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Birmingham Hippodrome’s first home-grown Youth Production featuring an exceptional cast of 40 young people aged 14-25 from the region opens to a sell-out standing ovation
A
t the end of last month, Birmingham Hippodrome raised the curtain on its first ever home-grown youth production of West Side Story which opened to a sell-out audience and standing ovations. The show presented a cast of forty local young performers from across
the West Midlands, some whom have never performed on stage before. After extensive rounds of auditions lasting 8 days and three days call backs for the over one thousand applicants, the exceptional cast of young people aged 1425 brought the legendary West Side Story to life in an exciting first of its kind production marking the
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theatre’s 120th birthday. With incredible dancers and pitch-perfect choral quality from the cast, the troubled story of two gangs came to life. Leading the cast as the star-crossed lovers, Tony and Maria, were Alex Cook (16) from Kingswinford and Kamilla Fernandes (18) from Coventry.
Continued on Page 8
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Will Government’s Chicken Box Messages Against Knife Crime Work?
T
By Dr Tony Talburt
he new Conservative government under Boris Johnson might only be a few weeks old, but they seem very determined to tackle that decades-old problem of knife crime in some of UK’s major cities. In some of the UK’s major cities, crimes involving the use of sharp weapons or implements still presents a serious problem to the authorities. Figures from the London Mayor’s office indicate that young Black and minority ethnic teenage boys and men are disproportionately affected as victims and perpetuators. One in four of all victims of such crimes during the last two years were between the ages of 18-24 and 25% of the victims were Black. One idea by government to address this problem is to have anti-knife crime messages written in boxes of fried chicken in certain popular places frequented, we assume, by young Black people. The thinking behind this is predicated on the view that such outlets are where gang members often groom young people. MP Diane Abbott has already spoken out against such an initiative as a racist move that seeks to target Black people
disproportionately. Could some good ever come out of such an initiative? Is it time for the government and the Black communities in Britain to continue working even closer in addressing this issue of violence and knife attacks in some of Britain’s main cities? Stop and search policies were criticised for overly focusing on Black men and young people and also for being too costly. Since it was scaled down several years ago, this has been argued by some as the reason for the recent rise in knife crimes over the last year or two. It is claimed that a more subliminal approach such as the chicken box message strategy, would help get the message across to prospective knife carriers who are often groomed by more seasoned gang members. The dilemma facing the government over this particular approach, notwithstanding its obvious racist stereotyping, is the fact that some degree of targeting, is inevitable. This is where the government and community activists and academics need to work closer together. Since it is clear Black young men and boys are frequently perpetuators as well as victims of knife crimes, something has to be done. But is the
government’s chicken box message approach helpful? Perhaps what is needed is an approach incorporating a number of different stakeholders, working in tandem with government officials need to embark on counter knife culture. The knife, however, is not the central problem. Even if we could get rid of the knives, a determined person could resort to alternative improvised sharp objects for the purpose of carrying out violent acts. There are two other major related factors that need to be simultaneously addressed. One is the significance of gangs, while the second concerns the sale and use of drugs. Focusing on the knives but ignoring gangs and drugs might make it harder to deal with the violence. By joining forces, the government and the Black communities could work both from within and outside the community, to address these related issues. One of the root causes that need to
be challenged is the mindset of many young Black people. Perhaps this is what the designers of the chicken box message strategists had in mind. Some of the strategies need to come from within the Black communities. For example, gangs and negative gang cultures need to challenged and one way could be through the use of Black rappers and other musicians placing more emphasis on counter knife culture in their messages and lyrics. Black churches and youth groups could be more forceful in their attack on knives, drugs and gang culture. More Black mentors in schools and prisons (since the re-offending rate in the UK is high) could also play a role. It is ultimately the mindset that must be changed. Whether messages in chicken boxes will have the desired effect, only time will tell. However, it might well be that a myriad of simultaneous factors will need to be employed to address the menace of street violence in Britain and the use of knives.
Plans For Local Centre Still Ongoing W ith the city’s legacy to the legendary boxer a shell, boarded up, surrounded by spiked fencing and empty, the Birmingham community centre opened by Muhammad Ali remains in desperate need of attention. But the team at Kajans Women's Enterprise Limited (KWE) are doing their level best to revive the ailing building to create a hub in which the whole community, and beyond, can fully benefit, in all aspects, on-going. A recent consultation meeting invited prospective investors and community leaders to inform of the latest developments in the
plans to regenerate what was a thriving Centre. With shared ideas – under confidentiality – moving forward, on the surface, appears to be underway, with plans for an iconic presence, providing housing developments, arts and education programmes high on the agenda. Work, it appears, is well under way behind the scenes, with calls for further community investments, to add to that from the number of funding agencies who have been approached, KWE are making it clear that the legacy created by the ‘The Greatest’ can be regained; for all – for generations to come. But, the question is ‘When?’ exactly.
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l Lady Sanity, Jaki Graham and Reuben James at the Ground Breaking of ‘Making an Entrance’ at Birmingham Symphony Hall
‘Making an Entrance’ marks the launch of Symphony Hall’s transformation
T
he state-of-the-art redevelopment of the Symphony Hall was officially launched as three of Birmingham’s most esteemed musicians were present at the world-renowned music venue to celebrate the beginning of redevelopment that will create a performance space for talented local artists to have even more opportunities to perform as part of a daily programme with free and affordable performances. Three of Birmingham’s leading musicals stars Jaki Graham, Reuben James and Lady Sanity were specially invited to the launch with world-renowned singing group, Black Voices – associate artists at Symphony Hall - on hand for a short performance. Performances Birmingham (Town Hall and Symphony Hall) Chair of the Board, Anita Bhalla OBE, saying: “Birmingham has a strong music tradition with the likes of Black Sabbath – and the ‘birth’ of heavy metal - and Bhangra music so prominent hailing from here – and that tradition is still strong today. “That’s why this journey is led by the heart and soul – making music accessible”. One of the most popular R&B and dance artists of all time, soul legend, Jaki – who enjoyed 6 consecutive top 20 hits - said: “I have
had the privilege of performing on stage at Symphony Hall and, as a Birmingham-born artist, it filled me with pride. “I’m honoured to be invited to launch this major transformation, which will provide many more talented local musicians the opportunity to perform in this incredible venue". She headlined Jamaica’s 50th Independence Cultural Extravaganza at Symphony Hall in 2012. Town Hall Symphony Hall Chief Executive, Nick Reed, said: “We currently reach over 18,000 people with our learning and com-
munity programme and over the coming years we will be able to reach thousands more in the transformed spaces that this project will create. “As significant cuts are made to music tuition in our region’s schools, this transformation will support local talent by providing an enhanced space for people to be musically creative". The Making an Entrance project is a major transformation of Symphony Hall’s public foyer areas. In addition to a state-of-the-art foyer performance space for free and low-cost activities, there will
be dedicated spaces able to host learning and participation projects, and a richer and more welcoming experience including an enhanced food and beverage offer, refurbished toilets, additional disabled WCs and a Space to Change facility. 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.
l Town Hall Symphony Hall Chief Executive, Nick Reed joined Jaki Graham & Chair of the
Board, Anita Bhalla OBE for the ground breaking ceremony.
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NEWS
Gowling WLG Working With Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
B
irmingham 2022 has announced Gowling WLG as its first sponsor for the Commonwealth Games, which will be held from 27 July to 7 August 2022. The international law firm has been appointed as Official Legal Advisers for the major multi-sport event. The appointment followed a rigorous tender process, and the firm will be advising on a range of services including brand protection, corporate governance, procurement, disputes and risk management and general commercial matters. Ian Reid, Chief Executive Officer for Birmingham 2022, said: “I’m delighted to announce Gowling WLG as our first official sponsor for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This is a very exciting time as we’ve just passed our three years to go milestone and our profile and workload is really starting to increase. “We are completely confident in
Gowling WLG’s ability to provide us with the professional legal support we require and we are already working very closely with them, as we continue our preparations for delivering the biggest event that the West Midlands has ever staged.” As an Official Supporter of Birmingham 2022, lawyers and staff from across Gowling WLG's 18 offices will spend the next three years supporting the Games and the unique opportunities that this global sporting and cultural occasion provides to athletes, communities and businesses across the world. The firm's multi-disciplinary legal team, led by partner and board member Michael Luckman, and based in their central Birmingham office, will be working alongside Birmingham 2022’s Chief Legal Officer, Caroline McGrory, over the next three years, to help deliver a successful Games. Chief Executive at Gowling WLG, David Fennell, said: "This appointment builds on our strong
track record of advising on major projects across the public and private sectors, and we're committed to playing our part in making Birmingham 2022 a huge success for the UK and on the international stage. “We're already working hard to support Caroline and the Birmingham 2022 team on the legal aspects, and to add value wherever we can to deliver a vibrant, inclusive and socially responsible Games. "We have a strong affinity with the Commonwealth across our global network - and will be making the most of every opportunity for our clients, communities and people to get involved in this standout sporting and cultural event." More information about the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games can be found at: www.birmingham2022.com where you can also now sign up for updates on ticketing, volunteering and jobs.
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l Eliza Hakes (far left) and Ruth Griffin (far right) from Gowling WLG are pictured with Team England athletes Ama Agbeze (netball), Kofi Josephs (Basketball) and Abazz Shayaam-Smith (a Team England Hanson scholarship recipient) at the recent Commonwealth Social event, held in Birmingham’s Centenary Square,to mark three years to go until the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Paul Sabapathy CVO CBE; A true Champion of Excellence By Imran A. Chowdhury
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Paul Sabapathy CVO CBE is one of the gems of this world. It is next to impossible to pen a few words for this luminary; a personality of a mammoth magnitude. I am personally blessed to have come into contact with this erudite, enlightened human being; it was my sheer luck. It all happened due to the fact that our introduction coincided with the Bangladesh Liberation celebration event; the ethos ‘Joy Bangla’, was a slogan of inspiration for all the Bengalis of Bangladesh. We shared an appreciation of the spirit of the independence of Bangladesh: his feelings of camaraderie for the circumstances of the people of Bangladesh in 1971 bonded us immediately. His passion and his wide knowledge of our independence struggle was mind-blowing for me. I am the son of a freedom fighter. I am also the brother of a 17-year-old martyr freedom fighter. The fact that I was also a refugee in India in 1971 confirmed our common confluence of our shared memory stream. When I expressed my homage
to the people of India for giving us shelter and saving our lives it was perhaps the most sincere gratitude that he has ever heard from anyone from my Bangladeshi fraternity. I am perhaps one of the first fortunate persons of my background to come into the proximity of Paul’s larger than life compassion for others. Mr. Sabapathy is one of the finest gentlemen that anyone can come across in their lives; a community leader, an influencer, an adviser and above all a giant of a personality with an enormous sense of fellow feeling and empathy for other cultures. Born in erstwhile Madras, present day Chennai, Paul is a proud alumnus of Lawrence School, Lovedale and of Madras Christian College. Paul has excelled in his multifaceted career and reached the heights of success in the fields of accounting, in the health service, in higher education, in the corporate world and in philanthropy. He is a maker of history in the United Kingdom by being honoured by Her Majesty and being appointed to be the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands. This is a milestone record-setting achievement - the first nonwhite Lord Lieutenant in the
whole of the United Kingdom in the 500 year history of Lieutenancy. Since his retirement Paul has been an ambassador of the ethnic communities in the Midlands and he dedicates the majority of his time for the benefit of both ethnic and mainstream communities. He is an inspirational builder of bridges between the diverse cosmopolitan citizens of the West Midlands; an omnipresent scholar and excellent example for those who are sacrificing their time for the good for other people. Paul is a guide and adviser for everyone. His passion, advice and support for charities, fund raising, help in setting up community welfare groups and other NGO’s knows no bounds. Paul is a great personality, a polymath and a real life philosopher who is admired by all and I hope many will be able to reach his height of achievements by emulating his footsteps. He deserves a salute from us all who are engaged in the path of learning the ropes of community affairs to follow the road to philanthropy. (The writer is the founder and CEO of a ThinkTank & an NGOwww.c-ppp.org)
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Page 6 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
NEWS
20 Years Of Changing So Many Lives
N
By Thomas O’Brien
obody should ever be prevented from achieving the greatness that they deserve because of the area they grew up in. However, this is tragically the case all too often, particularly in our inner-city communities and outer-city estates. In 1999, the free@last Charity was established in the heart of Nechells to change that by improving the lives of the children and young people who live there. By encouraging people to broaden their horizons and experience new opportunities, free@ last helps them to begin to believe that all things are possible and
that if they make positive changes in their lives, they can and will overcome the obstacles that have previously prevented them from turning their dreams into realities. Over the last 20 years, the charity has helped countless people who are facing the most adverse situations in life to secure meaningful careers, create businesses, and turn their passions into purpose. Sometimes people just need help to get through the week and the free@last team help them not just to survive, but to thrive and free themselves from everything that’s holding them back. On 3rd August, the charity’s 20th anniversary party celebrated the stories and journeys that have helped to develop the organisation
into a beacon of hope, creativity and entrepreneurialism for so many people. The weather was perfect as over 200 people gathered to enjoy a fantastic range of activities together in their new £2 million youth and community centre, thanks to generous support from the Big Lottery Fund and many other trusts, businesses and individual supporters. Amazing balloon decorations from Candy Bubbles were seen welcoming people as they arrived on the red carpet. Hugely popular pebble painting, clothes making and T-Shirt printing workshops, which allowed everyone to express themselves to the fullest, were many people’s next ports of call after they had
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scaled free@last’s legendary 14-metre high climbing wall on arrival. The party atmosphere went up to the second floor of the Community Centre, as a festival of sound filled free@last’s specially-built recording studio. Fortunately, the studio’s soundproofing meant that the speaker-shaking base in the beats being produced didn’t disturb the CV writing, karate or jewellery making workshops below, or indeed the photography and design workshops next door. The only thing better than a well-supported community event is a well-supported community event with delicious cakes and biscuits, especially when these sweet delights give warm icing the perfect opportunity to melt in your mouth. free@last’s kitchen team were on hand to provide these sumptuous treats and drinks with a smile. Speaking about the event, John Street, Founder and Director of free@last said, ‘We are hugely
proud of everyone who has been a part of our journey over the last 20 years and were overjoyed that so many of them were able to celebrate with us. ‘They made our anniversary party so special. Until this great community where we have lived and worked for so long is free from poverty, its residents won’t be free to achieve their full potential. That’s why we plan to spend the next 20 years doing even more
Birmingham Heritage Week 2019 events revealed
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9th Anniversary Gala Dinner & Awards Masquerade Ball
to eradicate poverty in Nechells. The future of this fantastic charity will involve the community coming together, as they did a few weeks ago, to change perceptions of Nechells and show the world exactly how much talent and creativity the area has to offer. If you want to be part of this amazing project, give the free@last team a call on 0121 327 5959.
Eager heritage fans can now begin planning as the list of over 100 ‘Birmingham Heritage Week’ events can now be found at: birminghamheritageweek. co.uk. The festival is back for 2019 and consists of 11 days of varied and fascinating events, from 12 – 22 September. From exhibitions and tours to open days and concerts, Birmingham Heritage Week is the perfect time for local residents and tourists alike
to discover parts of the city they have never seen before, or rediscover popular places from a new perspective. The full listings can be found online but some highlights from the Birmingham Heritage Week line-up include: • The Baskerville Keyhill Cemetery Tour during the dusky hours of twilight. You will discover the surprising story of John Baskerville, the famous Birmingham printer
and typewriter, whilst seeing the cemeteries and catacombs at their most atmospheric, as your torch guides you through the darkness. • Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s stunning Waterhall Gallery will open for an opportunity to admire this amazing Victorian architectural space, along with artworks from the city’s collection. And, there’s so much more, so to delve deeper into what Birmingham Heritage Week has to offer, be sure to visit the Birmingham Heritage Week website and social media pages for more details. Irene De Boo, Co-ordinator for Birmingham Heritage Week 2019, said: “We’re back with a brilliant array of events for Birmingham Heritage Week 2019 and the listings are even easier to navigate on our website, so it’s the perfect time for visitors to start planning and filling up their diaries with exciting events!” ‘Birmingham Heritage Week 2019’ is supported by Jewellery Quarter BID, Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Museums Trust and ScanTech Digital.
*Source: IRI UK Caribbean Food & Drink - Retail Sales, Period: MAT 52w/e 22nd June 2019.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 7
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Page 8 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
NEWS
The Future Is Bright Continued from Front Page
They follow the story of a modern day Romeo and Juliet involved in New York street gangs. On the harsh streets of the upper west side, two gangs battle for control of the turf. They both demonstrated extreme maturity and incredibly strong vocals which would have made Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer (the actors who portrayed the characters in the 1961 film) proud. The creation of West Side Story was overseen by a professional creative team which included Matt Hawksworth (Director & Choreographer) and Ruth Saeger (Assistant Choreographer) who helped bring the production to life with some beautifully choreographed routines that included modern dance styles through to traditional ballet. The routines also utilised aspects taken from the original production and film of West Side Story, taking the iconic finger snaps and poses and building on them. The turf war was staged on
the sometimes open, exposed stage which, coupled with clever lighting and black backdrop, emphasised the feelings of distress and rowdiness on the Manhattan streets. The use of the cast to assist with the scene changes, incorporating some of them into dance routines created a seamless and clever way to add yet more emotion and dynamics into the scenes. Fiona Allan, Birmingham Hippodrome Artistic Director and Chief Executive added; “It is fitting that we mark our 120th birthday by fund-
ing a major new production, giving back to young people in our community. West Side Story remains just as relevant now as when it was first written, and holds many parallels we can still see in our everyday lives. Our director, Matt Hawksworth has drawn together a tremendously experienced professional creative team, who will ensure that the company experience all aspects of mounting a major musical in the large scale. “Our birthday celebrations are headlined with the strapline Then, Now, Always -this production will encompass this message in its entirety. “Then being the staging of this classic musical, Now is bringing a new production to our main stage, and Always is the hugely talented cast of young people who are the performers and audience members of our theatre’s future."
Black History Month Supplement October Edition
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Page 10 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
BUSINESS AND FINANCE
Serendipity: Harmony in Diversity; A Bangladesh Perspective By Imran A. Chowdhury Whilst doing research on the Bangladeshi diaspora in the UK, I came across the religious denomination figures. These were depicting numbers of Bengalis (Bangladeshis) belonging to different faiths and religions. What was found was, there are 672 people who are followers of the Sikh religion and also 234 people from the Jewish faith amongst Hindus, Christians and Buddhists. These are kosher data as the source of the data is none other the Office of the National Statics. Having looked at these staggering figures made me dig deep into the pandoras box to auger the gist out of this multi faith and interfaith cohabitation of the people of Bangladesh for centuries after centuries. It always made me wonder. Why on earth there is a Gurdwara inside the campus of Dhaka University in Bangladesh? Now, after all these years it makes a bit of sense. In 24 AD there was massive brawl and debate that took place in the Roman senate; the reason being; The senators were relentlessly arguing as to why so many gold bars are sent to a place called Gangaridai (old name of Bengal). The speaker of the house then, explained the house that, if you Gentlemen stop wearing those white cotton Tunica then we don’t have to part with these golds. During 8th-9th century an exodus of Baghdadi Jewish population of presentday Iraq ended up on the shores of Bengal. Mainly in Dhaka, Murshidabad & Panam
(Sonargoan). Old records suggest that, those Jewish merchant gave the weaving recipe to the weavers of Bengal to spin the cotton in their thumb to make the finest yarn to weave the softest cloth in the world and those Jewish merchants named the fabric according to the name of their home city Mosul - Mosul to Moslin. Those Jewish merchants made the Moslin famous all over the world. The 18th century Europe when industrial revolution inundated the markets of the world with machine made fabrics. Finding these data today, have made me think again about the essence of Bengali heritage; history and legacy once again. Which amply reiterates the fact that, Bengal was always a magnet for diversified influx of people from all over the world. Bengal is perhaps one of the finest places where there had never been any sectarian trouble nor any feud or riots. This was the true ethnically diversified delta in the world where Portuguese Roman Catholics, Armenian Christians, Dutch Christians, French made their home from time to time. These migrations have immensely enriched our culture, language, cuisine and lifestyle. These essences of diversity were the bedrock of our innate nationhood. The multi-cultural Bengal was an epitome of wealthy territory since the time of Alexander the Great and beyond. What a rich legacy to carry forward! This attribute of Bangladeshi fraternity living in harmony well over a thousand years speak volume about the tenacity, impetus and resolve of our ancestors and it is an onus upon us the upheld that legacy.
Raise a Glass to the ‘Last Train Home’ B l Andy Camp, commercial director at West Midlands Railway with his pint of Last Train Home
irmingham is the UK’s second city, a thriving metropolis full of energetic nightlife, exciting events, outstanding restaurants, quirkybars, theatrical productions and a whole lot more. This is the Midlands city that never sleeps. So, why not join in celebrating all that this amazing city has to offer, in the day and in the evening? The possibilities are endless to extend your enjoyment of this great city past that 5 pm city bell, which is why West Midlands Railway have partnered up with Black Country based Sadler’s Brewery to raise a glass in celebrating the £2.50 Evening Return tickets as well as more evening and later trains on
their lines after work and on weekends to various locations across the network. To raise a glass to this, Sadler’s Brewery concocted a limited-edition pale ale, appropriately named ‘Last Train Home’, which was launched on 22 August, 2019 at Birmingham’s Head of Steam. The light and refreshing Session IPA has been brewed by Sadler’s Brewery at a lower
ABV (alcohol by volume) to create a tantalising beverage to enjoy in the evening which has been maximised in taste through their ‘Dry Hopping’ process. The zesty and fragrant IPA is available by bottle or cask in a selection of Birmingham City Centre’s most iconic venues for a limited time only including: Head of Steam, Pint Shop, Old Joint Stock, Eagle
&Tun, The Wellington, Post Office Vaults, Lost & Found and Cosy Club. Whether it’s after work drinks to sample a glass of the Last Train Home, a cinema trip to catch the latest box-office hit, a culinary taste sensation at one of the cities extravagant restaurants, they will even help you get home, with off peak travel from as little as £2.50.
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Town Hall Symphony Hall @THSHBirmingham thsh_birmingham townhallsymphonyhall
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tion but is estimated to save the NHS in the West Midlands an estimated six figure sum annually in reduced transportation costs. The group wants to highlight its achievement to raise much-needed funds and ensure the future of the service and encourage more volunteers to join them – either on the road, managing operations behind the scenes or undertaking fundraising activities. The volunteers come from all walks of life and include experienced bikers and drivers and others who give their time but never take to the road. They include husband and wife teams, shift workers – some who already work for the emergency services – others have full-time jobs, own small businesses or are retired. All riders and drivers are required to hold an advanced rider or driver qualification through IAM RoadSmart or ROSPA. Additional training is given to all members on our job allocation procedures, garage procedures and conduct. The network of volunteers allows Midland Freewheelers to operate around the region – encompassing 11 hospitals, care homes, specialist services such as the Hu-
JAZZ GRIND JAMAICA THE ALL STARS: THE LIVE! TROJAN SAT 6 APRILSTORY 7PM FRI 25 OCTOBER TOWN HALL 7:30PM TOWN HALL
man Milk Bank at Birmingham’s Women’s Hospital and the West Midlands Air Ambulance. Its service also extends to other groups to relay packages across the whole of the UK. Through co-operation with West Midlands Fire Service, the group is able to ‘station’ its liveried fleet of eight bikes, consisting of two BMW F800s and six Yamaha FJR bikes, together with 2 4x4 Skoda Octavia Estate cars used in bad weather and specialist runs, at fire stations in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Chris Mansley, Secretary of the Midland Freewheelers, said that the group’s roadmap was to make a difference, give something back to the community and relieve pressure on the NHS. “Many of us are very grateful to the NHS for providing health services that have, in some cases, saved, or improved the quality of lives of people we know, be they family, friends or neighbours. Those of us who ride, get to do the thing we enjoy, but with a real sense of purpose. What we do helps our health services operate more effectively and saves money which can be spend on other running costs.”
THESTAGE ON STYLISTICS WITH: THU 14 NOVEMBER KAIA 7:30PM KATER
WED 8 MAY HALL 7:30PM SYMPHONY SYMPHONY HALL STAGE
REUBEN THE KINGDOM JAMES TRIO CHOIR PLUS SUN 17 NOVEMBER SPECIAL 8PM GUESTS SYMPHONY HALL STAGE FRI 10 MAY 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL
Collar and tie... Brits jack-et in Studies show that Brit office workers are ditching the traditional business gear of jacket and tie. The survey, run by job search specialists CareerBuilder, has found that 49% of Brits are trading in their suits for a smart casual approach reflecting a change in British workplaces. With record-breaking high temperatures and long commutes to work, what to wear to work has become a problem for Britain lately with the traditional suit becoming impractical.
Two thirds of the nation think that men should be able to wear shorts to the workplace in hot weather, but the CareerBuilder survey found that only a quarter of workplaces has a dress code that caters for the Summer heat. CareerBuilder UK’s Elsa Thumerel said: “We’ve seen a general trend across industries to move to a smart-casual approach to workwear. Workplaces are adapting across many areas of its business already. With changing views on dress codes, it’s important to
8PM SYMPHONY HALL
©Raez Argulla
A lifesaving charity which has been operating at full throttle for ten years reached a key milestone in its journey. Midland Freewheelers – the emergency rider voluntary service – clocked-up its 10,000th job, carrying blood and essential medical samples and supplies around the region, recently. The landmark moment in its anniversary year, is a significant achievement for the service, which relies entirely on donations and voluntary activity to keep it on the road. In the ten years since it was formed, Midland Freewheelers, has travelled approximately 200,000 miles – the equivalent of eight-times around the globe – taking emergency blood supplies, breast milk for premature babies, medical samples, records, medicines and equipment to hospitals, specialist centres and the region’s air ambulance. The service is operated by 127 members, consisting of riders, drivers, co-ordinators and fundraisers, 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year, whatever the weather. It costs between £35,000 and £40,000 a year to run the opera-
©Henry Adebonojo
Charity Celebrates Ten Years and Ten Thousand Jobs
FRI 29 MARCH 8:30PM HOUSTON CBSO CENTRE THU 10 OCTOBER
keep staff welfare front of mind, especially in times like the recent heat or difficult commutes.” Half of the British workforce say they now turn up for work in smart trousers and a dress shirt but feel they would do a better job if they could wear comfortable clothes like T-shirt and jeans. The study indicated that age and gender were critical factors on where respondents sat on the workwear debate.
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Page 12 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
NEWS
James Watt Remembered At Special Service I
t was a select number of noted clerics and dignitaries who were present to mark what was a very poignant date in respect of a ‘son’ of Birmingham. The city’s Lord Mayor Councillor Mohammed Azim, and Bishop gathered with the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, John Crabtree, present to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of James Watt – one of the ‘fathers’ of the industrial revolution. St Mary’s Church, Handsworth, where Watt is buried staged a celebration of his life. Also known as Handsworth Old Church, it host a “Choral Evensong” – it was attended the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, on Sunday, August 25, 2019.
Modern-day relatives of James Watt – Nicholas and Amanda Smith– were also amongst special guest attendees at the service. “He (James Watt) found a connection to faith, science and philosophy “, said the Chancellor of the Diocese of Birmingham, Mark Powell QC. “This church hosts the remains of the three great men of the Industrial Revolution”, said Reverend Dr Bob Stephen, Rector of Handsworth, “and it’s all part of the Birmingham community. And, of course, James Watt was a proud member of this congregation. His estate was about 100 yards away, and he worshipped here with his family, every
Sunday”. St Mary’s is known as the ‘Cathedral of the Industrial Revolution’. It hosts the remains of James Watt and an impressive statue of the inventor by Francis Leggat Chantrey. There are also memorials to Watt’s business partner Matthew Boulton and another
Scottish engineer William Murdoch. James Watt died just a short distance from the parish church at his home at Heathfield Hall. The house no longer exists – however, Watt’s workshop has been reconstructed and is on display in London’s Science Museum.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 13
9th anniversary gala dinner
GRAND Raffle Prize
5 Night All-Inclusive Stay FOR 2
TO THE BAHAMAS The Grand Prize Winner of the 9th Anniversary Raffle will be relaxing in luxury at Warwick Paradise Island in the beautiful Bahamas. 5 Nights are up for grabs at the all-inclusive four-star premier adults-only deluxe resort, which boasts a white-sand harbour beach, five dining options, two bars, a fully equipped fitness centre, entertainment and activities, an onsite gift shop and a tour desk offering sightseeing options to the destination’s attractions.
Tickets ÂŁ20 EACH - Call 0121 339 5885
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Page 14 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
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.
GCSE Pass rates and top grades increase – despite an even more rigorous exam system
T lity a u q High om r f e ld car child e years o fiv o t h t
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he GCSE exam pass rate went up to 67.3% in the UK – an increase of 0.4 percentage points on last year’s figure. The percentage of papers given a top grade (7 or A and above) rose 0.3 percentage points to 20.8% on 2018. More than 700,000 teenagers received GCSE results this year following a number of reforms to the exams system. A new numerical grading system and tougher exams have been introduced in England, while elsewhere many GCSEs are still graded A* to G. It is the third year of results for
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the new-style GCSE exams in England, which have more complex content, a greater reliance on final exam results and replace the previous A* to G grades with a scale running from 9 to 1. The new GCSEs have been criticised in recent days by headteachers and teaching unions for increasing levels of stress among pupils, and for being too demanding for many pupils, including those with special needs. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College leaders, said: “It mirrors what we were seeing last week when we saw more girls doing sciences than boys at A-level.
£1.2m education hub to boost access to higher education for thousands of young people
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
Birmingham City University has joined forces with education charity IntoUniversity, to launch the new centre in the Kingstanding area, which is expected to welcome over 1,000 students through its doors each year, once established. The funding will see the Maryvale Community Centre undergo
a renovation process to house the centre, which will be equipped with teaching facilities, and deliver community-based education programmes to children in the local area. Five full-time members of staff will be recruited to the centre to deliver daily after-school Academic
“What is encouraging is that females are thinking ‘this is as much a part of my world as it is boy’s’, so I think that’s a really good thing.” Derek Richardson, vice president and responsible officer at the Pearson examinations body, said: “Increases in computing entries and outcomes - for both females and males - show that young people recognise the changing nature of the world and are preparing themselves for needing an increasingly digital toolkit for their future studies or careers. “It’s encouraging to see female entries are up 14% on last year.”
Support sessions to primary and secondary school children, aspiration-building workshops in partnership with local schools, and a mentoring programme with university students and corporate professionals. The centre will focus on the arts, the first IntoUniversity centre to do so, and will stimulate children’s understanding and enthusiasm for a wide range of subjects. The classes will be taught by trained Education Workers, preparing young people for life in Higher Education and their future careers. Professor Clare Mackie, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Birmingham City University, said: “This new partnership is a real milestone for us. Providing increased access to education can make a real difference to the lives of thousands of young people in our city. We are proud that the centre, which will be based in the heart of the community in Kingstanding, will allow access to free services and create opportunities which IntoUniversity have had such great success providing in other parts of the country.” IntoUniversity Chief Executive, Rachel Carr, said: “We are delighted to be opening our first centre in Birmingham in partnership with Birmingham City University. We are looking forward to working closely with families and schools in Kingstanding to support young people with their learning and future options.”
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 15
EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT
Curtains up as new music institute opens in Dudley A
one-of-a-kind institute for popular music in the Black Country offering degrees for students seeking a career in a range of music industries will be opening its doors next year. Resonance will have some of the best minds in music, teaching students everything from popular music performance, production, composition and business. Based in the stunning Cable Plaza building on The Waterfront at Brierley Hill, Resonance will be offering a suite of courses under a franchise arrangement from Solent University in Southampton with courses uploaded to UCAS this summer. The £9.5 million project will also create a vital community music hub. Musicians and organisations from across the region will be encouraged to make full use of the state-of-theart facilities on offer. Resonance co-director,
Best of World’s Youth Shine at Skills Olympics in Kazan The 45th WorldSkills Competition saw 1,354 young professionals from 63 countries and regions compete in 56 skills in the Russian city of Kazan, with India creating their own history by winning 4 medals there. Demonstrating an exceptionally high level of vocational education and training, as well as teamwork abilities, a truly unforgettable event saw the young competitors challenging for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals as well as the Medallion of Excellence and the Albert Vidal Award. With skills grouped into six sectors at the KAZAN EXPO International Exhibition Centre - including; Construction and Building Technology, Creative Arts & Fashion, Information and Communication Technology, Manufacturing and Engineering Technology, Social and Personal Services,
plus Transportation and Logistics – competition remained high and exciting during the week-long fare. Team UK won four medals - two of them gold (Rebecca West, from Sussex Downs College, in Beauty Therapy and Nottingham University’s Haydn Jakes of, in Aircraft Maintenance), with Connor McKevitt, trained by Riverpark Training and employed by Wrights Accident Repair Centre, claiming a Silver in Car Painting, while Phoebe McLavy from Coleg Sir Gar, employed by Morgan Edward Salon, winning Bronze in Hairdressing. The team were also awarded 15 medallions of excellence – which are given to competitors who have achieved the international standard in their skill. Neil Bentley-Gockmann, chief executive of WorldSkills UK, said: "The members of Team UK, all under-25 years, championed the
UK focus on skills development in front of a global audience, sending a strong message that the UK is a world-class place to invest, do business and create jobs. "Governments, education and industry need to continue to work with us to make sure the UK stays at the cutting edge of global best practice in skills development." Also speaking after the event, India’s Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey said: "This time we expect India to occupy a slot between one and 10 among 63 participating countries here...We are trying to bring forward the talents of the Indian youth". One of the legacies of WorldSkills Competitions is the increased visibility of skilled professional education, as one of the tools of social and economic transformation.
David Barnard, said “We’re absolutely delighted to finally be in a position where we can confidently say ‘it’s coming’. “Contractors have been on site for some weeks now and we should be ready to move in at the end of 2019. That’s when the fun really starts.” From 2020, Resonance will provide undergraduate degrees in Popular Music Performance, Production, Digital Music and Music Business. Also, in the pipeline is a degree in Education and Wellbeing, due in 2021. By the third year and following the graduation of its first cohort, Resonance is hoping to offer an MA course in Contemporary Music Performance. All courses delivered at Resonance will be led by industry professionals and will focus on developing a broad range of skills needed by the sector. “The priority is to immerse students into a real-world environment working on project
briefs designed in partnership with industry colleagues,” David explained. “Our programme will blend musical, technical and practical skills with personal and professional development, entrepreneurship and enterprise. “Our objective is to create ‘work ready’ graduates, who are not frightened to explore new ideas and have a go. The Resonance Professional Diploma, running alongside our degree courses, will provide an enriching experience developing the essential ‘soft’ skills needed for an ever-changing global industry.” Places at Resonance will be limited with applicants needing to attain between 96 and 112 UCAS points before an audition. The project is being supported by funding from the Black Country LEP which has approved a grant for £7.16million and financial support from Unity Trust Bank, and Arts Impact Fund.
Town grant for school uniform scheme A £490 grant has been given to the Oak Tree Centre organisation to help them to set up a uniform bank to help people on low incomes to provide school clothing for children. Sandwell Council’s Town Grants team has awarded the money to the Centre, which is based at the King’s Community Church in Tame Road, Oldbury. The group asked for funding so that they would be able to help as many families as possible faced with the expensive task of providing school uniforms. They want to support families on low incomes by setting up a uniform bank and having uniforms available for children and young people so they can comply with school uniform codes. The funding from Local Area Budget has funded purchase of equipment such as storage boxes, coat hangers and clothes rails, printing costs for promotional costs and stationary for the project.
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Page 16 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE
Lucy Bronze Is Our Golden Girl
F
rom her early life, and playing days, in the far reaches of England’s North East, to her present life, in the shining light of rural France, with a barrel load medals and awards which has already ladened her young life, Lucy Bronze is already going down in the annals of world football as one of the game’s alltime greats. Having just been voted UEFA Women's Player of the Year, it’s the latest, and yet another, of a long line of deserved awards and accolades for the Berwick-uponTweed-born star. The Olympique Lyonnais and England full-back has had, to date, an all-winning club career, in both England and France – with the latest making her the first British player, and full-back, to win European football’s most coveted prize. Starting her career playing for Sunderland at under-12 academy level, she joined the senior team when she turned 16 and was named Manager's Player of the Year as the team finished third in
the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division. She won the Player of the Match award as Sunderland lost 2–1 to Arsenal in the 2009 FA Women's Cup final. She then moved to North Carolina to study at UNC - winning a scholarship after impressing during several soccer camps before becoming the first British player to win an NCAA Cup. Returning to Sunderland in the Premier League National Division, Bronze then signed for Everton, when she would be named in their UEFA Women's Champions League squad. In 2012, she signed for Liverpool, being part of the side that won the FA WSL in 2013 and again in 2014. The following year, she was awarded the PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year before signing for Manchester City, helping them to their second FA WSL Cup win in three years. In 2017, Lucy signed for Lyon and helped them win the UEFA Women's Champions League. In 2018, she was named BBC Women's Footballer
of the Year. In 2019, she became the first English footballer to win the UEFA Women's Player of the Year Award and was also named FA WSL 1 Players' Player of the Year. She was named PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year for second time and selected in the PFA WSL Team of the Year Representing England at all youth levels before featuring in the full national squad at Euro 2013, Bronze played in the 2015 World Cup, helping England to third place, and the 2019 World Cup in which they finished fourth. Bronze captained England for the first time in the 2018 SheBelieves Cup opening match against France. She has won the PFA Women's Players' Player of t h e
Year award twice, as well as the Vauxhall England Player of the Year, MCWFC Etihad Airways Player of the Season, BBC Women's Footballer of the Year and the FIFA Women's World Cup Silver Ball to add to her latest UEFA Woman’s Player of the Year. All that to add to her being The Phoenix Newspaper’s ‘Woman of Excellence’.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 17
Music fashion Film Gadgets holiday education health and fitness
SEPTEMBER 2019
/streetcredmagazine www.streetcredmagazine.com
an angelic performance Grease is the word for Peter
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Page 18 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
ENTERTAINMENT
www.streetcredmagazine.com
THE HOTTEST ENTERTAINMENT SUPPLEMENT
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Thin Lizzy star, Phil, honoured at birth place
F
ans from across the globe turned up at a West Bromwich hospital to watch the unveiling of a tribute to rock star Phil Lynott in the form of an emerald green plaque. The Thin Lizzy singer was honoured at Sandwell Hospital, formerly known as Hallam Hospital, with H, lead singer of cover band Dizzy Lizzy doing the honours. The plaque inscribed with the words ‘The boy is back in town. Phil Lynott 1949-1986. Musician, Poet, Songwriter. Born here Hallam Hospital’ was fitted at the entrance to the Antenatal Clinic. Sadly his mother, Philomena, died in June this year. Money for the plaque was raised by the local
community and singer H, along with writer Sean Meaney who spearheaded the campaign. Phil’s daughters, Sarah and Cathleen said ahead of the ceremony: “It is particularly poignant timing that his place of birth is being honoured in what would have been his 70th birthday year. “There was obviously something in the water at that time as Robert Plant was born on the same day in the same town a year earlier. “We are really proud of all our dad achieved and are so grateful for this recognition and to everyone who keeps his memory alive.” Fans from Japan, Sweden, Scotland and Spain came to see the unveiling along with Trust staff and
others who cheered when the tribute was unveiled. Helen Hurst, Director of Midwifery from Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust which runs Sandwell Hospital, said: “It is very fitting that a plaque to honour Phil Lynott is here at his birth place. He was extremely talented and we are proud to be associated with Phil, who made a huge difference to the lives of so many through his music. It is fantastic to know that Sandwell Hospital was the place of birth to one of the most iconic singers from the 70s and 80s.” Phil, who died aged 36, lived in Smethwick for a short time with his mother Philomena before she moved to Manchester. She finally returned
with him to her native Ireland, where he spent the rest of his upbringing before he went on to form Thin Lizzy Sean, who was also at the event, added: “We lost Phil far too soon and it is sad that his mother wasn’t able to see this day. “Despite her failing health, the devoted 88-year-old had told friends it was her dream to travel back to West Bromwich one final time to see her late rock star son honoured in the place of his birth. She was very emotional and felt that life had now come full circle. “She sadly passed away just 10 weeks before the ceremony was due to take place. It has left us all shocked and tinged with sadness.”
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 19
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Page 20 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
ENTERTAINMENT
www.streetcredmagazine.com www.streetcredmagazine.com
From Peckham To Lagos
I
nua Ellams’ play Barber Shop Chronicles immerses theatre goers in the hustle and bustle of African barber shops. Following two sell-out runs in London and a world tour, Inua Ellams’ acclaimed and life-affirming play, Barber Shop Chronicles comes to Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 26 – 28 September. Newsroom, political platform, local hot-spot, confession box, preacher-pulpit and football stadium – for generations, African men have gathered in barber shops to discuss the world. These are places where the banter can be barbed and the truth is always telling. Directed by Olivier awardwinning director Bijan Sheibani, Barber Shop Chronicles is a heartwarming, hilarious and insightful new play that leaps from a barber shop in Peckham to Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos and Accra over the course of a single
day. Inua Ellams’ was inspired to write the show after he heard about a pilot project to teach barbers about the very basics in counselling. “I was surprised that conversations in barber shops were so intimate, that someone thought that barbers should be trained in counselling, and also that they wanted
the counselling project to happen in the barber shop. This meant that on some level the person who was organising this thought there was something sacred about barber shops.” “I covered thousands and thousands of miles writing the play, including six weeks of research travelling through the African continent. I visited South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana and spent a lot of time in barber shops in London and
Leeds. After accumulating about 60 hours of recordings, I whittled them down to a four-hour play and then eventually into an hour and forty-five minute long show.” Immersing theatregoers in the hustle and bustle of African barber shops, from Peckham to Lagos, it offers a portrait of black masculinity that is tender, funny and, in part, celebratory. “Stories that involve black boys are still overwhelmingly about stabbing,” Ellams says. “Therefore, there’s a perception that this dominates a lot of black-British, youthful energies, which, if you look at the numbers and just think logically, cannot be the truth. There’s still a need for black men to be seen as just men who are black. And that’s just what Barber Shop Chronicles does – it shows black men at rest, at play, talking, laughing, joking – not being statistics, targets, tragedies, spectres or spooks… just humans, breathing in room.” For tickets and further information head to birminghamrep.co.uk or call 0121 236 4455.
Chronixx and Koffee Live In Birmingham Jamaican super star, Chronixx, is one of the hottest and most in demand reggae artists of his generation. And having lit the path for many to follow since, you can experience his unique blend of roots and culture when he visits the UK later this year. Performing alongside the hot new sensation that is Koffee, the ever-popular award-winning artist will be live at Arena Birmingham to highlight his exciting, forward thinking, globally focused talents for all to see.
Popular with significant airplay in Jamaica as well as many festival performances, the diminutive star, who won the Culture Artist of the Year, Best New Artist and Entertainer of the Year titles at the Linkage Awards in New York. The 26-year-old artist has also performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and played live in Central Park to 5,000 people. Son of famed reggae star, Chronicle – who, himself, has ploughed his own furrow following the great Roots players such
as Bob Marley and Toots Hibbert - Chronixx has touched the hearts of fans the world over as he blazes a trail for an entire generation to rediscover their roots and culture. Following last year's soldout show in London's Alexandra Palace, Chronixx, who has already performed massive shows in Leeds and Manchester, with the Grammy-nominated singer – along with Koffee - set to perform at Arena Birmingham on Sunday November 10.
The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 21
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ENTERTAINMENT
COMPETITION For your chance to win one of 10 pairs of tickets to The Festive Gift Fair at the NEC Birmingham, just answer this very simple question!
Traditionally, if you’re on Santa’s naughty list at Christmas, what will he bring you? a) Gold b) Coal c) Sticks
T
his ever popular 4-day November Fair is a cracking start to the Christmas season for those in the know! From the moment you arrive, you’ll be caught up in the fabulous atmosphere, anticipation rising as you browse 300+ stalls overflowing with thousands upon thousands of unusual gifts, stocking fillers, decorations and artisan food & drink at prices worth celebrating! It’s an Aladdin’s cave of sparkling stalls offering more choice, more variety and more fun than the High Street, and it’s all under one roof. The run up to Christmas Day involves a lot of planning and most of us have so much to do and so little time to do it! Take the pressure out of Christmas shopping and find all the presents you want at the onestop shop Festive Gift Fair.
When your bags are full, just drop them off at the Present Creche and continue to shop some more! No other Christmas fair in the UK has as much entertainment in one hall to get you straight into the Christmas spirit… * The Grinch will be up to his usual menacing antics! * Father Christmas will be mingling. * The Stilt Jazz Band will be legging it up the aisles! * The UK’s largest snowman will be amazing the children. * The outrageous Panto Dame will be causing havoc around the hall * The fabulous Christmas Band will be performing throughout the day. * The Basetones will have you toe-tapping as you shop, with their Motown-style Christmas harmonies. Christmas is all about family, friendships and… food! Make a beeline for the FOODIE stalls, where you will discover mouthwatering treats from cheese to chutneys, spices to spirits, puddings to preserves, chocolates to Champagne, beer to brownies, popcorn to Prosecco and hampers to hog roasts! Back by demand are many favourite stallholders including Magical Story, The Perfume Shop, the Cheshire Cheese Company, Condessa Welsh Liqueurs and East 2 Eden. In addition, this year’s Festive Gift Fair will be welcoming over 100 NEW stallholders!
The Festive Gift Fair have teamed up with The Phoenix Newspaper to offer 10 pairs of tickets to our readers! Check out the competition information to the right for your chance to win one of 10 pairs! Remember, even if you don’t win
one of our pairs of competition tickets, tickets are still available online and on the day to visit the Festive Gift Fair and get your Christmas shopping done far in advance of the big day!
Just email your answer, with your name, address and contact number to competitions@thephoenixnewspaper.com with the subject “Festive Gift Fair 2019 Competition”. Competition closes at 23.59 on 2nd November 2019. There is no cash alternative.
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Page 22 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
MEET YOUR SHORTLIST FINALISTS! Windrush Award
International Excellence Award
Blue Marlin Diamond Travel Professor Gus John Grace Johnson Supplies UK LTD Victoria Mutual Jamaica National Uncle Rons Tropical Sun
Business Of The Year Award Kem The Funky Bear Klassic Koncept Love Your Postcode Jestina Duncan Bloomsbury Nursery Ginger Tree Boutique
Street Cred Next Generation Award Kem The Funky Bear Klassic Koncept Love Your Postcode Jestina Duncan Bloomsbury Nursery Ginger Tree Boutique
Atuu Embrace Tony Sealey Becky Humphries Include Me Too Rue Jay & George Kafetzis
Charity Of The Year Award Include Me Too Prince’s Trust Jamaica Basic Schools Foundation
CTO Scholarship Foundation Birmingham Youth Sports Academy (BYSA)
Championing Diversity Award Apache Indian Klassic Koncept
British Army Richard Loftus Birmingham REP
9th Anniversary gala dinner and awards masquerade ball Veteran Award
Steel Pulse Mykal ‘Wassifa’ Brown UB40
Big John David Rodigan
Community Engagement Award Birmingham City Uni Dave Gauder Yvonne Mosquito Chief Uzo Owunne Garry Peal Soho Road BID Keith Shayaam-Smith a.k.a. Cypher
Educational Excellence Award Birmingham City University Aston University University of Birmingham Newman University University College London
Leadership And Empowerment Award Craig Pinkney Pamela Liburd
Shushana Davis Nicole Riley Felicity Jordan
People’s Choice Award
Michael Willis Nathan Dennis Apache Indian
Klassic Koncept Noreen Khan GMan
Sporting Achievement Award Anthony Joshua Jack Grealish Dina Asher-Smith Khadijah Mellah Rushian Hepburn-Murphy
DJ/Presenter Of The Year Award Little Richie Country Man
Rue Jay
Wayne Irie G-Man
Entrepreneur Of The Year Award Kem Bobby Singh Tyson J Leon Clint ‘Beva’ Dunkley Jagruti Duggal Charlene Wall [Zen] Paz Heer (Ab Cakes) Ken Ivey Nzinga Graham-Smith Martin Levernore Matt Gubba
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 23
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ENTERTAINMENT
l Staff at Tracks and Records with the High Commissioner, Dr Lola and Marcia
Olympic hero, Bolt’s Fine Dining Experience
A
t a time of celebrating for Jamaicans up and down the country, Jamaica’s 57th Anniversary was celebrated in an intimate style as The Phoenix Newspaper Editor-In-Chief Marcia McLaughlin was invited to Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records restaurant by His Excellency Seth George Ramocan, CD and his wife Dr Lola to celebrate the milestone. Greeted by the owners, management and staff upon their arrival, the group was treated with the utmost respect and care, being
brought through the restaurant and marvelling at the open plan kitchen, allowing diners to see the whole cooking process. The High Commissioner and his wife, both of whom have already made several visits to Tracks and Records including at the official launch of the restaurant, were once again so proud that this Jamaican business was heaving, especially for a midweek evening. “It’s great to see the support that the community are giving to Usain and this venture” said Marcia as the party sampled a variety of the restaurants star
attractions. Over a hearty meal they discussed the anniversary of Independence, The Phoenix’s own Anniversary plans for November this year, and also the state of the industry with regards to The Phoenix’s positive stance in comparison to the rest of the offerings available. Opened just a short walk away from the Liverpool Street train and underground tube stations in EC1, the concept is attracting a massive, regular, flow of high-profiled personalities, as well as ‘quality cuisine’ fans since its launch in
October 2018. With Bolt’s own favourite scintillating dishes like; jerk chicken, pork and fried fish Caribbean-style spring roll and cassava, packed full of authentic seasonings and spices –is already proving to be a crowdpleaser. Not one to rest on his laurels, Tracks & Records offer an authentic Caribbean experience; with Olympic hero Bolt planning 15 further sites across the UK alone.
l High Commissioner Seth George Ramocan and his wife Dr Lola Ramocan
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ENTERTAINMENT
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BCMG present world premiere of ‘when falling asleep’
B
irmingham Contemporary Music Group will perform the world premiere of …when falling asleep, the highly anticipated new work by the British composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle, at a special concert in Birmingham this autumn. Commissioned through BCMG’s flagship new music commissioning scheme, Sound Investment, Birtwistle’s new piece for soprano, reciter and ensemble is a companion piece to his 1999 work The Woman and the Hare. Celebrating Sir Harrison Birtwistle at 85 takes place at CBSO Centre, Birmingham, on 22 September 2019 before touring to the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany, in October 2019. With a nod to Birtwistle’s long relationship with BCMG, his 1981 work Pulse Sampler will be also performed in a new version created especially for this performance by BCMG oboist Melinda Maxwell and percussionist Julian Warburton in a special performance at 4.30pm, alongside performances by the 2019–20 NEXT Musicians.
Grease Is The Word.
l Sir Harrison Birtwistle Stephan Meier, Artistic Director of BCMG, commented "I am delighted that BCMG is now able to contribute this new work to our long relationship with Birtwistle.
Sir Harry continues to pursue and counter romanticism, marrying it with modernity in his very own and unique style."
G
rease was the word for Peter Andre has he made his debut on the Hippodrome stage last month. It’s the first time Andre has performed in a musical and it’s certainly given him the taste for more. “It’s been absolutely amazing and I can un-
derstand why a lot of big film and TV actors come back to theatre, it’s such a great feeling and I’m really excited about doing more theatre in the future.” He was also certain audiences were going to love the new production directed by Nikolai Foster; “The cast for the show are insanely talented, and they’ve taken Grease right back to the original and it’s just brilliant. “I think it tells the story of the show better than the film.” Peter Andre and Ore Oduba shared the
role of Teen Angel at certain performances with Dan Partridge as Danny, Martha Kirby as Sandy, Louis Gaunt as Kenickie and Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky as Rizzo. Taking the 1971 musical by the scruff of the neck and thrusting it onto the Hippodrome main stage, the cast and crew did a wonderful job of taking the audiences back to the 50’s. While the first half of the show was entertaining enough it did feel a bit slow paced, with a lacking of musical numbers for, well, a musical! The leads in Dan and Martha were pitch perfect with great presence on the stage, aptly backed by Louis and Rhianne-Louise as Kenicke and Rizzo, who were both also outstanding in their own rights. With stunning choreography in You’re The One That I Want and Hand Jive, the second half picked up the pace, and not forgetting the one-number appearance of the man himself Peter Andre for Beauty School Dropout, the talent on display was breathtaking from start to finish. If you’ve only ever seen the 1978 movie version with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy, then you’re in for a treat if you get to catch Grease somewhere else around the country.
@PhoenixNewsUK
s ...
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Midlands Diverse Musical Legacy Celebrated Rebel Music, the latest play from Birmingham born award-winning playwright and screenwriter Robin French, receives its world première at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in September. Inspired by the Rock Against Racism movement of the 70s and a celebration of the diverse musical
legacy of the Midlands, the production will run from Thursday 19 September to Saturday 5 October and will also tour to 15 local venues. Rebel Music is set in the sweltering hot summer of 1976, when the country is in economic turmoil and the far right is on the march. Rock
ENTERTAINMENT
Against Racism puts white punk bands and black reggae bands on the same bill – determined to win the culture war and defeat the National Front. Three teenage music fans, Denise, Trudi and Andrew, join the fight for the soul of working class Britain. The trio navigate racial politics and social upheaval in Birmingham alongside their own turbulent teenage years, but can their friendship survive? Commissioned by Birmingham Repertory Theatre and presented in association with award-winning gig theatre specialists, Middle Child, this raucous story of people power features a soundrack of Punk, Reggae and 2Tone.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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B
ASS festival is back for October 2019 and this year, they're shining a spotlight on the future. Now in its 13th year, BASS festival has teamed up with two of Birmingham's brightest young creatives to curate the festival and leave a new legacy. This year's curators, Aliyah Hasinah and RTkal, will be showcasing exclusively black artists, creatives, speakers & performers from Birmingham, the UK & beyond. Expect five days of live music, workshops, panel discussions, exhibitions and film screenings across some of Birmingham's hidden venues, as well as an unveiling ceremony of its 'Future Faces of Birmingham' mural. Artists include Jevon, Randy Valentine, Big Zeeks, Cali P,
MEET THE CURATORS
Gig Listings
BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY
September 13 Fleetwood Bac 13 Catapult Club ft. Rookie 15 The World Of Whitfield Crane 16 Pixies 20 Catapult Club ft. Charm Offensive 21 Fireball – Fuelling The Fire Tour 2019 23 Big Zuu 24 Pale Waves 25 The Dust Coda 26 Richard Strange performs the songs of Lou Reed 27-28 Balaam and The Angel 28 Master’s Call 28 Joe / Brandy & Dru Hill 29 New Rules 30 Volbeat: Rewind, Replay, Rebound World Tour
ALIYAH HASINAH &808INK, Anaïs, Jamie Rodigan, Italo Skarcha, Layfullstop, Bake RTKAL Bass Festival Back For October Off’s Is Liam Charles and many
2019 And Thismore.Year, We're Shining A Spotlight On THE FUTURE.
02 Danny Jones Now In Its 13th Year, BassSeptember Festival 06 Catapult Club ft. Club Row 06 KoanOf Sound has Teamed Up With Two 07 K-Trap 07 The S.L.P. Birmingham's Brightest Young 10 Alice Chater Creatives To Curate The Festival 12 Trash Boat 14 Star Shaped Festival 2019 And Leave A New Legacy. 14 Star Shaped Festival 2019
O2 INSTITUTE
After-Party 16 The Snuts 18 Aitch 20 Kojey Radical 21 Blade Brown 22 Fetty Wap 23 Roam + With Confidence 26 The Night Cafe 26 JAY1 27 Tiny Moving Parts 28 Earthgang 29 New Hope Club
This Year's Curators, Aliyah Hasinah And Rtkal, Will Be Showcasing Exclusively Black Artists, Creatives, Speakers & Performers From Birmingham, The Uk & Beyond.
Expect Five Days Of Live Music, Workshops, Panel Discussions, Exhibitions And Film Screenings Across Some OfBlack Birmingham's Hidden She has curated projects such as Bald Girls with Artist Ruth Sutoyé, The Gallery is Many Things at Eastside Projects and The Past is Now at Venues, As Well An Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Aliyah was also As previously the Unveiling Midlands Producer for Apples and Snakes and has worked with organisations including Ceremony Of 4Our 'future Faces Of V&A, SBTV, BBC1XTRA, Channel Random Acts and TEDx. Birmingham' Aliyah’s work is published in Sabrina Mahfouz’ ‘The Things IMural. Would Tell You:
Aliyah Hasinah is a young curator, writer and creative whose work centers on international black experiences. Her most recent work sees her researching decolonial curatorial methods and practice across the UK, America’s, Caribbean and African Continent.
Muslim Women Write’ and online. Aliyah is currently an organizational facilitator for Fearless Futures.
Artists Include Jevon, Randy Valentine, Big Zeeks, Cali P, 808INK, RTkal is a young veteran of the Birmingham music scene. Inspired by his generation and his Jamie heritage, he hasRodigan,Italo used music to spread positive vibes, Skarcha, Anaïs, unite and entertain audiences across the world as a performing artist, hyping up some of the biggest audiences in Bake the world including performances at Layfullstop, Off's Liam Charles Glastonbury, Bestival, Lovebox, Outlook and so much more. And Many More. RTkal is one of the founders of IDST music studio and Beats and Barriers Academy who aim to upskill and equip young Birmingham based creatives with knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.
This year's festival will also take place at The MBC, a space created by RTkal and his team to shine a light on Birmingham's creative industry and its rich pool of talent.
For All Press Enquiries, Contact Mireilleharper@Gmail.Com ALIYAH & RTKAL ARE BOTH AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW.
@punchrecords
@BassBirmingham
29 Red Rum Club 30 Zebrahead 30 Rodrigo y Gabriela
RESORTS WORLD ARENA
September 18-22 Russell Howard 21 Khalid Free Spirit Tour
ARENA BIRMINGHAM
September 05 Bianca Del Rio 14-15 Ariana Grande Sweetener World Tour 17 Muse 21 Professor Brian Cox Live 22 The King Is Back - Ben Portsmouth is Elvis 28-29 Trampoline, Tumbling & DMT British Championships 2019
NEC
September 11-12 Fastener Exhibition & Conference 12-15 The Cycle Show 15 Toy Collectors Fair 18-19 Professional Accountancy 20-22 A Place in the Sun Live 27-29 The National Wedding Show
10 The Voice of The Moody Blues - Justin Hayward - All The Way In Concert (TH) 11 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ In Concert (SH) 11 Last Podcast On The Left (TH) 14 Last Night Of The Rotary Proms 2019 (SH) 15 Hozier (SH) 16 University College Birmingham Awards Congregation (SH) 17 Britten-Shostakovich Festival Orchestra (SH) 19 Tape Face (TH) 20 Bradley Wiggins: An Evening With (SH) 21 Gospel Xplosion Awards (TH) 22 Paul Simon’s Graceland performed by The London African Gospel Choir (TH) 23 Richard Dawkins: An Argument for Atheism (TH)
24 Keane (SH) 25 Average White Band (TH) 26 CBSO: A Child of our Time (SH) 27 Ant Middleton - Mind Over Muscle (SH) 28 CBSO: Sheku plays Elgar (SH) 28 Penguin Cafe (TH) 29 Happy Mum, Happy Baby: Live (TH) 30 Lunchtime Organ Concert – Thomas Trotter (TH) 30 THSH Reggae Choir Workshop (TH)
SLADE ROOMS, WOLVERHAMPTON
September 06 Hats Off To Led Zeppelin 07 The Jam’d 14 Heresy - Reign The Parade 2019 20 The Unreceived 21 Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club 27 M A R C 28 Adam Rowe
TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL
September 06 THSH Reggae Choir Workshop (SH) 07 167th British Open Brass Band Championships (SH) 07 Malorie Blackman in Conversation (TH) 08 Brass Band Gala 2019 (SH) 09-12 Stephen Fry - Mythos: A Trilogy - Gods (SH)
l Ariana Grande sweetens Arena Birmingham on the 14th and 15th
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Insomnia 65 Takes Over The NEC
I
nsomnia returned to the NEC, Birmingham from 23rd-26th August for its biggest show yet. With the chance to see some of your favourite YouTubers and Twitch Streamers from across the globe, play some of the latest games, experience virtual reality, relive the past in the retro zone and so much more all under one roof! Now in its 65th iteration, with exhibitors including Nintendo, Playstation, Borderlands 3, Overclockers, Corsair, Steelseries, Razer, and many more smaller and independent retailers, developers and companies, Insomnia is the place to be for all things gaming. Featuring a wide array of stunning Cosplay, high octane Overwatch esports tournaments, and the Bring Your Own Computer LAN thousands of gamers there is something for everyone at Insomnia, regardless if you’re a cas-
ENTERTAINMENT
ual or hardcore gamer, creative, streamer, YouTuber, or industry professional. This time around Borderlands 3, as well as the new Legend of Zelda:Links Awakening and Pokemon Sword/Shield were the star attractions, with lines over 2 to 3 hours not uncommon over the 3 days. Energy Drinks made a prominent appearance too, with Sneak Energy upping the game with their illuminated Sneak Van at their first expo, and GFuel rounding up offerings. The annual Pub Quiz on the Friday Night was another big hit as usual, with a packed out house. Insomnia 66 is scheduled for April 10th-13th 2020 back at the NEC for another year, make sure you get in early to grab those Early Bird tickets to beat the queues and get in early - it may well be one of the only ways of guaranteeing getting your hands on those games!
'My Endz' celebrating the local heritage of Birchfield, Perry Barr and Handsworth
W
hat does my community mean to me?' was the question posed to local young people from the surrounding areas of Birchfield, Handsworth and Perry Barr (within the Perry Barr Constituency) as part of a project created by the team at Birchfield Big Local in partnership with Ifa Yoruba Contemporary Arts Trust (founded in 1995 by Grammy award-winning percussionist Lekan Babalola) to inspire and foster community spirit, funded by Heritage Lot-
tery. The answers, poems and illustrations given by the young people have been turned into a brightly painted mural – and booklet – to reflect what life is like from their point of view of 'My Endz'. With Perry Bar playing a key part in bringing the Commonwealth Games to Birmingham in 2022 – and millions of pounds worth of development on the cards to regenerate the local area – we are celebrating community heritage and what the term means to local residents. Councillor Paulette Hamilton,
Birmingham City Council's Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care and ward Councillor for Holyhead, gave the welcome speech and officially opened the mural, with expected attendees including Father Bob (St Mary’s Church), Hector Pinkney MBE aka ‘Mr Handsworth’ and acclaimed ‘Godfather of Black British photography’, Vanely Burke. With the grand opening of the ‘Secret Garden Birchfield Community Heritage Mural’, on the day, people were also able to pick up one of a limited edition of the 'My Endz' booklet as a memento.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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RETURN OF THE MAC T
Interviews
ony McKakly AKA Macca, hailing from Wolverhampton took the grime scene by storm. This bright, young MC made his name from spitting his ferocious bars in youth clubs around the Midlands from a young age. With his relentless drive and passion for the genre, he quickly made a name for himself and shone among his peers. Once the Youth Clubs shut down, Macca took his love for music to the streets, this is where he perfected his craft and earned his stripes. Surrounded by guns, drugs and violence, he kept his focus on music to cement his notoriety with MC’s nationwide. “you’ve got 2 ways, it’s either the bad way or the good way, I was fortunate enough to go the RIGHT way”. After a while he joined the crew ‘TnG’ and went onto ‘The Oxygen Rooms’ in Birmingham, the Mecca of the grime scene at the time working with various like-minded musicians from surrounding areas, “if you were important or any good, that was where it was at”.
Macca started a grime collective with fellow MC Casper, Don Menna, Moves and S-X quickly catching the eye of a youth worker at the time Jamie Dread, Jamie went onto manage the collective with the help of Despa Robinson thus ‘StayFresh’ was born. With the addition of Swifta Beater, Raider, Safone, Moky, Deadly, Pressure and J1, the collective went on to meet great success, all the while stamping their names into the history of grime. With such tracks as “I hear ya Don” and “who said that” it was clear that Stayfresh was something special. Macca’s biggest influences growing up were Michael Jackson, Mo Town, Linkin Park, right through to Reggee and bashment, not limiting himself to one particular genre, “if it sounds good I’ll listen to it”. Macca attended Kings Church of England School in Wolverhampton from 98’ to 03’ drawing influence from different people and embracing different cultures from his own, giving him a wider understanding of people. He transferred this knowledge into
his lyrics, “with going to such a multicultural school, I got to embrace cultures of others, I had Black, Asian, White friends” Macca now is pursuing his Solo Career with his 1st solo album ‘25’ with his energetic flows, intelligent punchlines and catchy hooks smashing radio stations nationwide with a wide roster of colourful, talented musicians. Talking to Macca, it’s clear his desire to keep going as a MC is his love for music “lyrics are a reflection of my bottle up emotions, money is a commodity, we make money important by our emotions and thoughts, I have a passion, a hobby that will hopefully live on when I’m gone” wise words. With his follow up EP ‘Winners Only’ receiving very well, and another project on the way this year, his unforgiving work rate and drive for his craft is sure to elevate him to new heights, I have a feeling we will be seeing his name up in lights very soon. Check Macca out on his Socials: Twitter - @MaccaStayFresh Instagram - MaccaWinnersOnly Spotify - Macca
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ENTERTAINMENT
Pretty Weird - Drag Royalty Hit The UK By Mandip Singh Taunque
R
l Yvie Oddly, winner of Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 11 with Mandip and Plastique Tiara
How to be happier on social media By Thomas O’Brien
When scrolling through social media feeds, it is easy to feel as though everybody else on your timeline is living a more exciting life than you are. We always see posts from celebrities detailing every aspect of their latest yachting holiday or private jet trip. We then see posts from many of our contacts on these networks who have gone into their overdrafts in order to emulate the lifestyles that they see celebrities living, and picked up 50 likes in the process. It would be helpful if they uploaded pictures of themselves eating beans on toast for the next month just as enthusiastically, in order to put some of their more lavish posts into context. Sadly, this doesn’t happen. In order to be
happier on social media, it is important that we view every post in context and remember the following points whenever we next log into our accounts.
There is an entire industry designed around glossing up images on social media
You might have seen a post on Instagram and commented ‘#lifegoals.’ Is spending hours of your day sat around a similar photo shoot to the one that produced that post also a #lifegoal? So many of the images plastered across social media are artificially taken and enhanced, in order to sell us products we don’t need and lifestyles that we aren’t living. Very little effort is made to make people feel content with the lives that they are currently living, as this social media content would be bad for business, as far as the corporates advertising across these networks are concerned. Whenever you see posts depicting extravagant lifestyles from your favourite stars, enjoy them, but don’t compare your lifestyles to them, as real life and a photo shoot are two very different things.
Would you post something if a massive brand paid you £100,000?
Most people would
answer yes to this question immediately. Unfortunately, they don’t always realise the ramifications of this reality on the posts that appear on their social feeds. If anyone can be paid to post anything, then you have no guarantee that anything you see on these networks is a genuine expression of a person’s true feelings. Individual networks have clamped down on this somewhat by labelling posts funded in this way as ‘sponsored posts’ or ‘ads.’ However, the practice is so rife that it can’t be eliminated completely. Worse still, ordinary users of these networks then strive to acquire thousands of followers on their personal pages so that they can secure these deals with big brands as well. The result is a society where people value themselves based on how many followers they have, or how many likes their latest posts received, instead of how they interact with other people in real-life and the contribution that they’ve made to their communities. It is important to remember that everyone has value, and how your life is viewed when you die depends on what you did in the real world, not what you did on your smartphone.
If something is making you unhappy – stop using it
We can log out of these networks or completely delete our accounts on them at any time. You wouldn’t constantly buy food that you hated eating, or watch TV shows that you didn’t enjoy. Likewise, don’t feel obliged to use social networks if they’re making you sad, because you’re worried about how your friends may react to an unforeseen absence from the digital world. Your true friends will always be there for you, regardless of whether you have a Facebook account or not.
upaul Drag Race season 11 winner, American, Yvie Oddly, and fellow contestant Vietnamese Plastique Tiara hit the UK as part of the ‘Slay Presents - Pretty Weird’ world tour and they did not disappoint. At Birmingham’s Glee Club, Yvie brought the weird through her crazy contortionism climbing out of small suitcase and acrobatics whilst Plastique bought the pretty with killer dance moves. Those of you that watched this year’s Drag Race would have seen Yvie having a rollercoaster of a ride particularly when she clashed with other contestants, often not her doing. The remarkable thing about Yvie is that she suffers with the condition ‘Ehlers-Danlos syndrome’ which meant she was often in pain throughout the show. The condition causes Yvie to suffer included severe joint ache, loose unstable joints that dislo- l
cate easily and fatigue. Not only did she not let this take over her life during her time on the show she took advantage of her condition to perform intense routines despite the pain which set her apart from her competitors to finally take the crown as season 11 winner. She brought the same wildness to her stage show. Plastique Tiara who came 8th in the competition showed off her dance skills culminating in death drops and crowd surfing much to the screams of delight of the audi-
l Rujazzle, Queen of Glasgow, is hugely talented and is bound to get bigger and bigger
ence. It wasn’t just the overseas drag queens who were in the limelight, Glaswegian ‘Rujazzle’ hosted the show and demonstrated that home grown drag queens can do it just as well if not better than their their overseas sisters. Rujazzle brought the comedy and humour as well as flawless lip syncing. This drag queen is guaranteed to get bigger and bigger on the international drag scene. Fans are hoping she will be on the UK version of Rupaul’s Drag Race which hits the screens in October. If she does she has an amazing chance of winning the crown. Overall an amazing show with three hugely talented drag queens. You can follow Slay and read about their forthcoming events on twitter: twitter.com/slaypresents Yvie displays amazing acrobatic skills 5/5
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ENTERTAINMENT MOTORS
‘World’s First Minivan’ Joins Concours Of Elegance 2019 The world’s first production minivan – the stunning art deco-inspired 1936 Stout Scarab will be on display at this year’s Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace. With only nine in existence, the Scarab was the brainchild of journalist and automotive & aviation engineer William Bushnell Stout. Inspired by ‘futurist’ author, architect and designer Buckminster Fuller and his tear-drop creation: the Dymaxion, Stout envisaged the Scarab to be a 100-a-year production phenomenon in an age of uninspiring automotive design. Unfortunately for Stout, the time-consuming coach-work and $5,000 price tag (almost $100,000 today) meant that the idea never gained the traction needed to become a success, and the Scarab dream died after just nine were completed. Fortunately for the Concours of Elegance, the Scarab is now an incredibly rare, art deco-inspired, coach-built masterpiece that perfectly encompasses the spirit of the show.
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STORMING THE SUMMIT FOR E-MOBILITY 1
0.906 kilometres, 99 corners, one aim: another groundbreaking record with the Volkswagen ID.R. On Monday, 2 September, Volkswagen will literally push electro-mobility to new peaks on the mythical Tianmen Mountain in China. The breathtaking Big Gate Road near Zhangjiajie is one of the most dramatic in the world. In the important growth market of China, the ID.R will serve as the first ambassador of the fully electric powered ID. family on the roads of the People’s Republic. “With three incredible records in just 14 months, Volkswagen has proven its true passion for electro-mobility with the ID.R, as well as its great performance capabilities,” says Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, Member of the Board of Man-
agement of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand and CEO, Volkswagen China Passenger Cars Brand. “The fact that Volkswagen is now aiming for an e-record with the ID.R in such a spectacular setting, underlines the importance of our electrification strategy here in China, as well as globally. “We hope that thanks to the ‘China Challenge’, Tianmen will become the place where electric vehicles will continue to set new benchmarks in the future.” So much is already clear before the record attempt by Romain Dumas (F): if everything goes according to plan, the 41-year-old will drive up the fabled Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road at a higher speed than any other person before him. So far, the 99 corners have been tackled with drifts, in either SUV or sports cars
with conventional combustion engines – but never with an official start and finish line. On 2 September, this will change: for Dumas’ drive in the ID.R, these important milestones will also be permanently established for future record attempts. From a motorsport perspective, little is known about the mountain route in this impressive landscape. Volkswagen is thus doing pioneering work with the record attempt in China. “The record drive on Tianmen Mountain is a special challenge for a racing driver,” says Dumas, who with the ID.R holds the alltime records at the legendary Pikes Peak (USA) and the revered Goodwood Festival of Speed (GB), as well as the electric record on the famous Nürburgring-Nordschleife (D).
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ENTERTAINMENT
Catching Up With Sir Bradley Wiggins H
aving become the most decorated Olympic athlete in British sports history, Sir Bradley Wiggins is enjoying recounting tales from a highly-eventful career as one of cycling’s most high-profile figures. Neill Barston speaks to him ahead of his Bradley Wiggins: An Evening With tour. Being back amid the action covering one of cycling’s ultimate tests at this year’s Tour de France proved highly memorable for Sir Bradley Wiggins. The five-time Olympic gold medal winner was in his element across the channel, describing it as an outstanding highlight of his experience in the sport. However, as he concedes, he doesn’t miss the intensity of preparing for one of the world’s most celebrated yet grueling spectacles. So this time around felt poignant for the champion cyclist, witnessing his former teammate Geraint Thomas narrowly miss out on gaining what would have been a second victory in the stellar French race. “Covering the tour made me realise just how much I love it – when you are competing there’s a lot of emotion taken up with it all in dealing with the event to cross the line. It’s actually hard to get excited at the end of a race, so going back to it without all the pressure and watching it as a fan was great,” says the record-breaking athlete. After seven years from his own career-defining victory in France, he says it was encouraging to gain such a warm reception from crowds. Despite this, he adds his commentating stint this summer couldn’t possibly tempt him out of retirement and prompt him to don his racing kit once again. “Going back to the tour and seeing some of those climbs brought back memories of just how hard it is. While people can make it look
easy, it really isn’t, especially when you see guys getting taken out of the peloton, and some of crashes you witness. It can be brutal. “But it was a brilliant event and doing those interviews was something special. Cycling is all that I have ever known, right back to my school days when I was focusing on riding rather than all the lessons,” admits the man who stands as the UK’s most decorated Olympic athlete. He says that at 36 (he is now 39), it was not a difficult decision three years ago to walk away from the sport at a high point, enabling him to fully focus on the challenges of raising a young family with his wife at their home in Lancashire. While the celebrity status following his unprecedented back-to- back victory at the Tour de France and London Olympics in 2012 may not have sat entirely comfortably with him, the wider effect of ‘Wiggo’s win’ was clearly tangible. It saw cycling in the UK enjoy a significant resurgence that is showing no sign of subsiding. The achievement led to his knighthood in 2013, which he built upon further at the Rio Olympics with a final gold as part of the winning British team pursuit squad. Wiggins is focusing on a number of projects including sports broadcasting and setting forth on his nationwide Bradley Wiggins: An Evening With tour this September. He’ll be reflecting on his lengthy career, and discussing some of his own heroes who feature in his latest book, Icons, who have proved an inspiration along the way. As he explains, another key area that is now close to his heart is that of supporting the next generation of potential stars within his sport. “Cycling is a great and necessary force in my life, and something I’ve been institutionalised in as well as
being passionate about. If there’s a legacy from what I have done it’s with helping young people develop an interest in cycling and getting out there on bikes. “For many kids there’s a lot that keeps them indoors on their iPads, so one of the great things about cycling is that it’s something you can do as a family and get outdoors – you can’t go out and play rugby as a family,” says the former Olympian, who has worked on a developing series of bikes for children. These days, he enjoys riding near his home in the Preston area. “I know that it does mean a lot to other people that I won the tour and Olympics in 2012, but I wouldn’t be a very good person if those were the things that were the most important to me in my life,” reflects Wiggins. These subjects and plenty more besides will come under the microscope as Sir Bradley offers up some insights into his eventful career on his audience with UK tour. Expect plenty of memorabilia and anecdotes of racing rivalries that will offer a very personal window into his world. “I’ve been enjoying doing these shows as I like to break down perceptions. I feel you never really know someone until you’ve heard their story properly. “It gives me chance to meet people, and I can particularly remember speaking to one guy in Nottingham. He said his wife would really have loved the show, but she hadn’t made it as she had just died of cancer, so I just told him that she was right there with him. So with these kinds of shows, people see your emotions and I am looking forward to getting out there again,” adds Sir Bradley, reflecting on one of the most eventful careers in cycling history.
COMPETITION
For your chance to win one of 2 pairs of tickets for “Bradley Wiggins: An Evening With” in Birmingham on the 20th September just answer this very simple question!
How many times has Sir Bradley Wiggins won Olympic Gold? a) 3 b) 5 c) 7 Just email your answer, with your name, address and contact number to competitions@thephoenixnewspaper.com with the subject “Bradley Wiggins Competition”. Competition closes at 23.59 on 13th September 2019. There is no cash alternative.
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Page 32 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
ENTERTAINMENT JAMAICA 0121
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Jamaica 0121
J
amaica 0121 lit up Birmingham as the city’s Victoria Square hundreds of thousands enjoy the best of the sultry Caribbean island’s food, music and allround lifestyle whilst marking the 57th anniversary of its independence. The Noir Rose Group-fronted event, sponsored by Victoria Mutual Building Society and the Jamaica Tourist Board, brought out the very best for all concerned with
the weekend-long – three day – festival surly being up there as probably one of the all-time best free outdoor celebrations to adorn the front of the city’s Council House. With DJs playing and presenting plenty of live music – from past, present and future Jamaican stars – just part of the huge majority of major highlights to thrill hoards of men and women, boys, girls and families alike, for those who still harbour the memories of what still goes
down as an unforgettable ‘Jamaica In The Square’ 2012, this - Jamaica 0121 – has to go down as the best yet. From its heady launch on day one, through to the booming finale on day three, who would have thought that this year’s celebrations could have – and did – surpass the outstanding memories of those previous city gatherings? So, despite the woes of what was said - by many - to be questionably extortionate
prices laid out by the organisers to obtain any one of the stalls, and the lack of some opportunities for SME singleentity enterprises to be part of what was an unforgettable piece of Birmingham history, in continuing the long-standing links between Birmingham and Jamaica, Jamaica 0121 was the pinnacle a legacy that will live on for years to come.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 33
OBITUARIES AND NOTICE BOARD
Archie Bruce Junior
Toni Morrison
Agogo
A
novelist, essayist, editor, teacher, and professor emeritus, her critically acclaimed ‘Song of Solomon’ brought her national attention - following her first novel, the 1970-penned ‘The Bluest Eye’. The latter winning her the ‘National Book Critics Circle Award’ in 1977. The first Black female editor in fiction at Random House in New York, she developed her own reputation before being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 and after releasing her most celebrated work, ‘Beloved’, which was made into a film in 1998. In 1996, the National Endow-
ment for the Humanities selected her for the Jefferson Lecture, the U.S. federal government's highest honour for achievement in the humanities before being honoured with the National Book Foundation's Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Former US President, Barack Obama, presented Morrison with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. She was 88.
B T
he Batley Bulldogs Rugby League player was tragically found dead in a hotel room in France just hours after his debut match against Toulouse. He played for the Dewsbury
Moor community club before joining Batley. Just age 20, he was found in the early morning having made his debut against Toulouse in the Betfred Championship game the previous evening.
A
multi award-winning British-born composer of music for film, television, advertising, theatre and live events, he began his career in theatre, at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal National Theatre covering orchestral, jazz, electro-acoustic and world influenced music. Assisting film music orches-
trator Christopher Palmer, on the soundtracks for Cape Fear and re-recordings of classics including Bernard Herrmann's music for Taxi Driver performed by theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra.. Dying in a light-plane crash in the Alps, along with his wife, Hannah and young child, he was 50.
Notice Board
tions in 2008 and after retiring, he opened his own small group and personal fitness training business. Hospitalised after suffering a stroke, he struggled with his speech and expressed anxiety at his language problems. He was 40.
DJ Arafat
Margarita Plavunova
Jonathan Goldstein
orn in Accra, the former Ghana international striker grew up in the UK before spending his formative years back in the African country. He began his professional career at Sheffield Wednesday after which he played for Nottingham Forest and Bristol Rovers. He later played in the USA, Egypt, Cyprus and Scotland – a total of fifteen different clubs over fifteen years. He helped his country to third place in the Africa Cup of Na-
R
eal name Ange Didier Houon, the award winning Ivory Coast DJ and singer made music in the Coupé-Décalé (cut and run) genre – which became popular during the country’s civil war in the early 2000s. One of the most popular African artists in Francophone countries in Africa and around the world, he released 11 music albums primarily in the popular ‘Coupé-Décalé’ dance music style and became a symbol of the flashy well-dressed lifestyle associated with the music. Before long he became popular throughout Europe and the United States.
B
orn in Kotovsk, the Russian athlete and model was a graduate of the sports department at Tomsk State University. A sprinter and hurdler, she became the Russian student champion in the 60m hurdles and also competing in the 100m hurdles with a 14.06 personal best time and 400m hurdles and her modelling work amassed close to 6,800 followers on Instagram. Whilst out jogging in the Morshansky District of the Tambov Oblast region of western Russia, she died suddenly beside a highway – aged just 25.
He died in hospital after a motorcycle accident near his neighbourhood - aged 33.
urprise!
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Page 34 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Celebrating The 550th Birth Anniversary Of Guru Nanak Dev Ji
T
he University of Birminghamhosted five days of celebration to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh faith. Sikhs and non-Sikhs around the globe celebrated the landmark date and Birmingham, one of the most diverse cities in the UK, marked the anniversary from the 7th to the 11th of August with celebrations that were open to all communities and people of all faiths and none. Located around the iconic clock tower on the University’s Edgbaston campus, the five days included continuous prayer recital, educational symposia, exhibitions, inter-faith dialogue and activities for children and young people. Blessed vegetarian meals
(Langar) were provided free to visitors throughout the event. The international celebrations are being organised by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) working with the University of Birmingham. Professor Robin Mason, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Birmingham, said: “The University of Birmingham has an excellent track record of successful engagement with its local and regional communities. “We are delighted to be working with GNNSJ and other Sikh and community organisations to host the auspicious 550th anniversary celebrations at the heart of our campus in honour of the founder of the Sikh faith.”
Gur Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in November 1469 in Talwandi, Punjab, India (now known as Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan). Respected dignitaries including the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Consular General of India and many more from all walks of life came together on the 7th August, for the launch event in the Great Hall. After hearing from a range of eminent speakers, and learning more about the history of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the hall was awash with food and chatter as langar was served to all. The chairman of GNNSJ, Bhai Sahib Dr Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia commented: “The 550th anniversary celebrations
will illumina t e many dimensions of Guru Nanak’s teachings, life and legacy. “The event will be an historic opportunity to rediscover and apply Guru Nanak’s teachings, to generate new possibilities for transforming our personal and collective lives and the lives of the future generations.” The launch was a wonderful beginning to what would turn out to be a peaceful and productive event.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 35
GCSE results highlights W decline in popularity of Religious Studies
ith only 264,000 students gaining an RS qualification at GCSE level this year, it shows that far fewer are sitting the Religious Studies exam, with the subject’s popularity declining year-onyear. Beyond that, the numbers of children taking RS has also fallen significantly: by 28 per cent in the past four years and 43 per cent since 2011. The decline in popularity of RS is largely a result of fewer students’ taking short-course RS, a much smaller subject that is equivalent to half a normal GCSE. NATRE (National Association of Teachers of Religious Education) said that according to Government data, about one third of schools have no provision to teach RS in Year 11; so pupils not taking the subject as a GCSE would receive no education in it at all. Since 2013, schools have no longer been allowed to add shortcourse qualifications to their overall GCSE tally. This move particularly hurt numbers signing up to short-course RS, because many schools used the miniature qualification as a way of more efficiently using the compulsory class time that they are obliged to devote to RS. Rudolf Eliott Lockhart, chief executive of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales,
US president, Trump, compares him to Jesus and being ‘the chosen one’ He is the president of, arguably, the most powerful country in the world. But, not content with that high position and accolade, Donald Trump sparked confusion after sharing a tweet that appeared to compare him to Jesus Christ. He shared seemingly bizarre rhetoric comparing himself to Jesus and declared himself as ‘the chosen one’. The tweet came from conservative radio host Wayne Allyn Root - a Trump supporter who is known for spreading conspiracy theories, including one that Barack Obama was not born in the United States. He (Root) claimed that Trump was “the best president for Israel in the history of the world, and that Israelis love him ‘like he's the King of Israel – and second
coming of God." Trump shared the words and thanked Mr Root before then going on to say: "I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat - it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty." Jonathan Greenbelt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League tweeted: “It's unclear who the
POTUS is claiming Jews would be 'disloyal' to, but charges of disloyalty have long been used to attack Jews. “As we've said before, it's possible to engage in the democratic process without these claims. It's long overdue to stop using Jews as a political football.”
AZUZA STREET
said: “The exclusion of shortcourse GCSEs and the decision not to include RS in the standard ‘English Baccalaureate’ measure by which school league tables are drawn up had made a disastrous impact. “There are now almost 200,000 fewer Key Stage 4 pupils studying for a qualification in Religious Studies than there were in 2011,” he said. “This is particularly distressing, given how popular the subject is with pupils and how relevant it is in today’s world.” The decline in GCSE RS is mirrored by a similar fall at A’ level: 26 per cent fewer pupils are taking the subject beyond GCSE than did in 2017. New research by academics from Liverpool Hope University and University College London suggests that the majority of the students sitting RS are from faith schools.
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Page 36 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
JAMAICA BASIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION FAMILY FUN DAY
Sun Shines Down On JBSF Family Fun Day
S
unday August 4th saw the Jamaica Basic Schools Foundation Annual Family Fun Day take place in Crystal Palace Park, London. Celebrating 24 years of the event, it is an outdoor festival with a wealth of activities and live entertainment creating a
memorable family day out. Sponsored by Grace and Victoria Mutual, the event provides an opportunity to raise an awareness of the Charity work across the various parishes. With a variety of stalls showcasing the best in Caribbean food, arts and crafts and culture, there was something for
everyone while the music thumped from the main stage. With Daddy Ernie and Mrs Delores Cooper OD as comperes, and special guests including His Excellency High Commissioner Seth George Ramocan and Vivian Jones, the park was flooded with thousands
of people all celebrating Jamaican Independence and more. Next year will be a quarter of a century for this event, and if you’ve never been down to it before, or are a long-standing supporter or attendee, it will definitely be one not to be missed!
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 37
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Page 38 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Nachural Boosts Acorns Children's Hospice Black Country Appeal T
l Ninder and Narinder Johal presenting Acorns with a £12,000 donation following the Nachural Summer Ball And Business Awards 2019.
he recently launched Save Acorns Black Country Hospice Appeal has received a significant boost from the Black Country business community. The Nachural Summer Ball and Business Awards held at Wolverhampton Racecourse last month, were attended by 520 of the region’s movers and shakers. Over the course of the evening a total of £12,000 was raised for Acorns Children’s Hospice, the chosen charity. Event organiser, Ninder Johal, Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, a former Black Country Chamber of Commerce President and current Black Country LEP board member presented the cheque to Chief Executive, Toby Porter, on Tuesday 30 July, following a visit and tour of the Black Country hospice where he met staff, volunteers and families. He said “There is such an incredible atmosphere at the hospice - it’s a warm and inviting place where the dedication and commitment of staff to the children and families is paramount.
“It’s a great pleasure for me to be able to make this contribution on behalf of the region’s business community. I wish the team every success in reaching the target needed to keep the hospice open. “We’ll do everything we can to keep the message out there among our members and as part of that we are pleased to make Acorns our Charity of the Year; covering the Birmingham Signature Awards, as well as next year’s Nachural Summer Ball.” The Save Acorns Black Country Children’s Hospice Appeal was launched by Acorns on the back of significant new funding locally and nationally from the NHS. The appeal sets out to raise £2 million to towards the Walsall hospice – which the charity had proposed for closure - until the full amount of new Government funding is reached. If the appeal is successful, it will lead to the closure proposal being withdrawn completely. Chief Executive, Toby Porter, said: “I attended the Nachural Summer Ball and Business Awards and was genuinely touched by the warm reaction
‘Mirror therapy’ VR game to improve NHS patient experience A Virtual Reality Therapy game (iVRT) which could introduce relief for patients suffering from chronic pain and mobility issues has been developed by a team of UK researchers. Dr Andrew Wilson and colleagues from Birmingham City University built the CRPS app in collaboration with clinical staff at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust for a new way to tackle complex regional pain syndrome and to aid people living with musculoskeletal conditions. Using a head mounted display and controllers, the team created an immersive and interactive game which mimics the processes used in traditional ‘mirror therapy’ treatment. Within the game, players are consciously and subconsciously encouraged to stretch, move and position the limbs that are affected by their conditions. Mirror therapy is a medical exercise intervention where a mirror is used to create a reflective
illusion that encourages patient’s brain to move their limb more freely. This intervention is often used by occupational therapists and physiotherapists to treat CRPS patients who have experienced a stroke. This treatment has proven to be successful exercises are often deemed routine and mundane by patients, which contributes to decline in the completion of therapy. Work around the CRPS project, which could have major implications for other patient rehabilitation programmes worldwide when fully realised, was presented at the 12th European Conference on Game Based Learning (ECGBL) in France late last year. Dr Wilson explained, “The first part of the CRPS project was to examine the feasibility of being able to create a game which reflects the rehabilitation exercises that the clinical teams use on the ground to reduce pain and improve mobility in specific patients.”
from the business community towards Acorns and the work that we do. “We’re thrilled, not just with this amount, but the fact that we’ll be working closely with Ninder over the next 12 months as charity of the year. “Their generous support is hugely appreciated by everyone who is fighting hard to make sure that we are able to keep providing the essential services to all of those children and families in the Black Country. “There’s a long way to go, and we need as many people as possible to get behind our urgent appeal, share it with their friends, families and work colleagues, and help us reach our £2 million goal.” The lifeline for Acorns in the Black Country follows a commitment of significant new NHS funding from Black Country healthcare commissioners and an earlier announcement by NHS England that they would double their central funding support to the country’s children’s hospices over the next five years.
Arts and culture revolutionising care homes across the UK Care Homes across the country are increasingly under pressure. With an aging population and local councils cutting budgets, it’s not a surprise that the mental and physical health of care workers and residents are being affected. Multiple studies have shown how the arts have an enormous capacity to positively affect health outcomes. For example, the AllParty Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing noted the growing body of evidence “which suggests a relationship between arts engagement and wellbeing in people with dementia.” The capacity of the arts to stimulate real change should not be underestimated whether it be in the form of drama, music or art therapy.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 39
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Why simply walking makes great exercise A
neuroscientist believes that something as simple as regular walking can be the catalyst to unlocks the cognitive powers of the brain like nothing else. Shane O’Mara feels that taking a stroll can be just as effective as going to the gym or undertaking any other level of exercise. He is so passionate about walking that he is determined not to let the slightest unfortunate aspect of urban design break his stride. And, in walking along with someone else makes it twice the fun: “Whilst
walking solo is very beneficial, the experience of ‘synchronised’ walking is one of life’s great pleasures”. Data shows that walking makes people healthier, happier and brainier, and O’Mara’s new book, ‘In Praise of Walking’, which explains what happens in our brains while we perambulate and explains why you should exchange your gym kit for a pair of comfy shoes and get strolling. “Sitting at a desk all day makes it easy to start feeling brainless”, he says, “whereas walking and talking keeps our minds fizzing”.
On Your Marks, Get Set,
GO!
All the Sport action from Page 46!
From spring 2020
The majority of over-60s don’t believe they should qualify for senior discounts New research from Charter Savings Bank shows more than half of over-60s don’t believe they should automatically receive the free benefits and discounts they are entitled to because of their age. Its nationwide study found 53% of over-60s oppose discounts for the over-60s, with this figure rising to 61% among the over70s. They are the most opposed of all age groups to benefits such as free prescriptions and discounts on rail fares and cinema tickets – 50% of under-35s believe the over-60s should not automatically receive a range of discounts. However, the over-60s are not opposed to discounts under all circumstances. Around 28% say benefits should be offered at State
Pension Age while one in eight (12%) say discounts should only be available to people on low incomes. The study found a large proportion of over-60s are turning down the discounts and benefits they are entitled to – around 13% do not take advantage of free medical prescriptions. And while the vast majority of over-60s (91%) in Scotland use the country’s free bus pass, almost half (46%) of older adults in London don’t use the city’s free Oyster 60+ card. Indeed, the over-60s are nationally shelling out an average of £151 a year each on NHS prescriptions, £56 on bus fares, and a further £51 on local metro and underground fares; all of which they needn’t pay for. One in eight people over the age
of 60 (12%) do not know that medical prescriptions are free for the over-60s. Nearly half (44%) are unaware that they are entitled to discounts in retail outlets, a quarter (24%) do not know that they can purchase discounted cinema tickets, and over a third (34%) aren't aware that they are entitled to discounted entry to attractions and cheaper menus at restaurants. Paul Whitlock, Executive Director, Charter Savings Bank said: “As our country’s population grows older, the age for receiving benefits may change to reflect the ageing population and it’s a debate the over-60s have strong views on. “There are nearly 17 million over 60s who are eligible for numerous benefits and discounts, many of which they are passing up on. “It is important we are all able to enjoy old age and retirement and invest in our family’s future, rather than unnecessarily spending our savings. Educating yourself is ‘key’ – particularly in today’s volatile climate.”
To Advertise
the law around organ donation in England is changing 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
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Page 40 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
NEWS
Her Holiness meets Leader and Mayor in Sandwell
H
er Holiness, Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj, the spiritual head of the worldwide Sant Nirankari Mission, has paid a goodwill visit to meet civic leaders in Sandwell. Her Holiness met the Mayor of Sandwell Councillor Ann Jaron and council leader Councillor Yvonne Davies during a visit to Sandwell to attend a three-day Nirankari Youth Symposium. Councillor Davies said: “It was a pleasure to meet Her Holiness who had travelled to Sandwell to meet members of the mission based in the borough. I was pleased to hear that so many people enjoyed activities as part of the Symposium at Tipton and Wednesbury. Event organiser Gurpreet Bhatia said the Symposium was a very important event for mission followers and they were greatly honoured to have Her Holiness attending the activities. The Mission, which has more than 10 million followers across the world and its Headquarters are in New Delhi, India. It has a local Centre for Oneness which are the Charitie's UK headquarters at Great Western Street in Wednesbury, which organises numerous initiatives with a view to creating greater understanding within our diverse community and to build bridges. Mr Bhatia said the first day
l Her Holiness Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj with leader of Sandwell Council Councillor Yvonee Davies (left) and Cllr Bob Lloyd (right) and centre Councillor Dr Ann Jaron, Mayor of Sandwell of the event involved a special games event at Tipton Sports Academy which was designed to promote good health and well-being. The other two days were held at the Wednesbury centre including a symposium to encourage youth to participate and make a positive contribution to their local communities and yester-
mind. Why not make a schedule showing how much time you’re investing in yourself each week? If this schedule is about as full as your local Tesco Express was on Christmas Day, then you should stop thinking about work immediately and start planning how and when you’re going to properly relax and actually enjoy the time that you spend away from work.
How to stress less and smile more By Thomas O’Brien
Stress seems to follow us wherever we go, like a particularly irritating shadow that is completely incapable of taking hints. Whether we’re thinking about bills, those looming deadlines at work, or how to keep any drama in our social lives to an absolute minimum, something is almost always pre-occupying our thoughts and threatening to put a dampener on our entire day. Here are a few techniques that you can use to keep the stress at bay and enjoy a happier life.
Appreciate how far you’ve come
Sometimes we can strive so much to get another promotion at work, or secure even higher value contracts for our businesses that we forget to reflect on what we’ve achieved already. We can get so caught up in the moment, that the progress we’ve
day a conference was held on the theme of humanness Mr Bhatia , who serves the region as a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands and works to raise the profile of the region, by encouraging organisations, to bring their events to the area, in particular Sandwell to establish positive social and economic impact.
Remember to sleep
made over the last few years and the fact that the situation we’re stressing over now would have seemed amazing only a few months ago, completely escape us. In a way, we’ve already won. We’ve already exceeded our own expectations. Anything else that happens is just a bonus, and remembering that will help us to relieve stress whenever it gatecrashes our thoughts.
Spend time doing things that you love
When people talk about assets they often talk about property and a number of other financial investments or expensive possessions. What often isn’t talked about is the only asset that nobody will ever be able to buy more of: Time. Investing in yourself by spending your time doing things that you really enjoy is the best way to give yourself positive memories that will shove any stress into a small box at the back of your
When we’re stressed, it can seem perfectly logical to be awake at 3am thinking about how to confront Steve about the egg and cress sandwich that he put in the office fridge a month ago and has still hasn’t taken out, even though it smells terrible and has changed colour several times. However, building up all of this negative energy when you could be doing something far more productive, like sleeping, is just going to make you feel tired and upset the next day. By contrast, making sure that you drift off with perfect timing every night is the best way to ensure that you can have a great day when you wake up. Whenever you get stressed, remembering how much of life you’ve already smashed will help you to put everything into perspective and focus on the positives in each day. If you’re not spending as much of your time as possible being happy, are you really living?
HS2 could be scrapped due to spiralling costs Following the announcement of a Government-commissioned independent review to examine ‘how and whether’ the controversial High Speed 2 railway project should go ahead, the Department for Transport said it will consider a number of factors relating to HS2, including its benefits, impacts, affordability, efficiency, deliverability, scope and phasing. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The Prime Minister has been clear that transport infrastructure has the potential to drive economic growth, redistribute opportunity and support towns and cities across the UK, but that investments must be subject to continuous assessment of their costs and benefits. “That’s why we are undertaking this independent and rigorous review of HS2. ‘Douglas Oakervee and his expert panel will consider all the evidence available, and provide the department with clear advice on the future of the project.’
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 41
OVERSEAS NEWS
Ooni of Ife Woos Cultural Tourism Investors in Canada T
l Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Councillors welcomed the Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife, Ojaja II, to Brampton City Hall he Ooni of Ife & Arole Oduduwa, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) played host to a group of Black Africans and Caribbean people who are top government functionaries of the city of Brampton in Ontario, in Canada. During the meeting, both parties agreed to establish a standard mobile museum of African arts with a view to showcasing the cultural and economic potentials of the Black race to the world. Africa’s foremost monarch told his visitors that if the people can see one another as one family, sound of wars in the world will drastically reduce. “If the world can invest in our origination, there may not be a need to invest in guns and nuclear weapons again because the history of our origination will make us see ourselves as one family. “Setting-up a mobile museum to showcase Africa to the world is my global vision. And I am ready to partner with the city of Brampton and with you all as my fellow Africans. “As an economic advantage, I
already have loads of artworks in my Palace at Ile-Ife, Nigeria, which I intend to circulate around the world. This to me is a way of showcasing our economic values to the world through cultural promotion.” “The biggest diamond in the world called ‘Osupa Ijio’ was taken from my kingdom 400 years ago and it is being kept in Europe till date being used for their own development. So, what you have proposed to me is laudable. It is in line with our goal and we are ready for the partnership.” Ooni said. The Ooni,- whose entourage included his Queen, Olori Naomi Ogunwusi (Yeyeluwa) - was received at Toronto Pearson Airport by Ambassador Adeyinka Asekun of Nigeria Embassy, members of the Nigerian community in Canada, the Yoruba community and members of the Hope4Sure Foundation led by Peju Oke who also coordinated the Ooni’s historic visit to Canada “We Black people must find a rallying point to achieve greatness in this world”, he said. “Thank you so much for the honour and warm reception accorded
me and my entourage. You have indeed given me reasons to always look after you as my children in the Diaspora. I will find time to come back again to Brampton and Canada, and I will collaborate with you on a mission to move Africa forward.” “Let us all continue to love one another. Looking at my brothers and sisters from Ghana and the Caribbean here, calling me your father gives me the joy of origination. I can easily feel strong energy of a father in the midst of his children. This is truly African and that is why I don’t want to go. But I will always be with you in spirit”. Speaking on behalf of the delegation Councillor Charmaine Williams of the Brampton City Council said the project as proposed will cost 250 million Canadian dollars with an equity of 25 million saying it will be the biggest African arts museum in the world and will serve as a major rallying point for Black people all over the world. “Brampton is going to be the hub for Africans and Caribbeans in the Diaspora”, Williams said. “The museum will show the world the beauty of Africa. It’s going to be
a huge hub located in Brampton.” Sophia Brown Ramsay of the Black Community Action Network (BCAN) praised the Ooni for his leadership and relentless efforts to foster unity among the black people across the world. “Our King left his comfort zone of his kingdom to come to our home here in Canada and since our King has come to our home, we must honour him. “We must work together with him to move our race forward”. Dr Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman parliamentarian who paid a courtesy visit to the King, described the Royal visit as a good development for Black people in Canada. The 82-year-old Grenadian-Canadian educational administrator promised to join the King in his quest for the unity and progress of the Black race worldwide. The Ooni gave a keynote speech at the 2019 edition of African Business Forum, he chaired the maiden edition of the Imperial Awards, attended the Yoruba Cultural Night and visited the hospital for sick Children, known as SickKids, a pediatric teaching hospital of University of Toronto where, together with Rev (Mother) Esther Ajayi of Esther Ajayi Foundation held talks with the management of the hospital & SickKids Foundation for support in eradicating sickle cell menace in Africa. The Spiritual Head of the Yoruba race globally also hosted a number of international business delegations including Triple Five Group a conglomerate based in Edmonton, which specializes in shopping malls, entertainment, tourism, hotels, real estate and banks led by its Chair Nadal Ghermezian. He equally hosted Gurmeet BHAMRAH, President of Bombay Sports Co. LTD. And Global T20 Canada who had visited alongside his wife, children and management team visited the king to seek his spiritual blessings. HRMs Zaki of Arigidi Akoko, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, Oloba of Oba-Ile, Oba Adekunle Oyeyemi, Adagba of Iyanfoworogi-Ife and Rev (Mother) Esther Ajayi were among those accompanying the co-chair of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) before he returned to Nigeria.
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Page 42 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
OVERSEAS NEWS
Promoting inclusive trade is ‘key’ to economic prosperity
l Adom Appiah
Teenager releases his 3rd book to motivate children Adom Appiah, a fifteen-year old student athlete and former Scripps National Spelling Bee participant, has written a third book to motivate children. The book, ‘Kids Can Change the World – Young Readers’ Edition’, has been accepted by the Library of Congress. A graduate of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) writing program, Adom wrote his first book, Kids Can Change the World, in June 2017. His second book, titled Bouncing Back from Failure, was released in July of 2018. Whereas the first book encourages kids to turn their passion into progress, the second book offers an uplifting perspective for kids facing disappointment. Adom is the founder of ‘Ball4Good’, a non-profit that supports communities through sports. He was recently named the ‘South Carolina High School State Honoree’ for the prestigious Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. All three books are available in select bookstores and online.
C
ommonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, has reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s collective commitment to an inclusive, fair and open rules-based multilateral trading system which drives growth, productivity, innovation and employability. Speaking at the 2019 Asia Trade Summit in Hong Kong, she highlighted the importance of the Asia region in the Commonwealth’s mandate to promote and create inclusive prosperity. The summit brought together trade negotiators, business leaders, ministers, academics and economists for the advancement of global trade. Opening a panel discussion on Global Business in an Anti-Global World, the Secretary-General said: “During the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), heads raised concerns about the risks of protectionism to the global economy and underlined the importance of resisting all forms of protectionism.” In response, they adopted the Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment to leverage the expertise of member countries to increase intra-Commonwealth trade to $2 trillion by 2030. The Agenda will also foster greater cooperation between Common-
l Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland wealth countries by learning from Asia’s vast experience in bilateral and multilateral trade. The panel discussion presented proposals for consideration such as: • tax reform policies; • emerging changes to production from digitisation; and • empirical data to guide policymaking. Scotland argued that multinationals must ‘sing in chorus’ to make their voices heard and help ensure protectionism does not prevail. “They [multinationals] must continue to engage with governments to press for free and open trade which supports inclusive economic growth and prosperity,” she added.
Focusing on the need for inclusivity, the Secretary-General described investing in human capital as key to economic growth, remarkably in this age of digitisation. She said this investment helps ensure the benefits of economic boom are distributed more equally. She continued: “The quality and quantity of education have powerful effects on the distribution of income and on economic growth for everyone. A lack of investment in human capital leads to productivity losses in the future which constrains the growth and economic transformation of a country.” The Secretary-General also called for greater integration of
small states in the global trading landscape. She said: “With 31 of the 39 world’s small states in the Commonwealth, we offer support to strengthen their fuller integration and beneficial participation into the international trading system so every member state can realise their development goals.” Speaking as a member of the panel, Victor Fung, Group Chair of Fung Group, said: “A balanced multilateral trading system will work closely towards developing inclusive and sustainable growth which will play a critical role in enabling developing countries to eradicate poverty.”
CHTA Praises Caribbean Storm Prep As Barbados and several other Eastern Caribbean islands successfully weather the passage of Tropical Storm Dorian, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) called attention to their governments' and the tourism industry's degree of preparedness. While the storm system continues to impact parts of the region with wind and rainfall, Frank Comito, CEO and Director General of CHTA, lauded regional governments and the tourism industry for their level of preparedness and their timely informing of residents and visitors of the potential threats posed by the tropical system. He commended leaders in Barbados and St. Lucia for their commonsense approach, effective communications, emergency management, as well as their continuing investment in infrastructure and upgrades to hotel properties. He reminded the media and the traveling public that the 33 countries and independently governed territories in the Caribbean span a distance from east to west that is equal to that from Los Angeles to Atlanta, and the range from north to south is equal to the distance from Canada to Miami. "There are absolutely sunny skies across most of our region, and we declare unequivocally that the region is open for business," he said.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 43
HOLIDAY AND TRAVEL
Chase The Northern Lights in Fairbanks, Alaska W ant to knock northern lights viewing off your bucket list? Fairbanks is one of the best places on earth to do just that. Fairbanks' renowned aurora viewing lures people from all over the world during the Aurora Season from August 21 to April 21. The community's location is ideal for northern lights viewing because
it is directly under the “Auroral Oval” – a ringshaped zone over the far north where aurora activity is concentrated. Additionally, low precipitation in Fairbanks contributes to consistently clear nights. All combined these variables make the Fairbanks region an outstanding destination for possible aurora viewing. Due to the fact that Fairbanks is an obvious choice for northern lights
viewing, Explore Fairbanks has built the Aurora Tracker for the website to assist visiting chasers. The Aurora Tracker correlates three individual streams of data in order to predict northern lights viewing opportunities for six locations in the Fairbanks region. The aurora will be visible in Fairbanks an average of four out of five nights when the sky is clear and dark enough. Visitors who stay a
minimum of three nights and are actively out during the late evening hours increase their chance of seeing the aurora by more than 90 percent. “Since any auroral activity, even at the lowest level, is visible from Fairbanks, observing is not affected by the solar cycle,” said Don Hampton, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.
Spicemas Continues Strong Positive Growth in Arrivals On the heels of a phenomenal 24.9% growth in arrivals for the 2018 Carnival Season, Grenada records a 7.7% increase in arrivals for the 2019 festival of 13,327 compared to 12,379. This figure is a measure of the visitors and diaspora arriving in the destination, prior to Carnival Monday. Of the 13,327 stayover visitors, 10,505 were tourists and 2,822 were Grenadians residing abroad. Part of this growth is attributed to additional airlift including 3 extra flights from LIAT, increased marketing and the global recognition of Grenada’s artistes, culture and music. Grenada’s soca, groovy and calypso music coupled with its authentic and distinctly unique offerings of Jab Jab and Monday Night Mas, served to wow visitors and highlight what sets Spicemas apart from other Carnivals. 2019 also saw a marked increase in participation with twelve (12) bands parading for the Monday Night Mas street party. The masqueraders reveled to the rhythms of carnival and lit up the night sky with a plethora of colourfully branded t-shirts, lighted hats and wands.
Pioneering New Swimming Holidays in the Philippines
SwimTrek has run several pioneering swimming trips, offering the chance to be among the first to swim in some incredible locations around the world. The industry leading swim holiday provider is further extending its innovative range of trips with its first holidays in the Philippines. Based at the luxurious Miniloc Islands Resort, this guide led trip
will explore the north-western reaches off the coast of Palawan Island. Here guests are perfectly placed to explore Miniloc island itself and beyond into the Bacuit archipelago. With waterside accommodation, its own house reef and breath-taking lagoons as just some of the great features the resort boasts, So after a day's swimming, you have the perfect
place to relax or try your hand at some additional watersports, such as paddleboarding, snorkelling and kayaking. This trip offers the chance to discover the beauty of the bluegreen waters in the vast Bacuit archipelago. From limestone karsts to secluded secret beaches, this is a wonder filled trip where there is so much that guests can see. Towering cliffs sprinkled with lush green vegetation reach down to the bright colours of the corals below the water's surface, where dugongs, long nosed dolphins and manta rays dance and play. This is the place to be for curious, adventure seeking swimmers.
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Page 44 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE
Don’t miss our A third of properties in Education, major UK towns and cities have no outside space Training & Recruitment Section
Coverage on Pages 14 & 15!
A third of properties (31.4%) currently for sale in major UK towns and cities don’t have any outside space, according to research by Housesimple. The online estate agent looked at properties currently on the market in more than 100 major UK towns and cities. Grimsby is the UK's greenest town with nine out of every ten of properties (90.7%) listed for sale having a garden, compared to just over a third (38.9%) in Salford, home to MediaCityUK, and the BBC’s headquarters in the north.
Of the UK’s largest cities by population, Bristol is the greenest, with 82.1% of properties currently on the market having outside space, compared to just 53% in Manchester and 54% in Liverpool. Outside space is on many London buyers’ wish lists, but not surprisingly it’s at a premium in the capital, with six in every ten properties (39.2%) currently for sale not having any garden space. The greenest borough is Bexley, with 85.7% of properties having a garden of some description, compared to just 29.9% in Islington.
Best value for the ‘first rung on the property ladder’
T
here are 17 towns and cities in the UK where it’s possible to buy a flat for less than £80,000, which is just under three times the average UK salary, according to research by online estate agents Housesimple. Housesimple looked at the latest Land Registry figures for flats sold recently in major UK towns and cities, to find where the best value areas are for buyers looking to climb onto the first rung of the property ladder. Not surprisingly, the north-west and north-east came out on top,
with Burnley offering the best value for buyers. The average sold price of a flat in Burnley was just £54,161, the best priced anywhere in the UK. Hartlepool (£57,659), is the only other town where the average price of a flat was under £60,000. And 18 out of the 20 most affordable towns or cities in the UK to purchase a flat were located in the north of England. Stoke-onTrent and Mansfield, both in the Midlands, were the only towns outside the north that featured in the list. There are no towns or cities in the south of England where the
average sold price of a flat was less than £100,000 according to the latest Land Registry figures. Swindon offers the best value in the south, with the average price of a flat under £150,000 at £140,847. In London, there are three boroughs where the average price of a flat is under £250,000 - these are Havering (£232,536), Barking and Dagenham (£234,655) and Bexley (£239,366). Kensington and Chelsea was the only borough where the average sold price of a flat was over £1 million.
Love Island boosting interest in buying second-home in Majorca Following the huge success ITV2’s Majorca-based ‘Love Island’ series, its sun-filled images has drawn huge attention to properties on Mediterranean favourite island of Majorca; with properties amongst the hidden beauty, in the rural south-east are valued around 25 to 50 per cent lower than near the glitzy south-western marinas. Close to Ses Salines, the most southerly part of the island, Engel & Völkers is selling a house with considerable bling. The five-bedroom contemporary stone villa with a show-stopping pool, vast windows and wide rural views starred in a previous Love Island
series and comes with a celebrity £4 million price tag. In being one of the world's leading service companies in providing their clients with luxury real estates, properties, yachts and boats, Engel & Völkers’ Nils Haase said: “The rural south-east is the most natural part
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of Majorca with small calas and beautiful countryside. It is calm and understated. “The season is shorter than some other areas, typically from Easter to October, but property values are about 25 to 50 per cent below the prime south-west.”
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 45
SPORT - WITH STEVE WILLIAMS
The Sted Wallen legacy remains strong as ever
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he Sted Wallen legacy remains as strong as ever with Memorial Cup Celebrations. Marking the 2nd anniversary of his untimely death, the ‘Sted Wallen Memorial Cup’ again brought out people, from near, far and even further afield, to pay homage to just how great an organiser, and a man, this particular ‘Mr Cricket’ really was. This particular Birmingham Sports & Culture Day again provided top-class cricket, live music, children’s entertainment and an abundance of food and drink - and, again, all free. The Sted Wallen Foundation present-
ation, sponsored by JN Money, saw stars of local national and international cricket converge onto Handsworth Park as the legacy created by one of the city’s greatest innovators was clear to see; as even the sun, itself, Sted! With Terrence Wallen still exhumed with the draining emotion of losing his brother two years hence, his upkeep of this well established, and 21st anniversary of, the family fun day, Sted’s ‘mark’ was there for all to see, feel and hear. “The legacy of my brother lives on today and will continue to”, the young Wallen said.
“And that is through the continued support from all concerned – especially the 21 years - from Dr Beverley Lindsay”, She herself, added: “It’s just so wonderful to see that Sted’s legacy is being kept alive as strongly as it has always been”. Winning the ‘Sted Wallen Memorial Cup’, a Sted Wallen XI (223 for 4) beat a Caribbean XI (222 for 7) by 3-wickets. It is two years – almost to the day – since one of the city’s greatest modern-day mavericks passed away. His memory, however, will, forever, live on.
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Page 46 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019
SPORT - WITH STEVE WILLIAMS
I
t was a summer of football fun for young people in Haringey , thanks to top class football training sessions put on for free by the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation during the school holidays. The Foundation’s Premier League Kicks programme provided young people aged from 7 to 19 with help on their football skills at several locations across the borough. At one session, the group received a surprise visit from Spurs and South Korea star striker Son Heung-min, who spoke after having a kick about with the kids in attendance. Son said: “I think it’s very, very important for football clubs to be involved in their local communities and for the children. “As a player I find it really enjoyable. As a child I couldn’t imagine having training like this. The kids were really enjoying themselves and that made me happy”. Haringey also had a full programme of many other sports and activities for young people during the summer.
Son surprise for community’s young footballers
Commonwealth of Nations to leave ICC Trophy legacy As Eoin Morgan held the ICC World Cup Trophy aloft at Lords, England’s victory in the all-time-classic must now be heralded as the catalyst for something really big in the country – especially off the back of the tension-filled game being shown live on free-to-air television for the first time in the UK since 2005, and for all to witness. With the Irish-born captain leading a true ‘Commonwealth Nations’ of heroes, watched – live and on TV – by men, women and children, from a multitude different countries, sitting side-by-side as New Zealand fell agonisingly short of glory, the question on the lips of county,
village, park and school teams across Britain, now, is; What must now be done the game to move forward and make it somewhere nearer the ‘rock’n’roll’ level that, say, football is in the national conscience? The main test is whether participation numbers rise in the wake of the World Cup victory. And, with the champions now in the midst of the Ashes tussle (which, of course, is heightening people’s love of cricket), hopes are that the right ‘powers-thatbe’, in and around the game, grasps the nettle and make the Finals legacy the start of something humongously big!!! – for all aspects of the game.
Netball success rewarded with move to larger Games venue Birmingham 2022 has announced a change in venue for netball, following the recent growth in popularity of the sport. After a massive increase in its profile since Team England’s gold medal winning heroics on the Gold Coast in 2018 and England’s hosting of the Netball World Cup in July, the sport moves from the Coventry Indoor Arena to the NEC. The venue refresh follows on from the recent announcement that Birmingham’s iconic Edgbaston Stadium is now an official venue for Birmingham 2022, after women’s cricket was added to the sports programme. With beach volleyball added too, there are now even more sports taking place in and around the city. Liz Nicholl CBE, President of the International Netball Federation said: “We are delighted by Birmingham 2022’s decision to relocate netball for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. While Coventry Arena is an excellent venue, this move to the NEC will increase the capacity significantly.” Birmingham 2022 Chief Executive Officer, Ian Reid, said: “We are delighted to be able to relocate netball into a larger venue as this sport’s profile has massively increased since the 2017 bid.” Chief Executive (Venue) at Wasps, Stuart Cain, added: “This is a great extension and gives us the chance to work with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to deliver another successful rugby tournament in the region. We’re also excited to host the wrestling and judo within the Coventry Indoor Arena.” The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held in venues across Birmingham and the West Midlands.
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The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2019 - Page 47
The Sted Wallen Legacy Lives On - Page 45
R
ugby fever has gripped Japan as final preparations for Asia’s first Rugby World Cup spans 12 host cities, match venues and team camps. Organisers confirmed that almost 100 per cent of the 1.8 million tickets have been sold, reaffirming confidence of a sell-out. And with Japan hosting the world’s top teams and more than 400,000 international visitors, independent research confirmed awareness of the tournament within the country has significantly increased to over three-quarters of the population – a staggering 98.3 million people. World Rugby Chair, Sir Bill Beaumont, said: “We are confident and excited that Japan 2019 will be a very special success on every level – it will break records and make history on and off the field as Asia’s first Rugby World Cup. “Records will be broken during the tournament from fan-zone attendance to broadcast and engagement, but significantly, we can confidently say that Japan 2019 is already proving to be a transformational driver of sporting and social legacy in the host nation and across Asia. “The hosting of this tournament has paved the way for 1.16 million people to experience the sport across Asia, 200,000 in Japan alone, through our ded-
Son shines in Tottenham Page 46
Japan set as countries to battle it out for Webb Ellis Cup icated Impact Beyond legacy programmes in partnership with the JRFU and Asia Rugby, it has provided an important and exciting step-change for rugby in the world’s most populous and youthful region.”
Akira Shimazu, Japan Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee CEO, added: “Japanese rugby fans have got behind the national team in record numbers in this Rugby World Cup year.
“And with some three-quarters of the population fully aware that Rugby World Cup 2019 is taking place in Japan, it’s clear that Rugby World Cup fever has taken hold throughout the country.”
Beaumont added: "Japan 2019 will be a ground-breaking occasion for the global rugby family, but also a special moment for our hosts, who will show the world the best of Japan, its rich culture, famed hospitality and passion
for the game”. With the 50-day competition starting on September 20, the final match for the iconic Webb Ellis Cup takes place, in Tokyo Stadium, on November 2.
Final Hurrah Sees Stars Shine In The Sun In Doha Trials With developments officially now underway, the last hurrah for the Alexander Stadium – as we know it now – saw a host of record-breaking stars out to book their flight tickets for Doha and the 2019 edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Müller British Athletics Championships. Record-holder Dina Asher-Smith, European champion Matt Hudson-Smith, Eilish McColgan and, somewhat surprisingly, Ojie Edoburun, guaranteed their respective Team GB vests with Championship, Season and Personal Bests a-plenty at the Trials. Triple European champion, Asher-Smith, who broke her own British Championship record and is planning to compete at 100m and 200m, said: "I'm just happy I've booked my seat for at least one of the events." On the possib-
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ility of doubling-up, she added: "It's all about the progression to the World Championships." A hugely delighted Edoburun, 23, said he was "very, very happy" after claiming victory by one thousandth of a second. "I'm not going to cry on TV. It's taken me so long to figure out what works for me, while seeing my peers excel," he said. "I was so scared, having flashbacks of all the bad trials I've had over the years." On a day where many other stars such as Morgan Lake, Tim Duckworth, Harry Hughes, Rosie Clarke and Jodie Williams confirmed their places in the squad for Doha, it was a particularly fitting way to give the Alexander Stadium its big send-off before it undergoes major redevelopments in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said
“We’re now in an exciting phase of the design process where we would like to share our plans for the future with the community and hear their thoughts. “The team has designed a redeveloped stadium which will meet the needs and aspirations of the community for generations to come. This is about creating a destination venue, shaping a legacy beyond the Commonwealth Games.” The changes to the 40-year-old stadium will include an increase in permanent seating capacity from 12,700 to 18,000, allowing up to 40,000 during the Games through additional temporary seating. The Perry Barr venue, which is the home of UK Athletics, will host the athletics plus the opening and closing ceremonies at the Games, set to take place from July 27 to August 7, 2022.
0121 339 5885 (Birmingham)
Sikh Businessman Ekongkar Singh Of The Year
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