Street Cred Magazine - May 2023

EDITORS NOTE

Yes Street Credders, how are you all!

Have to say 2023 is looking amazing for the world of entertainment as the big old skool artists are coming over to UK and of course we are well in to get the exclusives.

We celebrate 25 years of Street Cred a true Birmingham legacy, a magazine that has been the eye of entertainment and letting you know whats hot and not whats not because that doesnt matter, if its in Street Cred you know its the top flavour. Look out for the best places to go right here from Restaurants, to Bars and Concerts.

This is the lifestyle

Always cutting edge and representing the street culture positively!

Mark Dwayne

Ed Sheeran releases tribute to friend Jamal

Ed Sheeran has released a song, called F64, in tribute to his friend Jamal Edwards nearly a year after his death. It has been released on Edwards' music platform SBTV, on which Sheeran rose to fame more than 10 years ago.

Edwards was a lifelong fan of Chelsea FC, with the video for the track filmed at the team's Stamford Bridge stadium. The DJ and entrepreneur's mum, Brenda Edwards, has also been raising awareness of her son's death by campaigning for more CPR training.

CPR is cardiopulmonary resuscitation and should be administered if someone is unconscious and not breathing properly. Jamal Edwards died aged 31 from cardiac arrhythmia after taking recreational drugs in February 2022.

Mom Brenda said her son always helped others, and she was proud to carry on his legacy, saying: "It's spurred me on to continue to do the same that he used to do - he had such a big heart and he was so giving to so many.

"I was honoured to have the time with Jamal, he inspired me on a daily basis and his legacy continues to inspire me

and so many people." was credited with launching the careers of Dave, Jessie J and Sheeran on his YouTube music channel SBTV.

He also mentored and paid for the music and video production for upcoming artists and championed Sheeran's music early in his career and put a video of him performing on YouTube in 2010 - catching the attention of his now manager, Stuart Camp and landing him a record deal with label Atlantic.

Sheeran raps in his freestyle track, which carries a language warning, about spending more than a week with Brenda after Jamal died. "We cried for nine nights at your family home…. Was at your mum's there all week, trying to make sense but I can't, and although it's been a year still feel pain in my heart," he says.

31-year-old Grammy award-winner Ed also fulfilled a promise he made to Jamal’s last year when he released the music video for ‘Are You Entertained’, with Russ in July. Edwards was due to shoot and produce the video, but died the day before it was due to be made, so Sheeran took his original ideas and made the video in his honour.

Food & Fine Dining

INTRODUCING APHRO – THE SPIRIT OF WEST AFRICA

Tapped from the tropical date and coconut palm trees of Ghana and locally produced using a time-honoured tradition, the highly popular West African drink, also known as Akpeteshie locally is now available in the UK in two flavours: The Nubi with hints of flamed pineap-

ple, passion fruit and honey and The Moor with ginger, local spices and Hwentia pepper.

Aphro's premium palm spirits are carefully distilled and infused with vibrant fruits, herbs and spices to give a unique depth of taste specific to the region, resulting in a smooth, modern take

on this ancient West African favourite.

Aphro Nubi combines flamed pineapple, tropical passion fruit and a little West African honey to offer a warm, aromatic complexity to be sipped, and savoured, over ice.

40% VOL | 80 Proof | Available in 750ml at £39.99

Aphro The Moor is a spicy, robust spirit with local ginger, spices and Hwentia pepper, again to be served over ice

40% VOL | 80 Proof | Available in 750ml at £39.99

Both Aphro spirits are also perfectly suited to mixers or cocktails and are 100% organic.

Meat-Free And Mindful Drinking Headline

The New Spring At Gusto Italian

BIRMINGHAM’S FAVOURITE casual dining restaurant, Gusto Italian, has launched its new menu, with a focus on meat-free dishes and low and no alcohol cocktails including a delicious Prosecco risotto and stunning plant-based steak.

Gusto Gold Reward members & their friends can enjoy a free drink when purchasing 2 courses from the new A La Carte menu.

The Colmore Row restaurant which is renowned for exceptional guest experience and authentic Italian

food has introduced new fresh, seasonal meals including truly innovative vegetarian and plant-based options and a ‘Mindful Drinking’ collection, after research found that a quarter of Gusto guests are choosing to eat less meat as well as looking for low and no alcohol drinks when dining out.

The new menu has been inspired by research trips to Italy, led by CEO Matt Snell and Executive Chef Graham Kirk. For example, the Burrata with watermelon tartare, was developed after the team visited an authentic Italian formaggiaio and had the opportunity to make the cheese themselves.

How Abby Lee is modernising

Malaysian cuisine

Abby Lee is standing at her kitchen island in Hackney, east London, chopping some long red chillis. “Don’t bother deseeding them,” she says, chucking the slices in a big silver bowl.

“They are quite mild, but we have dried chillis to provide the heat.” The Malaysian chef and founder of the open-kitchen concept Mambow in Peckham, southeast London, is demonstrating how to cook the sambal for her steamed okra and prawn floss dish (you can find the recipe below).

“It’s comforting,” she says, recalling how her auntie would have it ready and waiting for her after school. “It reminds me of home.” Today, home for Abby is a top-floor Victorian flat, which she shares with her partner, but growing up she divided her time between Malaysia and Singapore. When she was younger, Abby would spend much of her spare time icing cakes at her family’s bakery in Singapore, but it wasn’t until later in life – returning to South-East Asia after a stint in the UK where she trained at Le Cordon Bleu – that Abby learned to really appreciate the food of her heritage.

In fact, the pandemic proved to be a particularly fruitful period, after her aunt passed down Abby’s grandmother’s recipes to her. Abby now credits both women as her greatest culinary inspirations.

It’s inheriting her family recipes that inspired Abby to open Mambow, which she runs from a

permanent street-food-style setup in a corner of Market Peckham. As its Instagram bio reads, Mambow specialises in “Malaysian heat and juicy wines”, with a menu featuring mussels tossed in a “lip-smacking sauce” of curry leaf, curd-bean paste and birdseye chilli, which come dusted in dried-prawn floss, and fish-of-theday ceviche bathed in a garlic and chilli paste with crispy coconut flakes and crunchy green mango.

The venture has a planet-friendly point of view too: Abby works with local suppliers to source her ingredients and uses any leftovers to make dishes such as soup or cake, while the space itself has been built using responsibly sourced materials. When it comes to her own kitchen at home in Hackney, Abby has employed a similar ethos.

With the help of her friend, the interior designer Leticia Houston, Abby transformed the formerly “beaten up” room into a pleasing pink-and-blue haven for cooking and hosting alike – all while being “as sustainable as we are at the restaurant”. She did this with materials such as old wood chips and recycled resin, using ex-display and second-hand objects to create a characterful scheme that packs a punch.

(As does, we can attest, her collection of spices and hot sauces). Watch our film now for a peek at her vibrant scheme and for her top cooking tips – and read on to discover her recipe for steamed okra with sambal and prawn floss.

Celebrity Stylist Law Roach Announces Shock Retirement

Pioneering celebrity stylist Law Roach has announced his retirement, saying his cup was "empty".

Best known for his work with the likes of Zendaya, Ariana Grande and Bella Hadid, he hinted that the decision was not related to the clothes.

"The politics, the lies and false narratives finally got me! You win… I'm out," he wrote on Instagram. Several stars have expressed their shock at the news, with Law's looks being seen as recently as the Oscars.

"Every person that trusted me with their image, I'm so grateful for you all," Law added. One of the most famous red carpet looks was at the 2019 Met Gala when he designed Zendaya in a Cinderella gown while he himself dressed as her fairy godmother.

With a few waves of his wand, the dress lit up - a look that got people talking. As well as styling red carpet

looks, Law is known for thinking outside the box when transforming the everyday looks of celebrities.

"He'll take any celebrity and turn them into a style icon and has everyone like 'give us more'," explains Alexis Adjei, a stylist from Essex.

"What he does is incredible, and

MAY Gig Listings

RESORTS

May

NEC

May 12-14 The Baby Show with Lidl GB

12-14 The Vaper Expo UK

13-14 Makers Central 19-4/6 Circus Extreme

19-20 THE BIG EVENT

27-28 The National Halal Food Festival & Lifestyle Show

TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL

May 03 Scheherazade: CBSO and Kazuki Yamada (SH)

04 Phil Wang: Wang In There, Baby! (TH)

05 Eric Bibb: Ridin’ Tour (TH)

05 James: Orchestral Tour (SH)

06 CBSO & The Orchestral Qawwali Project (SH)

08 An Evening With Debbie Harry and Chris Stein in Conversation (TH)

10 CBSO plays Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony (SH)

10 Walter Trout (TH)

11 Daniel O'Donnell (SH)

12 BCMG: T R E E Concert (TH)

12 Joe Satriani (SH)

13 Movie Magic with the CBSO (SH)

the fashion world will be at a loss without him."

And that's a sentiment shared by many. Within hours of posting, celebrities including Addison Rae and Vogue boss Edward Enninful wrote of their sadness, with supermodel Naomi Campbell writing:

"Law I won't let you !!!! We don't quit … strived too hard."

For Alexis, Law's work is a huge inspiration, both professionally and personally.

"I see his looks and I'm like, 'wow, hopefully one day, I can get to where he is'. As a black person he's really inspiring to me."

"I feel like Law does love fashion enough to reconsider eventually, but there needs to be a big change in the industry, especially for black people.

"And I advocate for us, because I've experienced it," she adds.

13 Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi plus support Philippa Zawe (TH)

14 B:Classical 2022/23: An Unforgettable Evening with Sir Willard White and Brodsky Quartet (TH)

15 Kerry Ellis (TH)

15 Katie Melua (SH)

16 B:Classical 2022/23: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (SH)

17 B:Classical 2022/23: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (TH)

18 Mahler’s Tenth Symphony: CBSO and Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla (SH)

19 The Music of Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones and Beyond (SH)

20 Mike and The Mechanics: Refueled! (SH)

20 Gretchen Peters with special guest Kim Richey (TH)

21 The Searchers (TH)

21 Celebrating Meat Loaf (SH)

22 Lunchtime Organ Concert with Thomas Trotter (TH)

22 Jay Shetty World Tour: Love Rules (SH)

25 Midge Ure: The Voice & Visions Tour (SH)

26 Queen Symphonic: A Rock Orchestra Experience (SH)

26 Dan Whitehouse: A Night of Glass (SH)

28 CBSO Singalong: Mozart's Requiem (SH)

29 Carrie Hope Fletcher: An Open Book (SH)

l Daniel O'Donnell graces the Symphony Hall on the 11th May

GET READY TO BE LIFTED

ICaught up with three amazing Gospel artists who are set to go on tour from May. This is introducing a whole new feel to the Gospel music scene, a more new youthful and current approach they bring to the table.

asked Annatoria about her Voice TV experience, to which she said “I learned so much being on the Voice it really made me fully concentrate on what my gift is and that is really using my singing voice to the

The Four Owls - Hip-Hop collective announce shows this June

The four-piece will be taking their honest and deep-diving brand of Hip-Hop to venues across the UK in June, with shows in Exeter, Brighton and Southampton.

Formed in 2011, the group have deftly crafted an honest bond of brotherhood that spills out into the music. With a signature sound that is Hip-Hop in its realest form, the group are a feathered troop of

Strigiformes unlike anything the world has seen before.

Led by the merciless Big Owl (Fliptrix), guided by the teachings of Bird T (Verb T), entertained by the do-or-die spirit of Rusty TakeOff (BVA) and inspired by the inventions of Deformed Wing (Leaf Dog), The Four Owls are a buzzing band of lyricists swiftly gathering in force. Having released their thought-provoking and emotive third studio album ‘Nocturnal

Instinct’ in 2020, The Four Owls have collectively amassed well over 200 million streams across YouTube and Spotify and played over 500 live performances both domestically and around the globe.

Their music has been supported by the likes of DJ Premier, Mistajam, Charlie Sloth, DJ Target, Toddla T, Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, U-God (Wu-Tang), Havoc (Mobb Deep),

Skinny Man, Rag’N’Bone Man to name a few, as well as Hip-Hop fanatic, comedian Romesh Ranganathan. A collective responsible for a range of modern-day classics that blend encapsulating, head-banging rhythms with undiluted lyricism and conceptual brilliance, The Four Owls have gained a reputation for pushing boundaries in a scene that has grown desperate for a new type of binocular vision.

Meeting Oscar-Winning Jazz Artist Jon Batiste

JON BATISTE is a genre-bending jazz musician, singer and composer. Born into a family of professional musicians in Louisiana, Batiste plays the melodica (shown in the image) and several other instruments, including the piano, organ and upright bass. He performed at the 2022 White House state dinner that fêted French President Emmanuel Macron and Macron’s wife, Brigitte. He’s also recorded and per-

formed with many well-known artists, including Stevie Wonder and Willie Nelson. In 2022, Batiste, then 35, won five Grammy Awards, one for best album for his release titled We Are. Earlier, Batiste and two others won an Academy Award for the score of the animated movie Soul, popular with audiences of all ages. And Batiste has appeared on Sesame Street, bringing jazz to the next generation of music lovers.

AI TURNS POPULAR VIDEO GAME HEROES INTO VILLAINS

As the world of artificial intelligence continues to grow and expand, Online.Casino has tapped into its possibilities of reimagining video game protagonists as villains.

Using MidJourney, an artificial intelligence program, Online.Casino transformed beloved video game heroes into their dark and sinister counterparts, showcasing the limitless possibilities of tech-

nology and AI-assisted creativity. Inspired by the release of the Super Mario Bros. Movie, this collection reimagines Mario, Luigi, and many other protagonists as their villainous counterparts. The AI-generated pictures highlight a unique twist on classic characters, revealing them in a new light.

These reimagined villains, which have also been re-named by ChatGPT, offer fans an in-

triguing new perspective on their beloved heroes, inviting them to delve into a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred.

A spokesperson for Online. Casino commented on the images: "This AI-generated artwork showcases the limitless possibilities of technology and creativity and encourages us to consider the duality of our favourite characters."

RSC Releases Production Images From Latest Production Of Julius Caesar

Production images from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s current production of Julius Caesar have been released, with production photography by Marc Brenner.

The production runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 18 March – 8 April 2023, before a nine-date tour of England visiting Canterbury, Truro, Bradford, Newcastle upon Tyne, Blackpool, Nottingham, Norwich, York and Salford between 20 April – 24 June. This visceral new production is directed by Atri Banerjee, and features Thalissa Teixeira as Brutus and Kelly Gough as Cassius, in the roles of the leaders who plot to kill Caesar.

The full cast is: Jamal Ajala (Lucius), Mercedes Assad (Marullus/ Artemidorus), Annabel Baldwin (Soothsayer), Nigel Barrett (Julius Caesar), Matt Ray Brown (Cice-

ro), Matthew Bulgo (Casca), Ella Dacres (Octavius Caesar), Joshua Dunn (Cinna The Poet/Popilius/ Carpenter), Katie Erich (Caius Ligarius/Cobbler), Niamh Finlay (Pindarus), Kelly Gough (Cassius), Gina Isaac (Decius Brutus), Robert Jackson (Flavius/Cinna The Conspirator), Tom Kanji (Metellus Cimber/Lepidus), Nadi Kemp-Sayfi (Portia), Jimena Larraguivel (Calpurnia), Pedro Leandro (Trebonius), William Robinson (Mark Antony) and Thalissa Teixeira (Brutus).

Joining Atri on the creative team are: Rosanna Vize (Set Designer and Co-Costume Designer), Tomás Palmer (Co-Costume Designer), Lee Curran (Lighting), Jasmin Kent Rodgman (Music), Claire Windsor (Sound), Jennifer Jackson (Movement), Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown (Fights), Alison Bomber (Voice and Text) and Matthew Dewsbury CDG (Casting).

l William Robinson (Mark Antony) and Thalissa Teixeira (Brutus) in Julius Caesar

Funding Available For Game Developers

Yorkshire-based Triplevision Games secured support from UK publisher Fireshine Games for the launch of their funded project, These Doomed Isles.

Andrew Stewart, Creative Director at Triplevision Games, said: “When we pitched to the UK Games Fund, we had a pretty ugly, unpolished prototype and not enough time to work on it! The funding we received allowed us both to work full time on developing the core loop, adding art and gave us the time we needed to put together a polished demo, pitch deck and Steam page.

“This in turn led to us talking to various publishers and eventually signing with Fireshine. Without the support of the UKGF, we’d probably still be freelancing and working on putting our pitch together, instead of looking at launching the game into Early Access this Summer.”

Inspired by classic god games, survival city-builders and roguelike deck-builders, in These Doomed Isles you’ll craft your deck of cards to raise islands from the sea, build settlements for your followers and keep them alive as famine threatens, forests burn and raiders loom on the horizon.

Powerhouse Vocalist Michael Bublé Announces Highly Anticipated ‘Higher’ UK Tour

MULTI-PLATINUM

selling global superstar Michael Bublé announces his highly anticipated return to the UK with ‘Higher’ next spring, Bublé’s first nationwide arena tour in more than four years.

20 years after the release of his self-titled debut album, the ‘Higher’ Tour, produced by TEG Live Europe, brings a charismatic, intimate show - an evening you won’t forget.

The Canadian crooner took to the stage in London a couple of recently to kick off the UK leg of his new arena tour, with those who are fans of Bublé knowing what to expect – big, splashy orchestrations, powerhouse vocals and easy interaction with the audience. Performing his greatest tracks from his phenomenal career, alongside songs from his No.1 album, don't miss the

multi-Grammy winning showman when he brings the tour to a show-stopping close in Birmingham next month!

Performing his mostloved hits and the greatest tracks from his phenomenal career, alongside songs from his ‘Higher’ album, released earlier this year, the multi-Grammy winning showman will bring the tour to a show-stopping close at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena.

"I can’t wait to be back in arenas across the UK”, he says. “It's going to be a true arena spectacle! I'm so excited for people to experience it!

“A lot of my fans have been part of my journey for the past 20 years, so to celebrate this milestone with everyone together is going to be extra special. I just want to connect to them, take them away, spread some goodness. That's it!"

Jazz Musicians Advanced America’s Civil Rights

NOTED AMERICAN jazz performers used music to support African Americans’ struggle for civil rights during the mid-20th century.

In 1958, jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins recorded “The Freedom Suite” with drummer Max Roach and bassist Oscar Pettiford. The song’s theme was groundbreaking, and its length — nearly 20 minutes — was unusual.

John Hasse, curator emeritus of American music at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, cites the suite as one of the earliest jazz pieces to make an explicit statement about civil rights. The trio recorded the song near the beginning of the civil rights movement in the United States and four years after a landmark Supreme Court’s decision declared public school segregation unconstitutional.

“It’s just a singular piece full of invention and surprises,” Hasse said. “There’s nothing like it.”

Jazz pianist Billy Taylor record-

ed “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” in 1963 with drummer Grady Tate and bassist Ben Tucker. Taylor had written the song for his daughter as an instrumental, but lyricist Dick Dallas later collaborated with him on lyrics.

Singer and pianist Nina Simone took the song to the next level when she covered it a few years later on her album Silk and Soul and made it popular as a catchy civil rights anthem.

“It’s got just such a wonderful gospel feel,” Hasse said.

In 1965, Simone covered the anti-lynching song “Strange Fruit” — made famous by singer Billie Holiday — for her album Pastel Blues.

When Holiday recorded the mournful song, which laments the horrors of racist lynching, she made a mark, says Hasse. But Simone introduced the song to a new generation. Hasse calls Simone’s rendition “stark, stinging and chill inducing.”

In the late 1960s, Simone said that singing the song and spreading its commentary on racial violence was a “duty.”

Gamers descended en masse to Birmingham's NEC over the Easter weekend to visit Insomnia - The Gaming Festival.

Now in it's 70th installment, #i70 was big -

ger and better than ever before, with more to do, more to see, and most importantly, more to play.

From Retro Games to VR, Tabletop to Console, and of course the massive PC LAN party, Insomnia has something for every gamers palate. Keeping everyone stocked up and raring to go all weekend were Monster, Red Bull and, most surprisingly of all,

l Billie Holiday (pictured) recorded the mournful dirge "Strange Fruit" to protest lynching. Later, singer Nina Simone brought it to a new generation

Yorkshire Tea, which out of the three, was never without a decent length queue!

There were some absolutely fantastic cosplays on show all weekend, with talks, workshops and more for people looking to get into the craft, or for those in it to share best practices, tips and tricks.

The usual variety of main-stage events, panels, game shows and more

took

Beverley Knight Thanks Hometown Theatre After Olivier Award Win

Ayouth theatre mentioned by Beverley Knight in her speech after winning an Olivier Award has said it was "incredibly motivating and empowering".

The performer, from Wolverhampton, picked up a gong on Sunday for best actress in a supporting role as Emmeline Pankhurst in musical Sylvia.

Knight, 50, gave a shout-out to the city's Central Youth Theatre which "gave her a chance" as a child aged 11. The theatre said her win was "so inspiring" for Wolverhampton.

Knight, who is known for hits "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" and "Come as You Are", was a member of Central Youth Theatre in Whitmore Reans in the mid-1980s. The theatre's founding director, Jane Ward, described her as "talented, bubbly and effervescent".

Ms Ward recalled: "She was all the qualities that embody her skills today - she is still the same."

Knight made her musical theatre debut in 2013 and was nominated for Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actress in a Musical in 2015 and 2022 for her performances in Memphis and The Drifters Girl.

In her acceptance speech on Sunday, Knight made reference to her role as Emmeline Pankhurst and "reclaiming power for women". She then thanked the theatre she joined decades ago. "Big up Wol-

verhampton Youth Theatre who gave me a chance when I was an 11-year-old," she said.

Knight had earlier tweeted she was "absolutely honoured" to have performed twice during the awards ceremony. Ms Ward said the award was "so exciting" and she said she imagined Knight "must feel on top of the world".

Ms Ward added the perform-

er's mention of the theatre, which would celebrate its 40th anniversary this summer, was "incredibly motiving and empowering" for "not only the students, but for people of Wolverhampton".

"It is incredibly positive to have someone of status using their voice to champion youth arts," she explained.

More UK tour dates for Australia’s favourite absurdist sketch group, Aunty Donna

Following their critically acclaimed Netflix series, Aunty Donna are bringing their first live show to the UK and Ireland.

It’s their first visit to perform on these shores in well over five years, and their first ever UK tour. Their trip will see them visit Glasgow, Dublin, Bath Birmingham, London and Manchester.

It’s been a big few years for the trio who in 2020, partnered with Netflix for the worldwide release of Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun, executive produced by The Office’s Ed Helms and

Between Two Ferns’ Scott Aukerman. The series received praise from fans across the globe - including Neil Patrick Harris and RuPaul - and was coupled with a record-breaking tour of Australia and New Zealand, selling out shows across both countries.

The boys are now

absolutely primed to take their new critically and audience acclaimed live show out to the world.

When asked about their upcoming tour, the Aunty Donna

boys said: “When the Magical Dead Cat demanded we participate in this incredible tour of the UK and Ireland, a tour showcasing brand new hilarious comedy and some fan favourite bits from our world-shaking Netflix series, we were initially hesitant. “It seemed we would provide the bulk of the

entertainment whilst the Magical Dead Cat would merely bring some coughed up fur balls! We raised our concerns with the Magical Dead Cat, and it offered to sweeten the deal by ending each show with a special surprise web slinging guest whose name rhymes with Glider Man.

“Desperate to meet this special surprise guest, we immediately said yes.” Aunty Donna exploded onto the Melbourne comedy scene in 2012 with their unique brand of surreal, fast paced, alternative sketch.

They won the hearts of UK audiences, playing the Edinburgh Festival and Soho Theatre between 2014-2017. Since then, their loud and energetic shows have toured around the globe multiple times, won an accolade of awards and amassed a worldwide fanbase including more than 2million followers across platforms and 113 million views on YouTube.

Now, Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane will join together to deliver Aunty Donna’s wildly entertaining style of comedy for a new tour across England, Scotland and Ireland.

Women Filing Lawsuits Against “Dangerously Toxic” Black Hair Products

LAWSUITS have been filed by women who claim that hair relaxers contain toxic chemicals that cause cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, and more, which law firms accepting hair relaxer induced injury cases in all 50 states.

In November 2022, a group of women who used Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer filed a class action lawsuit against L’Oreal and Soft Sheen-Carson, claiming they wouldn’t have used Dark & Lovely if they knew it contained chemicals that might increase their risk of uterine cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, or breast cancer. These products are linked to life-threatening health problems, such as breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, hysterectomy and more.

Many of these lawsuits were filed after a major study found that women who used hair relaxers were twice as likely to be diagnosed with uterine cancer by the age of 70. The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in October 2022. The researchers also published another study finding a 30% increased risk of breast cancer for women who used hair relaxers routinely.

Experts are concerned because hair relaxers contain a variety of harsh chemicals that can get into the body through scalp irritation and sores.

ALISON PUSHES FOR EQUALITY

In conversation with Dee Burrowes

A LETTER TO MY UNBORN CHILD

Although you might be childless by chance, choice or coincidence, women not having children are otherwise being pitied and belittled.

Many avoid the topic and swerve for the ease of directly pointing fingers concerning the grounds for their discomfort with the very essence of being put in the childlessness vacuum.

With an internal natter, it brought on angst that just maybe being a biological mother was never in the cards despite not intended on being childless yet one came to believe it was the right choice in the end perhaps.

The celebration of Mother’s Day (March in the UK/May for most other countries) conceivably is one of the most onerous periods for the multitude of motherless women.

For all you know, the harshest hit amidst women without offspring - as a matter of fact, childlessness regardless by infertility, miscarriages, choice circumstances, Mother’s Day can muddle up a fair amount of gloomy emotions.

Contemplating having a baby in your mid to late 30s, as a great deal of women perhaps are edging towards midlife — not a midlife crisis, but an unforeseen midlife reality with the biological clock ticking.

In today’s modern sphere, millions of women globally would have reached the age of 45 without having given birth.

Can it be quantified that she has escaped the unnecessary burden of raising a family with all that comes with it or nicely put being in submission to a husband.

A few will be forced to contend with infertility, failed relationships whilst they bang their heads with years mulling over whether to have a child or not.

“You do not have children?” Is the common question echoed? What went pear shaped in your personal life? Did you not want children? Have you been trying? Did you regret not having a family?

Like a bullet, the barrage of questions hit many childless women. Does not having a child define you and your happiness?

If the resonance plays on your heart, it is true of a fascinating study from the Netherlands suggesting not having children only makes infertile women broken hearted once they are not able to let go of the fact that they cannot bear children.

There’s more pressure on women to be mothers, to discharge that obligation, than I’ve ever seen.

Mothering does have less to do with not only bringing a child that was grown inside of them to this World. It’s dependent on your nurturing extended towards children. Society though imposes otherwise quite regularly.

Maternal instinct has bloomed at times but yet does not get to do the most important job in the

world. Each Mother’s Day can be gut-wrenching, remotely disconnected and frazzling. No dosage of hopefulness can really have dominance with the sense of loss from not having a child.

Mother’s Day is a less than happy day for many people. Emotions are complex. You may even find yourself feeling joy and sadness all at the same time.

As we are on the cusp of celebrating yet another Mother’s Day in May except the United Kingdom, let us take into account that motherhood is not an entertained birthright. Most find themselves almost in a trance weaving in and out of deep dejection and gallantry.

There is no way around such a struggle, Mother’s Day can be grim. Can we get a witness?

At the every moment when you are wholly and ferociously joyful, in the case of the childless, this day can crop up as demarcating.

No one wishes to endure at odds. No one needs to have someone jog their memory of a solitary home with purposeless embrace. No one desires lonesomeness.

Have you been tortured and light-heartedness seems farfetched – make an effort instead of refraining, obstructing, annihilating or dismissing your sentiments to cope with your emotions on Mother’s Day.

It is a daily indication of the agony, every moment as the

journey of being childless persists. Despite this, it is never understood where to start to surmise the reaction of how one can be enduring – and the wish is that you will find true happiness.

The choice to bear a child or not must be one’s own. The inclination to become a mother can present itself in many ways. It can be a throbbing pulse encounter similar to a sting that is never not felt. The second you experience the calling toward procreating – it’s a path of becoming.

Dear Baby,

I am supposed to be your mummy. I have prayed for you, hoped for you, and tried for you and you're still not a reality. Every step of the way I am trying to counteract the guilt that just maybe I will never meet you. I am accepting my emotions and not judging it. I still cling to hope. The possibility of feeling demotivated to the point of feeling sorry for myself.

Although you haven't held me yet or even conceived, I am your child waiting to be born. At this moment, I know there is lots of uncertainty – I know you are a strong woman with a loving heart.

I, too, want the opportunity to meet you.

If it’s in the plan for us to meet, it will happen – if not in the next life it might be.

Until then, With all my love. Your Mother.

DEE BURROWES, Certified Professional Coach, NLP Practitioner, Speaker, Trained Teacher, International Awards Judge, School Governor, Mental Health and Behavioural Disorder Coach that help individuals to shift from a state of uncertainty, self-doubt and comparison syndrome to guiding into their greatness of more confidence, to radical self-belief, happiness and feeling worthy.

By identifying your core values and what drives you, you will gain more clarity on what your life and career vision should be.

By learning how to eradicate self-doubt, boost self-confidence and form good habits, all of us are able to overcome our challenges and live more mindfully, consciously and authentically. Question is: Am I truly living my God given purpose filled life on my terms with freedom, flexibility and work life balance?

Life passes us by and the fear of not being authentic kicks in and it is the right time now to identify your inspiration by designing a lifestyle that would capture the very essence of you.

Dee made life beautiful because through the challenges she made a conscious effort to design it to be exceptionally impactful to others through connecting, mentoring and coaching.

Dee, did not give my life over to fate, sat back twiddling my fingers, no she did put the work in and remained proactive. She decided to live a life free from everyone else’s expectations of her with an insatiable desire to edify everyone she meets.

Dee is a visiting professor in Events and Hospitality management and she actively participates in the hospitality industry keeping abreast of trends and changes.

Dee is very much passionate about Mental Health - she supports corporate companies on Mental Wellbeing.

Having launched a life coaching career after successfully completing her MBA, a major career transition and life changing events led to living life on her terms, Dee created a platform for individuals to be their utmost best.

Striving for excellence with impactful results for clients and enjoys transforming them from ground zero to super extraordinary.

Prior to coaching, Dee had more than 17 years’ experience working in the City of London hospitality industry in leadership and managerial roles, Supported Housing Officer and as a Finance and Accounting Associate.

Dee has been featured in several printed publications both in the United Kingdom and internationally, online radio platforms and calendars. Dee is continuously on a mission to share her journey and how she overcame dealing with life’s trials and fully understands how it is to excel in a career culture when one is starved in embracing diversity and change.

Dee credits her faith, resilience and tenacity to prove her critics WRONG. Dee has developed a M.I.N.D.S.E.T formulae proven to create change infusing a committed aura to encourage individuals that no matter what life throws at them, they must believe their true destiny and power of achieving awaits them.

As they heal and forgive the hurts, visible scars from the past create a life of lasting change with abundance, faith, passion and love. Dee has also extended her time on the committee of the UK’s first Project Management Institute Awards in 2019.

Dee thrives on showing up 150%, strong and determined for herself, clients and peers to serve and support them. In her spare time Dee volunteers with various charities and mentor young adults to be their very best by living life on their terms.

In 2020, Dee was featured in the UK Times, nominated as a finalist for International Women Leader of the Year and Health & Wellbeing.

Dee was also recognised by an international magazine as an influential leader and Business owner for her entrepreneurial success, achievements and willingness to support others within her community and globally as well as been awarded for her service in Life Coaching and Education in April 2021 and Journalism and Writing April 2022.

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” —Princess Diana.

l Sat with Rav Bagri, Local Director of Birmingham

For 3 years now, Sat Singh has been the Business Manager at Metro Bank in Birmingham City Centre, helping businesses of all sizes with their banking needs.

The Kings Heath resident has always had a business focused background from members of his family being self employed, and is bringing that knowledge to his role with Metro Bank.

Situated on the corner of High Street and New Street opposite the Bullring, Metro Bank’s imposing glass frontage lets you know that it is open and ready for business.

“What makes us different is the customer service, we’re heavily focused on it, if you walk through our doors today we won’t say you need to book an appointment to

see us in 6 weeks time, we’ll sit you down right there and see what we can do and how we can help.

“We can open accounts, set up online banking and can even print out debit cards right there and then,” Sat explained, “and we’re open 7 days a week from 8.30am6pm Monday-Saturday, then 11am-5pm on Sundays.”

“Metro bank has also been the highest rated high street bank for overall service quality for personal customers, and the highest rated bank for service in stores and business centres for personal customers and business customers, and we pride ourselves on that basis, it makes us stand out from our competitors both on the high street and online.”

Sat started his banking career in at The Co-operative Bank for

4 years where he did everything from cashier to personal banking and then team leading, before moving to Santander for nearly 7 years mainly in Business Banking.

“I became a Business Manager in Coventry, where I did the majority of my role, dealing with businesses across the Midlands and leading up to Milton Keynes.

“Now I’ve been with Metro Bank for 3 years, looking after business from £0 to £2million, and everything from manufacturers to retail, wholesale, online businesses, and specialist trades.”

Metro Bank opened its doors in 2010, the first high street bank to open in the UK in over 100 years, and have locations in Birmingham, Merry Hill, Solihull and Wolverhampton in the Midlands.

“I’m the Business Manager in

SAT AND READY TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BANKING NEEDS

Birmingham so I deal with all businesses from across the West Midlands, and we work with a team who deal with the £2mil+ accounts.

“Other than banking, we have many finance options, from asset finance and invoice finance, to commercial mortgages and loans, to overdrafts, which is one of the biggest things we’re doing at the minute, we’re offering business overdrafts up to £60,000 to help them with cash flow.”

Sat says that Metro Bank understands that relationship managers have more or less disappeared from their competitors, but that they have kept relationship managers that their clients can talk to, and they can open and service their accounts straight away. “We are looking to target anyone looking to open a general business account, and also those who aren’t happy with the service they receive currently from their business banking provider. A lot of people prefer to come into store and do things face to face, they’re not fans of doing it over the phone or online banking, and we have that access.”

Metro Bank also offers full personal banking, as Sat continued, “From banking and savings to ISAs, deposits and mortgages, including residential, buy to let and commercial. We do full commercial and business banking in addition to private banking.”

They also have Safe Deposit Boxes on site which can be accessed at any time within 1opening hours without appointments.

Metro Bank account holders can also use the Post Office to bank for business, giving businesses the opportunity to bank more locally despite there not being a Metro Bank near them.

Eagle-eyed readers may have realised that our coverage of International Women’s Day featured an event held at Metro Bank, which used their events room which is free to businesses, charities and their own customers to use, completely free of charge.

“We try not to just sell a business our product, we want to help that business with all of its needs and support it where we can, not only businesses but the community

too.”

Metro Bank helped at an event at SIFA Fireside in Digbeth where they helped out at a soup kitchen wherever they were needed. “We try and do a few of those kind of events every year.”

Sat then explained that like other banks who many will remember coming into their schools as children to speak about banking and opening accounts, Metro Bank also go into schools, but take it a step further by also inviting the schools into the branch, to give them a tour and explain how everything works.

If you want to find out more, pop into the Birmingham City Centre branch of Metro Bank and see how they can help you!

l Sat with Metro Man

JUST WHO CAN STOP ALISON BAJAICAN?

Leeds-born Alison Bajaican

is a Senior Radiographer

who is much more that what is seen on the surface.

As a brand consultant, career development coach, diversity & inclusion champion, public speaker and team builder, she has forwarded the cause and development of many who are now looking to a career in her specialist field, at a ‘rate of knots’ the likes of which was never thought of.

Having trained as an MRI Radiographer from a very early age, as a Senior Radiographer, she since moved south, to Berkshire, and is striving to see a whole new plethora of young, bright Radiographers – who look just like her!

Though a highly-respected alma mater of the renowned Lawrenson School in Headingly, the often ‘rocky’ and trying challenges that she faced proved to be no less than that of those faced by many of a likewise cultural background – but without the education she was able to obtain.

In fact, from the age of 18, she went from “A Levels to the dole”, as she put it.

“I originally was going to be a nurse – it’s a vocation that’s been in the family for generations. But a cousin of mine – who was in the military - said

'no Alison!' with respect to the nursing profession, she recommended that I look into Radiography as a career.”

She had to overcome blatant, and institutional racism whilst looking for work in the field. “Every time I looked for a job, the door was closed,” she remembers. “Although I was qualified, I was only offered job sharing roles and part-time. Full-time job offers were restricted for people of colour in the UK back then.”

A determined Alison managed to get on a radiography course by chance; “A guy had to drop out before having to re-sit his exams."

Ms. Bajaican, though, was the only person to pass out and not get a job. It would then lead her to, in 1991, leave her native Leeds – with a Diploma in Radiography to take with her.

“I had to take that step because I couldn’t get the career job I wanted. I had to leave.”

She got her first full-time job in radiography in Berkshire. “I moved out of necessity,” she said. "It’s when I got my first full-time jobs - in Croydon and Hillingdon."

Seeing herself as a ‘jobbing radiographer’, she was determined to undertake the career she was fully qualified for, around her 9-year-old son, Leon. With her being in radiology for over

30-years and part of the 32,000-strong Society of Radiographers - which also operates worldwide - many women are contacting her to find out all they need to know about working in the field.

“This year marks 21-years of my National Nubian Networking and I aim to leave a legacy for my son, Leon, and be open to all cultures and faiths,” she says.

“My idea of networking is to find information and then sharing it.”

Leading her National Nubian Networking, Bajaican Blessings, BlackPoppyRose, Seakaid, and the TUC Black Workers Conference, which she attended in 2002, now Alison Bajaican is looking into the Windrush scandal, to see if justice will ever be done for the insufferable pain that’s still felt to this day.

An entrepreneur, leading figure in the medical field and first-class mom - what does the future hold for Alison Bajaican?

One things for sure, there’s nothing that can stop her anytime soon!

The Phoenix has worked with Alison over the years, and have found her to be a champion when connecting communities, and promoting diversity and equal opportunities.

MOTORS

Maserati goes electric at 2023 Shanghai Auto Show

The 2023 Shanghai Auto Show is opening its doors for an electrifying new edition and Maserati is thrilled to show the world its latest full-electric creations, marking the historic moment of being the first Italian luxury brand to produce 100% electric vehicles.

And of course, China is the cradle of this fascinating and exciting revolution mobility – not only in terms of innovation but also of forward-thinking and embedded interest in the luxury market – and the ideal venue for the global premiere of Maserati Grecale Folgore.

On this special occasion, the Trident’s first full-electric SUV is in good company, alongside the new Maserati GranTurismo. The powerful and timeless coupé has been introduced to the Asian market for the first time in its combustion engine and its electric powertrain version, the GranTurismo Folgore.

The future of electrification is rooted

in China. Folgore is the name of the Trident’s electric range and represents innovation, luxury, functional beauty and the vision that unites the past and the future in the name of Maserati’s incomparable style. The 2023 Shanghai Auto Show is therefore the ideal meeting point between the Asian market and the brand, to remark on and enhance the concept of “Italian luxury performance”, at the dawn of a new era. Electrification will play a key role in Maserati’s future strategy, with a commitment to produce electric versions of all its models by 2025 and full-electric vehicles alone by 2030. It is an ambitious plan that reflects the audacity that has always defined the Trident's DNA, driving it forwards towards the future, where its success will rely on its uniquely Italian character, its ability to arouse emotions with quality and exclusive products, and the magic of innovation. All this is exactly what the automotive industry will require in the future.

CELEBRATING THE DEFINITIVE GRAND TOURER: 20 YEARS OF THE CONTINENTAL GT

McLaren Automotive Appoints Tobias Sühlmann As New Chief Design Officer

MCLAREN Automotive has announces the appointment of Tobias Sühlmann as the company’s new Chief Design Officer, taking up the role in September 2023.

Sühlmann’s career in automotive design spans two decades, having worked for a range of luxury brands including Bentley, Bugatti and Aston Martin.

It is a welcome return to

McLaren for Sühlmann who was previously the Chief Designer for Special Projects, overseeing the design of the track-only McLaren Solus GT single-seat hypercar based on a video game concept.

Based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, Sühlmann will be responsible for every aspect of brand design, leading a design team whose roles span future

concepts, exterior and interior styling, colour and materials, often working directly with customers to personalise their vehicles before they are hand-built in the adjoining McLaren Production Centre.

Tobias graduated with a diploma at Pforzheim University in 2005 before he joined Volkswagen that same year. He went on to become Head of Exterior Design at Bugatti and Head of Exterior Design at Aston Martin before joining McLaren and then becoming Bentley’s Director of Design which was his last role before he re-joins McLaren.

To celebrate 20 years of the Continental GT, Bentley Motors is hosting a fourmonth programme of unique models, drives and events that kicks-off today at the Shanghai Auto Show with the debut of a one-of-one Continental GT S.

This unique car showcases several bespoke Mulliner features, including commemorative badging, inlays and design motifs marking 20 years of the car that has defined the modern era of Bentley Motors.

The exterior of the special GT S for Shanghai is the strikingly sinister Magnetic dark grey metallic, complemented by black chrome and black 22” 10-spoke sports wheels but with a splash of colour provided by red brake calipers. The black-and-red theme is carried into the interior, with duo-tone finish in Beluga and Hotspur leather with Piano Black.

A bespoke interior features a unique Mulliner colour way, dual-finish fascias and waistrails and bespoke detailing to centre console and treadplates. The upper fascia veneer is in Granite Stone, giving a unique tactile finish, while the lower veneer is in Grand Black and features a laser-etched overlay celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the Continental GT. A red pinstripe separates the two finishes, stretching across the fascia from door to door and passing across the upper vanes of the bullseye air vents.

The treadplates proudly display two silhouettes, one of the 1st generation Continental GT and second of the 3rd generation, representing the 20 years of the modern GT. The same design can be found on the centre console, whilst the LED welcome lamp in the door has a unique design celebrating the anniversary of the iconic grand tourer.

Gilbert Takes HIS First British MX1 Championship Overall

CRENDON FASTRACK

Honda team-mates Josh Gilbert and Conrad Mewse continued their 100% podium success in British national races this year at the rain-hit Revo ACU championship round at Lyng in Norfolk. This time it was Gilbert on top as he took his first ever MX1 overall in the Revo series, while Mewse was just a single point behind but ended up third. Gilbert’s only other British championship overall came when he was

with Dave Thorpe’s team on a 250 in the MX2 class.

This time at Lyng he had an even better day, setting the fastest lap in qualifying then taking third in the opener before beating Mewse over the line to win the second race in dramatic fashion.

The opening heat moto saw Mewse and Gilbert in the leading pack, both chasing race leader Harri Kullas. With Mewse pushing hard to find a way past and Gilbert on his tail, the leading trio

gapped the opposition on the roughening, sun-kissed track.

Mewse, who had been second in qualifying, and pole man Gilbert kept close company behind Kullas as they tried to find a way past. On the last few laps it was left to Mewse to make the challenge for victory but he couldn’t quite squeeze by and took second with Gilbert third.

Sun Shines As Salon Privé London 2023 Kicks Off

THE SUN SHONE on Royal Hospital Chelsea as Salon Privé London opened to guests on the first day of the 2023 season-opening spectacle.

The second annual Salon Privé London event is presenting a glittering collection of new automobiles for guests to enjoy over the coming days, including multiple UK debuts, plus more than 60 of the world’s finest collectors’ cars in the Concours de Vente central attraction, and finery from leading global and British luxury brands.

Guests and media gathered early on Thursday morning for a formal welcome by show Director David Bagley. ‘It’s great to be back in the capital and in the picturesque grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

'The must-attend automotive event has got off to a fantastic

start. We officially opened today with over a dozen launches featuring some of the world’s greatest marques and luxury retail brands.

'Once again, Salon Privé is proud to deliver a spectacular event in the heart of the city, packed with superb cars, firstclass hospitality and a prestigious location, which you simply won’t find anywhere else.’

The exciting Abarth 500e Scorpionissima charged into Chelsea and made its UK public debut at Salon Privé London.

The first ever electric Abarth was presented in vivid Acid Green paint, with its ULEZ-friendly zero tailpipe emissions combined with 155bhp to serve up city centre acceleration a full 50% faster than the existing Abarth 695 petrol car. The future is, literally, bright!