsteps of their debut comedy hit, last year’s festive favourite ‘We Built This City On Sausage Rolls’ and beat off competition from Stormzy’s ‘Own It’ ft. Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy and Wham!’s classic ‘Last Christmas’. According to Official Charts Company data, ‘I Love Sausage Rolls' smashed last year’s total too, scoring a huge 93,000 chart sales this week (18,000 more than last year’s winning track ‘We Built This City’) – and with 85,000 of that total coming via digital purchases, LadBaby not only claims the festive chart crown, but also the fastest-selling download of the year, in fact the fastest-selling download since June 2017’s Artists For Grenfell

chart-topping charity single. LadBaby sets a new chart record today, becoming the first ever act to deliver two novelty Christmas Number 1 singles back to back. Plus, he’s now one of only three acts to claim consecutive Christmas Number 1s in the history of the Official Chart, and the first in 20 years - the only other acts to claim consecutive Christmas Number 1s are The Beatles (three between 1963 – 1965) and Spice Girls (three between 1996 – 1998). “WOW, THANK YOU!! I don’t even know where to begin in thanking the incredible people of not only the UK, but around the world for supporting us for a second time and helping us raise EVEN MORE money for the amazing food bank charity the Trussell Trust. “Only in Britain could a sausage roll twice get to Christmas Number 1. I hope everyone has an amazing Christmas and

enjoys singing and dancing around their living rooms to this year’s sausage roll banger!” said LadBaby. The single was recorded at Abbey Road, where the LadBaby family (Mark Hoyle, his wife and LadBabyMum Roxanne, and their children Phoenix and Kobe) took the opportunity to cheekily recreate The Beatles’ famous album cover. Both LadBaby singles were released in aid of the Trussell Trust, whose mission is to end the need for food banks in the UK. The charity supports a UK-wide network of more than 1200 food bank centres, which provides emergency support to people locked in poverty and campaigns for long-term change for a future without the need for food banks. Last month, the charity launched a landmark piece of research showing that the growing dependence on food

banks should be considered a national crisis. More than 823,000 parcels were provided by food banks between April and September this year, and more than a third of those went to households with children. That’s a 23% increase on the same period as last year – and the steepest increase that’s been seen in a long time. The money raised last year has been helping the Trussell Trust and its network of food banks work towards ending hunger in three ways: first, it has helped food banks to get emergency food to local people in crisis; second, it has helped people access additional support that helps prevent them needing the food bank again; and third, it gas helped fund campaigning work to tackle the long-term drivers of hunger in the UK.

Birmingham Royal Ballet has announced that former Director, David Bintley, has been awarded a Knighthood in Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll's New Year's Honours List, for services to dance. David Bintley succeeded Sir Peter Wright as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1995. By that time, Sir Peter had settled the Company (formerly Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet) into its new home in the heart of England. David's commitment to creating new work not only helped secure Birmingham as a hub of creative excellence but also affirmed Birmingham Royal Ballet's position as one of the world's leading ballet companies through productions such as the spectacular Carmina Burana (1995), his four jazz ballets The Nutcracker Sweeties (1996), The Shakespeare Suite (1999), and The Orpheus Suite (2004). David's vision also brought about some ground-breaking initiatives. One such was the 2006 Ballet Hoo: Ballet Changed my Life project which saw the Company reach more than 200 young people from diverse backgrounds from across the West Midlands, in a two-year project televised by Channel 4. Another close to David's heart was Freefall Dance Company, the company of highly gifted dancers with severe learning disabilities that has been part of the Birmingham Royal Ballet family since 2002 and for whom David created his final work as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet in summer 2019. “I am both delighted and humbled by this honour and proud to accept it on behalf of the British Ballet community. “I would particularly like to thank my friends and colleagues at Birmingham Royal Ballet, the company it was my privilege to direct for 24 years.”

The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 31

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ENTERTAINMENT

Fans Live For the Queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK l Sum Ting Wong (left), runner-up Divina de Campo (centre) and Vinegar Strokes (right)

By Mandip Singh Taunque

tars of the hit show RuPaul’s Drag Race UK embarked on a UK tour following the crowning of season one winner ‘The Vivienne’ and fans went wild for it. Hosted by Drag Race legend Alyssa Edwards, shows in Newcastle, London, Birmingham, Brighton, Glasgow and Manchester sold out just as series one concluded. Performing at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre was the entire cast of season one including Gothy Kendoll, Scaredy Kat, Vinegar Strokes, Sum Ting Wong, Crystal, Blu Hydrangea, Cheryl Hole, Baga Chipz, runner-up Divina De Campo and winner, The Vivienne. These elite drag queens gave their American sisters a run for their money as they showed that British drag is just as great as the Americans. Each queen took the stage and had their own individual segments as well as performing as one

massive super group. Whilst each queen brought their own charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, there were two queens who stole the show despite of not winning the contest. Birmingham’s finest, Sum Ting Wong, who was eliminated in week four, blew the house down by performing as a rock queen. As a viewer of the TV show I had no idea that this queen could sing so well. Fans in the audience were both shocked and amazed at just how talented she is. It was a real shame we never got to see this side of her before she was eliminated in the TV show. Also taking the audience’s breath away was Crystal who performed an aerial circus routine whilst hanging on a rope from the ceiling. The audience was spell bound and again we wished we could have seen her showcase more of her talent on the show. The biggest cheers of the night were reserved for the top 4 queens – Cheryl Hole, Baga Chipz, Divina De Campo and

l Cheryl Hole (left) and Blu Hydrangea (right)

The Vivienne. Cheryl Hole was stunningly beautiful. Fans meeting Cheryl backstage were simply mesmerised when they saw her. Idolising her hero Cheryl of Girls Aloud fame, drag Cheryl could have easily been the sixth member of the group. Fan favourite and West Midlander Baga Chipz had the audience in stiches with her unique comedic style and her trademark ‘much better’ catchphrase. The audience reached fever pitch when runner up Divina De Campo took to the stage. She showed exactly why she was a contender for the crown. Despite of battling a very sore throat she sang her new track ‘A Drag Race Song’ live and it was an instant hit with fans up on their feet singing and dancing with her. Finally, making drag race UK herstory, season one winner The Vivienne showed she was both comedy queen and Cher impersonator queen with her take of ‘Walking in Memphis’. The internet was buzzing following her performance. Basically, fans want more, more, more! The Vivienne is amazing talent who is set to take over the world. On a serious note, nearly all these queens had to overcome adversity to get to where they are now. Meeting fans backstage, there was a mix of people. Regardless of gender, sexual orientation and race, these inspirational queens show it is ok to be different. They encourage tolerance and a love for life and even if they can make a difference to just one person’s life then they are truly the queens we have come to admire and love. 5/5 If you have an event you think our readers would like to read about, please contact me at mandip. taunque@thephoenixnewspaper. com

l Baga Chipz (left) and winner The Vivienne (right)

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Page 32 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

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Readey, set, go! Y

Interviews

ears ago, it would be hard to get yourself into a recording studio. With the upward movement of social media platforms and readily available music studios dotted around the country nowadays, it’s not so much of a problem. Audio workstations such as FL Studio and similar such programs becoming available to the average consumer has made it easy for musicians to broadcast to thousands of people over social media platforms and music hosting websites, talent is everywhere. Due to the oversaturation of music available, hard working true talented musicians often get overlooked. Enter Tom Reade, AKA ‘Readey` hailing from Walsall, is a diamond in the rough. A truly talented young wordsmith who only unearthed his way with words in the past year. Always having an interest in music, listening to artists such as ‘Ghetts` and ‘Wretch 32` Readey found himself taking on a musical endeavour. Initially not taking himself too seriously rapping just for a laugh, it quickly turned into something momentous. He went on to a Studio with a notebook full of rhymes and quickly discovered his niche. His first studio session was at a ‘Beatsabar studios` in Wolverhampton, Christmas Eve 2018, working with the sound Engineer at the time, he was very surprised that Readey had only been spitting a month! The Engineer, Mitch, couldn’t believe his ears! Quick to capitalize on his new found talent, he liberated a few singles from his grasp to see how they would do, with the response largely up to par, Readey decided to make an EP. This EP would be his 1st Project. “Pilgrimeage” a play on words to represent his commencing journey into the grime scene, a musical pathway to his end goal of becoming a full-time MC. "I enjoy rapping to be honest, I get a buzz when I’ve done a good verse, I feel good seeing peoples reactions! “My first project represents my first steps towards the goal of becoming a full-time

MC". Listening to the EP it’s unmistakable that a lot of thought and care has been taken to accurately depict this journey in fine detail, Readey reiterates my thoughts explaining each day the track list would change or he wouldn’t be happy with a certain track. "I put a lot of thought into the order of the tracks, I wanted it to be cohesive, so you discover and grow with me as the project moves forward". The EP is a refreshingly clever project, with skippy flows and catchy hooks, deep and meaningful stories all with a solid backbone of production. It doesn’t feel slapped together, it feels cared for and controlled, a well-round piece of work, which in today’s musical climate is sometimes lacking due to the fast paced `throw-away` music culture. With the future looking dazzling for the talented young MC, new projects are already in the pipeline. Readey isn’t afraid to try new things musically "I might end up doing something completely different, it depends how things roll, I try not to plan too much. “Plans are made to be broken I guess, but with a positive attitude towards music, not much gets Readey down... "I've been let down before in the past but I don’t let

that stop me achieving my goal, if I don’t do it one way, I’ll do it another..." A lot of people get disheartened when their first project drops because it doesn’t do as well as they’d expect, Readey isn’t put off by this. "I don’t expect it to do spectacularly well, I like the challenge, I need to nurture my music from the ground up, this I’m acutely aware of". In this day and age a flippant comments between artists, the age old "yes mate, link up soon" (be honest, you’ve heard it) is heard all too often with nobody following up on the gesture. Readey plans on following through with this statement keen to be conspicuous whilst getting his face around networking inside the scene. "I see a lot of credence in forming relationships within music rather than using social media all the way, social media is great don’t get me wrong it bridges gaps, but it’s good to get your face around". I couldn’t agree more, building strong foundations is vital in the music scene as any musician will tell you. Readey hopes to have a bigger following by this time next year only looking at the realistic goals rather than a reverie goal. "A bigger following this time next year I`d be happy with... bookings will come in time, I have to push, I wish to have at least two more projects out by this time next year, I’m doing what I love, it gives me such a buzz". I think Readey’s mind set and aptitude towards music will take him far, he has an impeccable work ethic, and a insatiable hunger for success, all wrapped up (pardon the pun) in a blanket of enthusiasm. Readey is ready to continue his journey, a journey I will be personally be observing with a fervent eye. Watch this space.... "Please go check out my new EP through my twitter page, feedback is very much welcomed". Socials Twitter: @readeyofficial Instagram: readeyofficial Email: tom_reade@outlook.com

And don’t forget to check out Alien Muzik on Twitter @Alien_Muzik, and on Instagram alien_muzik

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 33

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FERRARI ROMA F

urther details about the Ferrari Roma have been revealed during an innovative social media communication campaign. Exemplifying the concept of the Nuova Dolce Vita, the car has been the protagonist of a dedicated shoot in iconic locations around Italy’s capital city where it has encountered public and critical claim alike. The latest coupé from Maranello features harmonious proportions and elegantly balanced volumes which are very much in line with Ferrari’s front-engined grand touring tradition. Timeless and sublimely refined, from a technical point of view the Ferrari Roma introduces a series of unparalleled features that put it at the top of its segment in terms of performance and driving enjoyment. These include most notably a new powertrain with 8-speed gearbox, the introduction of the five-position manettino for the first time on a Ferrari grand tourer, and a best-in-class power/weight ratio. All of which make the Ferrari Roma the most powerful and fun to drive mid-front-engined V8 2+ in Ferrari history. Not forgetting either the fact that the concept is underpinned by everyday driveability and superb on-board comfort.

LA NUOVA DOLCE VITA TAKES SHAPE

Fuel Savings Could Fund Next Year's Festive Costs For Electric Car Buyers CHRISTMAS could effectively be free next year for the thousands of motorists now planning to go green in the New Year with an electric car. That's according to new figures from the online car marketplace BuyaCar.co.uk which has compared annual EV fuel savings with the cost of Christmas for a typical household. Although full electric cars remain more expensive to buy initially than their conventionally powered counterparts, more people than ever before are planning to go all electric - and they will typically save more than enough each year in fuel savings to cover the entire cost of Christmas. BuyaCar.co.uk crunched the numbers for a range of comparable car models and found fuel cost savings from £433 to a whopping £1,179 over the typical 8,000 miles an average motorist covers every year. This covers drivers charging an electric car at home compared with filling up at a petrol station. Meanwhile the cost of a British Christmas is calculated by a

range of sources at around £700£800 for the typical household. These figures mean that, based on today's petrol and electricity prices, choosing a Nissan Leaf 24kwh instead of a Ford Focus 1.0 100 EcoBoost Titanium would save £433.45 over a year - enough to cover the total gift spend for a couple. That's because the Leaf costs just £3.94 to drive 100 miles, compared with £9.35 to cover the same distance in the Focus. The savings are even more

dramatic when comparing the electric and petrol versions of Volkswagen's Golf. The e-Golf costs a paltry £2.28 per 100 miles, adding up to just £182.40 over a typical 8,000-mile year. In contrast a comparable petrol-powered Golf 1.0 TSI 115 Match will cost £933.11 at the pumps over the same distance. That means a saving for the e-Golf of £810.71 - more than the official Bank of England figure for a typical household's Christmas expenses.

MOTORS

The UK’S Most Popular Car For 2019 Is... This year, the UK’s most popular new car is a black Volkswagen Golf, according to a study of the nation’s tastes, including analysis of over 38 million new car ad views online. The research published in the UK’s Most Popular Cars 2019 report, commissioned by Auto Trader, the UK’s largest digital marketplace for new and used cars, combines a survey of 2,000 UK drivers with search data from ad views on Auto Trader’s website and app to reveal the most popular makes, models and features on the new car market. According to the report, the Volkswagen Golf is the UK’s most popular model of new car, ahead of traditional top sellers the Ford Fiesta and Focus. This is the second year in a row that the Golf has taken the top spot, showing its appeal to a broad range of car buyers. Top 10 Most Popular Cars of 2019 (based on ad views) 1 .Volkswagen Golf - 1,307,303 2. Ford Focus - 846,212 3. Ford Fiesta - 721,306 4. Land Rover Range Rover - 617,085 5. Land Rover Range Rover Sport - 591,323 6. BMW 3 Series - 562,623 7. Mercedes-Benz A Class - 541,700 8. Land Rover Range Rover Evoque - 525,550 9. Volkswagen Polo - 463,548 10. Mercedes-Benz C Class - 460,924

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Page 34 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

ENTERTAINMENT MOTORS

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NEW PUMA JOINS FORD’S 5-STAR SAFETY LINE-UP

he new Ford Puma is today the latest Ford model to receive a 5-star safety rating from the Euro NCAP independent crash test authority. The SUV-inspired Puma crossover has earned the highest-possible rating under

the more stringent testing protocols introduced in 2018. Puma – including Puma EcoBoost Hybrid variants – is one of eight Ford passenger car models now offering 5-star safety for customers. Euro NCAP awarded Puma high scores for adult and child occupant protection – with full

points in both the side barrier test and more severe side pole tests. Technologies including PreCollision Assist with Active Braking, Intelligent Speed Limiter and Lane-Keeping System were also commended. Puma is the fifth Ford vehicle to earn the top 5-star safety

rating in 2019 alongside the Ford Focus, Mondeo (retested against the latest protocols), Kuga and Explorer Plug-In Hybrid models tested earlier this year. Further Ford models with a 5-star result include Fiesta (tested in 2017), Galaxy (2015) and S-MAX (2015).

Armed Forces Fundraisers Take On Charity Challenge MG Motor UK is proudly supporting three fundraisers in their mission to complete an epic 3,400-mile electric car marathon in MG’s all-electric ZS EV. The drive will help to raise money for forces charity, Walking With The Wounded. Organised by Greater Manchester Police Inspector and Tactical Lead of the Armed Forces Covenant, Jim Jones, the round trip will start at the force’s headquarters on 5th November 2020. The ZS EV, provided by Chorley MG in Burnley, will take the group on a three-day drive through France and Spain to arrive at Gibraltar’s Royal Police Headquarters under police escort in time for Remembrance Sunday on 8th November 2020. The fundraisers will set off on their return leg to Manchester the following day, completing their ambitious challenge. The money raised by the challenge will help to support vulnerable and injured veterans reintegrate back into society and

sustain their independence. Walking With The Wounded offers assistance through numerous accessible programmes to help provide ex-service personnel with sustainable employment opportunities outside of the military. Jim Jones, organiser of the EV challenge, said: “Having covered more than 120,000 miles in electric vehicles over the last six years, we were keen to prove that the technology and infrastructure is in place to take on a crosscountry challenge in a fullyelectric car. While our primary goal is to raise money for the charity, we also want to truly bust range anxiety myths surrounding electric vehicles and promote zero emissions motoring as a way of doing our bit to help the environment.” Joining Jim on the trip will be colleagues from Lancashire Police and author, charity fundraiser and motivational speaker, Andy Reid MBE, who lost an arm and both legs during an explosion while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 35

OBITUARIES AND NOTICE BOARD

Lesley Anne-Marie Ritchie

escribed as a ‘Blessed Woman’, Lesley Anne-Marie Ritchie entered “a new place – a real place”, as family and friends gathered to say their last ‘goodbye’ as a sombre, emotional and grieving congregation paid their final respects to someone who was so loved, respected and would be forever missed. A daughter, sister, friend and ‘queen’, she touched the hearts of all who she came in contact with. Owen Uriah, the Associate Pastor of Perry Beeches Baptist Church, who led the service at her final farewell, called it, though hugely sad, a privilege as he got to know her, her family at large and, in particular, her stepfather, Donald Campbell. “In their imagination what the life of Lesley was all about was her whole person: her strengths, joys, challenges and achievements. Her brother, Junior, emphasising the emptiness left in the family’s lives. “Les was the life and soul of the family. “She always had a smile on her face and, as such, I would always have a smile on mine in her presence. “I was incredibly honoured to be her big brother”, before the reading of a poem, aptly titled ‘Broken Chain’. Speaking on behalf of The National Caribbean Monument Charity (TNCMC), Martin Levermore MBE DL, a Visiting Professor for Health, Education

Joan Campbell

D and Life Science at Birmingham City, recalled sharing her company when they both took part in the ‘March of Peace’ in Milton Keynes: “Lesley was a bright young spirit on that day, and she has been that shining spirit ever since. In fact, she has had that spirit as long as I have known her. “Her time, however, has come and she is in a better place”. Her step-father, retired Royal Air Force Warrant Officer,

Notice Board

Donald Campbell – a trustee of TNCMC added: “Nothing was ever too much for her to do. “She has left a massive void in all our lives”. With further thoughts and memories of Lesley-Anne Richie poured out, for one who parted so young, it was clear to see her life was already full to the brim with love, compassion and immense consideration – of her and hers. She was 38.

escribed as “a woman of immense beauty and pride in self”, by Professor Gus John, Joan Emiline Campbell was remembered by a wide array of people – family, colleagues and friends – whose lives she touched, with the sincerity, energy and dedication that was very much in her DNA right throughout her life. In a service overseen by Bishop Jonathan Jackson, with special guest Minister, Bishop Derek Webbley, on hand, the tributes were overwhelming - in its numbers, and in its emotions. For her to ‘come to pass’ through such unforgiving circumstances was too overbearing for all concerned. Its effect on those who witnessed her pain and discomfort in those telling latter days will be something that each of them will carry for ever more. A moving sermon – littered with stories of her love, commitment and dedication to any cause – she was described as “an woman”,

who “always had a vision and a goal for the good”, the praise for her very being came thick and fast. “Last night, mum (a.k.a. ‘Munching’) came into my spirit to make me write a poem about her”, said daughter, Simone. “You’re in our every energy”, she said. “Our Queen is watching over us now”! “Always looking to the greater good for her and hers, she and her long-time cohort, Camille Ade John, were described as ‘thick as thieves’,” said Bishop Jackson. “Together they were like Cagney and Lacy as together they would constantly go ‘above and beyond’ in fighting the injustices that she felt unjust. Camille recalling her as a “formidable force as she worked tirelessly to put people who looked like her and sounded like her on an equal key with those she felt had an unfair ‘advantage’ in pursuit of a better life. “Constantly calling each other ‘Hon’, she (Joan) became very much part of my life – My darling ‘sister friend’ Joan”.

West Midland Police & Crime Commissioner, David Jameson, added: “Joan was never one to say ‘no’ to. “She was an inspirational character. “After starting Community Visions C.I.C., in 2012, the programme expanded to her creating ‘Exploring Queens’ to inspire young women to greater goals. “An experienced worker in creating positive goals for children young people, whilst constantly working alongside the WMPCC she headed our ‘Gangs and Violence’ report for which she received an ‘Outstanding Citizen’ award from me. “That simply because she always was an outstanding citizen”. As the tributes went on, it was clear of the impact she made on her, and the greater, community throughout her tragically short life. The legacies Joan Campbell created, though, will remain evident for generations to come. Leaving children including; son Khari and daughters; the aforementioned Simone and Tonia, Joan was 55.

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HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Company funds P installation of life saving defibrillator

From spring 2020

the law around organ donation in England is changing

owered Access Hire firm Nationwide Platforms has announced that it has recently completed the purchase and install a defibrillator at their depot in Birmingham. The site is just one of the company's business sites equipped with a life-saving defibrillator, with a further 37 premises and communities across the UK also benefitting from the investment. Registered with the Ambulance Services, the devices are available for use in the event of an emergency by both employees and the general public in the immediate vicinity. In the UK there are approximately 60,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests per year. Of these, the Ambulance Service attempts resuscitation in approximately 28,000 cases only, as the person is often beyond resuscitation by the time they arrive. The only definitive treatment against serious cardiac arrest is the life-saving shock from a defibrillator. Pairing this with effective CPR can increase a victim's chance of survival from 6 per cent to 74 per cent if delivered within the first 3-5 min of collapse. Health, Safety and Environmental Director, Mark Keily said: "Putting people's safety first is at the very heart of Nationwide Platforms and nothing could be more important than the health and wellbeing of the people that operate within our business. “The roll out of these defibrillators really could mean the difference between life and death. “We found that some of our company sites are more than 6 miles away from the nearest potentially lifesaving defibrillators. “And with the closest Accident and Emergency facilities sometimes more than 10 miles away, closing the gap on defibrillator locations not just for our employee's but also the communities we operate in could only ever be a good thing." He added: "The defibrillators are within easy access for public use and we have also trained designated employees at all of our sites in the hope that should someone suffer a cardiac arrest we're doing our very best to significantly improve their chances of survival."

ocus F on Social Care

Direct Payments Directly Affecting Lives In Brum

ver since I became Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care which is over five years now one of my key priorities was to increase the number of citizens accessing direct payments. It has taken longer than I envisaged but I am excited and delighted that we have made steady progress and are now performing well in this area. So what are direct payments? In short, they help give choice and control for those older people who need support. Control over which services they access, which activities they can enjoy, where they can participate – ideally within their own neighbourhood or somewhere they know other people. Here in Birmingham we want to create an environment where adults and older people are resilient, living independent lives where possible, and having really good quality lives. Direct payments mean that citizens who qualify for financial support from the city council get the money directly, so they can buy the support they need themselves. Giving our citizens the independence to chose where they buy their care or services from. Direct Payments are pretty flexible; as long as people can show that the service meets their assessed needs. This can be something as simple as employing a carer, or it can mean joining a club to try new activities and learn

l Cllr Paulette Hamilton new skills, as well as meet people, as it is essential that we help combat loneliness and isolation. I have over the course of the last few months met a number of citizens who have gained so much from using direct payments, they are now just as passionate as me; and real advocates of direct payments. Want to know more about direct payments, there is a lot of information on our website including comments from citizens using them, followed by some of the most frequently asked questions about direct payments. It is getting cold and the nights are drawing in – so please look out for elderly neighbours. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year – will have to start thinking of those New Year resolutions.

Unless you choose to opt out, you will be considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when you die. Whatever you choose, let close family or friends know to help ensure your decision is honoured. To find out more about your choices, including how to opt out: visit organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 303 2094

PASS IT ON

Saleh & Sons

Specialising in Caribbean Produce Fresh Meat & Vegetables Tel : 0121 551 1736 250 Lozells Rd, Birmingham B19 1NP

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 37

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Food Policy Pact Montpellier, France

irmingham City Council has been involved with The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact since 2015. The project focuses on better ways of feeding the planet and sustainable energy for life. The Milan Pact is a global commitment made by Mayors and City Leaders from around the world that considers food as an entry point for the sustainable development of growing cities. I had the pleasure of representing

Birmingham in my role as lead Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, Health and Public Health in October 2019. Dr Justin Varney, Birmingham’s Public Health Director was also in attendance. The aim of the meetings is to share best practice and accelerate leadership commitment and action towards healthier, more sustainable food systems. This year’s focus was ‘Taking Action to Respect the Planet’. The organising committee stressed the importance of elected members

attending and presenting in order to get the leadership buy in and commitment to start and accelerate change in their respective cities. Dr Varney and I presented at a EUROCITIES meeting in Montpellier, and we also led a workshop. It is important that the work being done in Birmingham is shared on not just a local, but regional, National and International Stage. Birmingham is a founding member and active participant of the Milan Food pact. In Birmingham we have a very rich and vibrant food system, with over 1.1 million people, and one hundred and eighty-seven languages spoken, we have a super diverse city with many cultures blending well together. This means the food range is vast, exciting, and always different. With this we also have a city with many health inequalities many of whom face financial challenges. In Birmingham we do face massive challenges with many fast-food outlets, which sell very often very affordable food that does not have a high nutritional content. Birmingham is trying to change this. We are working

FGM survivor praises ‘muchneeded’ NHS Trust clinic

l Sarata Jabbi A female genital mutilation (FGM) survivor has welcomed a new clinic run by a West Midlands NHS Trust that will offer expert care for victims of the procedure. Run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, the ‘one-stop’ support clinic is based at the Summerfield Primary Care Centre, in Winson Green, in Birmingham., which figures show has the highest rate of reported new cases of FGM. In Sandwell and West Birmingham there were 310 cases in 2018/19.

Mum-of-four Sarata Jabbi - aged just seven when she underwent the horrific act in the Gambia - said the facility is “much-needed”. Her parents took her and her sisters to have the procedure after buying them new clothes and telling them that they were going to a party. She began campaigning in 2002 after working as a journalist and being made aware that the practice was child abuse and not a religious requirement. She continued raising awareness after coming to the UK in 2010.

Sarata said: “This is a muchneeded clinic and will give so many victims a safe and confidential way to seek help. There are many women from the Gambia, Somali, Eritrea and other African countries that have suffered and desperately need treatment as a result of FGM. “This is a great initiative and it shows that the NHS has recognised the importance of helping survivors and that the voices of the victims are being heard”. Commissioned by Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the clinic is one of eight to open across the UK, as announced by NHS England as part of its Long Term Plan. Specialist Midwife for FGM, Alison Byrne, who will be running the facility, said: “It is in the heart of the community and will help many women who sometimes are unsure about how to access care or treatment after undergoing this procedure. “We want to really push out the message that this clinic is there for them to access and can be done so discreetly and in the strictest of confidence." Hilary Garratt, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “These new NHS clinics will benefit hundreds of women who have suffered this most severe form of abuse and violence. These are clinics for women, run by women.”

British Safety Council: new Speaker must show leadership

with the Food foundation in London, to start the conversation to look at what people think of food. Do they understand what nutritious food looks like? How does the food get from the field to the table? How can we look at different ways of growing nutritious, healthy food? This conversation is a year long, which started in October 2019. We have recruited thirty focus groups to assist with this conversation from across various sections of the city. I have been fascinated to see the work happening in countries like Turkey where the women have grown their own food, then sell the surplus at a farmer’s market which they set up themselves.

This meant they were able to sustain the whole family and a community with produce from land given by the government. Another excellent piece of work was done in Washington, where they set up a prescription type system for poorer people to get fruit and vegetables. They would be given a voucher which could be used at certain Supermarkets to collect fruit and vegetable if they were from poorer households. Wellbeing comes in many forms and eating good quality food at an affordable price is something we all aspire to if we want to maintain good health and a long life.

The British Safety Council has called on the Speaker of the House of Commons to set an example of leadership in promoting the wellbeing of all MPs and their staff. Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, and Lawrence Waterman OBE, Chairman, congratulated Lindsay Hoyle, MP for Chorley, who was elected Speaker of the House of Commons by his fellow MPs yesterday. They used the letter to ask the Speaker to “ensure the health and wellbeing of MPs, their staff and families and the staff of the House”. The House of Commons has come under significant scrutiny in recent years, with multiple allegations of bullying and harassment against MPs and other staff. It will be for the new Speaker to take forward reforms safeguarding health and wellbeing of staff and bringing about a culture change in parliament.

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Page 38 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

AZUZA STREET

Comedienne Tiffany Haddish embraces her Black Mitzvah - a journey of Jewish discovery E r i t r e a n - A m e r i ca n comedian Tiffany Haddish celebrated her Bat Mitzvah, the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony - normally marked when a girl turns 12 – to signify her stepping into religious maturity, and a commitment to keep the commandments of the Torah, the first five books of the Bible containing the foundations of Jewish law. It was held on the same day as both her 40th birthday and the release of her Netflix comedy special Black Mitzvah, in which she pays tribute to her Jewish heritage. Her journey reflects the

experience of many Black Jews who have either rediscovered their roots or felt a strong spiritual attraction to Judaism. Haddish first met her Eritrean Jewish father at the age of 27. But it was when she took a DNA test confirming her Jewish ancestry that she really began reconnecting with the faith. She started taking Hebrew lessons and studying the Torah, and has said her Bat Mitzvah was a way to honour her African Jewish ancestors. Haddish said that she hopes sharing her experience will encourage other AfricanAmericans to connect with their

TNCMC Receives £9,000 Donation roots. Calculating the number of Jews in Africa is impossible, according to Dr Edith Bruder author of The Black Jews of Africa. "These are communities that are fluid," she said. "There are so many ways of being a Jew in Africa." Ethiopian Jews, known as Beta Israel, existed in obscurity for centuries but were only recognised by the Israeli state as Jewish as recently as 1975. The vast majority of this roughly 40,000-strong community was spirited to Israel in a series of top secret operations between the end of the 1970s and 1991.

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l Llewellyn Graham CEO of Nehemiah Housing Association presenting the cheque to Donald Campbell of The National Caribbean Monument Charity Nehemiah Housing Association celebrated their 30th Anniversary this year and TNCMC was chosen to receive the proceeds from their Gala Ball held on the 8th November 2019. Donald Campbell, Chair of The National Caribbean

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Monument Charity said in a statement, “It gives me great pleasure to notify you that a cheque for £9,500.00 was presented to TNCMC this morning by Nehemiah Housing Association. “This is a fantastic gesture by the management and staff of

Nehemiah to whom we must express our sincere thanks.” Mr Llewellyn Graham CEO of Nehemiah Housing Association presented the cheque to Donald Campbell, at Nehemiah Housing’s Head Office in Birmingham in December.

IFN continues promoting inter faith understanding and cooperation The Inter Faith Network (IFN) for the UK is continuing to work to promote understanding, cooperation and good relations between organisations and persons of different faiths in the UK, doing so through providing opportunities for linking and sharing of good practice, providing advice and information to help the development of new inter faith initiatives and the strengthening of existing ones. As it raises awareness of the importance of inter faith issues, it will continue to develop programmes to increase understanding about faith communities, including both their distinctive features and areas of

common ground. The IFN's member bodies include national faith community representative bodies; national,

regional and local inter faith organisations; and academic institutions and bodies concerned with multi faith education.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 39

OVERSEAS NEWS

2019 Proves To Be Another Successful Year for Tourism T ourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says that 2019 was another successful year for tourism with the sector poised to generate record numbers in arrivals and earnings. “In 2018, we welcomed 4.3 million visitors, which earned us US$3.3 billion and this year we are well on our way to surpassing this record achievement,” he tells JIS News. “Jamaica is poised to generate some US$3.7 billion in tourism earnings for 2019 and total arrivals are looking equally promising,” he adds. Mr. Bartlett says that the Ministry is already gearing up for 2020 and beyond, where the growth trend is expected to continue. He notes that cruise shipping over the next three years should regain the momentum from 2018. He points to the inaugural visit of the Symphony of the Seas –the

world’s largest cruise ship – in May 2020, as a signal that “happy days will be here again.” “Jamaica is a part of the western Caribbean itinerary and once Grand Cayman sorts out the docking situation, where they would once again be able to facilitate the Royal Caribbean Oasis-class vessels, then our numbers will climb back up,” Mr. Bartlett points out. “The inaugural visit of the Symphony of the Seas is a solid sign that our cruise situation is about to change for the better and where our ports, including the newest addition, Port Royal, should do very well,” he notes. He says that tourism will also benefit significantly from the addition of rooms. “Such is the demand for our tourism product that our current room stock of some 33,000 is expected to double in the next 10 years,” he notes. Minister Bartlett, in highlighting

the importance of tourism to national progress, says the industry continues to be one of Jamaica’s fastest-growing and most resilient economic sectors, which promotes inclusion and diversity and is therefore ideally suited as a vehicle to improve the livelihoods of the populace and facilitate development in communities across the island. “Today, we are leveraging tourism as a catalyst for socioeconomic empowerment as we build a sustainable sector that benefits our citizens as much as it benefits our visitors,” he says. “Between accommodations, food and beverage services, travel services, recreation and entertainment, and transportation, tourism generates nearly 9.2 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he says. “Leading local and global hotel brands continue to show great interest in Jamaica, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the tourism sector projected at US$470 million for 2019,” he adds. He says that this, in turn, will boost consumption of local goods and the generation and retention of the tourism dollar in local economies.

At 101 Callie is still cutting style

t the age of 101, Callie Terrell is still far from retiring from her work as a hair stylist, making her the oldest working beautician in Tennessee and perhaps the USA. “Well, I can’t describe it. I’m thankful I’m physically able to do some of the things I used to do,” she says: “I guess it’s not a lot of 101-year-old people in Memphis still working because they say, ‘Still

working?’ Well, I’m still alive.” Last year, when she celebrated her 100th birthday, she said she will be retiring already. But with the way things are going now, her retirement is currently not an option. “Well if you don’t use it, you lose it and people want me to work on them and they pay me, so why not do it,” she said. She also credits her long life to being able to love the work she does and so she

didn’t want to stop. She said, “I guess my secret is just working and keeping busy because that’s what I’ve done. I had a very successful business and what I do, I enjoy doing.” Moreover, she also hopes to inspire younger people. “Just do the right thing. What I mean is, you may be a church person. You believe in the Bible? Just live it,” she said. “Love people. Regardless of who they are. If they don’t love you in return it doesn’t matter.”

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Page 40 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

HOLIDAY AND TRAVEL

Discover Zen in Thailand This I New Year f Thailand is on the bucket-list to discover “zen” this New Year, guests should look no further than Four Seasons Resorts Thailand. The perfect time to unwind, slow down and begin the year on a rejuvenating mode, Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, and Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui offer unique experiences aimed at improving wellbeing, while channelling the inner zen to prepare for the year ahead. Promising an adventure of a lifetime in the wondrous natural surroundings of Northern Thailand, bordering Myanmar and Laos, Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle is the perfect escape

from the hum-drum of day-today life. Offering a memorable experience for the entire family, the Camp is a perfect balance of nature and culture, adventure and relaxation, luxury and austerity. “With just 15 tents and one two-bedroom Explorer's Lodge, patchy WiFi and no in-room television – guests have no choice but to detox - digitally, mentally and emotionally,” smiles Camp Manager Tobias Emmer, adding, “Expect to hear birdsong from the spa, cicadas humming at night, frogs calling, and even an elephant or two chatting in the distance! “If you wake up early enough one morning, you can

soak in the thick fog banks as they wash away to reveal the lush bamboo jungle just a few feet away.” The two-bedroom Explorer's Lodge is perfect to reconnect with family. “It's a safari-style jungle refuge with a spacious deck, featuring an outdoor plunge pool and stunning views of the surrounding bamboo jungle,” explains Tobias. “During the day parents and children can interact with gentle giants or explore the vibrant Golden Triangle, before settling down to enjoy the sunset with a refreshing cocktail. Our team will prepare a private barbecue of perfectly grilled meats, giving families a chance to bond and recharge.”

Move Over Brazil, Make Way for Cape Verde’s Carnival Calling all Carnival fans! Forget Rio, next February avoid the tourists and head to São Vicente Carnival in Cape Verde, inspired by the carnivals of Brazil and mixed with their shared history of Portuguese flavours. Held each year during the week leading up to Shrove Tuesday (22nd – 26th February 2020), experience this vibrant celebration where the streets come alive with colourful dance troupes, spectacular floats, and vibrant music. When the party is over, island hop to the neighbouring Sal Island, famous for its white sandy beaches and turquoise waters,

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and stay at the luxury five-star Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort for the ultimate post-carnival R&R, available as part of a 10-night festive package offered by Cape Verde Experience. The Cape Verde archipelago, which celebrates its 45th anniversary of Independence from the Portuguese in 2020, is made up of 10 islands and five islets, boasting endless miles of unspoilt beaches, and offering perfect conditions for water sports, whale and turtle watching, and fishing. A six-hour flight direct from the UK, and only a one-hour time difference, this exotic destination has everything you need to

escape the long, cold winter months in the UK. When your feet can't dance any more on São Vicente, catch up on sleep, sunshine and spa staying at the stunning Hilton Cabo Verde beachfront hotel that offers spacious rooms, exceptional restaurants and bars, a first-class spa, and a top-class Nautical Centre. Those with carnival withdrawal can rest easy knowing that Santa Maria, the picturesque town that comes alive at weekends with live music and local caipirinha bars, is within a short 10-minute walk from the property.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 41

PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE

Group say house prices to grow up to 4% in 2020 Halifax, part of Lloyds Banking Group, the UK's biggest mortgage lender in the UK, has suggested that house prices will grow between 1% and 3% in 2020, saying that last year the housing market performed in line with expectations, at the lower end of its forecast for 2% to 4% growth. Russell Galley, managing director of Halifax, said: "The housing market in 2019 followed a similar path to recent years. Modest price growth was supported by falling mortgage rates and a low volume of houses for sale, factors which can in part be attributed to elevated uncertainty. This helped to underpin a degree of resilience in the market. "Prospects for 2020 look a bit brighter, with uncertainty in the economy falling back somewhat, transactions volumes anticipated to pick up and further price increases made possible by growth in households’ real incomes. “However the shortage of homes for sale and low levels of house building will continue to support high prices, while the challenges faced by prospective buyers in raising the necessary deposits may continue to constrain demand".

Lower deposit mortgages set to return to market

Failure to switch mortgage deals may cost thousands

ome owners who lapse onto their lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR) mortgage are paying and extra £4,500 per year for their loyalty, according to new research. The study, which comes a year after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) received the loyalty penalty super complaint, explored loyalty penalties across a number of different household bills. Gas and electricity fared the worst, after mortgages, as failing

to switch tariffs costs bill payers £269 on average, per year, the data from online mortgage broker Trussle. Those with household insurance could be overpaying by £238 per year by not switching deals. Similarly, broadband customers face an average annual premium of £192 for not switching. Meanwhile, those on a pay monthly mobile phone deal face an annual penalty of £132 for not renegotiating their deal and combined, the average annual loyalty penalty for gas and

electricity, household insurance, broadband and mobile phone customers stands at £831. However, the loyalty penalty associated with mortgage switching inertia works out at a much higher £4,500 per year, some 540% more than the other bills combined. The firm says that the scale of the problem is illustrated by the two million borrowers who are currently sat on an SVR. This means they collectively risk missing out on £9 billion worth of savings a year by not switching

to the best deal. Previous research from Trussle suggests poor communication is causing many borrowers to lapse onto their lender’s SVR as 21% said they couldn’t remember the last time their provider contacted them about their mortgage and 37% say their lender or broker doesn’t do enough to keep them updated. Trussle is calling for lenders to sign up to the Mortgage Switch Guarantee to make mortgages fairer, more transparent and more accessible.

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A proportion of all mortgages which require a deposit of 10% of less has reached its highest level since 2008, Bank of England figures show with the share of mortgages in this category increasing to 5.9% in the third quarter of the year, the Bank said. This is still much smaller than before the financial crisis, when mortgages were handed out to some people without the need for a deposit at all. Since then regulation of the sector has been tightened up, with applicants having to pass stricter affordability requirements.

Page 42 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

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DUBAI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT WITH DELROY CONSTANTINE-SIMMS

The Dubai International Sports Conference

nder the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, the 14th Dubai International Sports Conference, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, concluded at the Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai International Marine Club. Sheikh Mansour attended the main session of the event, which was organised by the Dubai Sports Council under the theme ‘Future Football Accelerators’. The event attracted prominent football stars from around the world. A short video shown during the main session of the event highlighted the objectives of the conference, which are in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Guided by the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the conference aims to provide a global platform for generating new strategies for developing football in the UAE and the world, as well as providing a forum for football stars and the sport’s decision makers to share ideas. Sheikh Mansour, accompanied by Vice Chairman of Dubai Sports Council Mattar Al Tayer, honoured a number of guests and speakers at the conference including Juventus and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, Atlético Madrid and Portugal star Joao Felix, Italian League star Romelu Lukaku and Juventus and Bosnia superstar Miralem Pjanic. The ceremony was attended by Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai Abdullah Mohammed Al Basti, and Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, along with senior executives of sports establishments, players, coaches and players of local clubs and the UAE female football team. Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo talked about his football style and what it takes to maintain fitness, in a session titled ‘Beat the Challenges, Cristiano Way’. The conference, which included four panel sessions, discussed topics such as ‘English Football Back to the Top’, featuring former Man United player Edwin Van der Sar, Former England

National Team Coach Fabio Capello, and Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Group. A session titled ‘Empowering Women in Football’ featured French football referee Stephanie Frappart, who has been on the FIFA International Referees List since 2009. She became the first female referee to officiate a Men’s Ligue 1 match and was promoted to join the pool of Ligue 1 referees on a permanent basis for the 2019-20 season. Other panelists included Olympique Lyon and England national team player Lucy Bronze, Juventus FC and Italian national team player Sara Gama, and Olympique Lyonnaise & French national team Player Amandine Henry. Atletico Madrid midfielder Joao Felix and Serie A stars Romelu Lukaku and Miralem Pjanic shared their experiences in a session titled ‘Football Changing Futures’. French national team manager and World Cup 2018 winner Didier Deschamps, Wales national team manager and Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs, SS Lazio team manager and former Italian national team player Simone Inzaghi shared their thoughts in a session titled ‘Modern Training and Technology.’ Established as a forum for discussing the global development of the game, the conference brings together influential leaders including chairmen, directors, referees, agents, players and coaches to share their knowledge, experience and ideas.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 43

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT WITH DELROY CONSTANTINE-SIMMS

Empowering T Women In Football

he Dubai International Sports Council Conference had an all women panel discuss the successes and challenges that face women's football. Lucy Bronze, Amandine Henry, Sara Gama and referee Stephanie Frappart made up the first ever all women panel at the 14th Dubai International Sports Council Conference. They were moderated by the CEO of Futbolita, also known as “The ‘Female Voice Of Football”, who asked them questions regarding the progress

of women’s football and the challenges each one of them have had to overcome. The current UEFA Women’s Player Of The Year Lucy Bronze covered topics regarding the England national team and her club team Olympique Lyonnaise. She stated there was a gap in the development of women’s football between some European countries. Those behind need support to raise their level and make the women’s game competitive for all. In 2020 she hopes to see all the stadiums full in ever game. French referee Stephanie

Inter Milan Striker Implores Italian Football To Fight Racism Football Changing the Future

omelu Lukaku during the 14th Dubai International Sports Conference at Madinat called on Italian football to take a more hardline stance on racism after a spate of incidents blighted the game this season. The Inter Milan striker, who signed from Manchester United in August, was racially abused in his second appearance for the club in September, when he was subjected to monkey chants as he was about to take a penalty at Cagliari. Cagliari later escaped punishment from the league. Meanwhile, Brescia striker Mario Balotelli, Fiorentina’s Dalbert and Sampdoria’s Ronaldo Vieira have also been targeted this season, while the Corriere dello Sport rightfully attracted widespread condemnation earlier this month for its “Black Friday” front page. Further to that, Serie A’s hugely ill-advised “No to Racism” initiative, which featured three posters of chimpanzees, was almost universally denounced.

And although the problem is not confined to the Italian top flight – the Premier League had two incidents this month – Lukaku wants more action taken to eradicate it from the game. “As footballers we have the power to try and change stuff,” the Belgian

said on Saturday at the Dubai International Sports Conference, when talking about speaking out against racism on social media. “The team, the players around them, have to make a statement. What happened to me was sad because it was the first time it

happened in my career. “I came from England where everything is strict. They make really hard statements on it, they have cameras in the stadiums, fans helping to try and ban those people in the stadiums. In Italy we should do the same.

Frappart who has officiated men’s and women’s football matches, discussed the differences in how she was treated between the two while on the field. In August 2019, the 36-year-old was the first woman to referee a major men’s European match when Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties in Istanbul to lift the UEFA Super Cup. Amandine Henry said today's football players have inspired many women not only in football, but in all walks of life. Amandine who plays for Lyon is also the captain of the French national team, started her footballing career at the age of just 15. Italy and Juventus defender Sara Gama discussed where Italy needs to improve in women’s football to be more competitive, highlighting that the pool of players they have are less than 23,000 where as their neighbours France have a pool of 100,000 women footballers. With more revenue being attracted to Women’s football, once can only conclude that the future is bright.

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Page 44 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT WITH DELROY CONSTANTINE-SIMMS

World Exclusive!

Globe Soccer Awards Cristiano Ronaldo, Lucy Bronze And Liverpool Walk Away With Big Prizes

uventus and Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo collected a record-extending Best Men’s Player of the Year gong at the 11th edition of the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards. Ronaldo, 34, was honoured for a sixth time and for a fourthconsecutive year during the glittering ceremony at Madinat Jumeirah. The award was an acknowledgement of his outstanding efforts in helping the Italian football club Juventus to the Serie A crown in his debut campaign, and leading his Portugal to victory against the Dutch in the finals of the UEFA Nations League Cup final There was also a first-ever Best Women’s Player of the Year trophy for England and Lyon right-back Lucy Bronze. Champions League holders and Premier League leaders Liverpool came away with three prizes; Best Coach of the Year – Jurgen Klopp; Best Club of the Year; Best Goalkeeper of the Year (for a second-successive edition) – Alisson. The night, however, unquestionably belonged to Ronaldo. “I have to thank my family, my girlfriend, my boy who is here, my three kids waiting for me in the hotel, my family who watched me in Portugal,” said the Portuguese who owns five more Best Men’s Player of the Year gongs than Barcelona and Argentina rival Lionel Messi. “Also my team-mates at Juventus and the national team, my agent and all the people here tonight supporting this gala of Globe Soccer. “Thank you to the Arabic community that is always great with me. Dubai is a marvellous place to be,

I’m coming every year. “I love this place. Finally, thanks to people who voted for me. “It is a great honour to receive this amazing award. I hope to be here again, of course.” Best Women’s Player of the Year Bronze, 28, delivered an empowering message. She said: “2019 has been an amazing year for women’s football, especially. A lot of records broken and records made, such as tonight with this firstever women’s award. “I would love to dedicate this award to all of the women working hard in football. They are truly doing an amazing job – they all deserve a part of this as much as I do.” Klopp, 52, decided to deflect praise onto his squad and technical staff. He said: “It is always on behalf of my coaching staff and you can only win these things when a team is performing at a high level. “Coincidentally, I am coach of these wonderful players and I got the award. “Now, we’ve worked together with this group for two years. I am so pleased with the resilience we have shown in so many moments.” As for the other awards, Jorge Mendes triumphed once again among the agents, this year winning award number nine since the establishment of the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, a record that is becoming increasingly difficult to match. He said: “I would like to thank my people from [agency] GestiFute, my family, managers and players. We also have here Joao Felix, who is the best young player in the world, and the best-ever player, Cristiano Ronaldo.”

With him on the Globe Soccer stage, his star pupil also appeared, the promising young Portugal player Joao Felix, class of ’99, who was named as the Best Revelation Player. His gold transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid contributed in no small part to the victory of his agent. He said: “I want to say thank you to Benfica, Atletico Madrid, my agents and my parents who have supported me from the beginning.” Among the referees, it was again a woman who won the award for Best Referee of the Year, France’s Stephanie Frappart. She became the first woman referee in history to officiate over a European men’s Super Cup final (the match between Liverpool and Chelsea, held on August 14). Dubai Globe Soccer Awards also recognizes football stars in the Arab region in cooperation with Kooora: the Saudi club Al Hilal was named Best Arab Club of the Year; and the Moroccan striker, leading figure of the Saudi club Al Nassr, Abderrazak Hamdallah won as Best Arab Player. Player Career Awards were given to Manchester United legend and current Wales boss Ryan Giggs, plus Juventus and Bosnia midfielder Miralem Pjanic.

“I was lucky enough to play for the team I supported an also the country I was born,” said 46-year-old Giggs, who retired from United in 2014. “I played under many great coaches and manager, so I’d like to thank them – especially Sir Alex Ferguson. “I’d also like to thank my teammate. I played until I was 40 and you can only do that with really good players. “I would also like to thank my family and friends. Without them, I couldn’t have done what I did.” Considered as part of the ‘Grand Slam’ of football award ceremonies alongside the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Football Awards, the star-studded event was organised in partnership with Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and held alongside DSC`s Dubai International Sports Conference. The annual Dubai Globe Soccer Awards were established in 2010 with the aim of recognising not just the best players and coaches, but also the people who work behind the scenes who had not previously been acknowledged. The great success of the event over the years has seen further categories added to the awards list, and the event now honours all the best in football. Photo Credits: GlobeSoccer

l Best Men’s Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 45

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT WITH DELROY CONSTANTINE-SIMMS

l Best Referee of the Year: Stephanie Frappart

l Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid, Portugal) l Best Academy of the Year: Ajax and Benfica

l Kooora — Best Arab Player Award: Abderazak Hamdallah

l Best Partnership of the Year Award by Sport Business: Manchester City and SAP

l Player Career Award: Ryan Giggs

l Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

l Best Women’s Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze

l Kooora — Best Arab Club Award: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

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Page 46 - The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020

SPORT - WITH STEVE WILLIAMS

VAR short of being right

Khan and Brook fight could be on the cards

A showdown between Amir Khan and Kell Brook Is on the cards this year as promoter Eddie Hearn says: “I want to make that fight. I will give it one more roll of the dice”. “I will tell Khan and Brook to get it on”, he said. “Hopefully we can get things going.” Amir beat Billy Dib in four rounds in July, but Brook has not fought since outpointed Michael Zerafa. “He wants to fight in December,” Hearn said about Brook who has recently returned to training. “He wants the big fights. He wants to have those big fights, and feels like he’s got a few left. “He still has the hunger, and still wants to knock out Khan. “We’ll just have to see if we can get it over the line.” Khan is looking to settling his score with Brook, saying: “The Brook fight is still out there, definitely,” Khan said. “In Britain it would be a huge fight.”

Women's Boxing Club wins 5th Title

he annual 2019 Birmingham Awards happened last weekend and one of the biggest surprised wins was by The (WBC) Women’s Boxing Club who won first place in the ‘Sporting Initiative of the Year’ category. The five-year-old branding made the finals with some very mayor players for sports in Birmingham, but when impressions were made, Birmingham warmed to the little brand with a big following with judges massively impressed with the all-female boxing club, which has been running for five years, and said its work with females from all backgrounds was incredibly strong.

The WBC Women’s Boxing Club started back in 2014 after Jason Lowe, noticed females who wanted to box really didn't have a place to go and train. He gave up coaching men and started training females instead. One of whom was Mav Akram - who was training for a charity event. After winning her matchup, she went back to Jason and helped start the club, with the first session consisted of 1 female. But after time one more turned up and then two, then three, etc etc etc. In the first year, up to 30 ladies were at the club training and The Terrestrial TV boxing programme ‘Box-Nation’, owned by promoter Frank Warren, voted WBC their choice

of club for 2015. The following year WBC was voted: ‘Club of the Year’ by the Birmingham Sports Awards. The same year the club became the faces for the BBC (seen before programme starts). From then it has been voted ‘Club of the Year’ by Sport Birmingham and also the Birmingham Prestige Awards group. So much has happened to the club - with winning so many awards - yet there is still little known of its success, despite attracted the attention of nearly 40 world boxing champions – including: Anthony Joshua, Nigel Benn, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Frank Bruno,Ray Boom Boom Mancini, Glen McRory,

Roy Jones Jnr and female boxers Katie Taylor, Stacey Copeland and Jane Couch. Boxing promoters such a (Frank) Warren and Eddie Hearn have sent the club video messages of support. Winning this award is the biggest accolade the club has won. It's so close to home for the club that offers 6 sessions a week and has done so for nearly 5 years at 2 gyms in the city. Co-owner Lowe said: “This award is fabulous for the clubs branding. Boxing is a hard sport in general but even more so for women. Winning 5 awards in 5 years is just brilliant”.

With the VAR (Video Assisted Referee) taking centre stage in the English Premier League, it’s needless to say that plenty of football fans remain in uproar – match in, match out - about the decisions made under its ruling. Long delays are seemingly too often leading to VAR officials disallowing goals as “armpit offside” has now been replaced by “shoulder offside” – and even tighter as very tight calls – not seen by the naked eye - see goals chalked off and uproar and confusion both on and off the pitch. Fans and pundits are calling for VAR to stop being used on tight offside goal decisions, but if the technology is there, why wouldn’t we use it? There is a legitimate argument to be made that the offside rule needs tweaking by IFAB to allow a clear distance between attacking and defending players, but many point to VAR getting it correct as any body part which can score a goal being offside is crystal clear. This is just the start of the debate which will rumble on for many months, if not years, as leading officials have suggested that it will take up to three years for VAR to work correctly in the Premier League. Until then, controversial incidents will continue to undermine the man in the middle and be the bug bare of football fans throughout the world VAR can be good for the game – if only the rules of its use were made for the benefit of the game.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - January 2020 - Page 47

Womens Boxing Club Wins Again! - Page 46

Ronaldo among honoured in Dubai - Pages 42-45

World finalists recognised on British Athletics World Class Programme

8 Team GB athletes have been offered membership to the Olympic World Class Programme (WCP) for 2020. Jake Wightman and Tom Bosworth, who finished fifth and seventh in the 1500m and 20km race walk respectively at this year’s World Championships in Doha, have been recognised for their performances by being moved from Olympic Podium Potential to Olympic Podium level. Following his fourth in the 200m in Qatar, Adam Gemili, who also claimed 4x100m relay silver, has been added to Olympic Podium as an individual while long jumper Abigail Irozuru has been welcomed onto the WCP as a new member at the highest level having

Hungry Hamilton in search of Eight

aving claimed a glorious ‘6th’ Formula 1 World Championship, and surpassing the record of five F1, held by Juan Fangio, at 34, Lewis Hamilton MBE HonFREng looks hungry for more – with 8 titles his next goal and taking him past the

record of seven currently held by Michael Schumacher. With him already holding the records for the all-time most career points, the all-time most pole positions and the most grand slams in a season (3), as others would be overwhelmed with that achievement, the unequalled genius from

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Stevenage in Hertfordshire, is hungry for much more. His father, Anthony, emphasised: "As I keep saying to Lewis, 'you're 34 years young rather than 34 years old. As long as you're feeling fit and emotionally you love the sport, you can keep going for as long as you can”. “His approach has always been 'if you’re going to do this, you’re going to do this properly', and nothing has changed since then”. Lewis said: “While I feel like I am mastering F1, there is still more to master, there is more to add and more pieces of the puzzle to complete. “There will be ups and downs along the way but I feel like I have the best tools to deal with those. I am working on a masterpiece and I haven’t quite finished it yet.” With F1’s 2019 calendar completed, Hamilton has at least one more year to run on his Mercedes deal, and has already committed to remaining in the sport beyond next year.

finished seventh at the World Championships. There are ten new additions to the WCP in total with seven athletes being offered membership at Olympic Podium Potential including world 1500m finalist and British champion Neil Gourley and triple jumper Ben Williams who added 54cm onto his lifetime best across the course of the season to end 2019 seventh on the UK alltime list with 17.27m. Jamie Webb is also added having won a superb European indoor silver medal in March and finished 2019 as the British No.1 in the 800m while Jodie Williams and Jessica Turner join at Olympic Relays following their contribution to the women’s 4x400m relay team throughout the summer. The British Athletics WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded initiative to support the delivery of success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Membership onto the WCP for 2020 is based upon an athletes’ potential to win a medal at Tokyo 2020 or Paris 2024.

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