Street Cred Magazine - February 2020

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The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020 - Page 17

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FEBRUARY 2020

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blast off!

We catch up with shaggy ahead of the nationwide blast off tour

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Page 18 - The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020

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Birmingham Hippodrome Puts Young People Centre Stage WITH TWO MUSICAL SHOWSTOPPERS

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i r m i n g h a m Hippodrome is putting young people firmly centre stage with two upcoming showstopping musicals; Flower Cutters (17 & 18 April) performed by Birmingham Hippodrome’s Musicals Young Company and Groove on Down the Road (18 & 19 July) performed by ZooNation Young Company Birmingham.

Flower Cutters is a brand-new musical by Josh Bird & Rachel Bellman that is in development with Perfect Pitch, a not-forprofit theatre company dedicated to the creation, development and promotion of new British musicals, run by the producers of the Olivier Award nominated hit musical SIX. This April will mark a regional premiere as the auditioned group of 19 people aged 16 – 24 from Birmingham Hippodrome’s

Musicals Young Company will be the first to perform this exciting new work in the Midlands.

The young company was created

by Birmingham Hippodrome in order to provide a platform for talented young performers from Birmingham and the West Midlands to work with industry professionals to hone their skills and to explore and develop new work.

In July, ZooNation Young Company Birmingham (ZYCBrum) present Groove on Down the Road, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company's reimagining of the well-loved story, The Wizard of Oz. The first ZooNation young company outside London, ZYCBrum is made up of 18 of the most talented young Hip Hop dancers in the city aged between 11 and 20.

Led by Artistic Director, Rhimes Lecointe, the company

train weekly at their base of Birmingham Hippodrome in foundations and Hip-Hop styles, learn from guest teachers and present new work at the Hippodrome and beyond.

Birmingham Hippodrome’s Head of Learning and Participation, Zaylie-Dawn Wilson said; “As a charity committed to working with our local communities and developing young talent, we created Birmingham Hippodrome’s Musicals Young Company and ZYCBrum to give the young people of Birmingham and the West Midlands a world-class professional platform to nurture their talents.

“We are delighted to see our two young companies taking to the stage with exciting, fresh and engaging works which will connect with both audiences and performers.”

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FEBRUary Gig Listings BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY

the boys are back - top bands return for unforgettable show

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he Boys Are Back Tour is a UK consisting of 1990s boy bands A1, Five, 911 and Damage performing together for a series of over 30 dates.

A1's debut single, Be the First to Believe, entered the UK Singles Chart at number six in mid-1999.

They achieved success in the UK and particularly Southeast Asia in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In the UK, they scored two number ones and six other top 10 hits, in addition to winning a BRIT Award for British Breakthrough Act in 2001.

Created by the same team that put together The Spice Girls, Five (or 5ive) were formed in 1997, and enjoyed great international success from 1997-2001, having sold over 20million records worldwide, earning a #1 album (and two more Top 10s), and receiving multiplatinum certifications.

Formed in 1995, 911 were also major players in the UK's '90s pop group phenomenon, selling over 10 million albums worldwide, especially helped by their biggest hits The Journey, Party People, Friday Night, All I Want Is You, Bodyshakin', The Day We Find

Love, A Little Bit More and More Than a Woman.

Finally, Damage are also one of the many ‘90s boybands and girlbands that filled the UK charts of yesteryears, their irresistible R&B helping to sell over 2.5million records worldwide. They were one of the bands that reformed on ITV’s The Big Reunion more recently.

A1, Five, 911 and Damage will embark on the Boy Are Back Tour together in early 2020 and will visit Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Tuesday 25th February.

February 01 Caravan Palace 02 Ashanti 06 Cody Ko & Noel Miller: Tiny Meat Gang – Global Domination Tour 07 Kim Petras 07 Catapult Club ft. Early Bird 08 Steel Panther - Heavy Metal Rules Tour 10 KATYA & The Comedy Queens 11 Mabel 12 Bowling for Soup 13 Inhaler 14 Kano 15 HRH Metal (Weekend Event) 17 Max & Harvey 20 Cage The Elephant 21 Catapult Club ft. Hot Little Hands 22 PSYCHO DOLLZ 22 New Rules 22 Sanchez & Barrington Levy 25 The Dead South 25 New Years Day 29 JPEGMAFIA 29 Example

O2 INSTITUTE

February 01 Brett Eldredge 01 Catapult Club ft. Oli Assor 02 The Game 04 The Wildhearts | Backyard Babies 05 The Band CAMINO 05 Lil Durk 06 Delain 07 Roni Size + LTJ Bukem 08 Lil Durk 08 Catapult Club ft. The Monkey Butlers 08 Pouya 09 Ashanti - Live In Concert 11 Bru-C 12 Mae Muller 12 Dubioza Kolektiv 13 Zakk Sabbath 15 The Annual Valentines Ball 2020 19 Twist & Pulse 20 Napalm Death 21 X Ambassadors 21 Max & Harvey 22 The Maine 22 The Reytons 23 Palaye Royale: The B*stards World Tour 23 The Sherlocks 24 The Murder Capital 24 Boy & Bear 25 Goo Goo Dolls 26 D’One 27 Novatines

27 Cavetown 28 Catapult Club feat. The Rift 28 Lennon Stella 29 Crest Glider 29 The Mission - The United European Party Tour 29 Teedra Moses - 15th Anniversary of Complex Simplicity

RESORTS WORLD ARENA January 31-Feb 01 The Arenacross Tour 2020 28 The Script 29 Lana Del Rey

ARENA BIRMINGHAM February 31-Feb 02 Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live 14 Valentine’s Day Concert James Blunt Plus support: Ward Thomas 15 The Bhangra Showdown 2020 22 Vitality Netball Superleague Season Opener 23 Atif Aslam 25 NME Award Nominees The 1975 27 Editors 29 Stereophonics

NEC

February 02-06 Spring Fair 09 Toy Collectors Fair 14-16 Great British Shooting Show 16-18 Craft, Hobby & Stitch International 18-23 The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2020 23-25 MODA 26-27 Packaging Innovations 28-29 What Career Live? & What University Live?

28-Mar 01 The National Wedding Show 29-Mar 01 HEMP & CBD EXPO

TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL

February 01 The Musical Box – A Genesis Extravaganza – Part II (SH) 02 CBSO 2019/20 Family Concert - We Got Rhythm (TH) 04 Goldmund Quartet (SH) 05 Bring Your Own Baby (TH) 05 John Shuttleworth’s Back (TH) 06 CBSO: Nicola Benedetti:

l The Stereophonics return to Arena Birmingham on February 29th

Tchaikovsky (SH) 07 Transatlantic Sessions 2020 (SH) 08 CBSO: Nicola Benedetti: Tchaikovsky (SH) 08 Birmingham Swing Festival’s Grand Ball (TH) 09 Beth Hart (SH) 10 Lunchtime Organ Concert: Thomas Trotter – 800th recital (SH) 10 Emilia Mårtensson (SH) 11 Iceland Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius No 1 (SH) 12 Grease in Concert - Film with Live Orchestra UK Tour 2020 (SH) 13 CBSO: Schubert’s Great (SH) 14 Fisherman’s Friends (TH) 14 A Valentine’s Celebration of Music and Dance with Birmingham Royal Ballet (SH) 15-16 Peppa Pig: My First Concert (TH) 15 Queen Symphonic (SH) 16 Big Band Broadway (SH) 19 The Classic Rock Show 2020 (TH) 19-20 CBSO: Respighi’s Roman Trilogy (SH) 20 Brum Craic - First Birthday (SH) 21 CBSO: Sounds of the 1920s (SH) 21 Midge Ure - Vienna & Visage - The 1980 Tour (TH) 22 Mahan Esfahani in-theround (TH) 23 The Amazing Bubbleman (TH) 23 CBSO Youth Orchestra: Elgar’s Symphony No. 1 (SH) 24 Lunchtime Organ Concert – Thomas Trotter (TH) 25 Rebecca Ferguson (TH) 25 The Boys Are Back! 5IVE/ A1/DAMAGE/911 (SH) 27 CBSO: Walton’s Viola Concerto (SH) 28 CBSO: A Night on Broadway (SH) 28 Mark Kingswood (TH) 29 CBSO: A London Symphony (SH) 29 Fascinating Aida (TH)

SLADE ROOMS WOLVERHAMPTON

February 01 Dr Zeeman’s Catastrophe Machine 01 An Evening with Alan McGee 05 Flo & Joan - Before The Screaming Starts 20 Lou Sanders: Say Hello to Your New Step-Mummy 22 The Clone Roses , Oas-is and The Smiths LTD 28 Jamali Maddix: Strip Club Einstein

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Sting To Bring My Songs Tour To LONDON The Stranglers final full UK tour to include Birmingham One of the UK’s most exciting, credible and influential British groups, The Stranglers have announced an extensive full production UK tour in October and November 2020 and have confirmed that this will be the last time they intend to play together in this way.

The band have stated that this will be their final extensive tour of the UK and whilst they may not be checking out completely just yet this will be the last opportunity to see them playing together in a comprehensive touring format.

The band promise a set that will be covering tracks from their

extensive catalogue spanning over 45 years.

First formed in 1974, The Stranglers no bull***t attitude was embraced by the punk movement of the late'70s,with their first three albums (Rattus Norvegicus, No More Heroes and Black and White) being released within an astonishing 13 months of each other, scoring hit singles such as ‘Peaches’, ‘No More Heroes’ and ‘Walk On By’.

Further success was to follow with ‘Always The Sun’, ‘Strange Little Girl’ and the mercurial ‘Golden Brown’, amongst many others, earning the group 24 Top 40 singles and 18 Top 40 albums.

T

he Cherrytree Music Company and Live Nation have confirmed that Sting: My Songs will come to London for an exclusive run of limited shows at the iconic Palladium in September 2020, for his only UK shows scheduled of the year.

An artist renowned for performing in stadiums and arenas across the world, this series of concerts offers a rare opportunity to see the revered star in an intimate and celebrated venue. The all-girl grunge pop group, Cruel Hearts Club, have been

tapped as the support for these concerts.

Since launching in Paris on May 28th 2019, Sting’s ‘My Songs’ tour has been garnering rave reactions from fans and critics alike, and will take in a total of 113 shows across 27 different countries before arriving in London.

Sting says: “Having travelled the world with the My Songs tour, I’m delighted to bring it home to the UK later this year and to perform again at such a historic venue.”

See him live from 1719 September 2020 @ The London Palladium.

The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020 - Page 21

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“The Pursuit of Happyness” Author Delivers Powerful Message in Sharjah, UAE

By Delroy Constantine-Simms

C

hris Gardner is an entrepreneur, international bestselling author and award-winning film producer.

Gardner’s autobiography, The Pursuit of Happyness became a New York Times #1 best seller, has been translated into over forty languages, including six dialects of Chinese and Gardner is also the inspiration for the critically acclaimed film “The Pursuit of Happyness” for which Will Smith received the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award nominations for his performance.

Gardner’s second book, “Start Where You Are” also a best seller was published in 2009.

Chris is currently finishing his newest book “Happyness 2.0 The Blueprint” Furthermore, Gardner has recently won a Peabody Award for producing “And Still I Rise,” a documentary about the life of his dear friend and mentor Dr. Maya Angelou.

As part of the #Arabic Book Fair held in Sharjah to celebrate the World Book Capital, Chris Gardner, participated in a panel discussion on his career The session, which was moderated

by Richard Dean, dealt with Gardner's life story from his cruel childhood, his suffering as a single father who lived with his son homeless for more than a year, and the radical transformations in his life that sparked his spirit of challenge, leading to his bestselling book and his role as an inspiring international speaker.

Possessing the build of a body builder and the voice of a baritone singer, Gardner began his speech by expressing his delight at visiting Sharjah, which he described as a 'place of peace', recalling the atmosphere of his

book, which was transformed into a movie of the same name in 2006, and starred American actor Will Smith, "For me, it was important to have a certain degree of credibility in my story," Gardner said of why he devoted the most chapters to the story of his suffering and the difficult circumstances he faced during his career. "My friend, the late American writer and poet, Maya Angelo, told me:" I feel that this book does not talk about you alone, but it talks about all of us.

“When you have the courage to talk about the difficulties you have overcome, you are contributing to changing people's lives forever, although you will never meet many of them in your life, so I was determined to be honest through this book in every way.”

Gardner also says. ‘When I wake up, I look at the sky and say “Thank You God”.

Because whether the sky is blue or grey, to wake up and to be at this point in my life, where I can work and do what I love to do.

That’s an absolute blessing.’

In his second book, “Start Where You Are, Gardner echoes this sentiment when he says, ‘Whenever I’m asked what happiness is to me, my first answer is that it’s the ability to look at where I am in the moment, wherever I am, to remember where I came from and how far I’ve travelled, as a father, a friend, a contributing citizen of the world, and to be able to say, “What a beautiful life this is”, I’m so grateful to be here. More than anything, happiness is being able to appreciate everything When asked about why he spells Happyness with a Y. Gardner said, as struggling single parent, he saw the word ‘happiness’ misspelt as ‘happyness’ in his son’s daycare centre. “I saw that ‘y’ at a

l Chris Gardner, Delroy Constantine-Simms, and Akon

time… when I needed to smile.

It lightened the load and has ever since. The ‘y’ is also there to represent you and yours when it comes to defining and pursuing what it is in your terms, and what success, growth, fulfilment and enlightenment mean to you for this life — the only life you’ve got,’ In his first book, The Pursuit of Happyness, Gardner had shared lessons of self-empowerment, and how to beat the odds, his second book, Start Where You Are (2009), motivates others to claim

C-5 complex. ‘You’ve got to have Plan A and not a Plan B. I will point to three people who exemplify this idea — Michael Jordan won six NBA championship rings because he was committed to Plan A, not Plan B. Oprah Winfrey, the queen of media, has been committed to Plan A, and Barack Obama won two terms as the president of the US because he was committed to Plan A, not Plan B. If it worked for those people, and worked for me, it could work for you.

Gardner mentioned how the global financial crisis of 2008 changed the way the youth look at the world today. ‘You know my film The Pursuit of Happyness was released in December 2006. In January 2007, the US economy was going through a recession and spring 2008 was officially acknowledged as the beginning of the global financial crisis.

Gardner, solemnly states that “All the young people who went to college in 2008, saying “Yes We Can”, graduated in 2012, saying, “Wait a minute, what really happened? I did everything I was told to do. I went to school, I graduated and I got good grades. Now I have $100,000 as student loans debt and think I have no opportunity, and I have to move back with my parents hoping that they didn’t lose their house in the subprime

“The sun cannot come up sooner for you to want to do that thing you love.” - Gardner ownership of their dreams and achieve their full potential.

Gardner says his greatest achievement in life was being able to put a roof over his son’s head, a sentiment portrayed in the film.

He tells readers to begin wherever they are in life and capitalise on what they have in hand while building towards bigger goals and ambitions.

During the conversation, gave numerous nuggets of advice, while referencing book, which talks of having a Plan A with positivity, courage, tenacity, discipline and common sense. ‘This is what worked for me, a commitment to plan A, says Gardner, who talks about what a plan should contain.

Gardner emphasised the importance of having plan that must be clear, concise, compelling, consistent and committed or what he calls the

fiasco”.

“Now when I talk to their younger brothers and sisters, they have seen how things did not work out for their older siblings.

The world has forced them to look at things very differently and they are more focused on not having but being and becoming.

This is a whole different mindset we are dealing with, but Gardner emphasises that the greatest gift is the permission to dream.

I tell people that you can be

anything you want. Money is important but never confuse your net worth with your self-worth.’

His parting thoughts are simple.

‘You got to do what you are truly passionate about. It can’t just be about I want to make money.

Everyone wants to make money. It has to be the thing that gets you up in the morning, and the sun cannot come up sooner for you to want to do that thing you love.”

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Get Ready To BLAST OFF! W Tour.

e caught up with Shaggy ahead of his appearance in the Blast Off!

The Blast Off! Tour kicks off at the end of February – are you excited to be heading back on the road?

Yeah! I’ve literally just got back off the road with UB40 in North America so this is a perfect time to be hitting the UK and Ireland!

It’s a great line up also, and as soon as I looked at the line up I said, ‘yeah, I definitely wanna go!’ It’s a line up of great hits.

Nelly, Salt N Pepa, Blu Cantrell – are you excited to have some of the biggest names of the 90’s & 00’s joining you on the tour?

It’s going to be good vibes!

I’ve done a couple of shows with Nelly on several occasions back when he was just coming out so we did the circuit together.

Recently, I think the last shows we did together were in Canada, a couple of dates there.

I just think with the amount of amazing records these guys have got, we’ve got Salt N Pepa, Blu Cantrell. I’m sure there will be a lot of guests coming in and out, it’s just going to be a really, really good night!

If you had to pick one other artist from the line up, who do you think will be the most fun to hit the road with?

I mean, any one of them! I think Mya will be cool in the sense that she’s being doing a lot of dancehall and reggae as of lately, even from before she’s done records with Beenie Man and people like that… but they’re all great!

Your music career has spanned close to three decades, what do you find is your biggest motivation to keep making music and keep performing?

I just do music because I’m really not good at anything else! Honestly, you don’t want to see me kick a ball.

Trust me, it aint pretty!

I’ve a knack for writing great melodies and obviously we did the Sting album, we won a Grammy, three years before that we did ‘Need Your Love’ which was a Top 5 single in America, which made me happy.

I’m still writing songs that have relevancy within Dancehall, and I write for other people also. It’s just a hobby for me, music for me is just like air after a while, and it’s just kind what I do!

I don’t have any aspirations to be any mogul or have riches – I just want to play music and be happy, that’s it.

Throughout your career, you’ve always given back to your hometown community in Jamaica and charity has always been close to your heart – how important do you think it is to give back?

For me, coming from humble beginnings to now being at this level - I played for the Queen’s birthday the other day - when you’re sitting around and

dining with kings and queens, from a little kid that came from Jamaica, it’s humbling.

After a while, you realise just how very fortunate you are and I don’t think that was given to me just so I could walk around drinking, partying, and banging chicks, it had to be something greater.

I have to use this platform I have to bring people together to do something amazing. Starting up a hospital for children was what I chose to go behind because it was the only one in the English-speaking Caribbean and I realised for a hospital like that, it would mostly be children and they would be serving in a neighbourhood of about 400500 people a day and those are huge numbers for such a small hospital.

I had the ability to get sponsorship and pull people together and create these massive concerts, we made a lot of money for them.

We were able to build their cardiac wing, and were very instrumental in the building of the CAT lab, and all the equipment. I was in Jamaica just two days ago where we turned over $100,000,000 to Jamaica.

We continue doing stuff like that.

I’m also a brand ambassador for Food For The Poor, which is the 5th largest charity in the US. I do a lot of work with Home Base, which is a charity for the military to combat invisible wounds.

It’s good to be in that position where you can put your celebrity towards something like that. I also do work with Chain Of Hope who do cardiac operations for little babies in third world countries.

After a while, especially where I’m at right now where I’ve done all the partying, it’s time to do something.

The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020 - Page 23

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Get a Tantalising scandalous Look Behind The Scenes with SAHAI MARTINI

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n this sparkling, contemporary debut, Yvonne Brissett takes us on the fresh, vibrant, edgy journey, of a young woman looking for love in all the wrong places.

Single, sexy, Sahai Martini is a natural born flirt and bona fide gold digger.

This scandalous chick is determined to enjoy a life of luxury at some wealthy man's expense.

As a television producer for a struggling urban entertainment station, she is under pressure to come up with an original idea to restore ratings, save the station and possibly her job.

Combining her gold digger interests with her love of urban music, she creates a killer idea for a hot new reality dating show, but is her personal life quite as thrilling?

Can she find Mr Right or will her outrageous ways get the better of her?

ENTERTAINMENT

Over £6,000 raised for Birmingham Children’s Hospital by FedEx Express Team members FedEx Express team members presented a cheque worth £6,172,00 to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity following fundraising efforts by their operational teams in Lount, Kingsbury and Atherstone.

The teams came together to deliver a series of fundraising activities,

as well as collecting arts and crafts materials to make the hospital a happier and brighter place for children.

The money will play a key part in the ongoing work done by the hospital in saving and improving lives of sick children by paying for new resources and raising awareness of the hospital and its charity.

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp and the world’s largest express transportation company has set out to positively impact 50 million people by its 50th anniversary in 2023 as part of FedEx Cares, the companies way of giving back to the communities that their team members live and work in.

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How about Something A Little Out Of The Ordinary...

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irmingham Museum & Art Gallery is offering the perfect setting for lovebirds to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special after-hours dinner.

Within the walls of the museum, on Friday 14 February, couples can enjoy a romantic fourcourse meal in the spectacular surroundings of the Industrial Gallery, with its impressive Victorian architecture and ornate

steel work and glass ceiling.

This is a unique opportunity to visit the museum in the evening and enjoy a bespoke menu cooked by Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s expert chef team.

A choice of dishes includes Sicilian arancini with arrabbiata sauce, prawn cocktail, pork belly bites or baked camembert to share, as a starter. For the main there is a choice of rump of lamb, loin of cod, cauliflower steak, roast chicken, or Chateaubriand

to share. The dessert selection will tempt diners for more, with a sharing board of regional cheeses, savoury biscuits and chutneys, or for those with a sweeter tooth there’s the choice of sticky toffee pudding, trio of cheesecakes or pavlova.

To make the experience even more special, local guitarist and singer-songwriter Robert Lane will be serenading diners with live music throughout the evening.

Wine and Dine Your Loved One...

Without breaking the bank!

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upermarket Aldi is proving it’s The One this February for a cosy, not costly, Valentine’s Day night-in, offering the cheapest Valentine’s meal deal in the UK, coming in at just under £10 (or £4.83 each) for a starter, main, side and dessert.

Aldi is giving all the quality for a tiny fraction of the cost – but you’ll have to be quick because once they’re gone, they’re gone!

The cheapest meal deal in the country starts with a Specially Selected Sharing Bread with Camembert - this caramelised red onion and garlic flavoured bread is served with French dipping camembert. Move onto the Salmon Fillets with Heart Shaped Butter accompanied

by a side of Specially Selected Barbers Cheddar Mash Potato for a comfort meal to love. If you’ve got room for dessert, Aldi has you covered with Mini Heart Shaped Pancakes. These cute little heart shaped fluffy pancakes are ones to savour with your other half or steal from their plate when they’re not looking, perfect for dipping whether you enjoy them hot or cold. With these choices coming in at just under £10, there’s no reason not to treat yourself!

But that’s not all Aldi has on offer for Valentine’s Day. Other options guaranteeing a feast fit for royalty, include the Specially Selected King Prawn and Scallops Starter, and 21Day Matured Sirloin Steak with Pink Peppercorn Butter cooked

to perfection in lightly seasoned peppercorn butter.

And with the cheapest dozen of roses in the entire country this romantic season with their Dozen Sweetheart Roses, priced at just £1.99.

A bunch of 12 timeless stems is the perfect gift to dazzle your partner, giving a classic and touching gift to brighten up their Valentine’s Day this year.

The delicate blooms will capture your loved ones heart, but definitely not your wallet!

Don’t let these menus pass you by this Valentine’s Day, catch them in-store from 11th February but once they’re gone, they’re gone!

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The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020 - Page 25

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BRB Celebrates Valentine’s With A Romantic Flourish

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irmingham Royal Ballet and its internationally a c c l a i m e d orchestra, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted by Paul Murphy, Principal Conductor of Birmingham Royal Ballet, present an exquisite evening of romance with A Valentine’s Celebration of Music and Dance this February.

Set Pulses Racing This Valentine’s Day

B

ored of the sameold Valentine’s gifts? Are you frantically googling ‘alternative Valentine’s Day gift ideas’?

Why not be imaginative for 2020, ditch the go-to chocolates and roses, and try creepy-crawlies and racing heartbeats instead?

Brought to life by TV presenter and all-round adrenaline seeker, Bear Grylls, the attraction is home to 10 nerve-wracking and thrill-seeking indoor and outdoor activities that will certainly get adrenaline pumping.

For those looking for an alternative Valentine’s ideas, The Bear Grylls Adventure

is here to fix your dating dilemma! Copy cupid and try your hand at Indoor Archery, training with our experts, learning the ropes and trying your best to hit the target– it’s fair to say there won’t just be sparks flying.

Competitive couples can go head-to-head with their partner to see who’s master of the bow and arrow, and the sharpest shooter might just score themselves another date – bullseye!

If you’d prefer to stay closer to one another on your Valentine’s date, why not try facing your fears in the our nerve-wracking FearZone, which will have you clinging on to the one you love and bring you even closer

together.

If you’re infatuated by the sound of The Bear Grylls Adventure, we’re feeling the love in the air too, and offering a 50% discount off the Indoor Archery and FearZone activities* as part of our February deals.

Don’t forget, if instead you’re celebrating with the girls this ‘Galentine’s Day’, why not grab your best gal pals and save whilst you adventure with our Group Saver ticket?

For go-getter groups of 15 or more, book with our Adventure Planners directly to design your bespoke day out for some ‘best friends’ fun.

Birmingham Royal Ballet Director Carlos Acosta will introduce the company from the stage of Birmingham’s magnificent Symphony Hall on Friday 14 February 2020, and on Saturday 15 February 2020 the company and Royal Ballet Sinfonia will perform for the first time at Warwick Arts Centre.

Birmingham Royal Ballet offers an elegant pairing of music and dance over this year’s Valentine’s weekend; a perfect matchmaking of its world-class dancers performing sumptuous pas de deux from the romantic classical canon, including Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote and a world premiere of choreography by First Soloist Kit Holder, along with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Britain’s most prolific ballet orchestra, performing stunning orchestral highlights from Puccini, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky.

Valentine’s Day will mark Carlos Acosta’s first public

appearance as Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director, as he takes to the stage at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall in conversation with the night’s compere, BBC One’s Midlands Today Presenter, Nick Owen (Good Morning with Anne and Nick).

Birmingham Royal Ballet will visit Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre for the first time, with A Valentine’s Celebration of Music and Dance on

Saturday 15 February. This second night of performances will be compered by Dr Ranj Singh, This Morning Doctor in Residence (and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant), who previously presented a live broadcast from Birmingham Royal Ballet as part of BBC Arts and One Dance UK’s #DancePassion festival in April last year.

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Birmingham Cathedral Choir makes music pilgrimage to Scotland Staff and musicians from Birmingham Cathedral will be heading to Scotland as part of the cathedral’s ‘Year of Pilgrimage’ programme of events.

The 26-strong group comprising of choristers, lay clerks and choral scholars will tour Edinburgh, Dunfermline and Dunblane over five days.

The choirs will perform at Dunblane Cathedral, Dunfermline Abbey and St Cuthbert’s Church in Edinburgh before finishing at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.

Music will be directed by Birmingham Cathedral’s Head of Music David Hardie and include pieces by Handel, Allegri, Bairstow, Brahms, Bruckner, Grieg, Haydn, Holst and Mozart.

Assistant Head of Music Ashley Wagner will accompany on the organ.

The group will take in the local sights during their tour including Stirling Castle and The Edinburgh Dungeons.

Anna Pitt, Chief Executive at Birmingham Cathedral, said: "I’m delighted that Birmingham

Cathedral is kicking of the ‘Year of Pilgrimage’ with our Cathedral Choirs touring in Scotland.

“The tour is a fantastic opportunity for our choristers, and forms part of the whole educational and developmental experience that life as a Cathedral chorister offers.

“Taking our worship and our music to a whole new community is a great way to begin what is set to be a busy and exciting year not just for Birmingham but for all English Cathedrals.”

Full casting announced for Tartuffe at Birmingham REP F

ull casting is announced for Tartuffe, which opens at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 20 March.

Originally directed by Birmingham-born Iqbal Khan for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 2018, this celebrated version of Moliere’s classic comedy by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto (The Office, Goodness Gracious Me, The Kumars at No. 42) is revived

by The REP for a Brummie audience.

Set in a Pakistani-Muslim community in Birmingham, Tartuffe tells the story of charismatic chameleon and con man, Tahir Taufiq Arsuf, a religious leader for the 21st Century armed with a Twitter handle and the gift of the gab.

Returning to play the title role (or Tahir Taufiq Arsuf as he is known in this production) is Asif Khan. Asif’s theatre credits include A Kind of People (Royal

Court), The Hypocrite (RSC) and Queen of the Nile (Hull Truck). His TV credits include Diana & I (BBC) and Spooks (Series 10).

The cast also includes Raj Bajaj (Damee Pervaiz) and Simon Nagra (Imran Pervaiz) who both return to the production having been part of the show when it opened at the RSC. New to the production is Anshula Bain (Mariam Pervaiz), Elizabeth Cadwallader (DCI Sarah Wells / Pippa), Natalia Campbell (Amira Pervaiz), Natalie Grady (Darina, the Pervaiz’s cleaner), Clive Hayward (Khalil), Qasim Mahmood (Waqaas), Sakuntala Ramanee (Dadimaa Pervaiz) and Lloyd Thomas (Usman).

Musicians Joelle Barker and Pete Yelding also join the production.

Director, Iqbal Khan, said: “I am excited to be revisiting Tartuffe and bringing it home to the city in which it is set following its successful run in the Swan Theatre at the RSC. I’m a Brummie and born into a Pakistani-Islamic family so the production has always felt like a very personal journey to undertake. I can’t wait to see it on stage at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.”

Tartuffe is designed by Bretta Gerecke with lighting design

by Richard Howell. Music for the production it composed by Sarah Sayeed with sound by Jeremy Dunn and movement by Shelley Maxwell.

Tartuffe is at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 20 March – 4 April.

@PhoenixNewsUK

ENTER-

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The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020 - Page 27

ENTERTAINMENT

Not Again, Alan!

BRAND NEW UK TOUR COMES TO BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

I

t's been four years since Alan last went on tour, and in that time he's managed to find himself in all sorts of dramas.

Between his star-studded wedding day and becoming an accidental anarchist, from fearing for his life at border control to becoming a reluctant farmer, three words spring to mind…Not again, Alan!

Join Alan at Birmingham Hippodrome on Thursday 5 & Friday 6 November 2020 as he muses upon the things that make his life weird and wonderful.

Tickets go on sale to Birmingham Hippodrome Friends and Patron scheme members from 10am on Tuesday 28 January and go on general sale at 10am on

Wednesday 29 January.

From September 2020, multi-award winning Alan will be performing at 57 of the UK’s finest theatres, tickets are expected to sell out fast so don't miss the chance to get up close and personal with one of the country's most funniest, cherished and unique comedians at the very top of his game.

Not Again, Alan! is Alan’s fourth UK solo tour. Previous sold-out tours include Tooth Fairy (2007), Spexy Beast (2011) and Yap, Yap, Yap! in 2015 – all of which went on to become top selling DVD releases.

Alan can also regularly be heard on BBC Radio 2 where he presents numerous shows thoughout the year with co-host Mel Sykes.

Later this year, Alan will be back

on our television screens as host of ITV’s Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow.

The series will see five of the country’s all-time favourite game shows supersized and reinvigorated for a brand new audience.

The five legendary formats getting the big scale treatment are: Play Your Cards Right, Take Your Pick, Strike It Lucky, Bullseye, and The Price is Right.

Also in 2020, Alan will be returning as a judge on the highly anticipated second series of the BBC’s RuPaul’s DragRace UK. Alan Carr – Not Again, Alan! comes to Birmingham Hippodrome on Thursday 5 & Friday 6 November 2020.

thephoenixnewspaper.com

Page 28 - The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

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Stay Woke

L

Interviews

ondon, the capital of the UK. Our epicentre has given rise to some of the most influential, iconic, most talented music artists in the world.

A hub for fashion, culture, and finance amongst other things, London has a rich history as a birthplace of artists. With all these contributing factors, it’s no surprise London has a high artist turnover.

Franchescia Veronica Byam, AKA, ‘Frankie Staywoke’ hails from London, a Fierce MC who knows what to do with a microphone.

Heavily influenced by spirituality, her music in her own words is "raw, relatable, honest and healing". She transfers what she has learnt to be free on a track.

Her musical career commenced way back in 2010, when she got signed to independent label as a singer.

She was a fragment of a larger group of two other artists.

Spending a year in the studio recording songs and ameliorating their sound, the group swiftly started making waves inside the music industry.

Unfortunately for the group, it started falling apart when one member abruptly departed.

This, in turn, created a domino effect on the rest of the group with it quickly disintegrating.

This took Frankie back to square one, causing her to follow suit.

This, understandably, put her off music for a while.

During her down time from music, Frankie took up modelling.

With her new found career doing splendidly, modelling quickly loomed over any sort of music career for her.

Progressing in mind and soul, Frankie decided to give up the modelling game and track back to music.

"I soon after took up modelling which quickly overshadowed any sort music career.

“I did really well and became somewhat known in the underground fashion world, I thought I would be doing that profession forever!

“But it lasted five or six years before I decided to hang up my heels. I had started to evolve

and change in ways I didn't quite understand, this caused me to lose passion for certain hobbies and interests".

Frankie discovered she was good with words, realising she had the capacity to Rap/MC. She quickly made the dive back into music feet first.

Using Instagram as a platform to project her music back out to the public, she would write verses or whole songs that she’d record on mobile devices.

She gained a lot of attention fast, catching the attention of the right people, her music career took off rapidly.

"Music makes me feel at home, like somewhat of a safe haven. I've always used music as a comfort or relaxation method.

It gets me through rough times, bad moods and happy occasions, I believe everything is better with music. Music is my first love!"

Amongst the attention, the ‘Girls of Grime’ group for female artists were taking note, with them taking Frankie under their wing.

Frankie got introduced to other female artists within the grime scene. Both experienced and fresh, this was a good way for Frankie to network.

Being in and around the scene, opportunities were created organically for the group. Radio sets, interviews and shows came thick and fast, this was just the thing Frankie needed. " I was thrown in at the deep end, somehow, I swam".

With the networking doing its job, Frankie featured on many projects like `Shell’ by Sharon Rose (shouts to Sharon) which included many different artists who featured on GRM Daily.

Back to present day, Frankie is now a part of the infamous, Female Allstars. The group is made up of most of the artists connected to `Girls Of Grime’, the group Frankie was a part of before.

A particular track that made waves in the scene was `The Switch Up’. This featured on SBTV and has gained over 32K views. Initially 13 MCs featured on the track, the collective was whittled down to just 6.

All the Female Allstars are individual artists in their own right. All having solo success, but

still being part of the collective.

"I released a song with `TenDixon’ in October 2019 called `Stay Woke’ which has done great, I’m currently putting an EP together which I hope to drop in early 2020!”

"Right now I am focusing on building up my catalogue of music so I have plenty to release in the near future, while also collating and creating music with other artists any chance I get".

With this in mind, Frankie, would like to take her passion to the big stage. “To be honest, after witnessing my journey over the past two years, I believe absolutely anything can happen".

"I’d like to be on stage headlining shows, but it would be sick to headline my own show!"

Her dream artists to work with are Billie Eilish, Jhene Aiko, J Cole, Eminem and Skepta just to name a few (so if you’re reading lads and lasses...).

Frankie’s personal goals are to be a better version of herself (something a lot of us can relate to).

“To become the best version of me both as a person and artist, to impact others in a positive or healing way, on a wide scale through my music because that's the comfort I found growing up”.

“I believe there is always someone out there who is in need of some guidance or hearing someone else's story, whether you know it or not."

Concurrently, Frankie is building up her catalogue, with plenty to release in the near future, with various collaborations and features in the pipeline, Frankie is definitely an artist to follow, and keep your eyes on!

Anything you’d like to add?

“Go check out my new single `Fight Night` on Spotify and Apple Music and keep an eye on my EP dropping this year!”

- Twitter: @FStaywoke - Instagram: frankie_staywoke - Spotify : Frankie StayWoke

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

The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020 - Page 29

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T

he pinnacle of Honda’s sports car offering, the threemotor hybrid NSX supercar, also gets an update for 2020.

The car will be available in a new ‘Indy Yellow Pearl II’ paint finish. This colour heritage was previously used on the original iconic NSX and S2000 models in Europe.

Created to bring a ‘New Sports eXperience’ to the supercar segment, the NSX is the ultimate representation of Honda performance.

Respecting the core characteristics and differentiators of the original NSX, the current generation Honda NSX pursues an altogether new and revolutionary idea for Honda supercar performance.

The twenty-first century ‘human-centred supercar’ marries timeless sports car values with next-generation advanced sports hybrid power technologies.

Iconic paintwork option now available for NSX in 2020

Taulupe Faletau Kicks Off Motorpoint Conversion Challenge

Welsh rugby star Taulupe Faletau helped launch Motorpoint’s Conversion Challenge in Newport.

The UK’s largest independent car retailer, which is based next to the Newport Retail Park in the city, is celebrating the imminent arrival of the Guinness Six Nations at the start of February by giving rugby fans the unique opportunity to put their kicking skills to test and win a trip to see England v Wales at Twickenham in March.

And 29 year-old Taulupe, who plays back row for Bath in the Gallagher Premiership, put on his kicking boots to demonstrate how to kick over the posts in the Motorpoint-branded kicking cage in order to be in with a chance of winning the prize.

Chris Brown, General Manager of Motorpoint Newport, explained: “We’re big rugby fans at Motorpoint and are extremely grateful to Taulupe for taking time out from training to help get our Conversion Challenge underway in Newport.

“Not only does the Conversion Challenge promise to be lots of fun but it provides a unique opportunity for one lucky rugby fan to cheer on the Welsh team at Twickenham this spring in the Guinness Six Nations.”

MOTORS

l Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR

CES 2020 – Covering The Spectrum Of What’s Next

T

he show “floor” at CES continues to expand and evolve, gobbling up greater and greater stretches of the city of Las Vegas.

Likewise, the tenor of the event itself also continued to evolve in 2020.

While major manufacturers like Intel pulled out of the show, a new generation of smaller, fresher brands stepped in to keep the show as dramatically chaotic as ever.

Chaotic could definitely describe 2020’s automotive offerings. Centered around the North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, as per usual, many major manufacturers like Ford, Audi, and MercedesBenz chose to have a presence at this year’s show, displaying everything from near-term aftermarket upgrades and stereo equipment to fanciful show cars the likes of which most manufacturers swore off years ago. Even Lamborghini had a

presence at this year’s show.

At the forefront was Mercedes-Benz, which showed off the Vision AVTR concept.

The name is a strong nod to the Avatar film, currently the highest grossing movie of all time with 2.8 billion earned worldwide.

The first of its many planned sequels is still a few years off, but to stay ahead of the curve, Mercedes partnered with James Cameron to create a concept “inspired” by the films.

How so? Well, this is a car supposedly able to read your biometric information, like your heart rate, in a way conceptually similar to how the steeds in Avatar interface with their Na’vi riders in the films.

That’s fun in theory, but far more significant are the sustainability aspects of the vehicle, including a fully recyclable interior and a battery free of heavy metals that’s said to be compostable.

thephoenixnewspaper.com

Page 30 - The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020

ENTERTAINMENT MOTORS

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Bentley Celebrates Iconic Mulsanne And Legendary Engine With Unique Final ‘6.75 Edition’

B

entley has today announced a final edition version of its flagship Mulsanne, the peerless luxury limousine.

The exquisite Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner will be restricted to just 30 unique examples, representing a fitting send-off for a masterpiece of British automotive engineering and craftsmanship.

The car is inspired by – and takes its name from - the legendary 6¾-litre engine, which this year celebrates its 60th year in continuous production.

With the Mulsanne completing production once the thirty 6.75 Edition cars are built, the allnew Flying Spur will become Bentley’s flagship model, as the pinnacle of Bentley’s exquisite range of luxurious cars.

With the Flying Spur to receive a hybrid powertrain by 2023, the move symbolises Bentley’s commitment to change and its journey to define the future of sustainable luxury mobility.

The world’s most sought-after luxury car brand has already taken its first step on the road towards

electrification with the launch of the Bentayga Hybrid - the luxury SUV sector’s first, true plugin hybrid and the most efficient Bentley ever.

Chris Craft, Member of the Board, Sales, Marketing and Aftersales at Bentley Motors, comments: “The Mulsanne has played a pivotal role in maintaining Bentley’s position as global leader of the luxury limousine segment.

“The flagship of our model range, its longevity is a testament to our ongoing commitment to hand-building the finest motor cars in the world. The new Mulsanne 6.75 Edition is the culmination of that achievement.

“While production of the Mulsanne will end in Spring 2020, this decision has been taken at a time when we are experiencing significant customer demand across our other existing model lines.

“As such, we will be redeploying all of our manufacturing colleagues who currently work on the Mulsanne to other areas of the business.”

Glamorous Aston Martins To Launch Beaulieu’s 2020 Simply Season

S

imply Aston Martin will begin Beaulieu’s 2020 Simply season with a glamorous gathering of over 300 British sports cars on Sunday 5th April.

The event in the grounds of the National Motor Museum will return in the year of three Aston anniversaries; as 2020 marks 70 years of the successful DB2, 15 years of the revitalised V8 Vantage and 10 years of the fourdoor Rapide.

A special display area is being set aside for the highperformance V8 Vantage of 2005, which heralded a new era for the familiar model.

Also welcome to join the display of enthusiasts’ cars is the formidable DB2 performance car that put Aston Martin on the map, as well as the Rapide which followed in the prestigious footsteps of the landmark Aston Martin Lagonda saloon of the 1970s and 1980s.

Always a favourite with fans, the unmissable Simply Aston Martin gathering is open to every age and variety of the marque.

All are invited, from stunning showroom examples and soughtafter modern classics to rare and iconic models from its prestigious past.

Members of the Aston Martin Owners Club will also turn out in force.

Throughout the day, eventgoers can vote for their favourite

Aston Martin of the show in the People’s Choice Award, with the winner receiving a Beaulieu trophy.

Event-goers can head inside the National Motor Museum to see the 1922 Aston Martin 1.5-litre Strasbourg, one of just two built in the early days of the company to take part in the 1922 French Grand Prix.

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The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020 - Page 31

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ENTERTAINMENT

RuPaul sashays into the UK with the best in the world of drag

By Mandip Singh Taunque

give thanks back to the amazing fans for their support, and there couldn’t be a better way to do it then at DragCon UK.” There were children and adults of all ages and colours.

A conscious decision by RuPaul and the team behind the event was to be as inclusive as possible. The sold-out event had something for everyone. Some of the many highlights included: • An Exclusive performance from RuPaul’sDrag Race UK winner The Vivienne kicking off DragCon UK.

live taping.

• The hugely popular Kids he first ever RuPaul’s Zone, an interactive fully DragCon UK dedicated space for children, took place on 18th was a hit attraction for families, and 19th January and included Drag Queen Story 2020 at London Olympia in Time, arts and crafts, a bounce Kensington. Drag Race host house, crown making, and much and Emmy ® Award-winner more! The Kids Fashion Show RuPaul ceremoniously cut also took place and saw children the pink ribbon, surrounded of all ages vogueing, strutting

by Drag Race judge Michelle and being their best self.

Visage and Queens including • RuPaul and co-stars Jujubee The Vivienne, Baga Chipz, and Trinity The Tuck spilling Bob The Drag Queen, Blu the tea about life on the set of Hydrangea and Trinity the Netflix’s most glamorous new Tuck, to officially open the series, AJ and the Queen. weekend of family• In a RuTalks special, friendly pop culture and RuPaul sat down for a drag. chat with 80s pop icons RuPaul said: “DragCon Bananarama where he has always been a safe publicly invited the girls to space where people can be on RuPaul’s Drag Race discover and bring to life in the near future their true and unique-self This event helped to and I am honoured to have promote equality, diversity hosted this in the UK for and togetherness. Nearly this first time. Thank you every queen I met had a to everyone involved for story to tell. Many of these making DragCon UK queens have triumphed a home for all this past over adversity and have weekend.” used the art of drag to The weekend inspire others. extravaganza, created Their stories of love,

by RuPaul and World hope, forgiveness and of Wonder Productions, positivity have brought so included the famous Queens much light and joy into the Walk, which saw visitors l RuPaul’s Drag Race series 2 legend lives of others. cheer on the arrival of the Jujubee with Mandip Taunque RuPaul’s Drag Race has Queens from RuPaul’s Drag paved the way for so many Race, who made their grand • There were performances drag queens on both sides of entrance by strutting down the across the weekend from Baga the Atlantic for global success. pink carpet at London Olympia.

Chipz, Denique, Donna Trump, They have shown that drag is no “The reception given from Drag Syndrome, India Ferrah, gimmick. everyone here at DragCon UK Poppycock, Scaredy Kat, It is an art form and queens has once again made us realise Happyness, Serena Chacha, must possess four qualities how fortunate we are to be a Shea Coulee, Sum Ting that inspire us all – charisma, part of this ever-evolving and Wong, The Frock Destroyers, uniqueness, nerve and talent. growing community” said World Vinegar Strokes and Virgin What a mantra to live by! of Wonder’s Fenton Bailey.

Xtravaganzah, as well as a guest With thousands of people Drag Race UK’s first ever performance from former S Club attending DragCon UK, it is winner The Vivienne said of 7 star Tina Barrett. inevitable that RuPaul and the DragCon UK “Drag Race is • One of the biggest attractions drag queens will return for many now owned by the UK, it's ours was RuPaul taking to the decks years to come – long may they now, sorry USA! And all of us to DJ a midday dance party for reign.

Queens have had the most fun all attendees.

If you have an event you think at DragCon UK celebrating and • Bob The Drag Queen and our readers might be interested showing off what the Brits can Monet X Change brought their in, please contact me at mandip. do. hit podcast Sibling Rivalry to taunque@thephoenixnewspaper.

It’s a complete joy to be able to DragCon UK for an exclusive com

T

l RuPaul Charles hosts the ribbon cutting with Michelle Visage and the Queens at RuPaul’s DragCon UK presented by World of Wonder at Olympia, London. Photo Credit: World Of Wonder/Getty

l RuPaul hits the main stage in front of thousands of screaming fans for exclusive DJ sets. Photo Credit: World Of Wonder/Getty

thephoenixnewspaper.com

Page 32 - The Phoenix Newspaper - February 2020

ENTERTAINMENT BIG DAVE’S SAFE PAGE

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Building Safe and Positive Relationships, While Bringing Communities Together

B

ig Dave’s buddies is a huge challenge waiting to become a solution.

It will show the impact and strength of social capital and help to break the negative issues young people face in their daily lives.

What is needed to accelerate this unique , innovative program and to organically grow this social community idea is a funding package that enables Big Dave’s buddies to establish and flourish, utilising a flow of social funding that would be available for this bespoke young persons program.

As a CIC we can become more resilient in our delivery and be able to maintain and create additional social impact on the community.

To feed and nurture these exciting concepts, the program has to be truly ambitious having innovation and enterprise, the engine that drives this project forward in a competitive, global culture .

By putting young people first , working together as a team , as partners , but most importantly as friends - Big Dave’s buddies can make this happen .

Young people for whatever reason are finding life harder.

The buddy program will help to address some of these social issues as the core principle will be based on respect , respect for themselves and each other.

Well publicised statistics show that

Headteachers Comments

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our young people are increasingly prone to anti-social behaviour, youth crime, drug abuse, learning difficulties, obesity and depression.

These problems and other difficulties such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and SEMH (social emotional and mental health), all of which are increasing negative behaviour in schools and colleges and the number of NEETS (not in education, employment or training) .

Theresa May quoted “We must turn this system on it’s head. There is no magical Whitehall lever we can pull to stop anti-social behaviour.

No magic button to press or tap to turn , to stop the flow of misery.

“The solution to your communities problems will not from officials sitting in the Home Office working in the Governments latest action plan.

“We the Government will put the power into the hands of our citizens and put our trust in them.”

After many years of dedication and vision from Dave Gauder (Big Dave), the buddy scheme is now a reality.

Big Dave’s CIC - a not for profit company, run by volunteers who share Dave’s vision and passion of improving community cohesion in some of the most challenging areas of the country, is making it possible for young people to play a

positive and active role in providing cohesion for their community.

The program has a long way to go , but building on the success so far, it aims to grow the services/support it can provide through organic growth, external funding and working with partners who share its vision........ everything is possible.

The buddy program will offer support to enable youngsters to develop individual skills, thus strengthening the coping strategies required to deal with issues influencing their daily choices in an interactive society.

The message delivered is to think before you act.

e have been fortunate enough to partner up with 'Big Dave' Gauder to start a new initiative around wellbeing and supporting each other.

Dave has been into school twice now and has shared his own background as holder of 26 strength records in the Guiness Book Of Records and is well known for the pulling and lifting events that he has taken part in.

He has worked on various projects encouraging the building of cross-community relationships and his new

project will encourage pupils to become Big Dave's Buddies, working with others, supporting and upholding each other and focussing on growing a brighter guture for all.

It was also wonderful to be able to welcome Year 5 pupils from our sister school, Ark Kings Academy in Kings Norton, and for our pupils to have an opportunity to get to know children from a very different area of Birmingham.

We look forward to haveing the opportunity to continue to build links with them through the programme.

Big Dave’s 7 Pillars of Strength

T

he human mind is the highest level of strength which is why these are Big Dave's 7 PILLARS of Strength.

1) Moral Strength 2) Spiritual Strength 3) Emotional Strength 4) Physical Strength 5) Mental Strength 6) Functional Strength 7) Aspirational Strength

The lesson plans will incorporate all of these modules over the Term Period.

Incorporating physical and on line visits to all schools involved in the project.

This innovative Project will be a behavioural tool and an early Intervention Platform that will benefit all concerned especially with the formulation of Big Dave's Buddies and

have one common goal.

Building Safe Positive Relationships, bringing communities together, Keeping Safe, Respect for Themselves, & Others, Parents, Teachers, and Police, learning self awareness, mindfulness, talking about themselves and others, with exercise & nutrition also playing a part This will lead to a Community Awareness Qualification in citizenship aligned with the school curriculum P.H.S.E. Study Ensuring to help children develop the knowledge and understanding of the Social Skills on various issues they may encounter now and in the future.

Together We’re Stronger Respect Confidence And Inner Strength.