BLACK OWNED WELSH BUSINESSES

SHINING A LIGHT ON BLACK OWNED WELSH BRANDS

We celebrate Black History Month by highlighting black owned businesses in South Wales, From mental wellbeing to Caribbean classics, we shine a light on these local brands.

Bernie Davies Global Ltd

After years as a property Lawyer turned Business Strategist and restaurateur, Bernie Davies launched Bernie Davies Global in response to the 2020 pandemic. The “overnight” plight businesses faced was relevance, diminished visibility and restricted access to Clients. Davies helps businesses establish relevance, gain credible visibility, harness their uniqueness and utilise clever strategies to catapult to a global platform as a sought after expert and gain financial freedom!

Bernie Davies, Intl Master Coach, TEDx Speaker, Publisher, Bestselling Author www.berniedavies.com LINNY D H Fitness

Linford Daniel Harris became a Personal Trainer in 2016 and has since grown his brand via Instagram by showcasing hardcore fitness videos and specializing in Functional Fitness. Functional Training focuses on using equipment such as kettle bells, freeweights and other plyometric exercises in an attempt to condition the body in an un-stable environment. He also continues to educate himself on other fitness techniques by training with specialized trainers, such as boxer Steve Robison, practicing Muay Thai with George Wintle and military style fitness classes with Mark Devine.

To start your fitness journey, contact

Linford on Instagram @linnydh_fit.

Paula Burns

Paula Burns is a multi award winning Wedding Planner and venue stylist. She specilises in a personalised service, which stems from a blend of over 20 years corporate experience and a natural creative flare. Paula has been planning weddings and events for 17 years, helping couples create their dream wedding day by expressing who they are, while also injecting fun into the process. Her services include a range of online support which can be accessed in real time or downloaded. Paula loves nothing better then the opportunity to really connect with her clients - whether that is online or in person.

www.paulaburns.net

BE.Xcellence

BE.Xcellence stands for, Black and ethnic excellence. The organisational aim is to contribute to raising the representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in positions of power, by using a collaborative multi-layered approach. The aim is for their unique and integrated programmes to become a catalyst in galvanising inclusion and social mobility through knowledge acquisition and intellectual self-realisation. BE.Xcellence is direct affirmative action, in education, businesses, law, media STEM and politics. A diversity of voices speaking for a diverse society.

www.communitylawproject.com/be_xcellence-cic Ambassadora

Facilitating international commerce, communication and universal understanding, Author and Entrepreneur Jessica Dunrod is multilingual translator, specialising in Fashion and Legal translation. The Director of the most innovative translation firms in the UK Ambassadora Translations & Language Solutions Ltd which covers all major languages, to establish and protect brands and businesses in international markets by translating everything from their websites, product packaging and digital content to legal documents and instruction manuals. Additional Ambassadora services include subtitles, dubbing/voiceover, international market research and representation.

Jessica is currently co-authoring a series of Welsh History school textbooks in collaboration with renowned Welsh Historian and Black History Professor Abu-Bakr Madden Al-Shabazz! www. ambassadora.co.uk

Joy Transformation Coaching

Transformation doesn’t have to be a painful process. You can experience the joy on your path to transforming your life. The founder, Joy Ogeh-Hutfield, is a multi-award-winning transformation coach, author & speaker. Joy Transformation’s mission is to coach and support high achieving entrepreneurs, top coaches and leaders to experience the joy of living life with purpose, passion and potential. Joy Ogeh-Hutfield aims to solve 3 major problems. 1. Lack of confidence 2. Procrastination 3. Purpose. Her holistic approach means you’re able to tackle all areas of self- development, including mindset, health and fitness, business, career and lifestyle design – all while having fun along the way.

www.joytransformationcoach.com Bar Dros Dro

Celebrating WelshCaribbean culture through food and drink, Bar Dros Dro is a popup bar with a difference. Creating their very own fantastic array of signature cocktails using the finest premium welsh spirits, craft beers and wines. With flowing rum cocktails and jaw-dropping Caribbean eats, their menu celebrates the diversity of the Caribbean, with dishes from an array of islands, delving deeper into the culinary heritage and curating a full Caribbean dining experience; serving the very finest authentic Caribbean cuisine.

Instagram @bardrosdro Facebook - Bar dros-dro

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

A LOOK INTO the history of Welsh Somalis and Their Impact on Society

By Steve Khaireh

While Black History Month UK is an important day in the calendar, history is made every day of the year. Black communities began during the 19th Century in South Wales Cardiff, Newport and Barry as in other UK ports with colonial seamen, which created sizable Black communities. There are many well-known famous Somali heritage individuals such as Rageh Omar, Mo Farah etc. Steve Khaireh shares some of Somali Seamen’s hidden history in South Wales. Here is a collection of Welsh Somalis and a brief of their impact on society in South Wales.

ABBY FARRAH MBE ABDULRAHIM ABBY FARRAH DR AHMED ALI

Abby Farrah MBE was known as ‘Father’ to countless colonial seamen who visited Barry and Cardiff. He was an entrepreneur and leader in the Somali Community as he was the first point of reference for seamen who sought his guidance and advice when they arrived here. He founded both ‘Barry Coloured Society’ probably one of the first race Relations organisations in Wales and the innovative ‘Domino Youth Club’, in Thompson Street Barry, which attracted children from around the area and ran successfully for several years. Abby became the president of the ‘Colonial Club’ in Thompson Street Barry and went on to manage the ‘Colonial Club’ in Bute Street Cardiff. He was awarded the MBE by King George VI for his war time services to seamen.

Abdulrahim Abby Farrah (The man who helped free Nelson Mandela) Abdulrahim Abby Farrah schooled in Gladstone Road Junior school and Barry Grammar school before joining Clarks College Cardiff and on to Exeter and Oxford University. He worked as a Somali Government Official and became director of the Somali Information Service and also served as Somali Ambassador to Ethiopia, before moving to the United Nations as permanent representative of Somaliland. He was the Minister of Agriculture, as well as being Somaliland’s representative on OAU Organisation of African Unity. Abdulrahim also became the Under Secretary General of the UN second only to Kofi Annan, one of the most important people in the world. As we can see their rich contributions covered wide-ranging areas from youth, community, race relations, diplomatic initiatives, to UN peacekeeping. Dr Ahmed Ali is an awardwinning Research Chemist based at Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences. His specialised area of research is investigating the chemistry of plants indigenous to the “Horn of Africa”. Together with scientists based in Wales, he has co-authored five international patents mostly based on Somali and Ethiopian plants. His scientific discoveries range from novel garden pest repellents to novel anticancer agents both based on Somali myrrh extracts. The photograph above shows Dr Ali receiving an innovative Smart Award, worth £70K, from the Welsh Government for his myrrh inventions whilst a Research Director for the Compton Group based at Cardiff University.

OMAR ALI

Labour candidate Omar Ali made history as the first black Somali to be voted onto Newport Council. Omar Ali’s election to represent Labour at the Pilgwenlly ward, Newport Gwent, made him the first Black Somali Councillor in Wales. A youth and community worker by profession he worked for several years at the Welsh Governmentbacked Communities First organisation in Pill and served on its board. Omar was active in the Welsh Labour Party movement and in community politics, including volunteering with organisations such as Somali Integration Society.