The venue has been provided by Action Deafness as part of its support to the event.

The Lord Mayor Manjula Sood will be coming along to lend her support to Hanisha

Hanisha, is 17 years old and has experienced deafness her whole life. But this young women has never let her deafness stop her from leading an active life and she is an inspiration to all who meet her, especially young people from all communities.

There are guests coming from Coventry, Birmingham and even as far as London to join in this unique event.

CEO – Craig Crowley, MBE said:

“I am delighted that Action Deafness is to be the first deaf charity in the East Midlands to put on such an event. The work being put into this by Hanisha and a team of dedicated volunteers is highly commendable, and the fact that the Lord Mayor of Leicester is attending is proof of this hard work. I hope many people will come and enjoy what promises to be a very entertaining and colourful evening.”

We are seeking a corporate sponsor interested in helping Hanisha with the her interpretor expenses leading up to and including the event so she is able to communicate easily with the media and all those involved in helping her with the event.

Action Deafness only uses BSL experienced interpreters who are registered with the independent Registration Panel and/or members of the Association of Sign Language interpreters.

It may surprise many people to discover that people with deafness who are volunteers would have to pay for the services of an interpreter, and as a consequence when organising a new event like the fashion show, can be the difference in being able to stage the event at all.

If you feel your company would be interested in discussing this opportunity further or to find out more details about Hanisha and the fashion show please contact in the first instance Jane Holden on Tel: 0116 257 4800

JaneHolden@actiondeafness.org.uk

All Leicestershire and Rutland Schools are being invited to take part in a British Sign Language Challenge being arranged by local charity Action Deafness based in Leicester City Centre.

Trained volunteers will be visiting local schools during the next school year to promote deaf awareness and to teach the children basic sign language. This in turn will be used as a platform to engage the children in some games using sign language but played in silence, to show what fun can be had, and to try and get the children to understand the needs of deaf people everywhere.

All primary and secondary schools in the City of Leicester and Leicestershire and Rutland are invited to participate and visits by our team of volunteers can be tailored to suit the busy schedules and curriculums of each school. Both Mathematics and English are incorporated in the learning, but this is done in a fun and inclusive way, offering new skills and a great deal of enjoyment.  Signing can also be tailored to accompany a school song, hymn or Christmas Carol for any of the schools concerts.

Craig Crowley MBE, CEO of Action Deafness said:

“I am very excited by this new awareness and fundraising initiative.  As a deaf person myself, I believe that the children will benefit greatly from this fun way of learning about sign language, and that awareness of deafness should be learnt from an early age.  We have devised some great activities that will have everyone laughing and enjoying themselves, whilst learning a truly fantastic language, and hopefully we will be able to encourage the children to go on to learn sign language in the future.”

To find out more please contact in the first instance Louise Miller, Office Manager on 0116 257 4815 or email Louise, louisemiller@actiondeafness.org.uk

VENUE:     African Caribbean Centre (AFCAB)
Maidstone Road (Sparkenhoe Street corner)
Leicester
LE2

DATE:    Friday 29th August ‘08

TIME:    5pm – 9pm

COST:    Free (Donations Welcome)

Black Future invite all parents/ guardians, carers, concerned individuals, family members and organisations that are responsible for, look after, work with or for young black youths.

Youth Question Time is a youth run debate and open discussion forum for young people, run by young people. Young people organise the event and decide who they would like on the panel for each showcase. The events are held at various locations in the city or county depending on availability and subject matter.

This coming event will be based on ‘Crime & Disorder’, with a strong focus on the controversial subjects of “stop ‘n’ search”, gun and knife crime. Amongst the invitees who will be sitting on this month’s panel are representatives of Leicestershire Constabulary, LREC and the NHS. There will also be a special debate between Black Future Network and Leicestershire Constabulary.

The event will be split into three sections:-
Myth busting PowerPoint presentation
One on one debate - Black Future Network vs. Leicestershire Constabulary on the subject of Stop and Search
Open panel questions and answers

*Free hot and cold food alongside refreshments will be served at the event*

Youth Question Time is a crucial event that gives young African, Caribbean and mixed heritage youngsters between 13 – 19 a voice and a platform for them to express their feelings and articulate their opinions. Black Future Network provides a medium through which they can connect with themselves and the community, as well as those organisations which represent us. Youth Question Time is also a powerful consultation tool that gives organisations and concerned adults alike, the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with hard to reach youth. The topics are fresh and up to date with what is currently happening in the community, nationally and globally where necessary, as the young people see fit.

Black Future (Community) Group Ltd.
Suite 19, Melbourne Centre,
Melbourne Road,
Highfields,
Leicester, LE2 0GU,
East Midlands, U.K.

Tel: +448707202968 (UK National Rate)
Fax: +448707202969 (UK National Rate)

eMail: info@blackfuture.org.uk
www.blackfuture.org.uk
Helping Shape Tomorrow’s World

What is it?

• This is a creative arts project targeting young men (16-35) of primarily African, Asian or Carribean descent.
• It will use artforms like poetry, hip hop, rap and others.
• It is set to take place between September and November 2008.
• It will see 6-7 young men (who will be between 16 and 35) working closely with leading arts professionals to produce a live showcase of their own work.
• Each participant will be paid for their participation.

Tell me more …

Over a series of 9 creative workshops 6-7 young men will receive close mentoring from the following leading artists:

• Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze - the internationally acclaimed poet of Jamaican origin
• Nicolas Makoha - a charismatic poet and educationalist who has performed around the UK
• Michael Brome (AKA Sureshot) - experienced local poet and ‘big brother’ of the project.

The workshops will lead to a final show, to be staged at the newly refurbished Y Theatre. It will be professionally produced by the high profile renaissance one and directed by the nationally acclaimed producer, mentor and curator Melanie Abrahams.

Who’s behind it?

‘Showcase Live’ is an exciting new project made possible by funding from the Community Development Foundation and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust.  Led by BrightSparks (Voluntary Arts in Mental Health Group) it’s core partners are:

• Akwaaba Ayeh (local mental health advocacy service for people of African, Carribean and Asian descent, formally the ‘Mental Health Shop’)
• Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and
• renaissance one (nationally acclaimed agency, producing and curating spoken word, poetry and fiction-based events.)

How do I get involved?

If you like to take part in the main showcase – or attend a couple of more open poetry producing workshops, to be led by Jean and Sureshot, then let us know. You can do so by calling:

Pamela Campbell (Akwaaba Ayeh) on: 0116 2471525,  email: pamela@akwaabaayeh.com

For more information please contact Lydia Towsey, Chair of BrightSparks and Creative Arts Coordinator for  Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust: lydia.towsey@leicspart.nhs.uk

10am to 4.30pm

At Babington Community College, 150 Strasbourg Drive, Leicester, LE4 0SZ

• Video Workshop on the plight of refugees
• Football exhibition
• Bottle dance by Bongabi group
• Drummers by Afro Innovation

Cross Cultural Event information poster

For further details please contact: Zuleikha Sheikh Abdallah, Refugee Project Worker

Leicester North West Community Forum

Tel: 0116 2293203

Mobile: 07846902312

Email: zuleikha.Abdallah@alchemyhouse.co.uk

Today, Black Future Group members will be taking the challenge and walking the ‘Walk of Honour’ for the second year running. This year’s theme is ‘Raising the Standard’, and Black Future will start to roll out The Emancipation Project by raising a flag displaying our new Emancipation logo.

Emancipation Walk ‘08 Schedule

We will be carrying the flag for the duration of the walk to encourage walkers and to raise public awareness of the project. The main objective of today’s Emancipation Walk is to layout a wheelchair friendly route and to identify suitable places to plant memorial trees along the way. This will mark the official route.

Emancipation Walk ‘08 - More Info

Black Future will also be continuing our Emancipation Day public holiday petition which will be officially petitioned directly to 10 Downing Street as of September 1st 2008. Please print off the Petition below and get your friends and colleagues to join you in signing this important document.

Emancipation Day Petition

To join the walk, sponsor or make a donation towards the project, find out more about the petition, or to participate in other ways - Call: 0870 7 202 968 or Email: info@blackfuture.org.uk

Your support is much appreciated

Website: www.blackfuture.org.uk

Click here for further details of the event 

Leicester Children’s Fund (NCH) - provides funding and support for a range of projects working with children and young people aged 5 - 13. The overall objective is to help children and young people achieve their full potential.

Advice and information about available services and support for children and families in accessing these services is available.

Encouragement to children to participate in planning and delivering services is given.

Leicester Children’s Fund
25 New Walk
Leicester LE1 6TE

Tel: 0116 249 5680
Email: enlcf@nch.org.uk

Positive: Teenager who had ASBO revoked is to be Ambassador

At the beginning of the year, Jake Warburton-Jones was hit with an Asbo – but after turning his life around, he has been announced as an Ambassador for the Special Olympics.

The 17 year old became only the second person in Leicester to have the order wiped out, following months of hard work trying to improve relationships between teenagers and pensioners on the Thurnby Lodge estate.

After reading Jake’s story in the Leicester Mercury, Special Olympics Director, Steve Humphries decided he would be a perfect role model to help promote the games, which are being held in Leicester in 2009.

The teenager joins some of Leicester’s most famous sports stars, including Gary Lineker, Martin Johnson, Mark Selby and Milan Mandaric, to act as a spokesman for the event.

Jake said he was ‘really pleased’ his efforts since receiving the Asbo had paid off.

He said ‘I got a letter asking if I wanted to do it, so I said yes. I’m really pleased, although I’m not sure exactly what I’ll be doing yet. It’s good that all the stuff I’ve done has been recognised so I’m pleased. My mum’s really pleased as well’.

Jake was given an Asbo in January, after intimidating residents and shop workers in Thurncourt Road.

Since then, he has been determined to change his life for the better, and recently organised a trip to Skegness for more than 50 pensioners and youngsters living in Thurnby Lodge.

Again, when his story was told in the Mercury, anti-social workers discovered the positive impact the teenager was making on the community, and his order was removed.

Mr Humphries said Jake is a positive role model for other teenagers.

He said: with the Games we really want to reach out to all communities, people from all walks of life, and we need people to spread the word about what is happening. Jake is a perfect example of a young person who is really making a difference, and that is being recognised. I saw his story and I was blown away – I thought it was fantastic’.

Article from Leicester Mercury 19th July 2009 - Written by Gemma Peplow

Editor: Citizens Eye is supporting a new project called Inside ‘n’ Out Magazine.

It focuses on those who choose not to re-enter the Criminal Justice System and how they achieve the challenge of re-entry to a community ‘outside’ that is sometimes harder than the period ‘inside’.

It will seek to be an independent platform for those on both sides to share their factual experiences and hopefully provide better communication through understanding.

The project will provide ex-offenders with a volunteering opportunity to share their experiences and hopefully inform young people in the early stages of their ‘career choice’, what awaits them unless they ‘choose’ a different path.

www.inomag.org

From 10am to 3pm, there are many different activities including:

• climbing wall
• urban rebounding
• reaction wall
• water slide
• den making
• book bus
• boat building
• fishing in the fountain

plus much more on the day

Young people will be engaged as journalists for the day to report back on the event itself.

Come along and join in the fun.

The Playday has been organised by Leicester City Council and is open to the public.

For further details please contact Ray Tunks on 0116 252 6022.

Contact email address: ray.tunks@leicester.gov.uk

Thousands of pounds of lottery money will pay for schemes to tackle obesity and encourage more volunteering in Leicester.  The City’s Local Sports Alliance has been awarded over £86,000 after a successful bid to Sport England for the cash, which is designed to encourage healthier lifestyles.  Steve White, Chairman of the Local Sports Alliance said: ‘This lottery award is a timely boost for Leicester citizens.  It will promote healthy lifestyles through participation in sport and physical activity.  It also taps into the volunteering community using the focus of the Special Olympics Leicester 2009 as a means of getting involved in
sport’.  For further details go to http://www.leicester.gov.uk/newssite/index01.asp?pgid=8618&months=ord&ms=Recent%20News:

Diary of a Special Ambassador

Lee Penfold from Hinckley has been selected to be an Ambassador for the Special Olympics 2009 in Leicester. Over the next 12 months in the run up to the big event, he’ll be writing a diary… Lee Penfold was part of Team Great Britain for the Special Olympics in Shanghai in 2007.  He played for the basketball team and brought back a Silver medal for his country.

Now Lee has been chosen to be an Ambassador for the Special Olympics 2009, which are being held in Leicester.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/content/articles/2008/05/13/lee_penfold_special_olympics_2009_diary_feature.shtml

Hockey International Boosts Olympics Fund

Belgrave: Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Manjula Sood, was guest of honour at Ramgarhia Hall, Ulverscroft Road.  It was held to mark Father’s Day and also her appointment as the first female Asian Lord Mayor in the UK.  It raised money for Councillor Sood’s chosen charity, the Special Olympics, which are to be held in Leicester in 2009.

Making Streets Blooming Lovely

A sea of pink geraniums was planted in Town Hall Square  in preparation for the visit of the Britain in Bloom judges in July.  The orange and white flowers were the colours of the Special Olympics, which are being held in Leicester next year.

Raising Disability Awareness

A Councillor has put himself in the shoes of a blind person to help him understand disability.  The Leicester Freeman Ward Councillor decided to find out more about disability after being made a Special Olympics Ambassador.

Special Olympics Summer 2008 Newsletter

A copy of the Special Olympics Leicester Summer 2008 newsletter is available upon request from the Games Office by emailing
info@sol2009.com should anyone have been missed out on the first circulation.  Alternatively a copy will be available to view on the SOL website www.sol2009.com when it becomes live next week - Friday, 25th July 2008.

Regards

Steve Humphries
Games Director
Special Olympics Leicester 2009

T: 0116 238 5000
F: 0116 252 8501
W: www.sol2009.com