bHM Magazine - The Official Guide to Black History Month 2015 ®

2015

A TRIFORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH bHM’s Exclusive Interview ALSO INSIDE A MESSAGE FROM THE PM THE BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES FINANCE NETWORKS LEEDS MUSEUMS STONEWALL AND MUCH MUCH MORE...

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2015

04 08

The Prime Ministers Message

10 14

Africa on the Square

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Exclusive Interview with Jimmy Akingbola and Fraser Ayres

A Message from the Mayor of London

Book Review Diary of an Economic Migrant

23 28 36

58 62

The Black Poor of London

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Sponsors: J.P. Morgan Be Strategic. Be Brilliant. Be BOLD

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Santander: Diversity in Action

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48 50 52

Black Georgians at the The Black Cultural Archives

72 78

The Anthony Nolan Trust Stonwall’s Vision Minority of a Minority of a Minority: A poem

by Sirina Monique Leeds Museums and Galleries Screening for Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Men United against Prostate Cancer Teaching A great Career and Quality of Life The Fostering and Adoption Acadamy Public Awareness Screening Programmes

2015

Published by Talent Media Ltd, Studio N,Container City 2 Trinity Buoy Wharf London E14 0FN

A TRIFORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

1623758-001 bhM magazing Ad_A5.ai

bHM’s Exclusive Interview ALSO INSIDE A MESSAGE FROM THE PM THE BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES FINANCE NETWORKS LEEDS MUSEUMS STONEWALL AND MUCH MUCH MORE...

bHM Magazine is Sponsored by

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Published by Talent Media Ltd and distributed with the Telegraph

1

8/27/2014

Publisher: Darren Waite - Sub Editor: Robert Ingham Sales and Advertising: Stephanie Matthews/Darren Waite - Design: Chris Powell Talent Media would like to thank: Iyamide Thomas, Stonewall, the BCA, Luke Williams, Agnes Olayemi, Iyamide Thomas,Josh Willacy, John Donegan, Jimmy Akingbola, Fraser Ayres, Lucy Moore, Amanda Powell, Sirina Monique, Nate Parker, Nick Wright, Jenny Routh, Matt Horwood, and Michael Siva for all of your help and support in putting together this magazine.

1:39:58 AM

bHM Magazine is Sponsored by

gratitude to the African-Caribbean

enormous As we celebrate Black History Month we not only look back with of the celebratio a unique belook aboutnthe many years great confidence with valuable proven over forwardand hascontributio also Month we canto History “Black n to Britain, immense for their community Britain. to ion contribut immense and Caribbean community and their African of our country.

The future

Caribbean Africa andlsthe fromindividua Britain those who playedtoin have recognisestories, October we those Thishighlight vitaltorole thecame able toofreveal areresolve we and their the courage ing “By and their children’s children who now seek a new life often in the face of hostility; we pay tribute to their children everything you will do in society. shaping country’s rich diversity. We thank you all for everything you have done and of our form partour the future that will keep Britain great. from the past, but also a time to unlock “But Black History Month is not just about learning the end of apartheid in South Africa, and a century anniversaries: 20 years since two important we’s mark year This ities. opportun tomorrow History Month since the sad passing of since the outbreak of the First World War. This will also be the first Black Nelson Mandela last year. Of course, it was Madiba himself who led the movement that ended that deeply unfair and people can come – where Britain nary inmore the world. g extraordi around somethin builtAfrica hope to millions ns, we and giving “Over new South to a have system, leading unjust generatio allows. talent their as high as rise can ns generatio two or with nothing and in one of thousands we also remember the hundreds And as we observe 100 years since the beginning of the First World War contribution has fight for freedom.ofTheir to Britain’s aid in the the Caribbean who came the community are at of men from Africa and Members spirit. that embodies ity commun n Caribbea and African “The new projects, such as Trench Brothers in with changing now is this know to reassuring is it but overlooked been often sportsmen s, to businesse ndminority llion-pou of multi-mi soldiers. ethnic leadersribbean - from black and Britain field in ates and other every top ofwhich the of African-Ca the lives commemor London,

in the Government I and Members of Parliament and Government Ministers like Sam Gyimah today’s challenges and about reflecting on the past. It is also a time to tackle just not is Month History Black But lead. unlock tomorrow’s opportunities.

to be delighted believe was n and the Caribbea I passionately partnersh ideal Ithat anwhy it is is andthat longstand value this October, “IThe key themes thewith one ofip is rightly mobilitying of social issueour to forward look age I ethnicity, decade. a their of over for regardless Grenada person, and any that so Jamaica can visit Minister to do everything we have Prime we to British as a country first the to thrive we are in. If their potential. realise canthis ip in the years to come, based on our shared interests, challenges and or gender,on relationsh building values.

our long-term economic plan is designed We all have a role to play in this – including the Government - which is why plan chimes with the strong entrepreneurial to create opportunities, boost skills and back hard-working people. Our month such a bright and vibrant thispleasure to know that thousands of black made people who manycommuniti me great it gives thank the es andhave like toAfrican-Ca would “Ispirit ribbean of Britain’s and the number of people of Africanentrepreneurs are starting their own businesses with Government backing event.

Caribbean heritage starting apprenticeships has doubled since 2010.

you all a successful month.” wish “IThis there is still some way to go to achieve means more skills, more opportunities and economic security. We know backgrounds can and have a stake in full equality but we are heading in the right direction where people of all country. our in all for future brighter achieving a

4

Better energy, better future.

As one of the UK’s largest energy companies and the largest producer of low-carbon electricity, we’re dedicated to creating a better future for everyone. Which is why we are proud to celebrate Black History Month.

Year-round, we run programmes that reach out into our communities to celebrate difference and promote EDF Energy as a diverse workplace.

Now and for the next generation.

Find out more at www.edfenergy.com/careers

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BLACK PEOPLE ARE DYING – NOT BECAUSE THEIR DONOR ISN’T OUT THERE, BUT BECAUSE THAT PERSON NEVER JOINED THE REGISTER. At Anthony Nolan we save the lives of people with blood cancer by matching selfless donors with patients in need of a lifesaving transplant.

Our register has 573,000 potential donors on it – only 3.8% of those are black.

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“London is an amazing metropolis, and it remains the envy of the world for its diversity. Black History Month (BHM) is an opportunity for us to celebrate this diversity by acknowledging the terrific contributions made by AfricanDiaspora communities to the UK, particularly this great city.

I would like once again to commend the ‘bHM official guide to Black History Month 2015’, which contains a myriad of activities and information covering the breadth of Black History

8

related matters. Moreover, I would urge all Londoners to read the publication as bHM reveals the full extent of our shared histories.

The Greater London Authority will be hosting its annual Black History Month event at City Hall, which this year focuses on the 50th anniversary of the Race Relations Act in the UK and explores issues around equality in contemporary London. We are also pleased to be hosting another African Day celebration on Trafalgar Square, which will

again showcase the perennial connection between this city and the remarkable continent of Africa Finally, I would like to recognise the huge effort of those who assembled this outstanding resource and hope that it is perused by as many Londoners as possible.”

Yours Sincerely

Boris Johnson Mayor of London

Celebrating Black History Month.

Creating a brighter future.

Join a team that appreciates your strengths.

EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies and the largest producer of low-carbon electricity. We’re also a company dedicated to creating a better future for everyone; which is why we celebrate diversity and have an established culture of inclusion. We’re proud of our flourishing and dynamic employee networks, including our BAME network, and the inclusive culture they have helped us build.

Together we can be even stronger. Find out more at www.edfenergy.com/diversity www.edfenergy.com/careers

A F R I CA O N T H E S Q UA R E Saturday 10 October

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12 – 6pm

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Trafalgar Square

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Free

Come and celebrate African culture, with music, dance, children’s activities, fashion, food, market stalls and more. london.gov.uk/africa #AfricaLDN

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Book Review Agnes Olayemi’s ‘Diary

“This book is a personal diary

She believes her book will

of an Economic Migrant’

which sensitively and cleverly

powerfully resonate with

narrates the author’s

provides insight into the past

other immigrants all over the

difficulties as immigrant

and present life of a migrant,”

world. She hopes readers

Olayemi says. “It takes the

who are still in their countries

LONDON – Author Agnes

reader along a journey of

of origin will broaden their

Olayemi believes every

true life issues and challenges

mindsets about people who

immigrant has a story to

universally experienced by

immigrate to their countries

tell. She shares her personal

migrants in a foreign land.”

and understand that they

diary of emigration from

are not a burden to society.

Nigeria to London in “Diary

Throughout the book,

of an Economic Migrant”.

Olayemi touches on the fear,

“Diary of an Economic Migrant”

loneliness and culture shock

By Agnes Olayemi

Olayemi tells her real-life story

one can experience when

Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 122 pages

of leaving her homeland for

moving to a new country.

| ISBN 9781496999269

new opportunities in a foreign

While recognising the various

Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 122 pages

land. The hope and chance

reasons to leave one’s

| ISBN 9781496999276

at a new life drew her from

homeland, she acknowledges

E-Book | 122 pages | ISBN

Nigeria to London, but the

that there is a price to be

9781496999283

immersion into a new culture

paid by those who do.

Available at Amazon, Waterstone,

wasn’t without difficulties.

Barnes & Noble and http://www. diaryofaneconomicmigrant.com/

14

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Connect the world at HSBC www.hsbc.com/careers

HSBC is committed to building a culture where all employees are valued, respected and opinions count. We take pride in providing a workplace that fosters continuous professional development, flexible working and opportunities to grow within an inclusive and diverse environment.

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Issued by HSBC Bank Plc

SLAM DOWN with the TriForce Creative Network bHM’s exclusive interview with Jimmy Akingbola and Fraser Ayres Known by everyone he meets as “one of the nicest guys”, award-winning actor Jimmy Akingbola has also created a name for himself within the British acting scene. A lover of the stage, it’s no surprise this is where Jimmy first began his craft. Fast forward to 2011, the year which sees Jimmy becoming a regular face on TV with the re-commissioning of BBC hit “REV” playing the character of Mick, and “Holby City” as registrar Antoine Malick aka “The Malick”. Outside of acting, Jimmy is CEO of TriForce Promotions, a networking and promotions company which aims to bring the London acting community together

16

under a monthlyevents calendar, including club nights and screenings.

Fraser Ayres is an Englishborn actor as well as Managing Director and Co-Founder of TriForce Promotions, an organisation focussed on developing diversity and ‘inclusivity’ in the UK entertainment industry.

Alongside this work he has turned his diverse talents to directing, writing and tutoring, as well as producing and managing various events and projects. Fraser has an extensive body of work in acting, from Noel Clarke’s Adulthood (2008) to playing Barabbas in Roma Downey

and Mark Burnett’s epic Son of God (2014). Fraser has also starred in prime-time dramas and comedies such as The Smoking Room (playing “cult favourite” character Clint), and has received numerous accolades and awards for his performances. bHM Magazine got to jump into the busy schedules of these two award-winning actors to have a chat about their latest venture together, “The TriForce Creative Network”, an organisation which identifies issues in the entertainment industry regarding diversity, access and “knowing the right people”.

Great to meet you guys and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. So what’s it like being famous on prime time TV? I don’t suppose you get much R&R time these days?

JA Famous? Us? Really?…

Erm.. For me it’s like living the dream! I’m doing what I love, I get paid for it and I wake up every day feeling blessed. Don’t get me wrong I’m working hard everyday to keep myself employed….its a hustle and a grind but I love it.

It’s just harder to fall asleep on the tube now or eat “chicken and chips” on the bus!

FA Although that is kind of the only place to get some sleep with all that’s going on! Thank goodness for living in the modern age where everything is doable from a laptop!

who hadn’t seen me on stage that I can do drama and be a leading man. Since leaving I have hit the ground running. I went straight back to theatre after 3 years and did the Athol Fugard play ‘The Island’ at the Young Vic. Then I did lots of great TV such as Death in Paradise, Big School, Esio Trot, Ballot Monkeys, Fungus the Bogeyman and films like Spectral and Blood Cells.

Being Gay in the BME community is still a pretty taboo subject.

What has the response been like towards you playing the part?

I get asked this question a lot and I think people are surprised when I say I got NO negativity at all! If anything I got nothing but praise from the gay community and especially from people who I would least expect it from. I have to

give the Holby City producers and writers credit for that as we worked well and hard together creating Malick…

We didn’t want to portray a stereotype and I wanted Malick to educate and challenge the whole ‘being gay in the BME community is taboo’ attitude.

What was it like working alongside actors such as Sir Ian Mckellan and Dustin Hoffman?

JA Working with legends like them is one of the reasons why I became an actor. As an actor you want to work, grow and learn with the best actors in the world… From watching and working with them closely you pick up so much… sometimes you don’t realise what you have learnt until the job’s over.

Jimmy - we know you for your character in REV and as Dr Malick on Holby City, Can you tell us what it has been like for you since you became “the Malick”?

JA Things have been fantastic.

“The Malick” was a brilliant part and became an iconic character the viewers loved. I still get stopped in the street by people saying how much they loved Malick and telling me to go back to Holby. Malick allowed me to show the people 17

What were your aspirations as a child. Did you always want to be on TV? JA No. Growing up, like most boys, I wanted to be a professional footballer.

My aspirations were to be the next John Barnes or Ian Wright... I was just a normal kid growing up. I wasn’t at stage school or anything like that. I just enjoyed being silly with mates and making my friends laugh during drama class at Cumberland secondary school…

Fraser, or should we say Clint? We loved Clint!

What’s it been like for you being on TV and stage?

FA Hahah! He was a special one wasn’t he? In more ways than one! I’ve always been blessed that I’ve been able to pursue and enjoy both and for me that’s been essential.

They very much feed into each other – practically and in terms of how one type of job gets you another.

Do you prefer TV or stage?

FA For me they do very different things and develop me in very differing ways.

There really isn’t anything like that live engagement with an audience and getting to tell stories face-to-face 18

whereas with screen it has such a wider reach, so being able to perform and tell stories that affect millions is something that I think is incredibly important. It’d be a hard day if I had to choose between the two!

‘Son of God’ was an epic film. What was it like working on such a big production?

FA Amazing! They’re important stories and it’s been a long time since they’ve been told on such a scale. I feel very blessed to have been a part of it. It was great to work with Roma Downey and Mark Burnett.

Imagine how doubly-blessed I felt when I was asked to play the role of Simon the Zealot in their NBC production AD? I went from Barabbas to an apostle in a heartbeat, which is very much testament to their insight into actors.

The whole experience was rather mind-blowing. They recreated the streets of Jerusalem and the Temple in Morocco - full scale - and getting to work, existing and living in that environment took the immersion to an entirely new level, which for actors is a dream.

Can you give any advice to our young readers who are interested in acting?

FA Do MonologueSlam!

I joke but really, do MonologueSlam! We set it up as two young actors ourselves and so have made it with what we ourselves would want in mind – profile raising, exposure to the top casting directors and producers, experience on a stage etc. We have a lot of actors who have been doing it a long time that still haven’t auditioned in front of

the judges that we are very fortunate to be supported by. Come get involved!

FA I’d also say be patient.

There’s a huge difference between a big ‘dream gig’ and a longstanding career.

Talent takes time to nurture and develop, and then when that’s done it’s time to put the technique alongside that. This takes time and with competition being so fierce and our industry catching up with how to engage with talent from all walks of life, the process can seem quite daunting.

Don’t be put off. You have something that no other person on the entire planet has. Cultivate that.

Grow that, and the rest will take care of itself.

So guys tell us about The TriForce Network?

JA We created the TriForce Creative Network back in 2004 to help bring together industry professionals and up and coming talent from all backgrounds. We saw issues in the entertainment industry regarding diversity, access and “knowing the right people”.

FA In essence the industry was very much a closed shop, let alone there being a substantial amount of work for actors from diverse backgrounds.

We really wanted to do something about it, so rather than approach it from an executive, ‘topdown’ level, we approached it as creatives – ‘What would we want ourselves?

And TriForce was born.

JA It’s been built on a strong ethos of inclusivity not exclusivity. We open doors to the industry to people from all walks of life, across the UK, as well as provide a trusted viable avenue for the industry to discover diverse talent.

In the past year alone, we auditioned over 1400 people with over 300 taking part in the show. These were then seen by over a 100 Casting Directors, Directors, Agents and Producers. And that’s not including the ‘industry ninjas’ who come and sit in the audience. That’s just judges on the panel, and we also make it FREE for actors.

FA We’re a unique company with unprecedented outcomes that creates opportunities for individuals and companies to develop and thrive within the industry, whatever their background or circumstances.

JA We love #HelpingPeopleHappen and I think people can see that clearly which is why we are able to have Patrons like David Oyelowo, Marianne Jean Baptiste, David Harewood, Noel Clarke and Zawe Ashton.

FA Don’t forget Kathy Burke, Hilary Bevan Jones and David Morrissey! I think we’re collecting ‘Davids’…

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How did you come to realise that something needed to be done regarding diversity in the entertainment industry?

JA It was simple for me really being an actor that happens to be black. I didn’t realise anything - I’ve always known something needed to be done but it didn’t stop me wanting to be an actor. As a kid there were only a few TV shows that had people that looked like me in and they would be on too late for me to watch or the parts would be small, so I would watch US shows. Films again were few and far between unless they were American and the same goes with theatre …

This debate about diversity sadly has been going on for years, its not new, so for me I have always had it in my head that I will try to make a difference via my acting because for some reason I believed it could be different.

FA This is why the current ‘Diversity Zeitgeist’ is something we’re glad that happened, but have to ask – ‘Why has it taken so long?’

You see some of the resources and staff at the disposal of large organisations in our industry and we set up The TCN 10 years ago as two, broke actors. No office, no bank loan, no marketing department. Just two 20

people with laptops in their bedrooms. We’d have much preferred an industry where what we do wasn’t needed, but we felt that if we didn’t do it then who would?

JA We’ve been helping and connecting creatives for over 10 years and have never used the word diversity once because our friends and family and network were already diverse.

FA We actually find it quite divisive. It points to an ‘other’ which we feel the time has come to go beyond. That’s where the term ‘inclusivity’ came from. For us it’s all about access. Across the board. If you include everybody then you don’t need to exclude anyone.

JA And that comes from us being ‘insider outsiders’. Every event and on our screens we see the changes that we’ve made and the solutions we’ve created are from the perspective of creatives and, now that we’re on the other side of the table, we can make more of a difference and bring some insight to the gate keepers and decision makers now we’re in the same room as them.

FA We pride ourselves on being the bridge between worlds, and speaking in a language that all parties can understand and engage with.

How can people and Companies go about getting involved?

WriterSlam : Photos by Jose Farinha

And last but by no means least, who are your Black History Month hero’s and why?

JA People can get involved by checking out our website www.thetcn.com or email us at info@thetcn. We are also on Twitter @TriForceEvents.

What’s next for you guys?

JA I’ve just landed a fantastic role in the hit US drama Arrow where I will be playing the villain and leader of the Shadowspire “Baron Reiter”. Its airs October 7th on CW network…not sure when its airs on Sky sorry…

And I’m in the middle of preparing for our 4th TriForce Short Film Festival at BAFTA where some of our judges include Noel Clarke and Marrianne Jean Baptiste

FA Yep!, The TFSFF is a biggie! Acting wise I’m currently filming BBC’s Undercover with Sophie Okonedo and Adrian Lester.

It’s a very exciting project and I think it could be a new wave of inclusive, mainstream work.

We’ve also recently launched the Production Company (TriForce Productions) with the support of Tony Jordan and Red Planet. We’ve already begun to develop our 1st slate which enables us to provide opportunities to the 16,000 strong network on a whole new level. Then there’s MonologueSlam expanding and our Trainee finder program with Creative Skillset which focuses on bringing more inclusion to the production side of things.

JA Nelson Mandela aka Madiba because he is a man that believed in equality above all else. He inspired us all and sacrificed everything to change South Africa and help get rid of apartheid.

FA Mine has to be Haile Selassie. His voice is still heard across the world and his message is still as important today as it was back then. The scale of the assaults he had to face were unprecedented, and whilst it was happening he stayed true whilst finding ways to stand up and question those who oppressed him and his people. Finding the courage to do what’s right as opposed to following personal wants has always inspired me. bHM

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The Black Poor Of London

by Michael Sivapragasam, Historian The ‘Black Poor’ was the name given in the late 18th century to poor residents of London who were of Black ancestry. The Black Poor had diverse origins.

Historians estimate that the black population of London was between 5,000 and 10,000 in the late eighteenth century. While Great Britain was reaping profits from its involvement in the slave trade, a black community grew in London during this time. Concerns were raised about black people living in London as early as 1596, when Queen Elizabeth I complained about ‘Blackamoores’ cluttering up the streets of the kingdom, and issued a Royal Proclamation ordering the removal of “those kind of people”. There is no evidence that the Queen’s orders were carried out, and the black community continued to flourish around Mile End and Paddington.

The numbers of black Londoners were regularly supplemented by runaway slaves. One fled Benjamin Franklin’s English family home in 1760. As early as 1764, a newspaper reported that scores of blacks met up at a pub in Fleet Street for a night of musical entertainment.

There were numerous balls and “bawdy-houses” attended by black people throughout the 1760s and 1770s. One of them was Soubise, the favourite servant of the elderly Duchess of Queensbury, who was tutored in fencing and other gentlemanly skills, rumoured to be as a reward for special services! Writing in 1769, a judge named John Fielding suggested that, “there are already a great number of black men and women who have made themselves so troublesome and dangerous to the families who brought them over as to get themselves discharged.”

Jonas Hanway

The increasing number of black poor on the streets of London led to Jonas Hanway setting up the Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor in 1786. Abolitionist Granville Sharp personally provided assistance to about 400 black Londoners.

Black letter-writers to the newspapers often thanked Sharp for his support. Most of the black people in the country were men. In London alone, among those receiving government assistance for the poor in 1786, there were 678 black men compared to 233 black women. It is 23

“

So, if only a few hundred left the shores of England for Sierra Leone, what happened to the thousands of black people, mainly men, who remained in England?”

not surprising, then, that most black men found white wives and partners.

A Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme was formulated in 1786 because humanitarians like Granville Sharp saw it as a means of showing the pro-slavery lobby that black people were the intellectual equal of their white counterparts, and could contribute towards the running of the new colony of Sierra Leone. Government officials, including Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, became involved because they saw the Scheme as a useful tool to remove the black poor from the streets of London, and repatriate them to Africa.

The Scheme initially received strong support from black Londoners, who discussed it enthusiastically with Sharp.

Hanway’s Committee identified 250 black Londoners in need of assistance, and asked for donations to send them 24

“to the places from whence they were taken.” Among the black Londoners who actually turned up for this first voyage to Sierra Leone were a substantial number of Black Pioneers from the American War of Independence. There is very little evidence about where most of the black passengers were born, but historians estimate that about half the black Londoners who went on this first expedition to Sierra Leone were from America. Including these Black Pioneers, according to the organisers, about 700 black Londoners signed up to the Scheme. However, when the ships arrived in the Thames in October 1786 to collect those black Londoners who were ready to sail for Sierra Leone, a newspaper at the time noted that “of the seven hundred poor Black (sic) who had signed an engagement to go to a Free Settlement on the coast of Africa…four hundred of them had declined the embarkation, and came on

shore again.” The black community of London had clearly figured out the motives of the British government, and large numbers of them stayed away, when it was time to sail.

So, if only a few hundred left the shores of England for Sierra Leone, what happened to the thousands of black people, mainly men, who remained in England?

Eventually, as a result of generations of intermarriage between black and whites, the community of black Londoners was assimilated and ceased to be a visible presence by the time Victoria became queen in 1837. It is very likely that a lot of white Londoners today have black blood in their veins.

Of the few hundred that left for Sierra Leone, their descendants are part of the ethnic group in Sierra Leone known as ‘Krios’.

FURTHER READING Michael Sivapragasam, Why Did Black Londoners not join the Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme 1783-1815?

(London: Open University, 2013) http://www.lulu.com/shop/ michael-sivapragasam/why-didblack-londoners-not-join-the-sierraleone-resettlement-scheme-1783/ ebook/product-21677874.html

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Keeping friendships alive. prostatecanceruk.org/1in4 *Call our Specialist Nurses from Mon to Fri 9am - 6pm, Wed 10am - 8pm. Calls are recorded for training purposes only. Confidentiality is maintained between callers and Prostate Cancer UK. Prostate Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1005541) and in Scotland (SC039332). Registered company number 2653887.

Want to make a difference in your community?

Why not become a

Special Constable Bedfordshire Police has ambitions to double the size of its Special Constabulary by spring 2017, so we are looking for special and unique people to join our team of volunteers.

Working alongside full-time police officers and Police Community Support Officers on the front line, you will be given full training and provide vital support.

You will help patrol Bedfordshire’s rural and urban communities and provide a really important service to the public.

Join us today and support our vision to become a well-respected, high performing, efficiently run police service working together to protect people, fight crime and keep Bedfordshire safe.

Apply now by visiting our recruitment pages at: www.bedfordshire.police.uk

/bedspolice /bedspolice /bedfordshirepolice

Enjoy the Outdoors!

Did you know that the Forestry Commission is the biggest provider of outdoor recreation in the UK and that much of that recreation is free? The Forestry Commission looks after the public woods and forests in England and Scotland, increasing the range of leisure opportunities year on year.

Our aim is to have forests and woodlands as close as possible to people’s front doors, so why not visit a forest or woodland or one of the Forestry Commission’s Visitor Centres which contain shops and cafes offering many of the facilities you might want. You don’t need to venture far from these centres to get the feel of the outdoors and a glimpse of nature. There is so much on offer, hopefully something to suit everyone.

Whether you are looking for a family day out, access to incredible view points, interested in volunteering, conservation projects or an endorphin-inducing outdoor activity, come and take part in some of the many events the Forestry Commission has designed for everyone’s enjoyment, from arts and crafts, badger watching and bug hunts, to walking and cycling trails and play areas for children. Or, if you’re looking for something more peaceful, why not enjoy a picnic in the tranquillity of the woodland whilst enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of your surroundings.

So get outside, get into those woods and forests and explore, experience and enjoy!

Diverse woodlands, diverse communities www.forestry.gov.uk/recreation www.scotland.forestry.gov.uk/activities

“ Nothing is more vital to the long-term growth of JPMorgan Chase & Co. than our ability to attract and retain talented and dedicated employees.

Success at our firm requires that employees treat clients and customers respectfully and fairly, and stay true to the values embedded in our culture: personal commitment, honesty, teamwork, diversity and community awareness.�

Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

About J.P. Morgan J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. is a leader in financial services, offering solutions to clients in more than 100 countries with one of the most comprehensive global product platforms available. We have been helping our clients do business and manage their wealth for more than 200 years. Our business has been built upon our core principle of putting our clients first. Our firm is committed to continuously expanding our scope for attracting top talent, helping create a competitive advantage that fosters greater innovation, creativity and productivity.

J.P. Morgan is part of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a global financial services firm.

Fostering Diversity Diversity is a cornerstone of our global culture, helping us to meet the changing needs of our clients, customers, employees and the communities we serve. Our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion are comprehensive. We hire, develop and retain a diverse workforce and supplier base; cultivating relationships with firms owned and operated by minorities, women and other historically underrepresented groups.

Business Resource Groups are one of the key mechanisms through which we support and encourage diversity in the workplace. Each are sponsored by a member of the firm’s Operating Committee, providing support and career development for different employee groups. Currently more than 57,000 employees are members of these employee-led affinity groups.

Be Strategic. Be Brilliant. Be BOLD.

BOLD stands for “Black Organization for Leadership Development”, and is a Business Resource Group focused on providing all employees, specifically those of African descent, with the resources needed to develop, succeed and contribute towards the company’s business goals and objectives. Whilst the name BOLD is representative of its membership, the activities and services provided are for all. Some of these activities include monthly Lunch and Learn sessions in which employees present technical or business topics, networking (both internal and external), motivational speakers, and events supporting the firm’s recruiting and philanthropic activities.

Further information about J.P. Morgan is available at www.jpmorgan.com

Opeyemi Omilaju is an Analyst in the EMEA Corporate and Investment Bank, where she supports the firm’s strategic reporting activities in the Securities Core Processing Platform team. She is currently the lead of the Networking and Events Committee in the EMEA chapter of BOLD, and began her career at J.P. Morgan in London in 2013.

Q: How did you get involved in BOLD? A: Shortly after joining the firm in

September 2013 as an Analyst in the Corporate Analyst Development Program, I attended a panel discussion organized by BOLD on African Industry, Strategy and Growth Trends.

The event was incredibly insightful; with an expert panel sharing their perspectives on key industry trends, business strategies and growth plans for J.P. Morgan. The quality and impact of

events such as this one hosted by BOLD captured my interest, and very soon I wanted to be more than just a member.

I looked to actively participate in the Leadership Team and was delighted to be accepted into the Event Planning Committee in London. Today, I am the lead for the Networking and Events Committee for BOLD in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Q: What skills have you developed in your leadership role within J.P. Morgan’s BOLD Business Resource Group?

A: Being part of the Leadership Team at BOLD has given me a number of opportunities to develop and hone my communication and organizational skills; skills that have been very useful in conducting my day-to-day business in the firm. When I first joined the firm and was introduced to BOLD as a graduate, I was impressed with how many opportunities there were to be involved and actively contribute to the strategic vision of the

group. I had the opportunity to plan, lead and execute many high-profile events, including those that brought together different lines of business and employee groups. This creative, challenging but exciting exposure helped me understand and develop my project management abilities, including my leadership, partnership and time management skills which has served me well in my role as Business Analyst.

J.P. Morgan is a marketing name for JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its subsidiaries worldwide. © 2015 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved. JPMorgan Chase is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer Disability/Veteran.

Q: In what ways has BOLD helped you to build your network within and outside J.P. Morgan?

A: Being a leader within BOLD has

introduced me to a number of people both within and outside the firm, in the UK and globally. I have always found that the opportunities are endless and the people I encounter invaluable for building my business network.

As someone starting out in their career, I have found that the colleagues I get to meet through BOLD have always been happy to share information on their role, the function of their teams and how they fit into the wider business.

“It does not matter what level of the organization you are in, everyone communicates freely and titles are not intimidating.”

Q: Describe one of the benefits of being involved with BOLD. A: One of the great things about being a not intimidating. You work side by side member of BOLD and the Business Resource Group community is that it does not matter what level of the organization you are in, everyone communicates freely and titles are

with your Leadership Team colleagues who often range from Analysts to Executive and Managing Directors, and this creates a fantastic learning environment.

Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a career at J.P. Morgan?

A: It’s never too early to start preparing for your career. J.P. Morgan prides itself on hiring and developing the best and brightest, and the firm’s culture fosters an environment focused on respect, inclusion and working together with colleagues across the globe to come up with the best solutions for our clients.

Strong academic performance, lifelong intellectual curiosity, and a team player attitude are all important components of the balanced skill set required to succeed in the firm’s high-performance environment. J.P. Morgan’s slogan “First class business in a first class way” encapsulates this perfectly.

Carlos Cumberbatch is a Vice President in the Corporate Sector Firmwide Risk group where he manages a number of teams responsible for risk reporting. He was appointed BOLD EMEA Co-Chair in February 2015 following from his previous role as BOLD Bournemouth Site Lead.

He joined J.P. Morgan in 2004 under the Graduate scheme.

Q: How did you get involved in BOLD? A: I joined BOLD back in 2005 as a member and then the Leadership Team shortly after when I rotated to a London based role. Even as a member, the benefits of Business Resource Groups within the firm were clear. After attending a Lunch and Learn on Commodities hosted by BOLD, I was contacted by one of the speakers who, being intrigued by our

conversation at the event, offered me an interview which ultimately materialized to a role in his team in London.

Once in my new role, I contacted the Leadership Team to express my interest in contributing further and got involved in communications and event planning to mark the beginning of a long-lasting relationship with BOLD.

Q: What skills have you developed in your leadership role within J.P. Morgan’s BOLD Business Resource Group?

A: Having held a number of roles from Communications Lead, Bournemouth Site Lead and currently Co-Chair, I have improved several competencies, including my leadership, organizational, people management and diplomacy skills. The greatest strength I have gained has been in my ability to communicate confidently and this has helped me get to a stage where I

feel comfortable sharing a panel with Managing Directors in the firm to speak on Diversity, engage in discussions with senior stakeholders and host multiple internal and external events. The opportunities to perform activities that fall outside business as usual have proven invaluable for my development as an all-rounded J.P. Morgan employee.

J.P. Morgan is a marketing name for JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its subsidiaries worldwide. Š 2015 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved. JPMorgan Chase is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer Disability/Veteran.

Q: In what ways has BOLD helped you to build your network within and outside J.P. Morgan?

A: Business Resource Groups have opened many doors, helping me expand my network and meet senior managers and leaders from within and outside the firm. These networks have proven to be a reliable source of peer support

and continues to be one of the main means through which new entrants to the firm get to interact with more senior colleagues in an open and welcoming environment.

“Success in J.P. Morgan is based on hard work and commitment, regardless of your background.�

Q: Describe one of the benefits of being involved with BOLD. A: One of the great things about being a intimidating. You work side by side member of BOLD and the Business Resource Group community is that it does not matter what level of the organization you are in, everyone communicates freely and titles are not

with your Leadership Team colleagues who often range from Analysts to Executive and Managing Directors, and this creates a fantastic learning environment.

Q: How have you taken what you have learned from BOLD EMEA and applied it directly to your community?

A: I am engaged in voluntary youth work in my local community and have been able to apply the organisational and event planning skills developed through BOLD to the activities I am involved in. This summer alone, I worked with a group of young people, supporting them in putting together a community social

event along with their youth club.

Having had extensive experience in event planning for BOLD, I found I was not only able to apply the skills I had learnt but was also able to pass on the knowledge I had developed to the young people I was working with.

Open, Connected, Dependable An interview with Dr Sandie Okoro, Group General Counsel, HSBC Global Asset Management and Deputy General Counsel – Retail Banking and Wealth Management Why did you join HSBC? I have really enjoyed my first 18 months at HSBC. The reason I joined is a very simple one. HSBC is a great British institution and I wanted to work for it and to help it achieve its strategic aims. Another key attraction was that I had heard that it was a great place to work and it truly valued and promoted diversity.

What makes HSBC stand out?

What makes HSBC stand out is the people. I work with a wonderful team of supportive and highly intelligent people all of whom have “integrity” as their middle name. This is so very important in the challenging, and ever changing, fast

paced environment we work in. In addition to this I and my team work flexibly. Each of us works up to two days a week from home. As a working single mother with an autistic child, this flexibility has dramatically improved my working life and reduced my stress levels considerably.

What drives you to play a part in employee networks such as BAME and driving diversity and inclusion overall at HSBC? I am delighted to play any part I can in the BAME and other diversity networks within HSBC as I believe such networks play an important role in making employees feel included in the life of a company. Inclusion is key and this is one key element that such networks provide.

A feeling of inclusion. We are all individuals and we do not leave our individuality at the door when we come into work on a Monday morning. Our ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religious beliefs etc. are

all what makes us and they should be celebrated not hidden or ignored.

How does Black History Month help overcome difference?

There is room in this world for everyone and everyone should be given the opportunity to contribute to the best of their ability. This cannot, in my view, be done without taking into account, accepting and celebrating these differences. If you make people feel comfortable they will contribute. Most importantly it helps to breakdown stereotypes and builds co-operation rather than separation. Separation does what it says on the tin, it is divisive. HSBC is a global organisation and it has a diverse spectrum of clients and, in order for us to understand and better service our clients’ needs, we too need to be diverse.

It’s that simple. Diversity works and it works at HSBC. Of course more needs to be done but this is the same for

Dr Sandie Okoro, Group General Counsel, HSBC Global Asset Management and Deputy

as I drive around Hyde Park corner and imagine what chaos the world would be in had it not been for his green/amber/red.

all organisations. All long journeys always start with small steps and right now HSBC has found its stride.

like the telephone, the car and the sandwich. Even today there are not enough diverse role models.

Why should Black History Month be celebrated?

Why are role models important?

I appreciate that there are very different views on this.

I strongly believe it should be celebrated because black history has been written out of the history books.

As black history it was not valued and, therefore, not recorded. And if something is not recorded it is very difficult to keep the story alive. For example not many people know that the ice cream scoop, the traffic light, the super soaker water gun (my favourite), open heart surgery, the light bulb filament, the pacemaker were all invented by black inventors. This is just not covered in history. Most of us encounter a traffic light every day but can’t name the inventor yet we know who invented other everyday items in our life

It is really important to have role models but if you are from a BAME background the images of success around you do not look anything like you. Once a year that changes and I welcome that. It’s important for everyone to know that without Garret A Morgan we would all be crashing into each other at road junctions. He was born to Freed Slaves and left school in Year 6, yet he invented the traffic light which he sold to General Electric in 1923. Imagine what he could have invented if he had had a university education.

But back then segregation rather than diversity was the buzz word and it was very rare for a black man to go to university. But I always think of Mr Garret

You have achieved a lot and are an inspiration to others but what does being a role model to others mean to you?

It always surprises me that I am a role model. I accept I am but I am not comfortable with it, I must admit. But having accepted it, it means only one thing, I cannot let those who believe in me down and I cannot give up. I am really nothing special at all but what I have done that is special is keeping going no matter what obstacles I faced. As a role model, I know that when I feel any self-doubt I have to overcome it as I would be letting more than just myself down. If others believe in me then I should at the very least believe in myself. HSBC is very good at showcasing talent and role models from all levels in the business. I find it very inspirational to see all the other things my fabulous colleagues around the world are doing to make the world a better place.

www.hsbc.com

Inclusive, Diverse, Engaged Our graduate, intern, work experience and school leaver programmes add to our vibrant community and help us to succeed. Through them, we’re able to meet diverse and inspiring young people.

People like Toluwalope Shomoye.

We’re proud of our diverse Santander family.

Meet Tolu Tolu is 20 years old and studying Financial Economics at the University of Kent. “I came to Santander because I wanted to gain experience at a large company with a growing customer base, who openly encourages flexibility.” Says Tolu. An intern in our People & Talent team Tolu says “my experience has been very positive; everyone I’ve met has been friendly and welcoming.”

He’s been able to shadow a number of senior people through the bank and has been given a range of challenging projects to work on. “I appreciate the opportunities I’ve been given at Santander to really show what I can do, and I’ve learnt a lot about myself.”

Diversity in action Our leadership programme and approach to supporting career development helped us to achieve the 2014 ENEI gold standard E-quality award. It measures organisational performance in equality and diversity and how we create an inclusive culture. In addition we’ve achieved Top 50 employers for women status in 2014 for the 3rd year running.

As champion members of Race for Opportunity, Opportunity Now, ENEI Being inclusive also means we can and BDF (Business Disability Forum) create products we believe in and feel we know we’ve got the support proud of, and deliver the best services we need to maintain a culture of to our diverse customers. inclusiveness where you can grow and develop.

We want to help more people like Tolu explore and meet their career and personal goals. To do this we need Inclusive leaders who’ll make the most of our diversity. Our face to face inclusive leadership programme explores how our individuality might be connected to ethnicity or gender, but also to differences in leadership styles, and approaches to problem solving.

Attracting and keeping the leaders of tomorrow We want to continue to attract and retain the best talent. We have a wide range of flexible benefits so that you choose the ones that work for you and fit your lifestyle.

They include: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

flexible working/holidays child-care vouchers private medical aid dental care all-employee car scheme discounts and vouchers on top brands pension schemes

There’s 24/7 access to our policies and support as well as an employee assistance helpline which members immediate family members can also use.

We’ve got a robust talent programme to help you deliver your best through dedicated support and coaching. And a mentorship programme that matches mentors and mentees to make sure both get the best from their relationship and is just one of the ways we discover and nurture talent.

“I would love to work for Santander in the future” says Tolu, “I’ve been impressed by the culture and feel this is a place where I can learn, grow and be myself.” We totally agree with Tolu. We want you to feel you can achieve your career goals, grow with us and be exactly who you are because you are what sets us apart from the norm.

Having an inclusive culture that’s rich in diverse talent means we can exceed the expectations of our customers, and achieve our goal of being the best bank in the UK.

www.santander.co.uk

celebrating diversity

dance music BirdCollege theatre performance www.birdcollege.co.uk

We recruit, without prejudice, the most talented students who show the necessary passion for their craft, and prepare them for life-long careers in the performance industry as articulate, creative and versatile artists

BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre

Founder

Doreen Bird

MA, FISTD, ARAD.

Principal and CEO

Pre-Professional Foundation Year Dance and Theatre Performance

Shirley Coen

Short Courses / Teacher Training

Deputy Principal and Deputy CEO Luis De Abreu MA, PGCE.

Bird College is an established provider of the Council for Dance Education and Training. Funded by the prestigious Dance and Drama Awards

BA (Hons), FRSA.

Alma Road Sidcup Kent DA14 4ED +44(0)20 8300 3031

Arts degree English degree

History degree

Your degree is just the start

Our training & development programmes are designed to help you learn the most from an outstanding variety of work

Science degree

Geography degree

The experience stays with you Work in: Actuarial Assurance Consulting Deals PwC Legal Tax Technology

We welcome all degree subjects at PwC. In fact last year, almost half our graduate recruits had degrees in arts & humanities, science, law or social sciences. Surprised? Don’t be. We see your degree as just the start. The foundation to providing help to take your career in all sorts of directions – from accounting to consulting and tax to technology. You need to be passionate about business and we’ll provide an environment where you can learn, grow and excel in your career.

Join PwC – we’re focused on helping you reach your full potential.

Take the opportunity of a lifetime pwc.com/uk/careers /pwccareersuk @pwc_uk_careers © 2015 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved.

Diverse people make us stronger

Black Georgians: The Shock of the Familiar Black Cultural Archives’ new exhibition Black Georgians: The Shock of the Familiar takes you a long way from these quintessential English images. A new exhibition that interrogates the seams between the all-too-often prettified costume period dramas to reveal a very different reality of hardship, grime, disease and violence that was the reality for many.

This is third main exhibition at the heritage centre located in the heart of Brixton, and will reveal the everyday lives of Black people during the Georgian period (1714-1830). It will be a rich array of historical evidence and archival

materials that present a surprising, sometimes shocking and also inspiring picture of Georgian Britain.

Although Britain had been a home to people of African origin for centuries previously, the Georgian period marks the beginning of a society in some ways similar to our own. Throughout the British Isles Black people were working in a variety of roles and settling in increasing numbers. Some were enslaved and worked in domestic service. Others, having worked as free seamen or soldiers, chose to settle here. A third group was British-born, and an even smaller set, here for

education, business or leisure, had private incomes.

The Black Georgian narrative not only challenges the preconceptions of Black presence restricted to post World War II, but speaks to us of a growing population that forged a new identity with creativity, adaptability and remarkable fortitude here in Britain. It is a complex picture: while there is much oppression and restriction, there is also a degree of social mobility and integration.

By presenting this picture there is an opportunity to challenge and open up new perspectives on the past and how it shaped the 39

“

Others became embedded into British society through the realm of sport and integrated into British boxing traditions�

Britain we live in today.

Taking visitors through the lifespan of Black Georgians from births, childhood, daily life and death, we encounter many personalities and, through their personal narrativesdiscover the common thread of resistance and agency that characterised the Black Georgians.

From the likes of antislavery abolitionists, Robert Wedderburn, Olaudah Equiano and Ottobah Cugoano, to those who found themselves amongst the upper social classes such as Dido Elizabeth Belle and Nathaniel Wells whose wealth 40

stemmed from their families inheritance.

The early streak of entrepreneurism carved many livelihoods such as Ignatius Sancho, who born on a slave ship and brought to Greenwich, London, where he was fortunate enough to gain access to learning and went on to become a composer, scholar and businessman; and Phillis Wheatley noted as one of the most famous poets of her time.

and Bill Richmond echo the rise and success of sporting heroes. Black Georgians explores how African people in Britain challenged degraded notions of human diversity and initiated a set of dialogues that continue to this day.

Black Georgians in only display from Friday 9th October at Black Cultural Archives, 1 Windrush Square, Brixton, SW2 1EF. www.bcaheritage.org.uk 020 3757 8500

Others became embedded into British society through the realm of sport and integrated into British boxing traditions. The lives of Tom Molineaux

@bcaheritage facebook.com/bcaheritage

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Celebrating Black History every day Black Cultural Archives is the UK’s first national heritage centre dedicated to Black heritage in Britain. It opened its doors last year in July 2014 and preserves, collects and celebrates Black history and culture.

Located in the heart of Brixton on Windrush Square, the restored Georgian Grade II listed building has been transformed into a new national learning and research centre.

Its fascinating archive 42

collection including ephemera, periodicals, photographs and an eclectic mix of objects that begin to tell the stories of Black people of African and Caribbean descent in this country.

The life of George Scipio Africanus Thursday 8 October, 1pm Learn more about the life of the George Scipio Africanus and his family. Originating from West Africa, before

he was enslaved, he freed himself and became a successful entrepreneur in Nottingham.

Black Georgians: The Shock of the Familiar Opens Friday 9 October 2015 A new exhibition that reveals the everyday lives of Black people in Britain during the Georgian period, 1714-1830. This rich array of historical evidence challenges the preconceptions of Black

TREASURES IN THE ARCHIVE FREE TALKS presence in Britain before World War II. Journey through the life of a Black Georgian and engage in a critical historical enquiry that questions what we understand of Englishness and paints a picture of Black people’s daily lives fraught with oppression and restriction alongside a degree of social mobility and integration.

Black people in Lambeth’s 18th century parish registers Thursday 22 October, 1pm

people’s histories and to reveal a population of freed slaves, servants, runaways and the occasional African royal celebrity dating back to 1700s.

“Black people only started living in Lambeth after the Windrush in 1948”, is the accepted historical narrative we have been brought up with. Jon Newman from Lambeth Archives shows how the evidence of local parish registers allows us to recover something of these

Family and Adult workshops with the National Army Museum Half-Term Activities from 27 to 29 October As we approach the second year of the centenary

43

since the First World War began, Black Cultural Archives is collaborating with the National Army Museum. Are you curious to learn how African and Caribbean people were involved during this period? Would you like to know more about regimental badges used by the Kings African Rifles and West Indies Regiment?

Was an ancestor of yours involved in this conflict?

Then please come along to one of our three events being held for adults and families alike during half term week. These will endeavour to reveal the 44

hidden histories for African and Caribbean individuals involved in this conflict.

The week will culminate in an Archive call out day for archive material relating to this period, together with a celebration of music and film.

Tuesday 27th October 11.00-12.30pm Adult family history workshops Thursday 28th October 14.00pm-16.00pm Family activity day Friday 29th October 2.0010.00pm Archive call out day with a celebration of music and film

The life of Ignatius Sancho Thursday 5 November, 1pm Ignatius Sancho was a composer, actor, and writer.

He gained fame during the 18th-century, as he became the symbol for the immorality of the slave trade. Leading historian Steve Martin will talk about the breadth of his influence, drawing upon archive material held at Black Cultural Archives, as well as his lasting legacy.

Len Garrison Memorial Lecture: Gaps in Black British History Thursday 12 November, 6.00pm-10.00pm Join Black Cultural Archives for our second Len Garrison memorial lecture. This annual lecture series is dedicated to Black Cultural Archives cofounder Len Garrison, who was an educationalist, activist and advocate

for children’s education and teaching of black history. This year we will ask questions and explore some of the lesser-known periods of Black British History. We will be joined by leading historians and experts in their field: Historian, producer and presenter of the recent BBC documentary series Forgotten Slave Owners David Olusoga, historian and writer Marika Sherwood, and freelance journalist and historian

Dr Miranda Kaufmann.

An audience Q&A opportunity will follow the talk. Tickets are £20.00, £15.00 concession.

Find out more bcaheritage.org.uk.

Twitter: @bcaheritage facebook.com/ bcaheritage Opening times: TuesSat, 10am – 6pm 1 Windrush Sqaure, Brixton, SW2 1EF 45

TRIFORCE CREATIVE NETWORK LAUNCHES SECOND WRITERSLAM EVENT ITV, BBC, Tiger Aspect And Hat Trick Offer Winners Exclusive Industry Access And Support Following the huge success of the inaugural event, diversity champions TriForce Creative Network (formerly TriForce Promotions) are launching a second WriterSlam competition.

The event will take place at Theatre Royal Stratford East on Thursday 19th November.

The TCN have been working for over a decade on increasing diversity both on screen and behind the camera with a focus on generating significant and lasting improvement within the industry.

The three winners from the first WriterSlam event in June: Lee Coan; Michael Wiafe and Tom McKay; have all gone on to work in the industry following their appearance at the event – with two having secured representation from literary agents.

46

Lee won a development commission from ITV Studios, while Michael joined Tiger Aspect’s acclaimed series Cuffs to shadow the writer and Tom will be taking part in the BBC Writers Room’s “Introduction to Writing for Continuing Drama”.

Previous winner Lee Coan said “I was completely blown away by the WriterSlam experience.

I’m obviously hugely excited about working with ITV. I’ve grown up watching ITV dramas my entire life so am hugely grateful for this opportunity.”

While the first WriterSlam focussed on TV Drama, the second is showcasing the varied voices in TV Comedy with the winner securing a development commission with Tiger Aspect.

The BBC, ITV and Hat Trick will also be offering prizes to promising writers taking part.

Pete Thornton, Head of Comedy for Tiger Aspect said “We’re really excited about working with the TCN on this initiative to find fresh, diverse writers for comedy. We’re committed to working with more diverse talent at Tiger Aspect, and collaborating with the TCN is a great way for us to reach a huge range of people.”

Budding TV comedy writers are invited to submit a synopsis and 10-15 pages of script. Five finalists will be chosen by the TCN and Tiger Aspect to take part in a writer’s workshop, with the final script extracts performed for an audience of leading industry figures at the Theatre Royal Stratford East on 19th November.

To find out more go to http:// thetcn.com/writerslam/

advertoriaL advertoriaL advertoriaL

Family Family Family Mosaic Mosaic Mosaic is is isproud proud proud to to tosupport support support Black Black Black History History History Month Month Month

Family Mosaic Family Mosaic

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H

ere at Anthony Nolan, we’re working in partnership with ACLT (African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust) to save the lives of black people with blood cancer, many of whom are desperately in need of a lifesaving stem cell transplant.

But we can’t do it without your help.

Currently only 20% of black people who need a transplant will find their best possible donor match due to a lack of people on the stem cell register.

‘Black people are dying – not because their donor isn’t out there, but because that person never joined the register.’

(Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan.)

48

The good news is you have the power to change this statistic.

If you’re aged 16-30 you can sign up to our donor register by just providing a small saliva sample. If you’re over 30 there are still so many things you can do to help. Fundraising, inspiring action in the community and donating money are just some of the valuable ways to aid our lifesaving cause.

African Caribbean donor Paul Francis from Romford joined the register in 2003 at an ACLT recruitment event. Last year he got the call to say he was a match for someone in desperate need of a transplant. Paul donated his stem cells and his nurse said that in seven years,

he was the first black person she’d seen donate. Paul reflects, ‘We cannot blame anyone but ourselves for this statistic. What are we afraid of? It is so simple to do.’

The more awareness we raise within the community and the more people that join the register, the more people we can save.

It’s that simple.

HEAD TO ANTHONYNOLAN.ORG/ AFRICANCARIBBEAN

AND ACLT.ORG TO FIND OUT MORE

“Stonewall’s #NoBystanders campaign is simple, hard-hitting and inclusive of all and any group who may suffer bullying and prejudice...

Don’t be a bystander. If you hear it, or see it, then stop it. I know I will.”

Jackie Crozier, Ex-director of Manchester Pride

ned the ig s e v a h le p o 15,000 pe ill you? w e g d le p s r NoBystande

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STONEWALL’S

VISION Stonewall has a vision of a world where all people, everywhere, can live freely as themselves without fear of rejection, isolation or persecution.

We believe in acceptance without exception.

Lesbian, gay, bi and trans people still experience prejudice and discrimination every day, be it at home, at work, at school, in sports, in faith or in local communities.

But there’s not just one fixed version of what being gay, lesbian, bi or trans means.

We’re part of a wonderful, diverse community, filled with multiple identities and intersectionality. And that’s something we must celebrate, not segregate.

Far too often we see marginalised communities within LGBT being misrepresented, 50

underrepresented and experiencing dual discrimination. And one example of that is a combination of racism and homophobic, biphobic or transphobic (HBT) prejudice.

A key priority of ours looking ahead is to work with the communities wherein these LGBT people live, work, study and pray.

We want to help give representatives from these communities a platform, to elevate their words and share their work with the world.

It’s important to us to not take away from the work that these organisations do, but amplify their voices as much as possible.

Stonewall is proud to have worked with UK Black Pride (UKBP) for the fifth consecutive year as its headline sponsor.

Now in its tenth year, 2015 was a particularly celebratory year for UKBP. An event that not only demonstrates how diverse a community we live in, but also practices the idea of bringing all people together regardless of background with the common interest of equality.

Stonewall’s Young Campaigner of the Year, Sirina-Monique, performed at UK Black Pride this year.

Sirina is just one of the many diverse voices we want to continue amplifying through our work and our partners’ work. Sirina is a phenomenal performer, and we’re certain she’ll continue to do incredibly important campaigning work towards acceptance for all LGBT people. www.stonewall.org.uk

the importance of multiple identities. It was inspiring to see young people really grasp this as a priority.

Stonewall introducing

Josh Willacy Josh Willacy is an Account Manager at Stonewall, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality charity.

look up to and who inspire me. However, the UK is still lacking in these sorts of role models within the media.

He manages the housing sector and looks after the Yorkshire & Humber region, advising organisations on policy-making decisions and helping them to ensure their workplaces are as inclusive for LGBT staff as possible.

In the US, people, like trans activist etc Laverne Cox and bisexual singersongwriter Frank Ocean act as fantastic role models for especially young people.

‘Growing up mixed race and gay can be amazing in many ways, but also quite confusing and often isolating at times.

I think a lot of that does have something to do with the fact that, when I looked externally, there weren’t really a lot of positive LGBT BAME role models.

Now, as I work at Stonewall, I’ve come to find and meet and talk to lots of people that I

We need to see more visible BAME LGBT role models in the UK. Recently I took part in the Stonewall Young Leaders programme as a facilitator for 18-24 year olds. What we do is challenge them to think of themselves as leaders and role models. And that can be quite difficult at times.

One thing that was raised within our discussions with the young people was intersectionality and

Now more than ever, I’m really ready to be the change that I want to see. I want to be a positive BAME LGBT role model in my personal and professional life.

Essentially what that means to me is to be out, to be prouds and to be as visible for others as I can.

I want to engage with as many people as possible, to share my story and to influence others.

Sometimes growing up mixed, half white British and half Jamaican, I felt like my sexuality and my ethnicity were mutually exclusive, but they’re not.

And they don’t have to be.

I want to commit to ensure other people know that – I want to make that abundantly clear.

Being BAME and LGBT has enriched who I am and has enriched my experiences.

I want to step up as a role model and ensure that it enriches the lives of other BAME LGBT individuals too.’

Josh Willacy @joshywillacy

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‘Minority, of a minority, of a minority’

What do you think of when you hear the words, “I am black, I am gay and I am a woman”?

Yes, I said human beings. We are all human, yet some of us not ‘beings’ in the eyes of so many others. Who are blind to the diversity of our humanity.

Minority, of a minority, of a minority.

But, together and with our allies, we will prosper!

Being black often differentiates us from others, in a society that should be accepting.

No matter what.

Every day is a step, a step to some form of justice we can never seem to find.

Being lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans so often brands us to a prejudice society as ‘not normal.’

Being female can lessen us to lower paid jobs that often disallow us to display our real potential and excel.

And socio-economics, where the poor are in poverty and pushed out by the prosperous.

Why, for so many, does being black, gay and female have to be a chore?

Constantly having to push harder than others, who often have less or no relevant expertise, but whose difference is in their sexual 52

orientation, ethnicity and gender identity. Which are shared by the majority.

A female with an outstanding physique might lift tonnes at her job in building and construction, yet sexist comments are always amongst the rubble.

Why as a society do we build our own ‘normality’, when who we are cements and constructs us as human beings?

We are ‘enlightened’ by negativity on the news, when one’s identity forms the first part of the title, as if ones identity is a crime that they commit. ‘Gay woman’ does this.

‘Black woman commits’ that.

Sexist newspapers draw our attention by addressing the reader with statements such as ‘single Mum starts new business’. Where are the magazines profiling families with two Mums?

A minority, of a minority of a minority.

You can follow SirinaMonique on YouTube and Twitter – Didactic MK.

PROUD HISTORY.

BRIGHT FUTURE.

As we celebrate Black History Month, we’re also looking to the future here at Newham College and renewing our pledge to support and nurture the diverse community we serve.

We aim to create an environment that’s welcoming to everyone who studies with us.

And we’re also committed to supporting and developing our workforce.

Nearly half our staff are from the BME community and we are proud of the way in which we reflect the wider society in East London.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to start your career or take it further – particularly if you’re able to bring us strong interpersonal skills and contribute to our strategic vision – then we’d be delighted to talk to you. After all, the best way in which we can honour the achievements of the past is by looking to even greater success in the years ahead.

Please visit www.newham.ac.uk where you can find out more about working for us and apply online.

Ebola hit the headlines last year as the outbreak in West Africa began to spiral, seemingly out of control. The world began to sit up and take notice as the death toll rose to 1,000 and appeared to be spreading uncontained.

To date, the outbreak has claimed over 11,000 lives, making it the deadliest occurrence of the disease since it was first discovered in 1976. In fact, this one outbreak has taken more lives than all the other known outbreaks added together. But the numbers of new cases of Ebola have dropped significantly thanks to the brave

men and women from around the world who travelled to West Africa to help care for those suffering from the disease.

One such man is David Collins Owuor. He began his life in Nairobi - in the slums of Kibera.

Growing up, he saw sickness and disease cripple his community, taking the lives of children prematurely and leaving grown men and women unable to work. He dreamt of a different life, one where disease did not haunt him; one where, instead, he fought it head on. It was a wild dream for a boy living in one of the world’s most notorious slums.

FIGHTING

But this boy’s dreams were a window to his potential, and when as a young man he was registered at his local church into a Compassion project, those dreams began to take shape. David was now able not only to go to school, but to university afterwards. He studied Biomedical Technology as his dreams of fighting disease began to become a reality.

“He dreamt of a different life, one where disease did not haunt him; one where instead, he fought it head on.”

“It was touching too, to see patients who had recovered from the disease return to take care of others.”

When it became apparent that the West African Ebola outbreak would need outside intervention, David was among the first group of African scientists deployed to combat the virus.

He was based in Liberia, and has a deep admiration for the resilience of the people he went to serve and protect. “Liberians are very kind, peaceful, and social.

Many of the youth volunteered

EBOLA

their services without pay assisting with basic chores around the isolation facilities. It was touching too, to see patients who had recovered from the disease return to take care of others.”

David worked closely with the Liberian government to write and implement policies that would reduce the spread of the virus.

David explains; “Media communication enabled us to inform people about how to keep safe and how to interact with each other without spreading the disease.”

Thanks to the work of men and women like David, Liberia is now clear of Ebola.

David is back in Kenya now where has a vision to see his country break new ground in medical science; “I am currently applying for a PhD because what I would really like to do is set up a genetic testing and cancer research facility in East Africa. There is nothing like that in the region and it would really give back to my community.”

For more information on the work of Compassion visit www.compassionuk.org

Helping more struggling buyers onto London’s property ladder, L&Q’s new Shared Ownership website – www.lqpricedin. co.uk – is dedicated to educating Londoners on the Shared Ownership process.

The interactive website provides simple step-bystep guides to purchasing a property on the open market through Shared Ownership.

It covers everything from registering and reserving, to completion and getting the keys to your new home.

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Like many people considering the part-buy, part-rent initiative, 39 year-old architect Anton Risan was pleasantly surprised to find that he was eligible: “I thought Shared Ownership was mainly for key workers, so was surprised to see that I could afford to buy a property on a single income.”

Purchasing a two bedroom apartment at L&Q’s Greenland Place scheme earlier this year, Anton comments: “I couldn’t be

happier. I’ve been looking to get a two bedroom flat for quite some time, but I never thought I would be able to afford something like this… it’s one stop from Canary Wharf and two stops from London Bridge, how much more central can you get?”

This summer and autumn, L&Q will launch a range of new homes across some of London’s most exciting boroughs:

GREENWICH PENINSULA, NORTH GREENWICH: Already dubbed, ‘London’s ultimate village’, Greenwich Peninsula will transform 190 acres of marshland to deliver 10,000 new homes, 150 retail units and 48 acres of open green space, all set along 1.6 miles of prime Thames waterfront.

This September L&Q are launching a selection of one and two bedroom Shared Ownership apartments, wheelchair units are also available..

GREENLAND PLACE, SURREY QUAYS:

THE CITY MILLS, HAGGERSTON:

L&Q recently released its final 55 one, two and three bedroom Shared Ownership apartments each enjoying a prime, zone two location.

Situated in the heart of East London’s trendy Haggerston area, L&Q’s next phase of Shared Ownership homes at The City Mills are available this autumn.

THURSTON POINT, LEWISHAM: Now selling, Thurston Point’s one, two and three bedroom Shared Ownership apartments are ideally situated just a short stroll from Lewisham Station and within walking distance to a number of green spaces including Hilly Fields Park and Ladywell Fields.

QUEBEC QUARTER CANADA WATER: Launching in late 2015, L&Q’s large scale regeneration development will offer a selection of stunning one and two bedroom Shared Ownership apartments. www.lqpricedin.co.uk

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How Leeds has been shining a light on West Africa’s railway history If you ask many people in the UK what they know about Sierra Leone, they probably wouldn’t be able to say more than ‘Ebola’ or perhaps ‘civil war’.

But this year, thanks to a wonderful international collaboration at Leeds Industrial Museum, many will be able to tell you about the country’s rich cultural heritage and its Leeds-built locomotives.

The event - ‘From West Riding to West Africa’ marked the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Sierra Leone National Railway Museum, 40 years since the closure of the railways in Sierra Leone and the 100th birthday of Nellie – a locomotive transported to Sierra Leone during the First

Actor Patrice Naiambana performs as a First World War Sierra Leonean soldier, giving his perspective on the war and the spread of the railway in his home country. Image copyright Leeds Museums and Galleries

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World War by Leeds based Manning Wardle & Company.

Railway locomotives built in Leeds during and after WW1 changed West Africa forever.

Nellie is Sierra Leone’s oldest surviving steam locomotive and was used to shunt goods around the capital Freetown.

Nellie survived the 1975 closure of the country’s rail network and is now in Sierra Leone’s National Railway Museum.

In a weekend of displays, West African food, music, talks and hands-on activities, Leeds partnered with the Sierra Leone National Railway Museum and local and national West African community groups to tell the story of Sierra Leone’s railways, the stories of the people who came back from West Africa to live in the UK, and how those old locos are helping Sierra Leone’s economy recover from the recent crisis and rebuild the country’s tourism industry.

Afrika Bambaataa performs at Leeds City Museum. Image courtesy of Lee Arnold and Universal Zulu Nation

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of hip-hop Leeds museums have been making a mark on the international hip-hop map with our work to promote positive hip-hop culture.

November 2014 marked the 40th anniversary of positive hip-hop culture – a movement co-founded by the internationally acclaimed artist Afrika Bambaataa.

The anniversary provided a wonderful opportunity to deepen our links with enthusiasts in contemporary music culture, as well as to

run an event which would appeal to a wide range of communities of all ages.

Our event included a live Q&A session with Afrika Bambaataa himself, hip-hop and beatbox performances and a series of family friendly hip-hop-themed workshops.

We also added to our collections with a t-shirt signed

by Afrika Bambaataa and other hip-hop memorabilia.

The event was such a success that we are planning for a new event at Leeds City Museum in

November 2015, during hiphop month, which will feature a similar mix of opportunities to speak with artists, beatboxing workshops and stalls.

Hip-hop has always taken pride in its African cultural roots, and this is something we have sought to build on. Leeds Museums and Galleries have some incredible examples of historic and contemporary African art and we have also used both events as an opportunity to highlight these collections to the people attending.

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Angel of Youth:

Telling the story of Africa We felt there was a gap in how we tell the story of Africa in our World Cultures displays. We thought the best way of doing this would be to work in partnership with community organisations to tell this story.

We identified Angel of Youth as a good partner. They are a Leeds-based community organisation working with BME young people aged 16-30, and mostly of African descent, with the intention of inspiring them and making them aware of opportunities in arts and culture.

Together, we supported a group of young people to curate a community exhibition at Leeds City Museum.

Telling the story of Africa in Leeds. Image copyright Leeds Museums and Galleries

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The exhibition opened in October 2014 and is running for a year. Prior to this, we worked together for five months to fill five cases themed Faith, Sport, Music, Fashion and Heritage. The young people selected the

objects as well as determining the theme of the exhibition and supporting messages.

The cases include objects from our own collections, together with items sourced directly from the communities.

The exhibitions have gone hand-in-hand with an exciting cultural programme, including film and new artwork.

Through the exhibition, we have significantly increased the number of young people of African heritage living and studying in Leeds visiting the museum. Informal follow-ups have shown the young people involved have benefitted from the skills acquired in the programme. We also believe that our active engagement with the community has given us a better exhibition than we might have had otherwise.

For more information about Leeds City Museum visit www.leeds.gov. uk/citymuseum

Ahura Hair Studio, Leeds. Photo by Sara Porter, Copyright Leeds Museums and Galleries

How Do I Look & the Black Health Initiative Our 2015 exhibition ‘How Do I Look?’ at Leeds’s Abbey House Museum aims to explore some of the ways people across different cultures and time periods have sought to present themselves. We have used objects like wigs, Brylcreem, moustache cups, cut-throat razors and perm machines to show the lengths people have gone to through time in pursuit of their personal ideals of ‘looking good’.

For the contemporary side of the exhibition, we wanted to celebrate the ways in which people from all backgrounds present themselves today.

We talked to individuals and to local businesses such as tattoo and piercing studios, hairdressers and barbers.

In November 2014 we approached Leeds’s Black Health Initiative, who had run their own project exploring the idea of beauty as represented by the media, and how an idealised version of this can affect the perceptions of young people.

They kindly gave permission to display the photographs.

Through Khadijah Ibrahim of Black Health Initiative, we forged links with local hairdressers in Leeds’s

Chapeltown area. As a result of this consultation we were able to represent Afrotextured hair in the display; we purchased an array of contemporary styling products for Afro-textured hair for the exhibition, and were loaned a hot iron comb to illustrate the different techniques used by some Black British people to straighten their hair.

We received some very positive community feedback from the exhibition, which will run until 31 December 2015.

For more information, visit www.leeds.gov. uk/howdoilook.

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Screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia Sickle cell disease and beta thalassaemia major are serious, genetically inherited blood disorders which affect haemoglobin and its oxygen carrying capacity.

Genes are the codes in our bodies for such things as eye colour and height. Genes work in pairs. For everything that we inherit we get one gene from our biological mother, and one from

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our biological father.

Carriers for a haemoglobin disorder are healthy and have inherited one unusual haemoglobin gene and one gene for normal haemoglobin A. Carriers are unaware of their status unless they have a specific blood test and they will never develop a haemoglobin disorder. But the gene is still there in the back-

ground, and they could pass it on to their own children.

Anyone can be a carrier of a haemoglobin disorder. It tends to be most common among people whose ancestors come from Africa, the Caribbean, some parts of India, Pakistan, south and south-east Asia and the Middle East. This is because carrying a gene for a haemoglobin

“

Screening is not just for women. Know the facts, know the choices.” TIm Campbell, winner BBC The Apprentice Programme

disorder may help protect against malaria in childhood, so in places where malaria has been widespread, the genes have become more common. Carriers can still get malaria, and should always protect themselves when travelling.

Where both parents are carriers, there is a 1 in 4 (25%) chance that their baby could inherit both unusual haemoglobin genes and have a condition that requires treatment.

Sickle cell disease is the name given to a family of conditions.

The most serious type is sickle cell anaemia (Hb SS). Symptoms include pain known as a ‘crisis’, severe anaemia, susceptibility to infections and damage to major organs.

Sickle cell disease affects approximately 1 in 2,000 births in England, with an estimated 240,000 healthy carriers.

Beta thalassaemia major is caused by a defect in the normal haemoglobin gene, which prevents the body from producing haemoglobin. The result is life threatening

anaemia, and people need regular blood transfusions for survival and treatment to clear excess iron from the body, throughout their lives.

There are currently an estimated 214,000 healthy carriers of the beta thalassaemia gene variant in England, and over 700 people with beta thalassaemia major.

Sickle cell anaemia and beta thalassaemia major can sometimes be cured with bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.

In England, all pregnant women (and the baby’s father where the woman is identified as a carrier) are offered screening for carrier status. All newborn babies are offered screening for sickle cell disease as part of the newborn blood spot (heel prick) test. The UK National Screening Committee also recommends that all babies up to one year of age living in the UK are offered this test so if your baby is less than one year old and for any reason s/he has not been offered newborn blood spot screening (e.g. you have just moved or recently arrived in the

UK) speak to your General Practitioner (GP) or your Health Visitor. If you or any other child you have has sickle cell disease and you have moved to a new area, it is also very important for you to inform your GP or Consultant Haematologist about this.

Testing at other times Blood tests can be offered at any stage in life. It is helpful for people to know their carrier status before they plan a family.

The test can be done by their GP or specialist sickle cell and thalassaemia centre.

NHS Sickle Cell & Thalassaemia Screening Programme

http://sct.screening.nhs.uk/ Sickle Cell Society http://www.sicklecellsociety.org/

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Men Stand United Against Prostate Cancer A lot of money has changed hands for footballer Ade Akinbiyi.

He’s played in the Premiership for Leicester City and Crystal Palace and internationally for his parents’ native Nigeria. In January 2014, Ade, now 40 and working as a Sports Consultant, lost his father.

He was devastated, and it wasn’t until later he found out he’d died of prostate cancer. His dad had kept it to himself. Ade talks

“

about this huge shock, how it’s changed his life and how he feels about his own risk of prostate cancer. Ade is married, with three children and lives in Manchester.

“I first heard about prostate cancer about a year-and-a-half ago from Errol McKellar, who is part of Men United; Prostate Cancer UK’s movement for everyone who thinks men are worth fighting for. I’ve known

Errol since I was 10. I grew up in Hackney and I used to play in a local youth football team called Senrab that’s produced lots of big name players.

Errol helped out with that and he’d pick up kids from anywhere who needed a lift. He’s an amazing guy – everyone looked up to him and he was like a father figure to all of us.

“We stayed in touch and I often pop into his garage when I’m in London seeing

I first heard about prostate cancer about a yearand-a-half ago from Errol McKellar, who is part of Men United; Prostate Cancer UK’s movement for everyone who thinks men are worth fighting for.

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Erol and Ade

my Mum. But I’d been a few times and he wasn’t there. Eventually I found out the reason was that he’d had prostate cancer.

“When I saw him, he told me all about the disease and he said he’s doing everything he can to raise awareness – telling guys who come into his garage about it, doing all sorts with Men United and Prostate Cancer UK. “About two months after that chat with Errol I found out my Dad had died of

prostate cancer. It was a huge shock because although I knew he was ill, I’d had no idea he had prostate cancer. He was in Nigeria at the time – he’d spend some time there each year, some time in the UK. I got a call to say he’d passed away, but it was only when I went out and saw a copy of the death certificate that I found out it was prostate cancer.

“The hospital out in Lagos was not the best for telling us things – I did wonder if the doctors hadn’t known

what was wrong with him, but now I don’t think so.

He’d been ill for quite a while; he must have had tests and just decided to keep it quiet. Knowing the older generation (he was 78) that’s what they do. And Dad was quite a strong character. If you‘d ask him how he was he’d just say yeah he was okay, no more. So I don’t know when he found out, what stage it was at or what treatment he had. He’d gone to all his appointments on his own.

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Left: Footballer Ade Akinbiyi

If there was a genetic test to tell me more about my risk, I would definitely have that, as long as it didn’t harm me. And it’s something I’d definitely want to tell my family about before I had it.

“Through talking to Errol, I knew that if your father or brother has had prostate cancer then you have a higher risk yourself. And he told me that because I’m Black I already have a 1 in 4 chance of getting prostate cancer (that’s double the risk of prostate cancer in all men – 1 in 8). So I have a pretty high risk. But I’ve done a lot of reading and now I’m aware of my risk and I’ve learned about 66

the disease, it doesn’t bother me. Until a test says I have it, I’m not going to worry or assume it’s going to happen.

“It could be me, it could be one of my two brothers, it could be anyone. I’ll make sure I get checked regularly and that’ll give me a good chance to have treatment. I’m 40 now and I’m talking to the GP about getting tested. My older brother has as well.

“I’ve got two boys aged 20 and 4 and a girl who’s 14. I’ve already told my older son about prostate cancer and the fact that it could affect him. And I’ll talk to my younger one when he reaches the right age, maybe in his mid-twenties. I just don’t think it’s something you can hide from them – you’ve got to be open and truthful. I was left wondering why my Dad didn’t tell me. I don’t want them to feel the same.

“

I’m open about it generally – I talk to my friends about prostate cancer and health – maybe partly because I’m sporty and I like to exercise and stay healthy.

But I think a great friendship is all about getting together and talking about things “I’m open about it generally – I talk to my friends about prostate cancer and health – maybe partly because I’m sporty and I like to exercise and stay healthy. But I think a great friendship is all about getting together and talking about things – whether it’s prostate cancer or another problem.

And I think guys my age are starting to be aware and talk about it.

We’re not as private as my Dad’s generation.

name I want to use it to do what I can to help beat prostate cancer and let people know about it, especially Black men.

“However, there are still a lot of people who don’t know. That’s why I got involved with Prostate Cancer UK and Men United. I’ve been in football for years and while I’ve still got my

“I’m really proud to say I’m part of Men United and wear my Man of Men badge. It’s great that so many football managers are wearing it and promoting it. People spot mine and say: ‘What’s that,

“I was with Prostate Cancer UK at a golf show recently as an ambassador.

And I organized a barbecue at my church in Bowden to raise awareness and money. I raised around £1,000. I’m going to do a sky dive as well – I’ll do anything as long as it can help the cause.

I’ve seen it on TV’ and they want it. It’s almost becoming a fashion thing, and that’s great because it starts people talking about it. It could be me, it could be one of my two brothers, it could be anyone.”

If you’re worried about prostate cancer speak to a Prostate Cancer UK Specialist Nurse on 0800 074 8383 or visit prostatecanceruk.org You can also be a part of Men United with Ade and wear your pin badge with pride. Join the team at prostatecanceruk. org/menunited

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Teaching

A great career and quality of Life

Teaching offers many outstanding benefits that you don’t get with other careers. That includes a generous pension and holiday allowance of up to 13 weeks, meaning you can enjoy more chances to pursue your interests, travel or spend time with your family and friends.

There are also opportunities to work flexibly, including on a part-time basis.

Do something different every day As most teachers will tell you, there’s no such thing as a ‘typical’ day. That’s because 68

no two days are the same – you’re unlikely to ever be bored by a lack of variety.

In addition to planning and teaching a range of engaging lessons, you can indulge your hobbies and interests as part of your work by getting involved in afterschool clubs, trips or sport.

But you can also rest assured that you’re joining a profession with good employment prospects and job security. And once you qualify, there are lots of chances for good teachers to climb the career ladder.

Could you train to be a teacher?

There’s a wide range of different teacher training courses available, and the one you choose will likely depend on your qualifications, experience and where you want to train. Courses are available across the country, so you should have plenty of options on the location of your training, too.

There are, however, two key criteria that you’ll need to meet to train to teach in England, regardless of your course preference:

72% of newly qualified teachers are still in the profession after five years of service A GCSE grade C (or equivalent) in maths and English – and science if you want to be a primary teacher A UK degree (or an overseas equivalent) If you don’t have the required GCSEs or overseas equivalent you should contact the school or university you would like to apply to, as they make the final judgement on equivalent qualifications accepted. Some schools and universities may offer you the opportunity to sit a GCSE equivalency test. If this option is not available, you may want to consider taking a part-time GCSE or Open Access course at your local further education college.

You will need to cover the cost of this course yourself.

Your future is in your hands The opportunities for career progression as a teacher are plentiful and can be tailored to your strengths and interests – and you could find that your ascent up the career ladder is more rapid than in other jobs. While you realise your ambitions, you’ll also get to help young people achieve theirs – it’s the one profession that starts every other.

Teacher training will set you up to succeed from the very beginning. As you progress as a qualified teacher, you’ll gain a wide range of transferable skills and could move into a leadership position as a head of department, head

of year or even headteacher.

In fact, 41% of teachers are in leadership roles.

There’s plenty of support to help you achieve your goals, too. Talented teachers with ambition can benefit from schemes to progress faster in their careers and achieve leadership positions sooner. Among these is the Future Leaders’ accelerated leadership programme, (www.future-leaders.org.uk) which offers opportunities to qualified teachers who are ready to lead challenging secondary schools and tackle educational disadvantage.

Source DfE Get Into Teaching https://getintoteaching. education.gov.uk

If you’re in your final year of uni, you can still begin your application now. There are also undergraduate degrees that include the chance to achieve qualified teacher status. If you’re a Service leaver, you may be able to gain qualified teacher status without a degree on a Troops to Teachers course.

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Are you a graduate who wants to train as a Primary Teacher?

The 2Schools Consortium, as an accredited provider of Initial Teacher Training, has been successfully involved in school-based teacher training for more than 10 years and has a wealth of experience in mentoring trainees and in delivering high quality teacher training. Our completion and employment rates have been regularly close to 100%.

Oakthorpe Primary School acts as a ‘lead school’ role in providing the School Direct Salaried

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Programme and the SCITT programme, both with QTS and PGCE award. We work in a large partnership with other schools in the surrounding area to offer a school-based route into teaching.

Details about applying for places, eligibility and funding can be found on the 2Schools Consortium website.

Successful completion of programme PGCE (Primary Education) at 2Schools Consortium leads to the

award of Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Primary Education) by University of East London.

For more information please visit our website http:// www.2schools.org Or contact: Isabella Mora Programme Leader 02088076906 isabella@oakthorpe.enfield.sch.uk training@oakthorpe.enfield.sch.uk

www.leedsscitt.org.uk

Are you looking for an exciting and rewarding career?

Train to Teach with Leeds SCITT School Centred Initial Teacher Training One of the longest running SCITT providers in the region, delivered by experienced teachers.

Offers a unique opportunity to develop your experience in a dynamic and supportive school environment.

Led from a group of good and outstanding schools in partnership with Leeds Trinity University.

Based within Leeds and the surrounding area.

QTS with PGCE and 60 Masters credits upon successful completion in: Art and Design Computer Science Dance Design Technology Drama English Geography

History Maths Music RE Science with Biology Science with Chemistry Science with Physics

For more information contact: T: 0113 283 7268 E: enquiries@teachinleeds.org.uk

Felix Mizioznikov/Shutterstock.com

Adoption: A man on a mission

Ryan is a man on a mission – to get more black and minority ethnic families to adopt children. “My message to them is: get involved. It’s really worth it,” he says. “It can be extremely challenging but you can’t do much better than giving children a happy home and family life.”

Not all children have a family who are able to care for them in the long term. The number of adoptions in England is rising which is good news. But sadly black children, especially boys over the age of three, are still waiting a year longer than other children to be adopted.

And every year they stay in care makes it less likely that a child will find the stability of a permanent family.

can adopt. You don’t need to be married, own your own home or be in full time employment to be eligible to adopt a child. Single people are welcomed, as well as couples, gay or straight. Although adopters tend to be over 25, the minimum age is 21, and there is no upper age limit. Having children of your own doesn’t prevent you from adopting. Not owning your home or not being in full time employment will not prevent you from adopting either.

“Get involved.

It’s really worth it” But what is it really like?

One reason for the delay is a shortage of adopters coming forward from the black community. This is an issue our community should be able to solve. But what can we do?

Ryan, who is African Caribbean, and his wife, Suzanne, adopted two boys of dual heritage, who came to live with them and their two daughters.

Let’s start with busting the myths about who

Ryan described the moment he first met his

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Suzanne said: “There’s something exciting about having children who are not genetically yours because they have things in them that birth children don’t have. Our older son is really musical, which neither of us are, and our youngest is so athletic, he is the fastest child, it’s like poetry in motion to see him run.”

Junial Enterprises/Shutterstock.com

adopted son: “The first meeting was long anticipated. As we got to his foster house, we opened the door. He stopped playing, looked up at me and ran and jumped into my arms.

His big eyes and big smile greeted me and that broke the ice in an amazing way. That was really moving. Everyone was in tears.”

Photos have been posed by models to protect identities.

Could you adopt?

Ryan and Suzanne are both passionate about adopting, and equally enthusiastic about the welcome they got from their adoption agency, Coram. “On our first visit to Coram, they were just so friendly and welcoming.” says Ryan. More than a third of Coram’s adopting families come from a black or minority ethnic background, which means they can find vulnerable children safe, new families, knowing that their sense of identity will be valued and nurtured.

Adoption in the black community

Children in care need families from the community to come forward, and not let the myths put us off.

• In England, black children wait a year longer to be adopted than children from white or Asian backgrounds*.

“Being adoptive parents is both enriching and challenging” says Ryan. Suzanne adds: “You don’t need lots of money or qualifications to be a good parent. I think the main thing you need is an open mind, a willingness to learn and an ability to love the children that you care for.”

• As children grow older, it gets less and less likely that they will be adopted.

Call Coram on 020 7520 0383 Come to an adoption event: www.coramadoption.org.uk Or visit the national adoption information service: www.first4adoption.org.uk

• Black boys over the age of three in particular wait longer than other children for an adoptive family.

• There is an urgent need for adopters who can help black children to feel safe, loved and to take pride in their ethnic, cultural and religious heritages.

To find out more, visit www.coramadoption.org.uk or call 020 7520 0383.

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Registered charity no. 312278

* Government Briefing on inter-racial adoption, March 2014

© Shutterstock

Promoting the needs of BME children in care Supporting BME children who are unable to live with their birth families

By Savita de Sousa - Consultant for Black Minority Ethnic Perspectives at CoramBAAF CoramBAAF Adoption & Fostering Academy is the leading membership organisation dedicated to improving outcomes for children and young people in care by supporting the agencies and professionals who work with them. We believe every child deserves a stable, loving home.

Nearly a quarter of looked-after children in the care system are BME (black, minority, ethnic) and we have over forty years’ experience of supporting prospective and current foster carers and adopters of BME children.

Through our Black Minority Ethnic Perspectives Advisory Committee (BMEPAC), we have been a major influence on promoting an understanding of the identity needs of black children and the impact of racism on their sense of wellbeing. We are also the largest publisher and seller of resources in this field.

To enquire about CoramBAAF membership please contact Abi Omotoso on abi.omotoso@corambaaf.org.uk

CoramBAAF is committed to working with black adopters and foster carers. Our Support Services include: • A doption Support Groups for BME adults and children • C onsultation to Local Authorities and IAAs developing Adoption Support services to BME families and children • F ostering Support Groups for BME children & their families • C onsultation to Local Authorities and IFPs developing Fostering Support services to BME children and their families CoramBAAF’s Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicities Perspective Project also provides an advice and consultancy reference point for professionals, practitioners, adoptive parents, carers and birth families.

To find out more about CoramBAAF’s work in the fields of adoption and fostering and BME children, please contact Savita de Sousa on savita. desousa@corambaaf.org.uk.

Our bookshop has a wide range of titles aimed at supporting BME children and young people in both foster placements and adoptive families. Our bestsellers include research studies and personal narratives exploring the care journeys of BME children as well as good practice guides providing invaluable information and advice to help sustain and improve work on a day-to-day basis.

For foster carers and professionals we recommend: • Looking after our own Essential reading for social services professionals looking to recruit and support BME adopters.

• Fostering unaccompanied asylumseeking young people A research-based exploration of the complex needs of migrant children and how foster carers can provide family care against a background of uncertainty, anxiety and potential risk.

• Pathways to permanence for black, Asian and mixed ethnicity children A pioneering study exploring the care pathways of minority ethnic children in three authorities in England.

To view the full range of CoramBAAF publications please visit http://www.corambaaf.org.uk/bookshop/

• Working with black children and adolescents in need An invaluable collection of practice-based suggestions for improving strategies and techniques of working with black children and adolescents in need.

And for children and young people we suggest: • Fostering: what it is and what it means Over 10,000 copies have been sold of this colourful and informative guide that clearly explains what fostering means.

• Picnic in the park This fully illustrated picture book introduces young children to a range of family structures including two- and oneparent families, adoptive and foster families, gay and lesbian families, step families and more.

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Raising Public Awareness of Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia New Outreach resources on the United Kingdom Government website are now available to the Public The United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme (NHSSCTSP) have published new resources as part of their strategy to improve public understanding of sickle cell disease, thalassaemia and genetic screening.

Education and outreach have been important for the NHSSCTSP because it was the first national genetic screening programme in the UK National Health Service. In 2009, the UK Sickle Cell Society was commissioned to deliver the NHSSCTSP public outreach on sickle cell. There was a lack of awareness

of sickle cell and lots of stigma around the condition, particularly in the high risk African and Caribbean communities most at risk of inheriting sickle cell, so it was important to educate about sickle cell, testing and associated myths.

These resources now published include a good practice guide for people who commission, fund, deliver and evaluate outreach programmes, an overview of the work delivered and the research underpinning it. The resources capture the learning from years of outreach work. They include a detailed guide that explains the learning, video clips from public events and interviews with service users and people who delivered the outreach.

Resources can be accessed from: https://www.gov.uk/search?q=sickle+cell+outreach (For further information contact: iyamide.thomas@sicklecellsociety.org)

As the Government Legal Department, we are the government’s principal legal advisers.

Our core purpose is to help the government to govern well, within the rule of law. We provide legal advice to government on the development, design and implementation of government policies and decisions, and represent the government in court.

As a Civil Service Department and a major public sector legal organisation - employing almost 2000 people in a wide variety of legal and other roles - we are proud of our strong ethos of diversity and inclusion. Of those of our people who declared, 16% are from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background. “I am very proud to be working with colleagues in GLD and beyond to ensure our organisation is a place where every individual, whatever their story and characteristics, can reach their full potential and feel at home. I am very pleased to support Black History Month on behalf of GLD.� Naomi Mallick, Race Champion, GLD Interested in finding out more? Visit us at www.gov.uk/gld

Is it in you to be a prison officer?

My name is Sharon Edmond and I’m a prison officer at HMP & YOI Holloway. I’ve been in the Prison Service for 18 years. In 2013 I was named Prison Officer of the Year, for my work managing and caring for prisoners.

Being a prison officer is a demanding job, but really rewarding. It takes a certain type of person to do a job like this. You have to be confident, you have to be adaptable and know how to listen.

There’s a lot of variety, and although it can be tough sometimes, I love the day to day challenges.

Do you have it in you to be a prison officer?

Learn more at nomscareers.com