March 2014 edition

28 The Magazine A TRIBUTE

BATOOK PANDYA MBE

BLOOD & ORGAN DONOR WITH THE LORD MAYOR

FGM

24,000 YOUNG GIRLS IN UK AT RISK

FACEWITH TOA FACE GURKHA FASHIONISTA DIRACISTA PEOPLE & PLACES

MY DREAM HOLIDAY - SUE SHEIKH

JOURNEY THROUGH INDIA SHANTI NIKETAN TO ST. GEORGE

ENTERTAINMENT BRIT-ASIAN

BUSINESS PROFILE RAJANI

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In this Issue

PR & Marketing: Big Q Media & Entertainment Editor: Big Q Sub Editor: JC

A Tribute

Features: Junior Sheikh Sue. S Raffi. S Big Q Nigel & Maxine Williams Waheeda Sheikh Mani Chakyar (Mumbai)

Batook Pandya

Blood & Organ Donor Campaign With The Lord Mayor Of Bristol

Special Feature

Female Genital Mutilation-Fgm

Art & Design: Mitch. H Print Setting: Ben. S

Face To Face

Web E-copy: Mike. W

South West

Photography Nigel Williams Maxine Williams Bashir Omar Mursall Mohammed Junior. S

We do hope you enjoy your read.

International Language Day

Editor

Local Entrepreneurs

A tribute to Batook

People & Places

Batook was a friend, a mentor and colleague on our Radio Mast online station.

My Dream Holiday – Sue Sheikh Journey Through India

Fashionista

Dirac & Guntiino

Business Profile

Advertising: Big Q Media & Entertainment Tel. +447975 790368 +447807 802325 Email. bigq.media.entertainment@gmail.com

e-magazine available @ www.radiomastfm.com

We have also spread our wings to other communities especially the ever growing Somalian community in the region, making this a more inclusive magazine.

The magazine is distributed free in the South West & South Wales and is also available as an e-copy on www.radiomastfm.com

With A Gurkha – Jb Gurung

Liiban Abdi

Special Thanks: Raj Ghai Nisha Sahdev PRthat Susan Elmi

Hello again, We’re back after a lapse in the later part of 2013 as a result of relocation and restructuring. We bring you a much bigger magazine with a larger variety and of course an injection of some new members. We have allocated more space for entertainment giving home grown Asian talent an opportunity to showcase their work.

Rajani Superstore

Batook was one of the brands dedicated supporters and had just confirmed his participation as a presenter for his popular Silver Screen hits on Radio Mast that was to run three days a week. This was on Monday 10th of February and was booked for a promo photoshoot which sadly was not meant to be.

Hair & Beauty Saharla

Healthy Eating

Baobab For Breakfast

Silver Screen

Mast -The -Magazine @mastmagz

King Of Tradegy - Dilip Kumar

Entertainment Brit Asian

28 The Magazine The South Wests & South Wales 1st Asian Magazine

The Oscars Out Of Africa

Trending On The Web Peter’s photo bomb

Bristol Diverse Open Doors Experiencing different faiths

Mawlid In Bristol

Celebrations in Easton Jamia

Out & About

Vince Cable in Bristol The 33-year-old from Bristol accomplished here what no Briton had managed in 90 years of these quadrennial Winter Games, by winning a medal on snow.

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Blast from the past 2013 Highlights

Flood Appeal!

Long after politicians in wellies are no longer front page news, but for the flood victims, this ordeal remains far from over.

Victims who have lost everything find their homes look like scenes from a disaster zone. We appeal to the BME community continue assisting the flood victims in these dire circumstances.

Our prayers & thoughts are with the affected in the region.

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A tribute to...

Batook Pandya MBE Batook passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Sunday 16th February 2014.

Batook was a much loved figure in the community with a character larger than life, and his passing will leave a huge hole for Bristol and all those who knew and loved him. Batook’s tireless campaign to make a difference and unstoppable passion and dedication in fighting for equality for all has been his life’s work. This has seen SARI grow from strength to strength and touched so many lives. He leaves behind a great legacy.

Born in 1945 in Nairobi, Kenya, Batook Pandya who is of Indian ethnic origin came to England at the age of 17 in 1963. His first post was with Walt Disney Productions in the publicity department. He went on to study for his ‘A’ Levels and achieved further qualifications in accounts and photography.

Batook later joined British Aerospace as a trainee where he worked for 10 years on their Concorde Project and qualified as an aircraft technician. He left to join British Caledonian Airways (later to become British Airways) as a Ground Engineer.

Having dedicated many years of work to industry, Batook decided he wanted to give something back to the community. He was particularly interested in tackling racism. He was fortunate enough to be offered the post of Project Manager for S.A.R.I. (Support Against Racist Incidents), a unique voluntary organization that supports people through the trauma of racial harassment.

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Batook was seen as a figure-head and a link between agencies and Bristol’s Black and Minority Ethnic community. He was unwavering in his belief that good anti-racist practice in Britain relies on the involvement and commitment of all communities and agencies, rather than focusing exclusively on the ethnic minorities. S.A.R.I.’s user profile makes it amply clear that racism is a vice that debases an entire society rather than only its victims. This led him to believe that racists need as much help as those they taunt.

He was also a pro-active member of various committees and forums in and around Bristol, working with representatives from various statutory, voluntary and corporate agencies.

He was a member of both Bristol and South Gloucestershire Independent Advisory Group.

The ultimate goal of Batook’s work both inside and outside of S.A.R.I. was to create a society in which racism, along with all other forms of discrimination are perceived as unjust and undesirable.

A society in which the sense of right and wrong is so ingrained that there is no need for organizations like S.A.R.I. any more.

Batook was awarded an MBE in 2000, for his services to the improvement of race relations in Britain. This honour, along with S.A.R.I. winning the Charity Awards 2001 for the Social Care, Welfare and Religion category – is an acknowledgement of the fact that his work through S.A.R.I. was acknowledged nationally, and that his working practice was exemplary to the entire nation.

In February 2002, he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the City and County of Bristol. In June 2005, S.A.R.I. Management Committee was given the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services.

In July 2009, Batook was awarded an Honorary Degree Master of Arts for his selflessly serving the communities by the University of Bristol to mark its centenary year.

In 2012 S.A.R.I. was awarded the Community Organisation Award at the National Diversity Awards at the Midlands Hotel Manchester.

On the 1st of December Batook Pandya was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1st MTM South West Asian Awards held at UWE (University of the West of England)

R.I.P. Batook.

Tributes poured in from all communities and organisations “Batook was a personal friend. He had incredible belief and worked passionately to make a difference to race relations. He treated everyone as equals with empathy and sympathy. I will always remember his gentleness and honesty which always put everyone at ease whatever the situation. He was forthright in his views and he has made a massive contribution in improving the ways our diverse communities can work together.

“Many people will remember Batook fondly. I am sure they will all agree that he has made Bristol a better place, standing up for those who were too vulnerable to stand up for themselves. I feel privileged to have known him.”

Mr. Pandya had been closely involved with SARI a charity run by and for victims of racial harassment or attack since it was established in Bristol in 1988. Sue Mountstevens - Police & Crimes Comissioner “Batook Pandya MBE was one of the greatest men of our City and is a huge loss for the City and especially the ethnic minorities. He was genuinely a star in our community. I knew him for many years and every time I met him he was talking about how to work for ethnic minorities and how to overcome the issues and blocks they were facing. He never stopped trying to build a better Bristol. This is a very sad moment for our community indeed”. Faruk Choudhury - The Lord Mayor “I had the highest regard for Batook and his passion and commitment to community welfare and fairness. He was one of my Bristol heroes, a tireless campaigner whom I had the great privilege of knowing both professionally and personally. We shall all greatly miss both his passion for his work and his great sense of fun. – George Ferguson - Bristol Mayor “Brother Batook was a big man in both presence and the impact he made to the inhabitants of Bristol. He was a man for all communities, he indentified a very important need and worked diligently to help the less able to have a better quality of life. For this work, he himself was attacked, but this made him even more determined to continue working in the community. Bristol is a sad place without its ‘son’, and my sympathies and prayers are with his wife, daughter and family” Dr Shaheen Chaudhry JP - High Sherrif of Bristol “We are very lucky to have people like Batook Pandya in our communities. While many simply accept an unacceptable status quo, he spoke out and acted for those less able to stand up for justice and equality. He is a sad loss to us all, but his legacy will live on.”

Charlotte Leslie - M.P. Conservatives “Batook made a tremendous contribution to Bristol community life over many years. He was well respected across the city for work fighting racism and inequality with SARI, and many people owe him a debt of gratitude for the support SARI gave them as they struggled to combat discrimination in their personal and working lives. He will be fondly remembered by many, and his legacy will be the work SARI continues to do in fighting for the causes he held so dear.”

Kerry McCarthy - M.P. Labour “Batook’s death is a great loss to Bristol. For more than 25 years he devoted himself to supporting victims of hate crime and working with the police and others to achieve improvements in our services for them.

His honesty and willingness to tell us what were sometimes uncomfortable truths was a great strength and he had an enduring impact on all of those who worked with him. The vibrancy and diversity of Bristol is due in no small part to Batook’s efforts. He will be sorely missed by us all.”

Nick Gargan

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His passing on will not only be a loss to his family and friends but for the whole community, the community he stood up for and protected from all forms of discrimination and abuse.

Batook’s legacy will live on forever.

Our thought and sympathies and prayers are with his wife Devi and his entire family.

Arif Khan Chair - Council of Bristol Mosques Since the sad demise of the magnanimous Batook, there has been a very dampening feel of the loss Bristol will have. There really aren’t enough words to describe the many characterising features Batook had which upon his demise have streamed out in public. My endeavours with Batook were purely on community connections and discussions.

In between all of these meetings, Batook also became a friend and a very good friend as much as he was a very good ambassador of justice being meted out. Undoubtedly he will be missed dearly but the breadth of his achievements and reach will continue to flourish and it is upon us to actually build on his achievements. I will miss you...........

Hafiz Zaheer Shabir – Building The Bridge “Batook was the life and soul for all who knew him. Always so full of energy, dedication and compassion. He made a positive difference wherever he went. He will be missed so much. We are sure that most will agree and join us in saying that ‘he was one in a million’. Bristol has lost a great man.

Personally, we have lost a wonderful boss, confidante, mentor and a great, great friend – we will miss him every day but his legacy lives on in our hearts. Rest in peace Boss...” -SARI! It was a beautiful and honorable time, we both shared. The journey of our friendship will always be remembered, I have no regrets whatsoever for the years we have known each other. I would like to say that Batok will be dearly missed by us all, May our dear friend Batok Pandya Rest in Peace.

Rajendra Rajani and the whole Rajani Staff and Family Batook was a close friend who always brought joy to every event and moment that we shared together. I will miss him.

Jeff - J,S Auto

From the lobby of Mansion House to the Streets of Bristol!

Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Faruk Choudhury launched Blood & Organ Donor Campaign at Mansion House after he took term of office in 2013.

Lord Mayor’s “Blood & Organ Donation Campaign!”

On taking office on the 21st of May 2013, the Lord Mayor Councillor Faruk Choudhury chose Blood and Organ Donation campaign as his special project for his year of office. The Lord Mayor especially wanted to raise awareness and increase blood and transplant donation in Bristol with a particular focus on BME (Black, Minority Ethnic) as they are under-represented in the donation service, and whose community members have to wait longer for transplants. A small working group was convened to steer the programme.

Bristol Multi Faith Forum in partnership with Health Watch, Bristol City Council, NHS Blood and Organ Donation, Ujima Radio, Bristol Libraries and Bristol City Council marketing team are working to promote The Lord Mayor’s Blood and Organ Donation campaign.

Less than 2% of South Asian and Black communities are on the Organ Donor list and yet 3% from the same community are likely to need an organ donation due to genetic makeup. Black and Asian people are more likely to need a kidney and/or organ transplant than the rest of the population as they are more likely to develop diabetes, kidney and/or heart problems which may result in organ failure. An organ transplant may help save a life.

Due to lack of donors from BME communities

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those waiting for organ donation from these community those needing a kidney transplant are more likely to wait twice the length of time than the white European community.

We recall the some of the speakers at the 2013 launch who included Councillor Appleyard of Bath and North East Council and “I Live, I Give Champion” Zeeshan Asghar, Partnership Development Manager, NHS Blood & Transplant and Mukthtiyar Singh, a community leader from the Sikh Gurudwara Fishponds road all spoke of the need for organ donors to step forward and assist those in dire need of organs.

The campaign has since visited community centres, places of worships and community events to create awareness. We recently joined The Lord Mayor at the Easton Jamia Mosque appealing for donors to sign up. Assisting Cllr Choudhury was Farzana Saker of the Bristol Multi-faith forum who have been one of the many organisations that are creating awareness for Blood and Organ campaign.

Speaking to Junior Sheikh at a recent Blood and Organ drive at Easton Jamia Mosque, the Lord Mayor said, “From the first day I took office I have strived to raise awareness and ultimatly increase the number of blood & organ donors amongst the ethnic community. Our community is under represented in the donor register and our members may have to wait longer for a life-saving transplant”.

In a statement to mast, Farzana Saker of Bristol Multi-Faith Forum, who are at the forefront of the Lord Mayor’s campaign team wrote, “In our

endeavours to raise awareness we have been presented with questions by community members indicating there is clearly a need to understand the medical terms. In one of the training sessions it was clear community members don’t understand the difference between ‘Brain dead’ and ‘Coma’.

Those adhering to a faith need to understand the medical term ‘Brain dead’.

Above all the religious leaders need to understand to explain to their community members. The advancement in science has made it possible to save lives through medicine, operations, and transplants. This has perhaps presented faith leaders with contemporary challenges.

There is an urgent need for religious leaders and the Organ Donation Team to come together to develop better understanding. Bristol Multi Faith Forum with partner organisations are able to organise a workshops for faith communities or anyone else wanting to understand Blood and Organ Donation and share their concerns and fears”.

The legacy of this campaign will remain beyond 2014. Anyone wanting to learn more about blood and organ donation and talk about their fears and concerns from a theological or personal perspective, please contact Bristol Multi Faith Forum on info@bristlmultifaithforum.org.uk to arrange a workshop for them to learn more.

Blood & Organ Donor Campaign

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Special Feature

Female Genital Mutilation The WAR on FGM! Female genital mutilation is child abuse! Forcing girls into a future of pain from the moment they are cut. The pain doesn’t go! It’s a traumatic experience they have to live with every single day, physically and emotionally.

Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision or female genital cutting, is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”. It is estimated that approximately 100-140 million African women have undergone FGM worldwide and each year, a further 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk of the practice in Africa alone. Most of them live in African countries, a few in the Middle East and Asian countries, and increasingly in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America and Canada.

The procedure is traditionally carried out by an older woman with no medical training. Anaesthetics and antiseptic treatment are not generally used and the practice is usually carried out using basic tools such as knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass and razor blades. Often iodine or a mixture of herbs are placed on the wound to tighten the vagina and stop the bleeding.

The age at which the practice is carried out varies, from shortly after birth to the labour of the first child, depending on the community or individual family.

The most common age is between four and ten, although it appears to be falling. This suggests that circumcision is becoming less strongly linked to puberty rites and initiation into adulthood.

The World Health (WHO) classifies FGM into four types: Type I Involves the excision of the prepuce with or without excision of part or the entire clitoris.

Type II Excision of the prepuce and clitoris together with partial or total excision of the labia minora.

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Type III Excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening, also known as infibulations. This is the most extreme form and constitutes 15% of all cases. It involves the use of thorns, silk or catgut to stitch the two sides of the vulva. A bridge of scar tissue then forms over the vagina, which leaves only a small opening (from the size of a matchstick head) for the passage of urine and menstrual blood.

Type IV Includes pricking, piercing or incision of the clitoris and/or the labia; stretching of the clitoris and or the labia; cauterisation or burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissues, scraping of the vaginal orifice or cutting of the vagina and introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina.

It is more accurate however, to view FGM as being practised by specific ethnic groups, rather than by a whole country, as communities practising FGM straddle national boundaries. FGM is practised in Yemen, Oman, Iraqi Kurdistan, amongst some Bedouin women in Israel, and was also practised by the Ethiopian Jews. FGM is also practised among Bohra Muslim populations in parts of India and Pakistan, and amongst Muslim populations in Malaysia and Indonesia.

As a result of immigration and refugee movements, FGM is now being practiced by ethnic minority populations in other parts of the world, such as USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and UK. Though the practice is illegal in the UK, it has been estimated that over 20,000 girls under the age of 15 are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) each year, and that 66,000 women in the UK are living with the consequences of FGM. This summer 24,000 young girls in the UK are at risk of mutilation, according to anti-FGM campaign group Daughters of Eve. The girls may be taken to their countries of origin so that FGM can be carried out during the summer holidays, allowing them time to ‘heal’ before they return to school. There are also worries that some girls may have FGM performed in the UK. FGM has been illegal in England and Wales since 1985, with the law amended in 2003 to criminalise the taking of young girls abroad for the practice.FGM is a serious criminal offence in the UK with a

maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

UK Police target ‘cutters’ in campaign against UK female genital mutilation.

Since 2009 the Metropolitan police have had only 195 referrals about FGM, most of which involved tiny snippets of information or suspicion, rather than direct contact from victims, and there have been no prosecutions in connection with FGM. Recently a senior police officer has appealed for information about the “cutters” who carry out female genital mutilation on young girls, as pressure grows over the failure to bring a single prosecution in the UK for the abuse, which is thought to affect tens of thousands of girls.

Detective Chief Superintendent Keith Niven, who leads the sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command of the Metropolitan police, said he would use every tactic available to him, including covert methods, to investigate and prosecute individuals who mutilate babies and young girls.

“We need to break down the taboos and enable young girls to feel able to talk about it at school to their teachers,” said Niven. “This is child abuse – it can cause lifelong psychological and physiological damage. There needs to be a consistent approach across schools, within the high-risk areas as a starting point, and that is not happening.”

“I want people who have information about the cutters to come forward,” he said. “I can use tried and tested methods and tactics and resources to take a close look at them and gather evidence against individuals so I don’t need to rely upon victims coming forward.“ “They know that they are breaking the law, and it is done for financial gain, we need that extra piece of information to pursue them. I want to take the pressure off the victims and look at potentially what would be a victimless prosecution. That would send a really strong message.”

Instances of FGM in the UK tend to occur in areas with large populations of FGM-practising communities, from parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East; these areas include London, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Sheffield, Northampton, Birmingham, Oxford, Crawley, Reading, Slough and Milton Keynes.

Seventeen-year-old Fahma Mohamed of Bristol tells how she and a group of Bristol school children – with the support of their teacher – took a stance against female genital mutilation (FGM) by singing and rapping about one of Britain’s darkest secrets.

“I’m talking about female genital mutilation (FGM). You wouldn’t think it’s something people in Britain would have to worry about today - but that’s the problem. People don’t talk about it; doctors don’t check for it, teachers don’t teach it. But we know it happens to thousands of British girls each year. The Government made FGM illegal but it’s not enough. We have to prevent girls being cut by creating awareness in schools.

If every head teacher was given the information they need to talk about FGM to students and parents we could reach every girl who is at risk before the holidays and convince families not to send their daughters to be cut. We could put an end to the silence around FGM in this country.“ 17 year old Fahma Mohamed won her campaign for action from the Education Secretary, Michael Gove, and commendation from UN Secretary-General for initiating the campaign.

This is how it all started: On the 6th of February Fahma launches her campaign calling on Michael Gove to write to all schools to urge them to protect young girls against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

On the 7th just 24 hours after the launch 100,000 people had joined Fahma’s campaign and soon the numbers hit the 200,000 mark.

During Education Questions in Parliament on the 13th Fahma’s local MP Kerry McCarthy asked Michael Gove to meet Fahma and discuss her campaign and he agrees.

On the 18th of February UN Secretary-General Ban ki Moon describes Fahma’s campaign as “deeply inspiring” and praises her desire to enlist head teachers and reach every girl at risk of FGM”.

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Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani school girl who was shot for standing up for girls’ right to education voices her support for the campaign on the 23rd of February. She describes Fahma as her sister and says, “I am at her side and I want her to be listened to as I was”.

Victory for the many that are at risk with FGM comes on the 25th as Michael Gove agrees to write to primary and secondary schools to support the government in tackling female genital mutilation.

Fahma’s passion for the issue inspired close to a quarter of a million signatures and raised awareness of this barbarous brutal act.

We need to act now before the holidays begin and it happens again!

Anyone who is worried that a child may be or has been a victim of FGM can contact 0800 028 3550 for information and support.

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Face to Face With Gurkha JB

JB is an ex-Gurkha who served in the British army around the world for more than twenty two years; from Singapore, Brunei, and Hong Kong, to Malaysia and in the UK. He retired in 1986 to go into private employment and later moved to settle in Swindon in 2009. He spends his retirement doing voluntary work.

Let’s get to know a little bit more about JB and who the Gurkhas are?

Thank you very much, it’s my pleasure to be with you and I’m very grateful for this opportunity.

I’m from Nepal where Mt Everest is. Nepal is a developing country, around ninety percent of the population are farmers. Gurkhas, if you want know the history, is originally from a village in Nepal known as Gurkha. It’s from here we get the name Gurkhas. Today the village is a tourist attraction.

The Gurkhas joined the British Army in 1815.

Why did the Gurkhas start serving the British Army, is it true to say that it was by request of the royal family?

During the war in Nepal in 1814 the British officers were impressed by the Gurkha soldiers and encouraged them to volunteer for the East India Company. After independence and the partition of 1947 and under the Tripartite Agreement between the United Kingdom, India and Nepal, (a treaty signed in 1947 concerning the rights of Gurkhas in military service) six Gurkha regiments joined the Indian army and four regiments joined the British army in 1948, forming the Brigade of Gurkhas and were stationed in Malaya.

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JB tell us a little bit more about your career in the army.

My career started with nine months recruitment training in Sungai Petani Malaysia which is normal procedure with the British Army. I pride my service for the crown and that’s the reason I always feel honoured to display my service medals, the first one is for service in the Malay Peninsula War as a peace keeper, the middle one is the Long Service and Good Conduct awarded by the military and the last one is BJM Bingham Jassar Malaysia again in a peace keeping role.

We have talked a bit about your military life. What did you do once you retired from the forces?

I retired from the army in 1986 and went to serve the Sultan of Oman I was there for nine years after which I worked in Hong Kong as a security officer for thirteen years. Although my employers offered to extend my contract, my family were not too keen for me to carry on working as I had aged a bit so they felt it was best for me to retire and join them in the UK which I did in 2009 settling here in Swindon.

How is life in the UK as a senior citizen?

Life is much more relaxed after my retirement, though when I first came here there was nothing to do. However I soon got involved in many community events the highlight of which was working as a volunteer at the 2012 London Olympics. That made me proud to serve my adopted country.

I see you have a busy volunteering calendar; just give us a brief of your voluntary work.

I’m the co-ordinator for the senior citizens of the Nepalese Association of Wiltshire called NANN, and chairman for my village in Nepal here in the UK. I’m also the Bi chairman of the Gurang society, and a committee member of BOND. I’m also involved in community work in Toothhill Swindon and a case worker for SSAFA (Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen family Association). SSAFA’s motto is “Lifelong help for the Forces and their Families”. I have been doing this for fourteen months and have handled thirty-four cases successfully. My other role is at the Great Western Hospital, where I assist twice a week for the Royal Volunteer Service, this is my way of giving back to the Big Society.

You mentioned SSAFA, the support organisation for military personnel and their families. Tell us more about the program for ex-Gurkhas settlement in Swindon.

We were not allowed to settle in the UK before 2009. Even though we had been involved with the British since 1815, almost two centuries. We don’t know why. Luckily we had Joanna Lumley who campaigned for our rights and now have ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain). This status has encouraged many who can now settle in Britain, but life is not as easy as many may assume for us in Britain. I feel I have an obligation to assist my fellow Gurkhas settle and I want to send a strong message to the government and council and so on that we are not here to ask for money but to give back as much as we can. We face many problems, not understanding the culture and language, adjusting to this new culture and way of life has its effect.

Why was it so difficult for the British government, whom you had served for so many years, to allow you to come to the UK? When the Gurkha issue is raised even our blood pressure is raised. I repeat the Gurkhas have served the British since 1815, and why we had to wait until 2009, we don’t have the answer. When we ask those concerned they say this is because of The Tripartite Agreement so the Gurkhas will not rest until we are treated as we deserve to be treated.

Where do the Gurkhas stand right now? Despite the ILR clearance are there any issues in terms of funding, where you are settled and how easy it is for you to come over?

The first barrier of being able to come and settle has now been opened, but we are not sure what next in regards to other entitlements that we deserve.

Take the case of our pension schemes, an issues I can now put my voice to as when I was serving we were not allowed to question. We served in the army with the British but were not treated the same as them, the British people used to have a single bunk, we had a twelve man bunk. They would have a room with air-conditioning and we had a room without even a fan. If for example a soldier with a trade gets five hundred pounds, we would get less than one hundred for doing the same job. There were many differences and we don’t know why.

So do you do feel like there was a case of double standards going on?

Yes I did, as you say there is a double standard here. For example our main issue is pension credits and having to wait for so long for it, is not right. We now have an organisation that have announced the date for hunger strike, that is, if the British Government don’t treat us equally then the Gurkhas will go and sit in front of Number 10 until the case is put forward for us. Now we are ready to die for our rights!

Do you know of situations where the younger children that have just moved over finding it hard to integrate with the rest of the children. Obviously you want to see your children integrate and be part of British society?

This is something that I haven’t seen so much or heard of but I can see how it could be a problem. Even with the older generation you know, for example we feel isolated but I even appeal to my fellow Gurkhas to integrate, it is important.

We encourage our wives to work and groom our children to follow our forefather’s tradition of working hard.

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Having been someone that is so involved in the issue of ex-Gurkhas settling in the UK, what would you like to highlight as the key issues facing ex- Gurkhas and their families?

The main issue is pension credits and having to wait for so long for it. Having come from an underdeveloped country survival is tough, so we request equal treatment like the other British soldiers who have served with us. So the one thing we say is please treat us fairly! We want to be with you, we want to be part of this big society. We are thankful we are here but please we need to be treated fairly.

You have given a good account of the plight of Gurkhas and your career.

Tell us a little about you as a person, what do you enjoying doing when not volunteering?

My hobbies and what I enjoy to do have not changed from my army days till this day, I always listen to the news on the radio. I like to stay informed about what is happening in the world and following news stories on TV and radio is my hobby.

Many people can draw inspiration from the way you have lived your life and the way you are always happy to put others before yourself. Looking at all you have done and all your travels, how have your family coped with that?

How do they feel about you having already worked so hard, still not taking time off and keeping so busy all the time?

Ah yes, well you know my family are not always very happy with me because I am always out there helping out. I am proud of what I do for the community. I believe it is important to do want I do.

The thing I do the most is to help organise and coordinate volunteering to make a difference in my community. This is what I enjoy the most.

JB thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us and for sharing your story with us. It has been very interesting to hear what you have had to say and we hope you can continue to do what you do best and help as many people as possible.

Thank you for this opportunity. I would like to thank Mast Magazine for the time. I hope this media will help to get information out to other people. I’m sure now you know what situation we are in and we hope you convey this message to other people. I never thought this kind of opportunity would come to me so thank you so much!

Junior Sheikh

International Language Day

The 21st of February is of special significance to the people of Bangladesh. Each year, on this date, the country commemorates International Mother Language Day in recognition of the preservation of Bangla as the official language of Bangladesh.

The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement (Bhasha Andolon), was a political effort in Bangladesh (then known as East Pakistan), advocating the recognition of the Bengali Language as an official language of Pakistan. Such recognition would allow Bengali to be used in government affairs.

When the state of Pakistan was formed in 1947, its two regions East Pakistan (also called East Bengal) and West Pakistan were spilt along cultural, geographical and linguistic lines.

In 1948, the Government of Pakistan ordained Urdu

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as the sole national language, sparking extensive protests among the Bengali-speaking majority of East Pakistan. Following rising sectarian tensions and mass discontent with the new law, the government outlawed public meetings and rallies.

The students of the University of Dhaka and other political activists defied the law and organised a protest on 21st February 1952. The movement reached its climax when police shot at and killed demonstrators on the day. After years of conflict, the central government relented and granted official status to the Bengali language in 1956.

The slain students are seen as martyrs for their cause, which turned out to be the beginning of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence. In 1999 a proposal was made to UNESCO to create International Mother Language day in the belief that a culture of peace can only flourish where each individual enjoys a right to communicate freely in their mother language in all aspects of their lives. So at the 30th session of the General conference of UNSECO in 1999 the decision was taken to launch International Mother Language day throughout the world.

The Bangladeshi community in the South West

celebrated International Mother Language Day on Friday 21st February, at the Bristol City Hall, College Green, by raising the Bangladeshi flag outside the City Hall and laying a wreath.

Community members and guests paid their respect by laying a flower on a replica of Shaheed Minar, the national monument erected in Bangladesh in honour of the fallen during the Mother Tongue struggle.

In Swindon the event was held at Miah Restaurant in Shawridge Leisure Park on the 21st and on Sunday 23rd February. The community celebrated at the Miah restaurant in the presence of the Deputy Mayor Teresa Page and her Consort Tim Page.

This is the first time the Bangladeshi Community in Swindon commemorated this event.

Speaking to Mast, Nazma the chair of BOND Swindon said, “It was an emotional event with laying of flowers at the makeshift shrine. “

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Supporting local entrepreneurs

An insight into Bristol’s mini-shopping centre with Liiban Abdi!

As we strive to support local entrepreneurs it is our priority to create awareness of the new wave of trading that is becoming the in- thing especially amongst the Somali businesses. This is a concept of ‘Mini- Shopping Malls’. Local Shopping Centre on Lawrence Hill is one of the new additions to the already many around the BS5 region.

Liiban has been working in the community for many years and is the man behind this new shopping mall. He is also is a director at local learning and has been running various businesses over the last decade.

Tell us a bit more about what you do for the community?

Everything I do involves the local community, it is my passion to help our local community from housing, local learning and now establish small business at affordable rates. Sometimes it has nothing to do with my work but I always try to help, it is my community. If can't help directly I always try to refer them to where they can be assisted.

What was the reason for setting up the shopping centre? The space here has been empty for a while, you could even say derelict. Why was it that you thought the shopping centre would be the best way to utilise the building?

Having worked in the community for ten years and knowing the Somali community very well, we thought this would be the best idea. The Somali community is very enterprising and business minded, so what better than to create small exclusive units for the many who are keen to do something for themselves.

You mentioned that the local businesses where having a hard time in other areas due to issues such as; high rent, council tax, and utilities. So was this project set up to try and accommodate those who can do business but can't afford to rent out a premise, say on a high street?

Yes this was the idea. The rent is cheaper and all overhead costs are less. We don't only do that, we also have facilities to help the businesses.

We help in accounting and other administrative issues. They are in our hand, which is why we call it Local Shopping Centre. We want to help our businesses grow and develop.

How does having this centre benefit the businesses?

Our tenants are happy and comfortable here, they trust us and have faith in us which is very important, and unlike other such outlets we have a strong policy of not duplicating rival brands. There is only one of each type of business and that works well for the shops and the centre.

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What was the driving force that convinced you and your team to establish this centre?

Often we have had our Somali community come to our offices at the Learning Centre seeking advice and guidance on issues relating to council tax, rates, utilities locations and referrals for business start-ups, so we thought why not set –up a complex and give the many who often get rejected or may not afford high rentals to start businesses a base to start-up.

You had mentioned that the Shopping Centre is a charitable business, so essentially you are a non-profit organisation?

Yes it is a charity project. Like I said I have been in the community a long time and know the strengths and weaknesses. So this project has been set up to help people.

To help local businesses that would otherwise not have the resources to start up. We are giving people a chance to do something they like, instead of depending on the government which itself it going through many cuts.

What has the feedback been from the wider community on the shopping centre?

We have had a lot of feedback from the community. Having this instead of having to depend on handouts in very good for them. I feel that the shopping centre does make a difference and it is something that was needed. People are happy that there is a place where they can get all their traditional stuff. People also like how smart and clean the place is so it is a good place to come.

How did you decide what shops to bring in? You already mentioned that you wanted it to be only one of each type of shop. What was the process behind this choice?

We had some experience in the past where small complexes had units all selling the same thing. This made it hard to trade if next door is selling what you are selling. So our fourteen units all hold different businesses.

You have mentioned that there are fourteen units here on two floors. Give us an idea of what kind of outlets you have in the shopping centre.

We have various shops here. On the first floor we have tailors; sweet shop, money transfer, women's cloths, and jewellery and down stairs we have the cafe, a community office, a salon and men's clothing just to mention a few So there is a good selection of shops.

What do you see as the future of the shopping centre?

Right now we are still growing. There is a lot still to be done and we want the shops that are here to grow. Once we see that things are going well then there is space for expansion to a third floor with more units. At the moment we are focused on what we have and helping the people that are here.

What would your message to the community be in terms of the shopping centre?

I would say come and have a look at the shops. There is a great variety of things here and we need your support. There is something for everyone so just come along.

This has been set up to help the local businesses but it needs the community to support the businesses and hopefully we can be successful and keep growing.

Thank you for your time and all the best for the future.

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People & Places Thailand

My Dream Holiday Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is in South East Asia, bordering Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. It was known as Siam until 1939 when it was changed to Thailand though it reverted back briefly to the old name Siam between 1945 to 1949.It is the only country in South East Asia that was not ruled by western countries as it served as a buffer zone between English and French colonies.

Thailand is a constitutional monarch with the King as Head of State. King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the world’s longest serving monarch. 95% of the people of Thailand follow Buddhism, with a small number in the South following Islam. The others follow Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism.

As a holiday destination Thailand is second to none and has been my dream holiday destination.

With its beautiful attractions, vast culture, great weather and party atmosphere, Thailand has become one of the most visited countries in the world, with a massive 25 million people visiting in 2013.

Bangkok has been identified by the 2013 Global Destination Cities Index as the most visited city around the globe, outshining London and New York. Tourism is a major part of the country’s economy and culture. It offers many varied attractions including sandy beaches, Buddhist temples, tropical islands, night-life, archaeological sites, palaces and exceptional flora, birds and wildlife.

Thailand has an array of striking Buddhist temples which include; Wat Ratchanaddaram, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Rog Khun.

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Their unique designs are something to be admired making them an essential part of Thai culture to be experienced. Wat Rong Khun, more well-known as the ‘White Temple’, is an unconventional Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai, a quieter area of Thailand.

Designed in 1997 by noted Thai painter-turnedarchitect Chalermchai Kositpipat, this magnificent temple is a bizarre blend of traditional Thai architecture and the surreal.

centre for elephants founded by Sangduen "Lek" Chailert in the 1990s.

The main building is painted white to symbolise Buddha’s purity, and is covered in mosaics of mirrors, sparkling in the sun.

It aims to provide sanctuary for distressed elephants from all over Thailand. Set in a natural valley, bordered by a river, and surrounded by forested mountains the sanctuary and surrounding area offers a glimpse of rural life. The park is open to visitors all year round for day trips, overnight stays and longer-term volunteer placements.

Some of Thailand’s most visited islands include Phuket, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Tao (turtle island), Koh Samui and Kho Phi Phi.

Thailand’s amazing wildlife is something to be appreciated, and there is nothing more amazing than getting close to Asian elephants, and for a good cause. The Elephant Nature Park in the Chaing Mai Province is a 250-acre sanctuary and rescue

These are extremely popular tourist destinations and they offer some of the most beautiful and tranquil beaches where you can relax and take in the stunning scenery or take part in exciting activities and new experiences.

Hat Maya, the main beach of Phi Phi Leh Island, near Phuket, is a well-known destination that was the notorious location of the 2000 film ‘The Beach’.

Tourists still crowd this beach today appreciating the clear waters and beautiful beach. Described as the private and extraordinary beach and “one of the best beaches in the world” Railey Beach is a popular tourist destination only accessible by long boat.

It has a ‘desert island’ feeling you will not find on most of the country’s popular beach destinations.

Clear blue waters, small islands on the horizon and majestic cliffs surround the small beach. You can enjoy activities such as rock climbing, swimming and snorkelling or you can simply admire the scenery and relax.

Started by a group of tourists some time ago, one of the most exciting experiences a tourist can hope to have in Thailand is the FULL MOON PARTY! It was originally arranged as a small party to celebrate the beautiful full moon night along the crescent-shaped beach of Haad Rin on the island of Koh Phangan.

There are now 10,000 to 30,000 people that flock in from all over the world to join the notorious celebration each month. The party begins at dusk when the round yellow moon makes its appearance over the white sand beach. Into the night lanterns are lit and the party truly begins, with a variety of DJs and music, there is something for everyone.

The party can continue into the early hours of the next morning, the ultimate party experience rightly to be remembered by all.

So make this your next summer vacation either as atourist or one of the volunteers that frquent Thailand to enjoy some great sunshine and assist the locals in the country.

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Sue Sheikh

Journey Through India FROM SHANTI NIKETAN TO ST GEORGE Part 1 – Delhi My love affair with India began in the summer of 1980. I was a student, reading Engineering, and a rugby player. My visit to India was as a member of a team sent by my university to study a flood control and irrigation project, which aimed to tame the River Kosi in Bihar. The university had provided some consultancy support for the project in its early years but had lost touch. Four months later I returned to the UK. I had been arrested for photographing a police officer; signed a form by which, I later understood, I declared myself to be an alcoholic, in order to obtain liquor in the dry state of Bihar; and suffered from dysentery. I had lost over 20kg in weight – a bit of a problem for a keen rugby player. And I had been utterly captivated by the people, the diversity and the colour of a sub-continent. On arriving at the airport in the UK, I remarked to Maxine, who the next year became my wife, “One day, we’ll live in India.”

you and challenge you; and there is so much of it…. Maxine and I determined to explore it. We have long had an interest in ancient monuments and Delhi has plenty of these, so we based our exploration around the monuments in and around Delhi. We also wanted to eat the best of Indian food! Our Saturday routine was to leave the house early and head for a monument before the heat of the day set in: we would visit our chosen monument; then do some shopping; and finish with a late lunch in a restaurant we had picked from ‘The Times Good Food Guide’. Our lunch venues ranged from street vendors in Chandni Chowk to ‘Dhaba’ in The Claridges (in my opinion, a better restaurant than the more famous Bukhara and Dum Pukht in the ITC Maurya). The place we returned to again and again, often with official or personal guests, was the Gali Parnanthe Wali, just off of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi.

new experiences. We travelled all over India and more widely; we made some wonderful friends amongst our fellow course members and their families; Maxine learned to tie her own sari; and I wrote a thesis about ‘Elementary Education in India’. And we learned to live with servants in our house and to understand the responsibilities that this brings.

Well, it took a while…. However, in January of 2008, we finally arrived in Delhi, which was to be our home until June 2012. I was to spend a year on an MPhil course at the Indian National Defence College, after which I was to work in the British High Commission. It was a privileged existence in an extraordinary country. Our home for 3 of our 4 years in Delhi was in the colony of Shanti Niketan; and it was, indeed, a ‘peaceful place’ in the hubbub of Delhi.

We also found more than enough monuments (and markets) to occupy us. The crumbling monuments of Delhi are extraordinary and, apart from the top few, little visited. We of course, started with the famous ones: Humayan’s Tomb, the inspiration for the Taj Mahal; Qutab Minhar, a fabulous 12th century victory tower; and the Red Fort, the centre of Mughal power in India. These famous monuments are visited by thousands and, nowadays, well preserved by the Archeological Survey of India.

Nigel & Maxine

Delhi had changed and yet it had not. It had got bigger – depending how you define ‘Greater Delhi’, there were around 21 million people living there in 2008. The power was on more often; the roads were better; there were so many cars, motorcycles and trucks! Gurgaon, once a small farming community, now dominated by the gleaming skyscrapers of corporate headquarter, had sprung out of the bizarre planning restrictions in the city of Delhi. Yet bustle could still descend into chaos in a moment and the smog and cold in the winter kill thousands of people.

But one doesn’t have to go far down the ‘hierarchy’ of monuments to find little visited gems. Even Purana Quila (‘Old Fort’), a crumbling ruin that would be a vaunted tourist attraction in the West, gets little attention. In Lodhi Gardens, a sublime place, one is surrounded by Mughal tombs. During our many visits to the huge, crumbling, early 14th century, fort of Tughlaqabad we rarely saw more than a handful of visitors. And close to Tughlaqabad, each year the state of Haryana hosts the huge Surajkund Crafts Mela, a riotously colourful, busy, showcase for craft and culture from all over India.

I adore Delhi. It is a city that can enthrall and irritate, almost at the same moment; it can pamper

Apart from finding our way around the city, our early months in Delhi were filled with numerous

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We learned that, even in today’s India, the step from relative plenty to penury is but a small one - we discovered that our faithful, industrious, charming, ex-Indian Army, housekeeper, Xavier, had taken on a mountain of debt to pay for futile treatment for his wife who suffered from spinal tuberculosis. And we found inspiration in the optimism, energy, determination and generosity of a great many people living in circumstances infinitely less privileged than our own.

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C0lours Fashion

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Fashionistas Fashionistas Diracista Fahionista looks at the trends of Somali Fashion. Like most Somali delicacies, fashion is influenced by a touch of trends and fabrics from India and the Arab peninsula.

The younger generation especially those living in the Diaspora have improvised the traditional Dirac & Guntiino’s to suit modern times.

During day to day activities women usually wear a simple Guntiino, this is a long stretch of fabric tied over the shoulder and wrapped round the waist, leaving one shoulder bare. A Guntiino is usually made out of plain fabric sometimes with decorative borders, although nowadays 'Alindi' a fabric from The Horn of Africa and North Africa is commonly used. The garment can be worn in different styles dependent on age and region one comes from.

At weddings and religious festivities such as Eid, women prefer the Dirac, a long light diaphanous voile dress made from cotton, polyester or sari material. The Dirac is an off-spring of a short sleeved Arab Kaftan dress. It is worn over a full length half slip and brassiere known as Gorgorad. This under skirt is usually made of silk and forms the key part to the outfit. The Dirac is sparkly and very colourful, the most popular being those gilded with borders and embroidery. The fabric is easily available either at the Somali shops or Asian Sari and clothing outlets. Tailoring is a reserve of Somali designers and tailors and does not come cheap.

Many women tend to wear matching head scarf’s known as Shash and often cover their upper body with a shawl known as Garbasaar though the younger women do not always cover their heads.

The Somali community is traditionalist; the Dirac and Guntiino have been a preferred way of dressing as long as many can remember. Talking to Mulki a Somali business woman at the Local shopping Centre on Lawrence Hill, who is one of the few tailors that makes Diracs for all occasions, “as long as I can remember we have always dressed in Diracs and Guntiino, the only change is the design one wears for everyday use and the other at celebrations, even the younger generations prefer the Dirac or Guntiino for these big occasions”, she said.

Somali brides prefer the beautiful Guntiino which on such occasions is worn with the head cover Garbasaar and the slip Googaro.

Somali women have a long tradition of wearing gold and silver jewellery especially bangles. Somali brides are adorned with gold and many Somali women by tradition wear gold necklaces and anklets. Additionally they wear Xiris, an Islamic necklace also common in Ethiopia and Yemen.

However the Dirac still remains the traditional celebratory dress for women.

The Dirac is usually transparent which is why there is a need for an undergarment to be worn and despite the conservative image many like to portray – there is certain sexiness to this traditional dress. The sheer material hints at a coy suggestiveness of what’s just beyond vision but this is counterbalanced by the almost shapelessness of the Dirac as the folds of material are extremely loose.

The ‘Guntiino’ which is a long piece of fabric that is wrapped around the body numerous times and then tied from one shoulder, leaving the other bare originates from the southern regions of Somalia and favoured there, though many prefer it to the Dirac as it hugs the figure and helps silhouette the female frame. The traditional method of leaving one shoulder bare is in recent times not really to the liking of many of the older generation.

Both types of garments are being customised by the younger Somali generation in an attempt to update the traditional look. It used to be that the Dirac and Guntiino were a uniform for wedding goers and that the only variations in terms of appearance was not the style in which they were worn but the

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colours. The Guntiino is being re-worked as young women are now tying both shoulders and draping the back with loose folds of material.

Young Somali girls are accessorising the dresses with belts around their middles to cinch in the waist and create the hourglass figure that is desired by men and women alike. Women aspire to this body shape and men are inspired by it. Also, with the infinite patterns, colours and prints there are to choose from not to mention the continuously evolving styles; no girl will experience the fashion faux pas of another female in the same outfit.

Many now decided to embrace these traditional clothes and start their own collection of Guntiino’s and Dirac’s instead of raiding their mother’s closet or borrowing these wonderfully expressive garments from friends.

Big Q

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Business Profile RAJANI

Expelled from Uganda by Dictator Idi Amin Dada, Rajendra Rajani is one of the thousands that left Uganda penniless leaving behind industries & businesses on the orders of the General who wanted to see them out in 90 days!

Born in the industrial town of Thika,( the home of Del Monte farms and pineapple processing factory) not far from the city of Nairobi, Kenya, Rajendra Rajani, to friends he is simply Raj and to his many customers “Ranjanis”.

His parents moved to Africa from Purbandur near Rajput/Jamnadar in northern India. The family later moved to Uganda where he had his early education at Old Kampala.

They owned a Dairy business on Kampala Road later running a grocery and fancy goods store. Raj grew up in a family of four brothers and a sister in what was referred to as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda until the 1972 expulsion of Asians by then Ugandan president Idi Amin.

He was moved to a refugee camp in Vienna, Austria.

I had a one to one chat with the face behind Rajani’s Superstore at his mega store on Fishponds Road Bristol.

Q. What was life like as a refugee?

R. It was a hard life but better than living in fear of Idi Amin’s tyranny.

Q. How long were you in Austria and what did you do there.

R. I was in Austria for two and half years during which I worked in a furniture factory, then as a mechanic and finally in a tyre factory.

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Q. When did you move to Bristol and what was your first job.

R. I came here in 1975 to join the rest of my family who had come here straight. Our destination rested on the mode of one’s status, some people came on Human Rights, and others were given a choice of destination. I joined Kemgaze, a car parts factory in Clevedon and during the weekend I did Market Stalls selling fancy goods around the South West region.

Q. When did you start Rajani’s?

R. I started on Stapleton Road in 1980 and moved to Fishponds in 1992 and the current store was after a refurbishment in 1997.

Q. This is a specialized line, what was it like investing in such a line yet there are Sunday markets selling fancy products.

R. I grew up in this environment and I am passionate about my trade, like you with the Media, and Rajani’s is not only about fancy goods, we are a superstore, with lines such as furniture, crockery, stainless steel cutlery & pots, gardening, furnishings & drapery, confectionery, toiletries, and much more all under one roof spaciously designed.

I see since we last spoke you have added another line, Asian food and spices as well as a fresh fruits and vegetable outlet.

We added the food line in 2011 as there was a demand from the local community and in late 2013 we contracted a fruit & vegetable seller space to bring in the fresh produce. This has given our store a bigger variety and I would also mention here that our online store has expanded since inception and the online team are always striving to go a step of our competitors.

The brand Rajani is very popular in South West, what do you think keep many coming back.

Simple, our service, the variety in our store and our competitive pricing.

Q. Are you involved in community work?

R. Yes in many aspects, I support a lot of community groups and sports clubs and I have been Trustee of the Hindu Temple, Bristol for the last 14 years.

Q. What’s your driving force?

R. Interest, I love what I am doing.

Q What are your hobbies Raj? R. None, mm yes meeting people, nice to eat and socializing with food lovers, of course healthy eating.

Q. When did you meet your wife Gita?

R.Our families were known to each other but mine was an arranged marriage, I married Gita in 1978.

She was originally from India. We are blessed with a son Raakesh and daughter Reena. She is married to Vikas Jain.

Q. How do you keep so young?

R. Discipline. Gym work outs and healthy eating.

Q. What’s in the future, (he thinks…then) R. Retire, yes and no, not quite sure but my wife and son want me to go on what I like doing best, running the store. Maybe at a later stage semi retirement, get in involved in charity and community projects.

RAJANI

SUPERSTORE

Rajani Superstore Maggs Lane, Fishponds Trading Estate, Bristol, BS5 7EW

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Rajani Superstore Opening Hours Monday to Saturday - 9am to 6pm Sunday & Bank Holidays -10am to 4pm

There has been an increase in local hair and beauty salons in the BME community with many opening in the Easton and Fishponds area.

Saharla hairdressing is the latest to open on Roman Road, Easton. This is a high tech Salon, tastefully created and housing upmarket equipment which brings a different concept to the many we have seen before. Manager Susan Elmi is a young enterpenuer who owns the salon and at 20, I should say she is not doing bad at all.

I had a one to one chat with Susan at Saharla and I could not help but commend her for the beautiful setup.

Thank you! We have put in a lot of effort. There isn't really a salon that caters for a cross-section of the BME community, most specialise with either the Asian, Somali or Caribbean clientele, Saharla is an exclusive ‘ladies only’ salon for those that prefer to cover up and have a proper segregated salon. The ladies will not have to worry about having their hair out while in here as the main salon area is hidden away from the front and the public eye.

So this was the niche in the market, a salon open to everyone and catering for all hair types, not specifically for a single community and a salon that couples privacy and professional hair and beauty services yet relaxing and comfortable.

Yes that was the idea!

Why did you choose Roman Road over Stapleton Road?

I felt the location would be easily accessible to all but also be a bit away from the hustle and bustle of a main road like Stapleton Road where parking is a nightmare. Here we are not only in the heart of the community but in an area that is convenient for clients.

The set up you have here is comparable to any top high street salon, what I'm sure our readers would like to know is a bit about your background and qualification in hair and beauty?

I finished school with the intension of going down the path of hair and beauty, it is something that I have always enjoyed and was good at. So I joined Filton College for a course in Hair and Beauty, I enjoyed my first year so I decided to carry on and do a further two years to get my level three certification. I completed NVQ Levels one to three in hair alongside courses in hair extensions and ear piercing. Having successfully done this I went into employment in the industry to gain experience. I did this for a year working at Ego Hair & Beauty, Sam Shaw, and Pride Hair & Beauty. I gained experience working with all hair types from European hair to Afro hair.

Will clients be able to come to you for advice?

I feel advice is one of the main things I want to focus on offering my clients. You have to make sure

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Hair & Beauty Saharla

they are treating their hair with care at home as well as coming in here to have their hair treated.

What do you specialise in?

I specialise in hair and have someone that comes in who is a specialist in beauty. I have really looked to focus on wedding hair and hair up-dos.

Are you offering special weddings packages?

Yes we offer wedding packages for hair and makeup for brides, we have a variety of packages available offering unique styles for each individual.

How many hairdressers and beauticians do you have?

We are two hairdressers, a beautician and a henna designer, so its a team of four.

Susan thank you so much for inviting us in, it has been great to sit down and have a chat.

We wish you all the best and hope you are an inspiration to aspiring young enterpenuers who through support from family and self determination can succeed in business.

Before we finish, what is your message to the community?

My aim is for everyone to be comfortable here and I want to provide high quality service. I have set this up to have a place for my community to come and I would love for them to support us. Everyone is welcome and I hope we can grow and provide people with an excellent salon!

Junior Sheikh

Fully qualified profesional hair stylists & beauticians Safe & friendly family enviroment Full range of hair & beauty services

Saharla Hairdressing Women only Salon

Aftercare & consultansy available Top of the range fully equipt salon Walk in or pre book appintments Competative prices

Re-style Hot Argan oil treatment Tinting Highlights Braiding Relaxer Henna Make up Wedding Hair/Hair Updos Eyebrows Full face threading Deep cleansing Skin polish Manicure Pedicure Indian Head massage Waxing Nail painting

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2 ROMAN ROAD EASTON BRISTOL BS5 6DH MOBILE 07947354362 EMAIL SAHARLAHAIRDRESSING@HOTMAIL.CO.UK www.radiomastfm.com

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Healthy Eating

Do you fancy some BAOBAB for breakfast?

The Baobab fruit has become increasingly popular within the UK, it has a wonderful citrus taste as well as great health benefits.

Demand for this African ‘superfruit’ that improves and skin health soars. Sales for this wonderful fruit have increased by 1.6 percent in the UK. It has incredibly high levels of antioxidants, contains three times as much vitamin C than an orange and tastes of a lovely blend of pineapple and melon.

Not many people have heard of the baobab fruit, but I guarantee you will hear of it soon. The demand for this African ‘superfruit’ which boosts your energy levels and improves skin health is hitting record highs in the UK. This nutrient-dense African superfood has got Brits rushing to get their hands on it to taste it wonderful blend of pineapple and melon rich in antioxidants.

The baobab is an excellent source of calcium, potassium, thiamine and vitamin B6, which are all proven to be vital nutrients that benefit general health.

The ‘superfruit’ is sourced from the African continent, because the baobab’s calcium content is of a non-dairy form therefore making it a great option for vegans.

The baobab range can be found at the beauty emporium and pharmacy John Bell & Croydon as well as a number of organic stores. Since launching the fruit in October last year sales figures have been 60 percent better than the closest market rival.

Dr Lisa Ryan of Oxford Brookes University said: “Baobab is a rich source of potassium which plays a role in lowering blood pressure. It also contains calcium which is vital for bone health, has a high soluble fibre content which is important for digestive health.”

“It is also rich in polyphenols which have potential health benefits against diseases like atherosclerosis, some types of cancer and type 2 Diabetes.' Dietician Sian Porter said: 'Baobab is an excellent example of a nutrient-dense, low energy food - a real super food.”

This African ‘superfruit’ has attracted large interest around the world including celebrities such as designer Vivienne Westwood and fashion reporter Suzy Menkes.

Baobab fruit grows in thirty two countries across Africa and was made a mainstream demanded product by the new Africa-inspired health and beauty brand Aduna. In the coastal region of Kenya, Mombasa, Baobab has been a fruit that many like me have grown to love.

I remember having Baobab powder or the fruit coated with sugar as an alternate to crisps or popcorns. In the recent years these packed packets are exported far and wide from Kenya and many African countries with the Kenya product finding its way into shelves in areas such as South Hall and Leicester that has Kenyan Asian Diaspora.

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As a fruit the baobab is unique in its own way, it dries naturally on the branch before it is harvested, seeds are removed sieved and made into a powder. It is because of such uniqueness like these that it has been used for centuries by African people for natural wellbeing, skin, hair benefits and general health.

Available in a loose powder means that this fruit is ideal for adding it to smoothies and juices or as an alternative using it natural sweetness for yogurt, muesli or cereal.

Josie Elles, of John Bell & Croydon, said: “Since launching with us late last year Aduna Baobab has become our best-selling supplement this year. It has come from out of nowhere and both the brand and the product are ones to watch.”

This makes the African ‘superfruit’ a great addition to your fruit bowls at home.

Raffi Sheikh

Silver Screen Classics "Tragedy King"

Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar is considered to be one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. Starting his career in 1944, he has starred in some of the biggest commercially successful films in the period 1949-1961. . He was the first actor to receive a Filmfare Best Actor Award and holds the record for most number of Filmfare Awards won for that category.

Though he has done films of other genres occasionally - he balanced out with roles such as the intense Andaz (1949) with the swashbuckling Aan (1952), the dramatic Devdas (1955) with the comical Azaad (1955) and the historical romance Mughal E Azam (1960) with the social Ganga Jamuna (1961), he pre-dominantly specialized in doing love stories or tragic roles from 1944-1961.

In the late 1960s roles dried up for Dilip as stars Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar and Shammi Kapoor were more successful from 1961-1969. From 1966-1976 he had Box Office flops thus forcing him to take a five year break from the industry. Rajesh Khanna the first superstar of Indian Cinema, dominated the scene from 1969 to 1981.

In 1981 Dilip returned with a character role at insistence of Manor Kumar in the blockbuster film Kranti and continued his career playing central character roles in multi-hero films such as Shakti, Vidhaata, and, Saudagar in 1991 with Kranti, Vidhaata, and Saudagar being a few that became box office hits. He has retired from the Indian Film Industry in 1998.

He was born Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar Pakistan in a Pashtun family of twelve children. His father Ghulam Sarwar was a fruit merchant and owned large

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orchards in Peshawar and Devlali in Maharashtra near Mumbai. The family relocated to Mumbai in 1930s and in the early 1940s Yusuf Khan moved to Pune and started off with his canteen business and supplying dry fruits.

He was spotted by a leading actress of those years Devika Rani who was also the wife of the founder of Bombay Talkies Himanshu Rai and helped his entry into the Bollywood film industry. She also gave him the screen name of Dilip Kumar.

His first film Jwar Bhata, was released in 1944 which went unnoticed and In 1947 he shot to prominence with the film Jugnu which was his first major hit and followed it up with successful Shaheed (1948) and thereby became a star. He fell in love with Kamini Kaushal and their on-screen pairing was a Kamini Kaushal-Dilip Kumar gave hits like Shaheed (1948), Nadiya Ke Paar (1948), Shabnam (1949), and Arzoo (1950).

Throughout the 1950s he was one of the biggest stars of Bollywood along with Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. Among the trio, first to become a star was Dilip Kumar he was known for playing tragic love story roles in hit films such as Mela; Andaz to name a few and this earned him the title of "Tragedy King". .

He worked with iconic star Nargis eventually falling in love with her though the relationship did not last the pair continued working to together.

He was also successful in playing light-hearted roles such as playing a swashbuckling peasant in Aan (1952) and a comic role in Azaad (1955). In 1960 he starred in the historical film Mughal-eAzam opposite Madhubala, which to date is one of the highest takers at the box office with the likes of Sholay & Saccha Jhutha by Amitabh & Rajesh respectively.

In 1961 he produced and starred in the hit Ganga Jamuna in which he and his real Life brother Nasir Khan played the title roles.

Dilip had a narrow brush with international fame in 1962 when British director David Lean offered him the role of Sheriff Ali in his 1962 film, Lawrence of Arabia. However Kumar declined the part citing it’s a small role for a big hero like him. The role eventually went to Omar Sharif the Egyptian actor.

In the period 1969-1976 the career of most of the actors like Rajendra Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor as the hero ended with emergence of Rajesh Khanna. Many of Kumar's failed at the box office during this period and after the release of his 1976 film Bairaag in which he played triple roles; he took retirement as the hero.

Actor producer director, Manoj Kumar ensured that Dilip Kumar made a comeback and put an end to a five year break from acting by offering a role in Kranti in 1981.

He made a comeback in 1981 with the multistarrer Kranti which was the biggest hit of the year.

He went onto play character roles as an elderly family patriarch.

In 1992 he won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dilip Kumar married actress and "beauty queen" Saira Banu in 1966 when he was aged 44 and she was 22. At the time, gossip columnists predicted doom for the high-profile couple, but the union has been one of the longest lasting marriages in Bollywood.

He lives in retirement occasionally seen at events and public gatherings as in recent years he has not enjoyed good health. In 2013 he and his wife Saira performed Umraah to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Mani Chakkar Mumbai

The Raj Mahal opened its doors to customers in 1992. Tucked away in Stapleton, just off the M32.

The Raj Mahal is renowned for its exquisite Indian cuisine. Raj, the proprietor is always there to welcome you as soon as you step into this Indian speciality. With over 25 years in the catering business Raj who started in London opening the prestigious Indian Palace. With passion, quality service and excellent dishes Raj turned The Indian Palace into one of London’s finest eating places. Having established himself in the restaurant industry Raj set foot in Bristol and launched Raj Mahal.

The restaurant has attracted clientele from all over the world and is reputed for its traditional dishes and celebrated for its house specialities. The menu is enticing and has a range of specialities. One such is House Kebab special, Murgi Kofta and Tandoori trout.

Raj has won many awards including a five star write up in the local Bristol Evening News.

So whatever the occasion, for that exquisite Indian Dining, unmatched service and a welcoming atmosphere

Raj Mahal is the choice.

6-10 Frome Valley Road, Stapleton Bristol BS16 1HD 69 Clarence Road, Redcliffe Bristol, BS1 6RP

Phone: 0117 958 6225 0117 958 6382

Phone: 0117 929 0429

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm, 6:00 pm - 11:30 pm

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm, 6:00 pm - 11:30 pm

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I HAVE DISCOVERED MY GATEWAY TO SUCCESS! PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A REWARDING CAREER COURSES ON OFFER

Are you 24 or over, resident of the UK? If yes you could be eligible for an adult learner loan.

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VISIT BRISTOL CENTRE: Ashbourne House 1 Fishponds Road Eastville, Bristol,BS5 6SH Or call 0117 952 5500 *Subject to maximum funding available & conditions apply.

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INDIVIDUAL

INSPIRATIONAL

Entertainment Brit-Asian!

The UK British Asian talent has been at its best in 2013 with some great new artistes releasing debut tracks.

It has been a continuous flow of hit after hit and thanks to PRhat, Nisha at Sahdev, Eastern Illusions & Raj at Virtual Records; we are kept on our toes everyday with every new release and or performance.

Sadly in the South West we seem to be going nowhere though we have been very kind over the years on this page in regards to Asian talent in the South West particularly in Bristol. It seems despite many opportunities ‘wannabe’ artiste need to polish up their act and get serious. We have played our part in giving opportunities to many, even going to extent of re-branding some, but as the old saying goes, ‘it is difficult to teach ‘an old dog new tricks’.

So here it is, despite the resurgence of Bhangra Rock group RSVP in 2013 there is still a lot they too can achieve. That can only be possible if some big brands in the region sponsor their shows or people pay for their appearances at functions just as they pay when they import artiste from other parts of the UK. The taboo we have in the region is that people do not believe in hiring local performers for weddings and events and if they do invite them to perform they expect to pay local artists less simply because they are local.

Wasi Malik

Locally we are mentoring a few new talents, one is Wasi Malik a Pakistani Rapper currently working on his debut single.

Sitar & Tabla Jon Sterckx

Another local duo that is entertaining audiences in the South West is Somerset based ensemble Sitar & Tabla.

Jon Sterckx is an innovative world music percussionist equally at home with traditional & contemporary music forms. Jon plays a range of percussion instruments and has worked across a wide range of musical styles, from Indian classical music ( Sitar & Tabla ) and other traditional world music to contemporary experimental & ‘fusion’ styles, Jon’s tabla tuition began in Cardiff with Harjinder Singh Matharu from Birmingham.

Harjinder gave Jon a good solid foundation in tabla playing between 1994 - 1998 as well as the encouragement & inspiration to commit himself seriously to the instrument.

In 1994 / 1995, Jon returned to India where he learned from Shivanand Bhandari at the Naadashree Arts Institute in Kumta, Karnataka, India.

In 1998 & 1999, Jon returned to India and studied with Kailash Nishad in Benares, (Varanasi) in North India, a city renowned for the study of North Indian (Hindustani) music.

In 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2005 Jon organised performances & workshops for Kailash in the UK, where he delivered workshops in universities & performed Tabla solos at Arts Centres & venues in the South West UK.

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Bollywood - Samar & Amar Style!

2014 welcomes one of the most exciting collaborations of recent times! Duo Samar and Amar kicked off the New Year with their powerful single ‘Jad Tak Hai Jaan’. Jad Tak Hai Jaan is a traditional Bollywood classic, but with a twist.

Using exclusively Punjabi lyrics set to a captivating melody, Samar and Amar have maintained the best of Bollywood whilst staying true to their Punjabi heritage.

Birmingham-based Samar has grown up surrounded by music. Having achieved great success in his youthful career, penning his own hits such as ‘Mukhara’ and ‘Tu Hi Tu’, Amar is no stranger to the industry, she catapulted to fame as a teenager with her hit single ‘Tu Hai Mera Sanam’, a Hindi cover of Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You (also famously covered by Whitney Houston).

Amar has worked with many notable names such as the super-producer Timbaland who has created masterpieces for the creme de la creme of the industry including Justin Timberlake, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, Madonna, and Jenifer Lopez, to name a few. Amar is currently working with renowned producer Jim Beanz on her next studio album.

Both stars were born with music in their genes. Inspired by the hit Bollywood film of a similar title, Jad Tak Hai Jaan was conceptualised by both Amarjit and Mangal who are parents to Samar and Amar.

Speaking about the collaboration, Samar says: “The track is quite different from what I’ve done before but I’ve really enjoyed being part of the process of putting it together. It’s been a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see what the reception will be like.”

Amar adds: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Samar for the track.

It has a real romantic vibe, but we’ve made it different with our use of Punjabi lyrics, which is something I hope everyone will appreciate.”

Sonu releases Senti

DIPPS BHAMRAH Twerking Jugni!

Sonu is back again, bringing his second single of his career to the market for all the Bhangra addicts to get their “Dandh” (teeth) into! More pump, more visuals, more music, more Sonu!

EMBRACETHEMADNESS

Senti which is now a popular term used for the English word Sentimental in India is the root of the song, whether it is a feeling towards friends or “the One”. Making Senti the basis of his lyrics, Sonu puts together a very catchy chorus and melody, which gives us the single that you can dance to, drive to and finally play to the person who is Senti to you!

The music production has come from the infamous Dalvinder Singh, who shows’ singing isn’t his only secret weapon! The instrumental has a feel good, make you smile and get up and dance vibe which Dalvinder Singh is proud to share with all his fans as well as Sonu.

“I have been working hard to get myself ready to be able to share my singing style, the work we have done with Dalvinder and PRthat has meant I have more than just one single for you”said Sonu.

12 Months, 12 Tracks, 1 Epic Adventure... This is why Dipps Bhamrah is ready to EmbraceTheMadness .

International DJ, Producer, BBC Radio Host and Bhangra royalty Dipps Bhamrah embarked on a never before seen musical adventure and it all starts with the single ‘Twerking Jugni’ released January 30th.

The man has showcased his talents across the world performing live and Djing in India, Canada, USA, Europe, Australia and Singapore to name a few. ‘Twerking Jugni’ his first single of 2014 features the vocals of his father and member of Apna Sangeet K.S Bhamrah is a modern rendition of the classic ‘Jugni’ given the urban trap treatment and fast modern beats. Dipps is also bringing a Desi & rock mix of the track with all 3 featured on a first ‘selfie’ style video.

The track will for sure get the attention of desi’s around the world and see them Twerking Desi style!

“From the music, the videos, the artwork and the attitude, it’s time for a change. I’m going to showcase the music that I enjoy making and bring something different every month. It could be anything from Desi to Dance, Trap to Qawali; nothing is going to be off limits from now on ... and something new in 2014”, said Dipps Bhamrah.

Stereo Nation ft Shibani Kashyap International superstar 'Taz' (Stereo Nation) and 'Shibani Kashyap' teamed up to re-release his Valentine’s Day anthem titled 'BE MY VALENTINE'. TAZ has been has releasing songs since 1989 including hits like 'Hit the Deck', 'Pyar Ho Gaya' and 'Twist & Shout' which sold over 75000 CD units in India.

His biggest selling album was 'Slave II Fusion' aka 'Oh Laila' selling over 3.25 million copies.

Shibani Kashyap is a renowned singer, composer and a performer who generates ripples with her live performances. Shibani performed at the opening ceremony of the Common Wealth Games 2010 which was held in New Delhi.

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Dil Di Rani...The Album Gin & Rees continue their tribute to the late Jagdev Jammu who tragically lost his life in a car accident last year.

The brothers had been working with Jagdev for some time and previously released the hit song ‘Dil Aj Nachan Nuh’ and more recently ‘Soniyeh’ featuring Jagdev’s vocals.

The brothers had been working on Jagdev’s debut album when on the 1st October 2013, he sadly sustained fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced dead on the scene. Gin & Rees felt it was only right to complete the album and release it in honour of the truly talented singer.

The new single ‘Dil Di Rani’ was a Valentine releaseStereo Nation ft Shibani Kashyap.

International superstar ‘Taz’ (Stereo Nation) and ‘Shibani Kashyap’ teamed up to re-release his Valentine’s Day anthem titled ‘BE MY VALENTINE’. TAZ has been has releasing songs since 1989 including hits like ‘Hit the Deck’, ‘Pyar Ho Gaya’ and ‘Twist & Shout’ which sold over 75000 CD units in India. His biggest selling album was ‘Slave II Fusion’ aka ‘Oh Laila’ selling over 3.25 million copies.

Shibani Kashyap is a renowned singer, composer and a performer who generates ripples with her live performances. Shibani performed at the opening ceremony of the Common Wealth Games 2010 which was held in New Delhi.

The Nusrat Classic ‘Rabh Disda’ Reborn!

Rishi Rich Signs With Teddy Riley Music Group!

Rishi Rich signed to the international Grammy Award producer ‘Teddy Riley’ for an exclusive production deal with the ‘Teddy Riley Music Group’ (TRMG).

This marks a great journey which sees Rishi moving to Atlanta USA in April 2014 to begin work on projects with Riley. There are a number of super exciting American and International projects already lined up and waiting for Rishi’s arrival!

News of the new deal spread quickly and social media was buzzing immediately with messages from fans and industry heads. Teddy Riley also jumped on twitter and sent a message to Rishi: “Yes we finally did it lil bro, the future is waiting for us” The acknowledged ‘King of New Jack Swing’, producer and songwriter Teddy Riley’s enviable list of platinum-laced credits include Guy, The Winans, Johnny Kemp, Blackstreet, Keith Sweat, Mary J. Blige, Al B and Joe (whose Rileyproduced ‘Stutter’ topped both the R&B and pop charts in early 2001). Just one of Teddy Riley’s many achievements was co-producing Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album!

Gin & Rees collaborate once again with the amazing Aslam Ali on their latest offering ‘Rabh Disda’ originally by the mighty Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

The East London studios where the brothers Gin & Rees create their songs have been a crazy hive of activity over the past couple of months. Many a hit number has been delivered including Sanu Teh Changa, Soniyeh, Tenu Pyar Karan, DJ Chakhdeh Phatteh and the more recent Dil Di Rani.

Rabh Disda is taken from the forthcoming Aslam Ali debut album which will feature some amazing renditions of other great Nusrat tracks as well as a few surprises! The album releases on 24th April 2014...

Gagan Sharma set to release ‘FERARRI’ ft: Nick Chowlia!

A New Faze!

Faze Black presents his emotional cover version of the ‘Tum Hi Ho’ from the film Aashiqui 2. Faze is a singer, song-writer and producer based in South London UK. Over the years he has toured extensively in Europe, Asia and Africa, impressively opening for Nicki Minaj in the UK and Busy Signal in Gambia!

Faze Black has had previous success on the Asian music scene. He has released four promotional tracks to date. The first was called ‘Dil Nachda’ which helped him reach audiences globally. He followed up with ‘Summertime’, ‘Tantalise Me’ and ‘We’re Going Out Tonight’. This long awaited comeback will no doubt live up to high expectations and create a buzz among music critics.

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.....and finally away from the Brit Asian scene we introduce Canadian vocalist Gagan Sharma a dashing 6ft 3 inches of eye candy but also a talented knowledgeable singer. Gagan, born in India and raised in Vancouver, is no stranger to the music industry. Since childhood his cousin Bobby Kumar; a drummer for the superstars (Malkit Singh, Jazzy B, Jaz Dhami and many more) subtlety influenced Gagan on his musical journey - Gagan’s love for music was shaped from a very young age. . Gagan’s album Ambitions is complete and is set to release summer 2014 through Movie box.

Gagan began singing at the age of 17 and as he began the process of perfecting his skills vocal instructors Manmohan Singh Ji, Sarbjit Malpuri and most recently Angelina VanDyke.

Gagan is looking forward to his debut release, “I am super excited for my release this will be my first International release and already I am getting so much love and support from across the world. ‘Ferrari’ is a very young vibrant song, which I hope will be loved by all music lovers and I am truly blessed and honoured to be under the Movie box banner”.

by, but over the last 10 years his hobby turned into a passion. Over this period his teacher and mentor Inda Bains has been training Sab-b on his vocals and also playing the harmonium. Sab-b is a rare debut artist who has worked and grafted to get to a level of perfection before taking his music to the public. Inda Bains who has been learning music for 20 years is one of the rare gems who is classically trained by Harjit Singh and Professor Amarjit Singh Bains Ragi.

“I can’t wait to get my track to the public, I have worked years for this day and I am blessed my brother and Ustaad Inda Bains has guided me all the way.

I hope everybody likes the hard work and effort put in to the song” ~ SAB-B

Lux Phull - ‘Jigrey Yaaran Di’ Music producer Lukhdeep Phull released his single ‘‘Jigrey Yaaran Di’ featuring the vocals of late Kaka Bhainiwala on 20th February under, Speakerboxx Records.

Lukhdeep known as Lux Phull suffered an atrocious attack in December 1993 when Lukhdeep Phull’s life changed forever. Lux was stabbed in the spine at Leicester Square underground station and his spinal cord was severely injured on a night out with his friends. Initially in a wheelchair for several years, Lux fought to get back on his feet and he is now about to fulfil another ambition by releasing his first record.

Music has been an inspiration in Lux Phull’s life and has helped him through grit and determination fight back from a knife injury that severely injured his spinal cord when he was a teenager. Lux was brought up with a love for music where he also played the tabla at the Local Gurudwara.

The track entitled ‘Jigrey Yaaran Di’ ft Late Kaka Bhainiwala follows my life and fuses the tradition of Bhangra music with modern music and life. Part proceeds will go to Spinal Research Charity” said Lux Phull.

SAB-B WITH HIS DEBUT SINGLE SANGDI Inda Bains introduced singer SAB- B with his debut single ‘Sangdi’ on January 23rd.

Sab-b has been singing since the age of 8 year old where it started as a hob-

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RaOol 2014 is looking very promising for D.Wunder and Macks Wolf, who together form the duo RaOol. ‘Dhuwan (Smoke)’, the brand new smoky street single from the duo that brought audiences the stunning and insanely catchy smash hit ‘Meri Rani’ (Set to Blow), was play listed on radio stations from Southall to Sydney and garnered huge support from the BBC Asian Network.

In January, RaOol were selected from many hundreds globally by the BBC Asian Network’s specialist music tastemaker Yasser as one of only 6 artists making major music moves in 2014. As one of the ‘On the Scene 2014’ winners RaOol will be championed by the Yasser’s team and will supported across the coming year.

Dee says: “It’s been an amazing start to 2014. From signing a management deal with Konvict Muzik’s Dwayne ‘D-Teck’ Grant then receiving heavy support from fellow record label exec M.Z, to making Yasser’s ‘On the Scene 2014’ list, we couldn’t be more thrilled! The Asian Network is considered by many as the premier station for South Asians outside of India and Yasser’s show is the flagship specialist music authority so this will really help us moving forward.”

ZULFA REPRISE After the super success of Zulfa, topping charts worldwide Jaz Dhami was inundated with requests from fans across the world to release ZULFA with his vocals alone. So to give the fans what they want for 2014, Dr Zeus and Jaz released ZULFA REPRISE - A version without the rap.

ZULFA topped the Official Asian Download Chart, making it the Christmas Number 1 of 2013.

FRESHCUTS TURKISH BARBER SHOP

That’s it for this edition keep the stories coming and if you are not as yet on our mailing list please do get in touch on www.radiomastfm.com

FRIDAY Hot on the heels of his critically acclaimed debut album, My Time, Manni Sandhu returns with his highly anticipated single entitled ‘Friday’ featuring the powerful vocals of renowned and hugely talented vocalist Manjit Pappu.

Since his previous release, Manni has solidified himself as one of the industry’s most buzzworthy and sought after music producers. With well over 6 million legitimate YouTube hits on his music videos, Manni has gone on to enjoy wide-reaching success in the UK, India and Canada. It is this success that caught the eye of Bollywood superstar Abhishek Bachchan, who performed to Manni’s song ‘Bottle’ at the Times of India Film Awards in Vancouver last year.

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Out ofofAfrica to to Out Africa the Oscars! the Oscars!

Lupita Nyong’o - Best supporting actress Lupita Nyong’o – Oscar winner 12 Years A Slave – Best Supporting Actress Lupita Nyong’o was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents. She was raised in Kenya and educated in the United States. Lupita is a graduate of the prestigious Yale University School of Drama’s acting programme.

Lupita made her film debut playing “Patsey” in acclaimed Director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave (2013). She has also starred in MTV's award winning drama series 'Shuga' (2009).

Lupita has a couple of stage credits as well that include; playing “Perdita” in “The Winter’s Tale” (Yale Repertory Theatre), “Sonya” in “Uncle Vanya”, “Katherine” in “The Taming Of The Shrew”, as well as the original production of Michael Mitricks “Elijah”.

Lupita was born in Mexico City to Dorothy and Peter Anyang’ Nyong'o. Mr Nyong’o a politician in Kenya was in political exile for his pro-democracy activities that challenged Kenya’s then autocratic government.

At the time of the birth her father was a visiting lecturer in political science at El Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City. Lupita moved back to Kenya with her parents when she was less than a year old when her father was hired at the University of Nairobi as a professor. Lupita grew up in Kenya and describes her upbringing as “middle class, suburban”. At sixteen her parents sent her back to Mexico for seven months in order to learn Spanish, she is fluent in English, Swahili, Luo and Spanish.

Lupita read film studies at Hampshire College, Massachusetts, after working as a production assistant on several films she graduated from Yale School of Drama. In 2013 she impressed audiences all over the world in her American film debut, as the brutalised slave Patsey in the acclaimed ’12 Years A Slave’.

From a refugee to an award winning actor Barkhad Abdi The ‘Captain Philips’ star Barkhad Abdi won the best supporting actor at this year’s 2014 BAFTA’s, beating Bradley Cooper, Daniel Bruhl, Matt Damon and Michael Fassbender.

Before being cast in the role and making his cinematic debut Barkhad was a limo driver, store worker and a Dj in Minnesota. Abdi was born in Somalia and moved to America with his family aged 14 but his cinematic success would have to wait another 14 years.

Nominated for countless awards for his breakout performance – including an academy award at this year’s Oscars for his role as pirate Abduwali muse. The role has catapulted him to the top of Hollywood and his future looks to be glittering from now on. Barkhad accepted his award from actress Emma Thompson and thanked his co-star Tom Hanks, his “fellow pirates” and film maker Paul Greengrass “for believing in me before I believed in myself”. Despite receiving the award Abdi is full of praise for co-star Tom Hanks.

“He’s a legend”, Abdi told the press after accepting his coveted prize. “Tom is a great man and I learned a lot from him – working with him, he’s a family man and there’s a lot to learn”.

“He’s the reason I came to the auditions” Abdi added, “It’s an honour to meet him and understand what sort of person he is”.

It was a good thing that Barkhad went to the auditions, as now the Somalian-American actor now has a BAFTA to his name. Though he will not get to see it much as “it’s going to my mum’s house” said Abdi after accepting the award.

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Trending On Web 47,000 pupils, 1,000 classrooms, 3,800 staff! Only in India!

Coke going green!

Since 1887 Coca-Cola have used their distinctive curved script and in 1920 placed their red logo onto it. The soda brand is now going green, at least in Argentina, launching Coca-Cola Life, sweetened with sugar and the naturally no calorie Stevia. This new product has a striking green label and packaged in the award winning Plantbottle, made with 30% plant material and is fully re-cycleable.

Sole Power!

Prince William plans to destroy Royal ivory collection

Dr Jagdish Gandhi started the school from humble beginnings with only five pupils. City Montessori school now is the world’s largest with a staggering 47,000 pupils.

The school is so large that a packed Anfield stadium could attend and there will still be room for more. The school, known as CMS, employs an army of 3,800 staff. It has 1000 classrooms equipped with 3,700 computers. CMS is based in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Its founder Dr Gandhi believes every child has a right to education and since inception the school has received no government funding though parents are charged a small fee for their children.

Mobile Innovation 25 year old Kenya Anthony Mutua develops an ultra-thin chip that generates electricity when put under pressure. The chip charges a phone when placed 10cm from shoe after walking or running.

His idea is patented in Kenya though the shoes are made in India. So out of the window go power cuts with Am-utua you can charge your phone 24/7 as long as you do a lot of walking or running!

Macho Man-Putin!

Hundreds of visitors at the Winter Olympic in Sochi were treated to some bizarre images of President Vladimir Putin hanging on walls in their expensive hotel rooms.

The portraits showing Putin shirtless riding various animals including a bear. adorned virtually every hotel room specially constructed for the games.

Olympic officials say the portraits were created at a cost of 2 million dollars.

Preeya Kalidas vows at British Asian Trust party It’s a year since she last appeared on Eastenders but this stunner can still make other heads turn even is she is not on the ‘box’ every night. Preeya was at the British Asian Trust night with an eyecatching short dress. 33 year old actress sported a canary yellow qown for the event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in West London and she stood out thanks to the high sparkling heels.

Peter Nyong’o Photo Bomb He blocked Angelina, was closer to the camera than his sister lupita and was the only non actor in the selfie.

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Prince William’s plans to destroy the Royal family’s priceless ivory collection was hailed by conservationist and condemned by academics, art and antiques experts as infuriating and “bonkers beyond anyone’s belief”. Some Buckingham insiders say the idea of wiping out a treasury of historic art held in trust for the nation was ‘incomprehensible’ The Prince believes the destruction would reinforce the message that the ivory trade is immoral and will discourage poachers. In 1989 former Kenyan President Daniel Moi destroyed $3m worth of ivory and in 2011 another Kenyan President set ablaze five tons of ivory sending a strong message to poachers and ivory traders that ivory is only for elephants.

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Bristol Diverse Open Doors Bristol Diverse Open Doors Day offers a great chance to learn and understand about one another and the different faiths in the region. This year The Lord Mayor Faruk Choudhury visited a number of places including a Church, Sikh Gurdwara, Hindu Temple, Baha’i Centre and two Mosques. A total of 17th Places opened their doors to the community.

On the trail this year TIFFY (Torbay Interfaith Forum For Youth) a group from Exeter whose members Alice Donnell and Ammaarah Mirza share the trail experience with us.

I am Alice Donnell from the Torbay region of Devon; this was my first visit to the very welcoming city of Bristol, and what a delight it was to discover the diversity of religions and cultures thriving there.

The Open Day certainly did not disappoint, with each of the six places we managed to visit, out of the seventeen which opened their doors, offered an insight of the event theme ‘Love your neighbour’, the golden rule present in all religious scriptures, and only differing slightly in wording, but nonetheless a sentiment shared and unifying all religions.

TIFFY members and I were welcomed into the Sikh Gurudwara, Hindu Temple and Baha’i Centre, places of worship that simply do not exist in Torbay and that I had no previous experience of. We were given a tour of the beautiful interiors of each of the buildings, with the religious leaders giving helpful and informative introductory talks concerning the fundamental beliefs of their faith.

Afterwards, delicious foods and drink from the traditional cultures tied to the religion was served while the leaders kindly answered all and any question- no matter how controversial! Of particular interest to me was the fact that the Hindu Temple displayed images of prophets from other religions such as Jesus Christ highlighting just how closely tied all religions are.

Furthermore, the Easton Jamia Mosque, Progressive Synagogue and the Church of St. Nicholas of Tolentino proved just as interesting, The Roman Catholic Church, for example was unlike any other R.C. Church I have seen before, with the stunning African carvings on the walls demonstrating the diversity of ethnic backgrounds and cultures within just one congregation.

On a more personal note, although I have no faith of my own today was still absolutely fascinating and was certainly an enriching experience. I knew nothing of the Baha’i religion, yet on the trail I was able to chat with some Baha’i followers of my own age and learn directly from them what their faith was and its value to them.

I hope to return to the event again next year and only hope that more secular people will join me. I would like to thank TIFFY for giving me access to this event, a wonderful organisation which brings together young people of all faiths, as well as, of course, the Bristol Multi-Faith Forum. Alice Donnellan Speaking to Mast, Ammaarah Mirza said, “It is thanks to TIFFY that I have had the privilege in gaining insights to so many other religions and meeting many new beautiful people who have entered my life and made long term friendships with.”

She added, “The faith trail involved looking into the concept of ‘Loving your neighbour’ in the following faiths: Sikhism; Islam; Judaism; Hinduism; Baha’is, and Christianity. Every place of worship that was visited had excellent engaging speakers who

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made us all feel very welcome, not to mention the Lord Mayor of Bristol who also came to the faith trail. One of my highlights of today’s event was learning about the way of life for a Baha’i. I had not known enough about this religion. It had similarity with Islam regarding fasting. Fasting is not just the action of not eating or drinking like many people imagine. There is more to it. It is a way of remembering those who are suffering in this world, and it also helps with self-control, perseverance and patience.

“As a young female British Muslim, I have found it increasingly difficult to live life as I have done previous to wearing the Hijab (headscarf). I started wearing the Hijab in June 2012. This was a huge turning point for me, spiritually and mentally, as I feel much closer to God when I wear it, but I also feel as if some people judge me before they get to Know who I am and what my religion is about. Summarising Ammaarah said, “If there is one thing that I have taken from this event today, it is that no matter if you are rich or poor, young or old, whatever sex, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation you are, we are all human beings that deserve to be treated kindly and fairly.

Everyone is beautiful in their own way, and we all need love and support to help us carry on spreading well in this world”.

Ammaa Rahmirza

Mawlid “Birth of the Prophet”, is the observance of the birthday of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi’ al-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.

Mawlid is derived from the Arabic root word -meaning to give birth, bear a child, descendant. In contemporary usage, Mawlid refers to the observance of the birthday of Muhammad.

Mawlid in Bristol!

Before Mawlid became a celebration or observance, people were visiting the birthplace of the prophet since it was transformed into a place of prayer by Al-Kayzuran, wife of the caliph al-Mahdi.

The earliest observation of the Prophet’s birth as a holy day was arranged privately sometime in the late twelfth century. The early celebrations included elements of Sufic influence, with animal sacrifices and torchlight processions along with public sermons and a feast.

Mawlid began to be celebrated to the large-scale population of the common people in Cairo around the thirteenth century and shortly spread to the rest of the Muslim World. These festivities are now considered part of one of the more official holidays among the Muslim population. Traditionally, Sunni scholars have approved celebration of Mawlid-unNabi, the exception being Wahhabi scholars, who do not.

In the Muslim world, the majority of Islamic scholars are in favour of Mawlid. They consider observing Mawlid necessary or permissible in Islam, and see it as a praiseworthy event and positive development, while the Ahl al-Hadith say it is an improper innovation and forbid its celebration.

Scholars and preachers who consider Mawlid to be Bid‘ah and forbid its celebration belong to the Salafi, Deobandi and Sunni ideologies; they include Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd Allah ibn Baaz, who was the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Rahman AlSudais, the imam of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Zakir Naik, and Bilal Philips, of the Wahabi/Salafi movement, and Ebrahim Desai who subscribe to the Deobandi movement.

Mawlid is celebrated in most predominantly Islamic countries, and in other countries that have a significant Muslim population, such as India, Britain, Russia and Canada. Saudi Arabia is the only Muslim country where Mawlid is not an official public holiday. Participation in the ritual celebration of popular Islamic holidays is seen as an expression of the Islamic revival. There is no one clear motive for people celebrating Mawlid, for the celebration itself appears to have sacred and profane elements.

Often organized in some countries by the Sufi orders, Mawlid is celebrated in a carnival manner, large street processions are held and homes or mosques are decorated. Charity and food is distributed, and stories about the life of Muhammad

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are narrated with recitation of poetry by children.

Scholars and poets celebrate by reciting Qaṣṣda al-Burda Sharif, the famous poem by 13th-century Arabic Sufi Busiri.

The Bristol Mawlid procession was led by the Imam of Easton Jamia Mosque Imam Irfan Jalali and Syed Badshah, 36th Master of the Naqshbandia Silsila, Khwaja Sufi Syed Waheed Shah Naqshbandi Sahib of Bristol, UK. The procession passed through the inner area of Easton – East Bristol stopping at designated points for food & refreshments.

The Chair of Easton Masjid Abdul Raoof and his team distributed leaflets enroute to promote community cohesion amongst all faiths.

Friends of the Naqshbandia Sufi Centre definitely brought out the passion and made heads turn as the procession went past the local vicinity. Local businesses came out in large support of the Mawlid celebrations giving food & refreshments at literally every turn of the road.

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Out & About!

Poignant standing tribute at the end by cast and audience to the 1billion+ women raped around the world and billions more abused.

Pick your free copy from Tesco extra Eastville and Tesco Extra Swindon.

Sikh Gurudwara Sunday Service A Gurudwara is the place where Sikhs come together for congregational worship; the first was built by Guru Nanak in 1521-22. In Britain there are about 200 Gurudwara. The literal meaning of the Punjabi word Gurudwara is the residence of the Guru or the door that leads to the Guru. It is a great experience for those who have not been to a Gurudwara to visit one on any Sunday where they have prayers followed by Langar (a meal).It is important to know All visitors to the Gurudwara should remove their shoes and cover their heads before entering the main hall. It is forbidden to smoke or take tobacco on to the premises and visitors cannot enter the Gurudwara while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Tesco Extra Eastville has over the years supported community events in the area, with Radio Mast FM holding its first Road Show at the car park in 2008. The show created awareness of Muscular Dystrophy Syndrome which was Tesco’s chosen charity then. Since then our magazines have been distributed free at the outlet and in 2013 we delivered our first editions for free distribution to Tesco Extra Swindon. Seen is the Mast Team at Tesco Extra Eastgate and Tesco Swindon.

The Vagina Monologues’, Brilliant cast of the classic play, ‘The Vagina Monologues’, worthily raising money for Rape, Sexual Abuse and Female Genital Mutilation victims in Bristol on V-Day. Moved to tears by a powerfully evocative monologue in homage to the thousands of rape victims in the Bosnian War.

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Jalaram Bhajan Bristol Hindu temple now have Jalaram Bhajans (singing of religious songs or hymns) on Sundays.

The response has been good and after the prayers and Bhajan session Prasad(blessed sweets) are served. For those who wish to visit the Bristol Hindu Temple please get in touch with the chair Bharthi Katrecha through the temple website:www.bristolhindutemple.co.uk

NHS HEALTH AWARENESS Lady Mayoress attends a health awareness day for Black and Asian Communities in Bristol. The event was held at the Bristol Muslim Cultural Society offices and organised by the NHS. Events of this nature at the heart of the community are always of benefit to this shying community as we witnessed a good turn-out of many that one would least expect to see at such beneficial events.

Visiting a Mosque It is obligatory that a Muslim prays five times a day. Living in the UK the time patterns do not seem to favour many that would otherwise say their prayers in a mosque so at times prayers are said at places of work if permitted or at convenient centre. The one day that Muslims make it a point to pray at their respective mosques is a Friday (Jumaah Prayers) and on Eid days.

Iconic Street of Bristol Besides Gloucester Road one area that is ever buzzing is St Mark’s Road, home to Bristol Sweetmart, an icon itself, with its heavy laden history of the Majothi family who founded Bristol Sweetmart. One other person who has some history with St Mark’s Road is the Bristol Police & Crimes Commissioner Sue Mountstevens who for many years was a director of Mountstevens Bakery a family business that opened its first shop in Bristol in 1911. What is now Bhogal Chemist used to be Mountstevens Bakery on St Mark’s Road.

Bradley Stoke Cllr Tom Aditya

What is HMC As explained on their website it is Halal Monitoring Committee that oversees the required way of slaughtering according to Islamic Sharia. Late last year one of the South West’s leading meat suppliers became HMC certified at two of their outlets in Bristol on St. Mark’s Road and Roman Road. Since 2011 there has only been one HMC butchers in Bristol, Al Madina. Mazar Iqbal later opened Superios which was the first HMC takeaway in Bristol. Since then we have seen Al Waha Grill becoming HMC. Speaking to Mast Sheikh Rizwan a local HMC representative said “I am confident, in sha Allah; we will have more outlets become HMC certified in the near future”.

Royalty at Bristol Temple Meads The High Sheriff of Bristol Dr. Shaheen Chaudhry and Lord Mayor Councillor Faruk Choudhury were on hand to meet Prince Andrew at Temple Meads Station, Bristol recently.

Inspiring Somali Youth Councillor Marg Hickman, Robert Telford and Lord Mayor Faruk Choudhury were among many that attended the Bristol Somali Forum meeting at City Hall. Speaking to Mast, Mohammed Ahmed Cantoobo said, “I am finally sensing a new energy and optimism amongst young Somalis in Bristol and all I can say is please keep up the good work”.

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Councillor Tom Aditya, the Planning Chairman of Bradley Stoke Town concisely shared with the Prime Minister the issues related to mismanagement of national assets and resources; absence of proper accountability for public officials, the discrimination faced by international students as well as the inequalities faced by ethnic minorities in the UK .

Community Networking

Vince Cable in Bristol

Junior Sheikh discusses issues affacting the youth in the BS5 areas with local counciller Hibaq Jama over a cup of coffee at her Lawrence Hill ward.

“On Saturday 1st March the Bristol Liberal Democrats hosted a dinner in The Pavilion, at the cricket ground off Nevil Road in Bristol, for local businesses.

The guest speaker was the Rt. Hon Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West, who is also a local government minister, was present.

A wide range of issues on the current UK economy were discussed, especially the problems facing small businesses.”

Bond Multicultural event Jan 2014 (at the Broadgreen Community Centre, Swindon) The mast team was in Swindon to support BOND’s Multicultural event 2014. A true community event with a range of performances from Belly and Bollywood dancing, to the fabulous Sophia Epiphany Bovell and the inspiring Swindon Gospel Choir. Key guest speakers included the Mayor of Swindon, Councillor Nick Martin, Local Councillors Bob Bright, Abdul Amin and the Police & Crimes Commissioner of Swindon, Angus McPherson Chair Nazma Ramruttun and the BOND team put together a great event that really showed the spirit and the diversity in the community. A touching and heart warming poem read by Kathryn Hawkes got things started in what was a fun filled and thoroughly entertaining family day.

Royal Raj The Royal Raj Winterbourne re-opens with a complete new look & new menu.

Blast from the past 2013 Highlights!

Former Mayor of Mauritius Ramalingum Maistry visits Swindon Mauritius -Senior Advisor to Vice-Prime Minister/ Minister of Finance and Economic Development- Mayor Ramalingum Maistry visits Swindon Mayor Cllr.

Nick Martin at Mayor's Parlour Swindon.

Nazma Bibi Ramruttun, a trustee of VAS & community leader, arranged a meet and greet with dignitaries and organisation leaders at the Voluntary Action Swindon premises. Attending amongst others were Seniz Mutlu a Development Manager with the group, Chief Executive Officer of VAS David Gray and Chairperson of VAS Mansoor Khan.

Mr. Maistry also met with Cllr Junab Ali – Shadow Lead Member for Leisure, Libraries and Culture – Swindon Borough Council and Cllr. Abdul Amin.

Mr. Maistry was Mayor in 2008.

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Islamic Cultural Fayre back for its 14th year!

It annually attracts thousands from across the region and other parts of the UK. The event was officially opened by The Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Faruk Choudhury.

Held at the Eastville Park, the Fayre had its humble beginnings in 1998 and was held at Eastville Park for the first time in 2004. Since then the fayre has grown from strength to strength, currently it is one of the most awaited events in the South West.

The Islamic Cultural Fayre 2013 Bazaar had diverse and colourful stall's from around the country, and continued participation from service organisations.To top it all up amusement rides & authentic Asian food makes this one fayre to look forward to not only for the Muslim community but all communities.

BME community Fair & Awards Ceremony

Ramadhan Iftari Mansion House!

BME Awards in recognition of outstanding support to Bristol’s Black & Ethnic communities celebrating Black History Month.

The Black and Minority Ethnic Voluntary and Community Sector Fair is an annual event held at City Hall that brings together individuals and agencies to share their work in improving the well-being of Black and Minority Ethnic communities across Bristol. The Fair is an opportunity to promote services and networking with a number of people from across the VCS and public sectors.

In the past agencies were given an opportunity to speak at the Fair about a current project and or to promote their agency. Following consultation with VCS groups there was an agreement for this part of the proceedings to acknowledge specific projects/ pieces of work that are considered outstanding considering the impact of austerity measures impacting on the VCS. All awards are open to private and public sectors, as well as individuals.

Lord Mayor Faruk Choudhry went an extra mile from his predecessors and for the first time in history Mansion House hosted an Iftaar Dinner. This is the traditional Muslim feast to break the day long fast in the month of Ramadhan.

Attended by a cross-section of the community, our crew of Junior & Nigel captured this historic moment.

Award A– Young BME Community Motivator – Winner - Change Project Award B - Improving BME lives – Winner - BCFM Award C - Engaging in, and promoting, services to BME communities– Winner - Bristol Black Carers Award D - Tackling inequality, exclusion or disadvantage for a specific group Winner - Rahma Ali Award E – Demonstrating resilience through difficult times– Winner - Nilaari

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This was the first time a Ramadhan event has been hosted at Mansion House.

The evening brought together Mayors of the surrounding areas-Bath, Somerset, etc, the Police & Crimes Comissioner,Sue Mountstevens, High Sheriff of Bristol Dr. Shaheen Chaudhry, Mary Prior, the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol,Faith & Community leaders, Bristol business community and the local media.

Diwali in Bristol In each legend, myth and story of Deepawali lays the significance of the victory of good over evil; and it is with each Deepawali and the lights that illuminate our homes and hearts, that this simple truth finds new reason and hope. From darkness into light - the light that empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds, that which brings us closer to divinity. During Diwali, lights illuminate every corner of India & every Indian household in the Diaspora and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the air, mingled with the sounds of fire-crackers, joy, togetherness and hope.

Radio Mast FM & Mast The Magazine have been part of Diwali celebrations in the South West of England organizing Diwali Road Shows (Little India Road Show) & Diwali dinners. The Mast team was at the Bristol Hindu Temple (as is our tradition) to celebrate Diwali & Indian New Year (Naya Saal Mubarak).

Kenya @50 in the South West The Lord Mayor hosted students, teachers & parents from Nairobi Primary school at Mansion House, Clifton Downs. The group were in Bristol as part of an exchange programme with Bristol Schools, a programme initiated during the 2012 London Olympics.

Later that evening he joined the Kenyan Group and other Kenyans at a Dinner & presentation evening organised by Mast The Magazine.

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On Saturday the 7th The Lord Mayor was Chief Guest at a Kenya Community’s Kenya @50 Dinner/Dance where he met and assured the Bristol Kenya Diaspora that Bristol as a diverse city is always there to support all communities and Kenyans are very much a part of the Bristol community.

The icing on the cake was on Thursday the 12th of December at City Hall where the Lord Mayor hoisted the Kenya National Flag at City Hall. Speaking at the hoisting ceremony the Lord Mayor wished Kenyans well as they celebrated 50 Golden years of Independence.

The event was graced by the Bristol Kenyan community, local councillors, representatives from Avon & Somerset Constabulary, Chair of Building The Bridge, Hafiz Zaheer Shabir, Farzana Saker of Bristol Multi-Faith Forum, representative of the Bristol Somali ladies Muna Abdi, councillor Hibaq Jama of Lawrence Hill, councillor Ifzaal Shah of Easton amongst other councillors.

Islamic Burial Forum Weekend Burials re-instated!

The Bristol Muslim Burial Service Awareness meeting was held at the South Bristol Cemetery & Crematorium Chapel.

The session was organised by Cllr Afzal Shah & Hanif Aslam. The meeting was addressed by Richard Bevan - Manager of Parks, Estates, Cemeteries & Crematoriums, John Pitchers- Mortuary Manager, Coroners Court and Cllr Afzal Shah amongst others. The group discussed availability of additional land for Muslim burials, conditions, rules and regulations, lease period for graves, fees and costs and other issues affecting Muslim burial in the region.

Also attending was Abdul Tariq Abdul Samad of Greenbank Mosque, Tahir Mehmood of Hazrat Bilal Centre, Mufti Faiz ul Rasool, Farook Siddique, Shahid Akram, Cllr. Mahmadur Khan & other Muslim representatives of various mosques and communities.

Since the first meeting the Muslim Burial Working Group has been working to improve Muslim burial provision in the city, with weekends burials as a priority especially after it was withdrawn due to budgetary constraints of Bristol City Council in January 2014. We are made to understand from the official Newsletter of the Bristol Muslim Burial Working Group that on January 4th when the cemetery was contacted for a burial of a Muslim child the funeral director was refused permission for a weekend burial. This was very distressing for the child’s family and people took to social media to vent their anger. After a lot of lobbying and seeking answers from BCC finally the weekend burial provision was re-instead on January 9th and Muslims and other communities can bury everyday of the week including weekends though the Saturday and Sunday burials must be at the site between 10.00am or 2 pm .

Sir David Attenborough Awarded the Freedom of the City of Bristol The man that brings nature into our homes – Sir David Attenborough!

Sir David’s name was added to the roll of Honorary Freeman following a ceremony at City Hall Bristol.

The award marks a close association between the naturalist and film maker and the BBC’s Natural History Unit based in Bristol.

In a career that has spanned 60 years, establishing himself as the world’s leading natural history programme maker.

In a short acceptance speech Sir David said, “To be made a freeman of the city is a great privilege and one I’m delighted to accept. I am receiving it in the name of the Natural History Unit.”

He paid tribute to Christopher Parsons and Desmond Hawkins who established the unit in 1957. "I had the honour and luck and privilege to be asked to join these two men. The honour belongs to them," he said.

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2013 Highlights!

The Lord Mayor of Bristol councillor Faruk Choudhury said Sir David was “The Face and Voice of natural film-making.”

Bristol Mayor George Ferguson described Sir David as a remarkable man, he said: “When I travel the world what brings such great notice of Bristol is BBC’s wildlife unit. He added “without doubt this is the Hollywood of wildlife filming across the world and you Sir David bring us huge credit to this city”.

Chris Packham said,” If there is one naturalist walking the world today who’s made a massive impact in terms of the way we all think about the natural world and manifest concern for it, is Sir David.

During his career, Sir David made the famous ‘Life on Earth’ series and the follow up, ‘The Living Planet’.

Sir David Attenborough is the only person to have won a BAFTA for programmes in Black & White, Colour, HD & 3D. “He brought back the most astonishing footage, and He really is the man that brought nature into our homes."

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