Mast magazine

28 The Magazine REMEMBERING A TITAN IN RACE RELATIONS

INSPIRING BUSINESSES SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

SPECIAL FEATURE SHAM MARRIAGES

MTM AWARDS 2014 AS IT HAPPENED

SHREE SWAMINARAYAN OPENING OF GADI TEMPLE LONDON

PEOPLE & PLACES

SHANTI NIKETAN TO ST. GEORGE - RAJASTHAN

FASHIONISTA AFRICAN PRINT

ENTERTAINMENT BRIT-ASIAN TALENT

FACE TO FACE WITH PEACHES GOLDING OBE

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MTM AWARDS

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Inspiring business and community in Bristol

PR & Marketing: Big Q Media & Entertainment Proofs: Raffi Sheikh Features:

Another season and here we are again in an issue that looks back at the MTM South West Asian & Ethnic Minorities event that was held at the Bristol Marriott Hotel and extends an invite for MTM 2015 which promises to be an evening full of entertainment and accolades for the inspired in business and community.

Junior Sheikh Sue. S Raffi. S Agencies Creative Design: M. Wyatt

As is our tradition we strive to promote starter businesses in Bristol and invite these small businesses in the South West to get in touch and share their experiences with the local communities. Sadly local entertainment in the region has not been forthcoming especially with Brit Asian music & art.

Print Setting: B. Skuse Web E-copy: M. Wyatt Photography -

On diversity and equality we have carried a statement

by Muktiyaar Singh a local community leader from the Sikh community who was at the forefront of the Turban burning case.

Black Iris Images Junior. S Krasimira Zubair Photography

Peaches golding OBE is our chosen personality for Face to Face, in an exclusive interview for the magazine with Junior Sheikh Peaches shares with us an inspiring story dating back to the Sema days.

Abdullahi Mursal Nigel Barret Special Thanks: Raj Ghai-Media Moguls

Bristol - the European Green City for 2015 our group is playing its role in propagating the need to keep green.

Nisha Sahdev PRhat Entertainment Sprint Print YZ DESIGNS Advertising: Big Q Media & Entertainment Tel.

+44 07807802325

Email. bigq.media.entertainment@gmail.com

Finally it is a year of plenty of promises from political parties especially the big three and a ‘wait and see’ game of the recent charge of the UKIP party. It is our business to stay clear of politics and its annexes but it is also our duty to educate the voters especially the young to vote wisely, your vote counts to your future, vote with a clear conscience and not through racial or religious affiliation.

Cover photo: Adil Ayub of Lets rent, winner of the MTM Best One Stop Service

Enjoy your read & please do visit our website to have a glimpse of the many events that do not make it into the magazine due to space:

In tribute of 147 Garissa University students massacred in Kenya

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#Bristol2015

e-magazine available @ www.radiomastfm.com Mast -The -Magazine @mastmagz

28 The Magazine

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MTM AWARDS

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STAND AGAINST RACISM & INEQUALITY REMEMBERING BATOOK PANDYA MBE. It has been over a year since Bristol and our surrounding authorities lost a titan in race relations; Batook Pandya passed away on February 16th 2014, and the region is still feeling the impact of his death.

A pioneer for improving race relations, Batook was a guiding light for SARI from its inception; he worked tirelessly to build an organisation that could help victims of racism at their most vulnerable, and quickly cemented its reputation as a force to be reckoned with.

Batook was a brave and committed leader for improving race equality, and conveyed to us all just how destructive racism and inequality is. He represented all that SARI stands for—to be brave, to speak out, to work tirelessly and to challenge the very structures that are in place to protect us when they fail.

With the help of his long standing team, Batook used his effortless charm, charisma and acute sense of business to ensure that SARI has not only managed to survive, but thrive, growing exponentially over the past 23 years.

Under the new leadership of co-Interim Directors Alex Raikes and Agnes Yeomans, SARI continues to go from strength to strength; having both been members of staff since SARI’s first year in operation they share a great wealth of experience between them, and having worked together for over twenty years under Batook’s direction, it’s safe to say they have a good idea of where SARI should be heading in the future.

Governed by the long-standing and greatly experienced Board of Trustees, it is easy to see the organisation beginning to flourish in the face of adversity. Giving up their own personal time, unpaid, the Board ensured that SARI stood firm in the aftershock of Batook’s passing.

Batook has passed the baton on to us, yet as is typical of Batook he left SARI in a strong position. As a team we have pulled together and worked hard to not only maintain but propel the work of SARI with a re-energised passion and dedication to ensuring that the legacy left behind by Batook, and our commitment to community needs, continues.

But Batook’s passing shouldn’t be a cause for maudlin emotion; a loud, lively, and extremely passionate man, Batook would expect us to celebrate his life and seek to emulate and propagate his achievements. Handfuls of awards, but more importantly countless lives touched, Batook would want us all to take his legacy and expand upon it, to fight for the acceptance of equality unequivocally, and to strive to provide a better future for all.

And we have one fantastic example - The Bristol Manifesto for Race Equality: ‘Batook’s Blueprint’ is currently being worked upon by many local human rights and race equality advocates. A set of principles worked upon by numerous organisations and individuals, it outlines the steps that are necessary to made Bristol a more inclusive city. A document that aspires to create a fairer, friendlier city in Batook’s honour? We can’t think of anything more fitting.

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Face-to-face with

Peaches Golding OBE

Peaches was born in North Carolina, USA and grew up in South Carolina. Talking about her childhood, she tells us about what it was like growing up during the times of segregation in schools and towns, using ‘SELMA’ the movie that depicts the life of Dr Martin Luther King. Peaches goes on to tell me about growing up during a very interesting time in the USA, she tells us about a couple of examples of segregation as a young girl growing up; “when I was a child I remember segregation very well, schools were segregated, only black kids went to one school, only white kids went to another”.

Peaches also mentions that trips to the cinema were also segregated; blacks would have to sit upstairs. She reflects on another incident when her father took them on a family holiday, “…we stopped at a petrol station in south Carolina somewhere and daddy started to pump petrol as anybody would do, us girls because we were 4 little girls went to go to the toilets and there was a sign that said white only, we went in to have water and the water fountain said white only. So we went out and told my dad because they were going to send us out to the bottom of some creek in the back and beyond to go to the toilet and dad said he was having absolutely none of that take the petrol out of the car we are going!”

dress or eat or do things as such..” she believes it is that little bit easier to do things moving from middle class to upper class as you can acquire such attributes, but in America ‘if you’re black you’re black’. She also goes on to mention that there are black people who hold or have held high positions in the country, Barak Obama U.S. President, Condoleezza Rice (former Secretary of State), Colin Powell (former Secretary of State), but the UK doesn’t seem to have or have had black people in such positions and the differences are that in America if you are educated and apply yourself you can get to such positions, but in the UK there are certain barriers and she does not understand why.

Asked about the incidents of racism and inequality in the USA recently peaches responds by saying “I think it has improved a lot, it has improved a lot, I think there’s further to go, there is always further to go”. She goes on to say it all depends on how the people value their heritage and culture and at the same time ‘being part of an integrated society and having the ability to balancing them both’.

Peaches also believes voting plays an important role to help different cultures know each other and understand what our values and beliefs are. In her words “the things that we hold in common, because that commonality is far greater in my view than the things that divide us and most of the things that divide us aren’t divisions at all”.

Junior asks about her and when and why she left the USA, “in 1964 when Kennedy died in Washington on that cold November day and watched that cavalcade go by, my father and

Talking about racism and inequality in Bristol and the UK as a whole Junior asks Peaches if it is different here than to the USA or because of what is read and portrait by the media it is seen as being much worse than the UK, Peaches says “I think it is different and the differences are these; America back in its early years back in the 1700s was a location where there was slavery and it leaves a legacy based upon superiority and inferiority that is based on the way you look, whereas here there is a class system that has a superiority and inferiority that is based on the way you speak or

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my older sister took part in the march on Washington to hear Martin Luther King...” Peaches looks back at her life when she was young and talks about the benefits her father’s profession as a professor at the university brought to her life, “…because my father was a professor at the university staff would come to the university from Egypt, from India, from all sorts of places, so we had this really rich unusual upbringing…”.

Peaches mentions that she and her siblings were the first 6 ‘little black kids to go into a white school’.

In the 1960’s she mentions about first leaving the USA with her parents and travelling to Mexico and Canada as part of doing what the Hauser’s

“When I was a child I remember segregation very well, schools were segregated, only black kids went to one school, only white kids went to another”

were doing at the time. She was an exchange student in Colombia, South America and Spanish became her second language.

Moving on after graduating she travelled to West Africa, Nigeria is where she met her husband who had lived there many years before and had been running a zoo for about 16 years and finally moved back to the UK living in London for a while before moving to Bristol.

On her projects and work, peaches talks about her start in marketing, first with her husband at a Cotswold park where he was a director then in design bill with John Pointon. During her time working with John Pointon she learned a lot about architecture building and economic development, becoming the economical developer for Bristol and was involved with the UWE turning from a polytechnic into a university, Lloyds coming to Bristol and Hullet Packard. Having a degree in zoology helped her understand about greenish things, she mentions about working for an international aluminium can recycling company and how it was the first time people were asked to distinguish what is to be thrown and to be recycled, because of the work she did all the recycling bins seen in supermarket carparks is a result of that work.

demanding it is due to it being a voluntary role covering a number of costs but she says it is extremely worthwhile because it is a role where you congratulate people for doing the good things, “…it’s the youth club organisers, it’s the people that do the most ordinary things that we rely on to have a safe and integrated community…” she goes on to mention how much of an amazing privilege despite how time consuming it is, but it gives you the opportunity to do things that you just wouldn’t do any other day because the high sheriff raises around £1000 a week which goes towards providing activities to young people who wouldn’t get the opportunity for such things.

“More opportunities

Lastly Junior goes on to mention as multicultural as Bristol is there is a very low amount of integration between the people and asks Peaches what is it that we can do to get people much more interested in integration and future work she intends on doing and what she is currently working on; she goes on to say “we don’t know enough about each other in my view and need more opportunities just to get to meet each other, one of the things I did earlier in the 1990’s was to take business leaders into the mosque…’ the reason she did such things was to integrate business people with different communities so that they could understand how to recruit better and the reason they have low numbers of people different faiths or areas. Peaches mentions that more opportunities need to be created for people to integrate and have common subjects to talk about; this would be a way for them to learn about each other and their communities. Peaches tells us that she is currently doing work around mental health and is a member of Avon and Wiltshire mental health trust. She tells us that it is an issue that has been going under the radar a lot and effects people of all ages and will be working on it over the next several years, she finishes off by saying that she loves and enjoys visiting and talking in schools and is always open to an invitations to see different things and get involved with people in the communities.

need to be created for people to integrate

and have common

subjects to talk about”

Peaches work in turning Bristol into a green city has resulted in Bristol becoming the ‘Green Capitol’ of Europe for 2015. Junior asks Peaches how Bristol as a city should embrace the title, she believes that it is very good for the city and would like to see every office in Bristol either having a green roof or able to collect solar energy, rain water harvesting. These are the simple things she believes would be the best way to embrace it and would be very beneficial in the future.

On her position as a high sheriff from 2010-2011 in Bristol she was the first black person in 1000 years to hold the post.

The High Sheriff is the queens representative annually since the 1200’s during the time of king john. Due to her involvement in so many different projects within the community she was nominated in 2007 for the position of High Sheriff, during the celebrations of the abolition of slavery (200 years since the abolition) Peaches goes on to discuss about her responsibilities as a high sheriff mentioning how

Interview by Junior Sheikh. Transcription by Raffi Sheikh

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SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

ELITE POULTRY One of the few young business entrepreneurs that has over the six years of moving into Bristol, Imran has taken Elite Poultry to another level.

Speaking exclusively to Mast Imran gave us a tour of his plant & a one to one chat.

He was born in the North where he had his education and later working in the admin sector. This was his first step in looking to the future that is managing his own business.

With advice from family & friends and support from his aunt he embarked into business.

This meant hard work & extra hours but this did not deter this young entrepreneur. He had set his goal and was out to achieve his dream.

Charismatic and an excellent communicator it was coincidental that we bumped into Imran in 2013. It seemed that fate had our paths lead to similar clients, it was so coincidental that Imran on one occasion said, ‘looks like you guys are stalking me’, well it was no stalking mission by our team, it so happened that his style of personalised sales is very similar to ours hence we regularly met in the field.

Elite Poultry is based on Maggs Lane Fishponds; spaciously set-up in a clean environment, Imran has strived to give his customers who are mainly butchers, restaurateurs & the take-away trade quality products supervised from the plant to delivery. These are Halal products. Elite Poultry was established in 2012. There was need for such an outlet in Bristol as many butchers were going as far as Birmingham & the North to source for good quality Halal poultry.

Elite Poultry LImited

Unit 2 Maggs Lane, Fishponds Trading Estate, Bristol, BS5 7EW 0117 9656 922 Mob: 07904 917 037 sales@elitepoultry.com

“At Elite we strive to maintain quality & freshness, chicken is a very sensitive trade & keeping the right temperatures ,cleansing our products, packaging & transporting at the required standard has won us many customers. My style of marketing & after sales follow has helped our group improve by the day. We listen to the needs of our customers & ensure that our main suppliers deliver what is of the best quality in the market. We supply acrossthe south West and other parts of UK and are always open to new orders simply call our sales team to arrange for a presentation.

Elite are the leading Halal poultry suppliers in the South West - We strive to acheive excellence.”

Imran takes a passionate interest in the business and he is credited as one of the very few Bristol based business that regularly visits his clients as a follow up to further improve his brand.

On a personal note Imran is passionate of his fitness; regularly maintaining his work-out schedule, this he says relaxes him after a long days work.

Mirchi Indian Takeaway is a partnership of two brothers Mudassir Waqoob and Atif Waqoob and is situated in the bustling area of St George, Bristol.

In its short span since opening, it has been nominated for two prestigious awards - The MTM South West Asian & Ethnic Minority award for Best Indian Take-Away /Fast Foods & the UK Curry Award for Best Indian Take-away.

Mudassir a graduate in marketing and Atif a part qualified AACCA strive to give their customers freshly prepared food using authentic Indian ingredients & healthy oils accompanied with a personalised service. Mirchi is open 7 days week from 5 pm till late. Mirchi Indian takeaway also house Crispy Bites an annexe of Mirchi that specialises in fast foods. Under the Crispy Bites Brand we make Gourmet and Special Kebabs. Our Kebabs are made from a specialised reciepe, that sets our brand apart from the ordinary Kebab.

The brand boosts of an exquisite South Indian menu which is regularly updated to give patrons that extra taste of Mirchi's creations, backed by a specialised chef in Indian cuisine and dedicated staff Mirchi is always on the move to brand new products, offer student incentives, customer seasonal incentives and the option of ordering online and getting what you have ordered on time.

Time and quality is Mirchi’s plus point in this vibrant area which is flooded with curry take-away & fast food outlets.

Speaking to Mast, Mudassir says, “we are the difference in not only this area but Bristol as a whole, our menus are regularly added with new dishes and we encourage customer feedback as it is the only way to further the brand” He added, “we are the only local take-away that has put a lot of emphasis on online marketing so as to reach a bigger market, both our sites are customer friendly, which make ordering easier: www.mirchiindianbristol.com & www. cripsybites.co.uk We buy our fresh products locally thus giving the local retailers & butchers business.

Mirchi has great plans ahead, the group has a vision, Atif says, “Our plans are to create a brand, a chain in the South West and further. He adds, “Mirchi is not all about food, it is a style of food that we strive to sustain. Crispy Bites is a speciality serving Grilled Chicken, Pizza, Gourmet burgers and Kebabs.

143 Church Road, Bristol BS5 9LA 0117 939 5534 / 01179 395566 www.mirchiindianbristol.com www.crispybites.co.uk mirchitakeway www.radiomastfm.com

573 Fishponds Road Bristol, BS16 3AF TEL: 0117 939 5887

Maira Restaurant

MAIRA

The original founders of Maira Hiilmi Denizhau and Thiseyin Kog have been in the catering industry for almost 10 years. Hiilmi specialises in the most famous doner kebabs and grills, and Thiseyin specialises in home style dishes.

Together these two gourmets launched an “all in one traditional Turkish restaurant” to Bristol.

How did it all start, Hiilmi laughs and spills the beans on how they brainstormed the foundation of “the Maira restaurant”, he continues; ‘one day we got up late and wanted to eat something but didn’t quite know what’ neither breakfast nor lunch. ‘We kept on suggesting things to each other but each one got rejected, Thiseyin said that he really wished there was somewhere they could have homemade lentil soup and then a nice aubergine dish like his mum used to cook for him. Yes that was it, what was missing in Bristol was somewhere where one could find homemade dishes!

That was, the moment of discovery, the need to eat different things, they started developing this wonderful idea. First the plan was to do homemade foods, soups, rice, but then they thought that they should bring the real Doner kebab, freshly prepared on the premises and served as a proper main course-not the usual takeaway style that the UK is familiar with. After months of hard work, Maira opened with its unique design and authentic ottoman style decorations.

The restaurant is popular amongst the multicultural residents of Bristol.

Maira is a family friendly restaurant who has had clients from various different nationalities. The freshly made doner kebabs attract a lot of visitors who wish to refresh their memories and taste the famous “Alexander doner kebab” once again.

Although this is not all that is on offer, there is a great chill out zone where one can enjoy shisha in the garden before or after their nice meal.

Hiilmi and Thiseyin have since split with Thiseyin now running the business with a new partner. As the ottoman cuisine has many more varieties, the possibilities of tasting something extraordinary is always a possibility in Maira.

Theiysin says they are happy to bring whatever is on demand, more importantly the opportunity of choice. Many of the dishes cooked here have a deep history and story behind the names; it is the food with history today, which is enjoyed in the 21st century.

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Peri Peri Grill on the Kingswood High Street has brought a sparkle for lovers of tasty grill chicken with a range of some of the finest Milkshakes in the city since opening .Owned

by Bristol couple Shazia & Abdul Gaffar, Peri Peri brings the difference that South Gloucestershire residents & those bordering the area have long wanted.

The outlet has a good sitting area and ample parking at the rear and provides a free delivery service for up to a three mile radius.

The Peri Peri chicken is freshly prepared with authentic herbs and spices and flame grilled.

Some of the meat products are sourced from Halal approved outlets that are certified by recognised certification boards. come and enjoy their new menus and mouth watering grills.

MTM AWARDS

WINNER 2014 BEST FAST FOOD / INDIAN TAKEAWAY

Open seven days a week from 12 pm till late, Peri Peri’s personalised service is only available in a community based family business.

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ANDREW’S GENTlemans HAIRDRESSer

Kaywan Ali is one of the thousands Kurds that have settled across Britain. His first stop was Southampton where he pursued his passion of Hair cutting, a trade he practised back home in Kurdistan.

Like many from this region the Kurds are hardworking people. They have literally taken control of Barber shops in the ethnic areas of Bristol and are slowly creeping into the surroundings. They are also renowned for Car Wash outlets and Fast Food take-aways in the area.

Kaywan Ali is from Kurdistan. After five years of hair cutting in good and modern styles in a barbershop from Kurdistan, he came to England in 2004. He settled in Southampton where he pursued his passion of Hair cutting for 4 years.

Kaywan moved to Bristol in 2008 and joined up with friends to open a Barbers shop on Fishponds Road. In August 2014 he took over Andrews Gentlemen’s Hairdresser on Old Market. Andrews is one of the few barber shops that have been in existence for over 64 years at the same location. It was a family run barbers shop, passed on from one generation to another from 1951 to this day.

Kaywan brings over 15 years of experience in the trade. He has maintained the same traditional Barber’s shop look at Andrews. With proven track record and an impeccable client portfolio Kaywan and his other experienced dressers can provide any hair styles, hot towel shaves, colour, beard designs, hair patterns, and threading they are able to handle all textures of hair. Enjoy your barbers with a cup of coffee.

Price List Dry Hair Cut

£8.50

Childrens Hair Cut

£6.50

Senior Citizens Hair Cut

£7.00

Students Hair Cut

£7.00

Wet Hot Towel Shave

£5.00

Threading

£3.00

Hair Colour

£15.00

53 West Street, Old Market St Phillips Bristol, BS2 0BZ

Tel: 07708 698960 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9am-6pm | FREE 30 MINS PARKING

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Music for all occasions!

TOP 1 PIZZA

Many of you may already know the name of SARI (Support Against Racist Incidents) ~ an organisation FREE CHOICE PIZZAthat grew out of a need to support those suffering CREATE YOUR OWN PIZZA WITH ANY from racism in whatever form. SARI supports those y already knowintheBristol, name of SARI Against Racist ~ an organisation that grewFOUR out of a need (4)toTOPPINGS FROM our MENU Bath(Support and North East Incidents) Somerset, North fering from racism in whatever form. SARI supports those in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. uth Gloucestershire.

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YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Mehndi

Children’s Events

t a current day Wedding issue ~ people have Road suffered in our local areas (and indeed in every part of the UK) for as long as Show r. But in the past their cases were often not recognised and even when they were, people did not get justice.

Birthdays Corporate functions frustrated, afraid and alone.

Private Parties

CHICKEN KARAHI 1KG 8 NAAN OR ROTI n in 1988, as a steering group of local people who had suffered or who wanted to tackle racist abuse, SARI was With proven experience DJ’ing at parties, £14.00 anisation that would specialise in helping of those people.

In 1991wedding the Home Office, Safer Cities and Marks and s

receptions showsoff and DJ the Junior make ARI its first funding to get road our project thetheme groundnights, and from backwill room of the Coach House SARI opened your event one that memorable andhis fun. d by our beloved Batook Pandya (nowisdeceased) – with charm, charisma and acute sense of business together nding team, SARI has managed to survive and thrive and grow over the past 23 years. Helping thousands of mmunity we have always remained a grass roots& organisation, ensuring we never lose sight of our original aim Stand Against Racism Inequality (S.A.R.I.) Call us & let’s makeasyour special day extra special! t every community to the best of our ability.

P.O.Box 2454 Bristol BS2 2WX

Tel: 0117 951 5776

junior_sheikh@yahoo.co.uk 266 Stapleton Road, Bristol BS5 0NP Tel: (0117) 942 0060 www.sariweb.org.uk consulted our users when780 deciding what we should do to make a difference and over the years SARI has gone on 0780 2325

tion services for children and schools and training, consultancy, conflict resolution and offender reduction hat we can prevent future racist abuse as well as deal with it when it actually happens.

P

COMING SOON!

Official Caterer of the MTM Awards 2014

itoring system to see how well we are doing, we run a client feedback session. One of the biggest issues our d is that when they became a victim of racism, they felt isolated and very alone in trying to tackle what was m. As the Chair of SARI, I and the majority of the management committee and the dedicated staff team of SARI g, as we are nearly all past victims of racism. We understand how devastating those attacks can feel. No matter how strong you are, it is natural to feel the hurt and anger that goes with any racist attack. Often when you are at able, SARI offers support and specialism to help you through that difficult time. We have a multi-agency we are in touch with all the organisations that you might need to deal with – whether that be police, housing etc.

ING

“SARI saved my life” ~ feedback from a SARI client 1 551 Foleshill Road, Coventry CV6 5JW Tel: 02476 686688 • 02476 689962 sales@friends-corner.co.uk www.friends-corner.co.uk

Listen live on www.radiomastfm.com and on the go on all smart phones and tablets!

Special Feature

Sham Marriages Often we see headlines such as these, “Five members of what Home Office investigators described as a “sham marriage gang” have been jailed.Immigration has become a big issue, with many politicians playing the immigration card anytime an election looms.

Well this is election year and the cards are out. Immigration is quite a sensitive subject with many careful not to step walk on the wrong side of the debate. What baffles me the most is the number of cases we read about every day, people living in this country illegally and yet working and operating businesses without detection.

These are the many that have come in pretext as students joining ‘cowboy colleges’ that sprung up in this country some years back.

Others come in the pretext of refugees from troubled areas like Somalia though they are not Somali but from neighbouring countries.

All this eventually leads to our feature of this edition Sham Marriages.

A Sham marriage or a fake marriage is a marriage of convenience entered purely for the purpose of gaining a benefit. Whilst referred to as Sham or fake because of its motivation, the union is still legally valid if it conforms to the legal requirement of the country. It is a violation of law arranging and entering into such a marriage knowing to well that is a deception. Such marriages are termed ‘marriages of convenience’ as once the goal of achieving its benefits are met, in this instance, rights to citizenship, and the couple divorce. Often many who enter such unions are already married in their countries of origin and these unions that involve monetary benefits too are a license to living in a country that knowing too well that they have overstayed or on arriving had no intentions to education but to reside permanently.

There also have been cases of people entering Sham marriages to hide their sexual nature, it is alleged that Hollywood icon Rock Hudson was advised to enter into a so called Lavender marriage to conceal his sexual nature.

Sham marriages have blossomed since the introduction of stricter immigration rules in many western countries. Sadly some communities have transformed Sham marriages into a big business. These marriages are conducted like a business transaction, where substantial monies are paid to those already residents in the country by the many seeking

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residency. It is so widely practised that one wonders how these marriages are still prevalent despite the Home Office working to eliminate them.

In 2011 the UK Border Agency issued guidelines to the clergy to help prevent ‘weddings for visas’. English and Welsh clergy may perform a marriage according to the law there but were advised not to publish Banns for marriage for someone outside Europe instead ask the couple to apply for a licence for marriage and if the clergy is not satisfied that the union is genuine they must alert the person issuing the licence.

Banns are an announcement in church of your intention to marry and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the marriage may not lawfully take place. They are an ancient legal tradition and have been read out every week in churches across the land for millions of couples, over many centuries.

Banns need to be read in the parish where each of you live as well as the church in which you are to be married, if that is somewhere else.

As well as being a legal requirement, your banns readings are special public occasions when people in church hear of your intention to marry.

According to a Home Office document of 2013, “A sham marriage, or marriage of convenience, or a sham civil partnership describes a marriage or civil partnership entered into for immigration advantage by two people who are not a genuine couple. A sham marriage or civil partnership is to be distinguished from a marriage or civil partnership entered into by a genuine couple where it may be convenient for immigration or other reasons for the couple to be married or civil partners.”

New powers to enable the Home Office to tackle sham marriages have been announced by Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire.

The reforms, which are part of the Immigration Act, will see the notice period in England and Wales for marriage and civil partnership extended from 15 days to 28 days.

All proposed marriages and civil partnerships involving a non-EEA national with limited or no immigration status in the UK are to be referred by registrars to the Home Office.

This will give the Home Office more time and scope to identify and investigate suspected sham marriages and civil partnerships and to take effective enforcement action. Home Office Immigration Enforcement and the General Register Office are working with local authority registration services to tackle sham marriage.

For couples including a non-EEA national who are referred under the scheme, the Home Office will be able to extend the notice period from 28 days to 70 days where it decides to investigate a suspected sham marriage or civil partnership.

Office of suspected sham marriages and strengthening our joint working with them.

We will not tolerate those who seek to abuse marriage as a means of cheating their way into staying in the UK. The Immigration Act will help us root out this abuse and ensure those involved face the consequences.

Couples including a non-EEA national will have to complete civil preliminaries before marrying in the Anglican Church in England and Wales. Other religious marriages already have to be preceded by civil preliminaries.

Like others giving notice by civil preliminaries, all these couples will be subject to the new 28 day notice period. If they include a non-EEA national with limited or no immigration status in the UK, they will be referred by registrars to the Home Office and may potentially be subject to the extended 70 day notice period.

Couples who fail to comply with an investigation under a 70 day notice period will not be able to marry or form a civil partnership on the basis of that notice.

British couples will have to give 28 days’ notice of their intention to marry or form a civil partnership but will not be subject to the referral and investigation scheme.

The new scheme was introduced across the UK on 2 March 2015, subject to Parliamentary approval of the required secondary legislation to extend it to Scotland and to Northern Ireland. The Home Office is giving sufficient notice so that legitimate couples should generally be able to give enough notice before their marriage or civil partnership.

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said: The new Immigration Act enables us to take tougher action to crack down on those who try to cheat our immigration system by abusing marriage laws.

In 2013-14, we intervened in more than 1,300 sham marriages – more than double that of the previous year.

Our reforms have already seen around a 60% rise in arrests in just three months since widening the duty on registrars to inform the Home

“A Sham marriage of a fake marriage is a marriage of convenience entered purely for the purpose of gaining a benefit”

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Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Temple London The grand opening ceremony of Shree Swaminarayan Kingsbury Temple 2014 was no less than any opening ceremonies that I have been to in the past.

It was a full week of celebrations planned over 2 years with followers travelling from all over the world (Europe, Asia, Australia, America and Africa) to attend the opening ceremony in the presence of His Divine Holiness Acharya Swamishree. Celebrations included the history of Shree Swaminarayan temple opening in the UK, dances, Scottish pipe bands, Dhol bands, parades in the London City and Kingsbury, drama, music night and of course holy sermons.

For me, this was a once in a lifetime experience to be able to attend such a grand and exhilarating event which lasted for so many days.

I have attended international events for the Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, but to attend one on your own doorstep is different experience all together. The atmosphere around me was full of excitement, happiness, vibrant colours and people from all ages attending the event.

Celebrations started off with a peace parade with over 150 IndianScottish pipers from around the world in Central London from Piccadilly through to Trafalgar square and down to the Houses of Parliament. Parade also included young Boy Scout groups, Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Dhol, Dances by girls and ladies from London, Bolton and Nairobi, beautifully decorated chariots and colourful floats.

From the chariots to the dancers, it was enviable how much time, dedication and devotion was given by each and everyone who participated and helped to put this event together. The Sants (monks) had arrived months before from India to be part of this event and to help put this event together. All the love and time that the community had given showed and all of it was purely for His Divine Holiness Acharya Swamishree, heir of the Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, Maninagar.

It was an event that brought different communities together making it a multinational and multicultural cohesion. The parade ended at the houses of Parliament where Shree Acharya Swamishree was then escorted inside. And what a great finish to the parade with a shower of rain from the Lord above!

In the morning, holy sermons were held by His Divine Holiness Acharya Swamishree. He gave his blessings (ashirwaad) by educating

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the community with his teachings. The purpose of these sermons is to guide each individual to choose the right path by making the right choices. Teaching us how people are influenced by the decisions we make and the effects of peer pressure. Lord Shree Swaminarayan dictates guidance and advises people so that they can have a happy, fulfilling life ahead of them.

A temple is not just a holy place but it allows people to learn more about the culture, religion, and tradition. It makes a person openminded and knowledgeable about rituals and charity.

“When I walk into a temple, I always feel an overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquillity” When I walk into a temple, I always feel an overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquillity. It’s a place where you can be honest to yourself and rejuvenate when you are feeling your lowest. It’s a place where you don’t feel afraid and can be true to yourself. It provides a space not only for prayer but also for community events, charitable fund raising and sports competitions.

A temple to the society is very important as it unites people, maintains stability, it’s a place for people to meditate, believe, educate and it strengthens people mentally to be able to succeed in life.

Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Temple London is a monumental achievement for our community. It’s the first eco-friendly temple of its kind in the world with solar panels and rainwater harvesting and has been designed to stand the test of time. Having been based in an old church in Golders Green for many years, we are all so proud to have this new facility and of course welcome any members of any community to come visit us in our new home.

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Visco Therapy One Holding Investments Jahangir Khan known as Jay to most of his friends and clients is one of the many success stories of young British entrepreneurs. Jay shuttles between the North and the South West where part of his business interest is based. Simple, soft spoken and eloquent, Jay is one of those business elite that can walk past you without notice. His passion for clothing cannot go without mention, one of those that will don a pair of jeans and pass off as normal lad yet this business genius is passionate about success and strives to achieve and has taken his brand to another level. Giving his group, One holding Investments a massive turn over. He met Munir, his business partner some 13 years ago in Malaysia at a time when his main line was furniture imports. As Jay’s background is in real estate the two started property buying, later set up a factory in Turkey though still importing furniture from Malaysia.

As the furniture factory was not doing too well in Turkey they opted to set up a plant in Bristol and later in York. Currently they import from Malaysia, China and have started importing from Indonesia, now that the market is on the rise again.

life, he has taught me a lot, made me stronger, you have to have a role model, mine has been Munir , you got to work hard, it is not easy. If somebody asked me to do this again. I will say no thank you, as you get only ‘one chance’, there are no short cuts, there is no overnight success, and you have to follow rules and discipline to succeed. If you are a 9-5 person, unwilling to take risks, you cannot make it, you must be ready for good and bad news in life, things can change overnight, you have to be strong to handle that.”

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Munir Safdar has achieved his success through commitment & dedication – a story eluding many today. Starting from humble beginnings after seeing his father’s empire nationalized in the 70’s by the then Pakistan government. This changed his course in life – and opting to move to England to join his wife in 1984 , though this was not part of the plan of his family but as his father’s business was one nationalized his parents thought it was best he moved out of Pakistan and settle in UK: This was in Cardiff, South Wales, where he joined a family business for a few years then moved on to Newport to look after the Newport branch of the business – later moving to Bristol and opening another store in 1988. Later teaming up with Jay they formed One Holding Investment dealing in property and manufacturing, they manufacture mattress, Divan Bases, head boards, bean bags at Bristol and Batley. and also import household furniture from the Far-East.

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People & Places

From Shanti Niketan to St George Part 3 - Rajasthan

I decided to write a separate article about Rajasthan principally because we spent so much time travelling around the state.

But there are other reasons. Rajasthan is India’s biggest state. Its area is nearly 1½ times that of the whole of the UK and its population is of a size similar to the UK’s. Its weather is largely arid, with the Thar Desert in the northwest and the Aravalli range of mountains and hills in the humid, more fertile, southeast. In the summer, it is hot everywhere.

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Against this largely dry, often desert-like, background, Rajasthan is a place colour and contrast. The landscape is liberally provided with stark, romantic, forts and palaces. The women wear bright, saturated, colours and many men sport remarkable, colourful, turbans. Lush tracts of green break out from the soft tones of the desert; painted buildings in the cities of Jaipur (pink) and Jodhpur (blue) contrast with the sand and vegetation.

And there are some gems in the cities. 350 miles west of the state capital of Jaipur, in the heart of the Thar Desert, Jaisalmer, is fortified, sandstone, city and a World Heritage site. It is exquisitely beautiful. Sadly it is also crumbling. Water seepage, population growth and tourism are all causing considerable damage to the structure of Jaisalmer Fort and, despite the efforts of the World Monuments Fund and the Archeological Survey of India; attempts to arrest the decay are failing.

Driving from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer, in the height of summer, provided us with one of our most remarkable experiences in Rajasthan. Thousands of people, to the frustration of our driver, were on the road, all of them on foot, on pilgrimage to a religious shrine. Most of them walked for several days, in the searing heat, to get to the shrine; they carried banners, chanted, sang and celebrated, despite the discomfort. And everywhere we stopped, we were engaged by the pilgrims – language was a problem but communication was not. For us, with so many people on the move, it was like stepping back into Chaucer’s time.

The women wear bright, saturated, colours and many men sport remarkable, colourful, turbans. Lush tracts of green break out from the soft tones of the desert

Once we reached Jaisalmer, we stayed in a small, plain but very comfortable hotel in the ramparts of the fort with the most remarkable evening views. And, of course, we rode camels in the desert and sat under the stars, being fed, watered and entertained in a way that one could only dream of in Europe.

Around 250 miles to the southeast of Jaipur, in the foothills of the Aravalli range, lies the city of Udaipur. Around the man-made lake Pichola, the City Palace complex of Rajput-era palaces, many of which are now magnificent hotels, is spectacular. Bizarrely, Udaipur first came to the attention of most westerners through the James Bond film ‘Octopussy’.

When I travelled to Udaipur with my wife and youngest daughter, we had the great fortune to stay in one of these wonderful hotel/palaces – the Shiv Niwas Palace. And, even better, we were upgraded to a suite! One of my abiding memories of Udaipur is sitting on the balcony of our suite (the one above James Bond’s…), drinking a ‘sundowner’, looking down upon squadrons of enormous fruit bats flying across the lake between us and the renowned Lake Palace Hotel. You really can’t get much more romantic than that!

If you have yet to visit Rajasthan, as my Indian friends would say, “You must go.”

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Fashionista African Prints With Big Q African fashion changes every few months. African fashion designs used to be long flowing dresses but that has changed. We have pants, short skirts, short dresses, body suits and so much more. East African Fashion trends showcase several different fashion designs and accessories such as earrings necklaces, bangles, shoes, bags and more.

Fashion in the East African region has always been dictated by two very colourful fabrics, Kitenge and Khanga. Many born in the Diaspora seem to confuse these two moreover also terming the Kikoi a Kitenge.

Over the years these fabrics have played a great role in dressing for the African woman from these regions and have now stabilised these on the world market through fashion shows like the New York African Fashion show.

Let us start with the Khanga; this is a colourful fabric similar to Kitenge worn mainly by women as a two piece wrap around or a stitched outfit. Its light and a preferred fabric in the tropics. Men also use Khanga as a sarong (a typical way of Swahili men dress code after work).

A Khanga is a printed piece of cotton fabric normally 1.5mx1m with bordering along all four sides called ‘pindo’ in Swahili and a central part called ‘mji’ in Swahili, this differs on different designs. Khanga are also referred to as Leso in Mombasa on the Kenya coast, often these prints have poetic slogans and are treasured amongst the Swahili and Bajun of Kenya whose women have a collection of Khanga. Like a new vinyl or CD released, womenfolk in these parts book in advance for every new release.

The Kitenge is slightly a thicker material and very popular in Tanzania, It is said that the Kitenge originated from Tanzania. It is worn similarly like the Khanga but the Kitenge have over the years evolved and are now the preferred wears at ceremonies and weddings. Unlike the Khanga these run in long rolls and depending on its usage it is cut. The original Kitenge was a straight forward print on a plain background popularised in the 60’s as a must wear for Tanzanians popularised by the then President of Tanzania mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

It is often worn as a wrap around similar to a sarong by women with a matching headscarf and at times used as a baby sling.

It has multiple prints which is printed on the cloth by traditional Batik, and as in the case of Khanga, most of its designs have a message, political, religious or romantic.

Today the Kitenge has walked many a cat walk around the world and is used to produce clutch bags & hand bags, designer shoes and normal pumps.

These traditional East African clothes have now been accepted in the international fashion world with celebrities such as Beyonce donning Kitenge outfits.

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Healthy eating with Raffi Sheikh

The super-sweet fruit of the guava tree, which curiously is related to eucalyptus, is packed with flavour and plenty of vitamins C and A. The stone-like seeds may be a turnoff when eating fresh guava, but there are plenty of other ways to get your guava fix. To incorporate more guava fruit into your daily diet, whip up some fresh guava juice.

Guava is a sub tropical sweet fruit that has several healing properties. It is exceptionally high in vitamins C, A, E, & K and minerals such as potassium, copper...r, and manganese.

In fact, guavas have 5 times the amount of vitamin C than oranges! It is also packed with antioxidants that are known to boost the immune system and help to prevent colon, skin, lung, breast, and prostate cancer.

Guava is a perfect anti-aging food as they help to keep skin smooth, glowing, and wrinkle-free.

Guava is a rich source of lycopene and has nearly twice the amount than tomatoes. Lycopene is known to be an essential nutrient in helping to prevent prostate cancer, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, skin damage, and chronic illnesses.

Guavas are also known to be particularly beneficial for constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure, gastroenteritis, and weight loss.

Guava is a perfect anti-aging food as they help to keep skin smooth, glowing, and wrinkle-free. They also provide a good source of energy and nourishment to keep the body strong and active.

Guavas are ripe when soft and they have a sweet, creamy texture that is excellent when eaten fresh, juiced, or blended into smoothies.

Bottled guava juice can be readily found in supermarkets and health food stores and is a good substitute when the fresh fruit is out of season or hard to find.

Guava leaves also provide several medicinal benefits and can be crushed or chewed for gum or tooth infections or pain as well as used for reducing mucus in the lungs and disinfecting the respiratory tract.

Guava can be found in fresh, juice, nectar, dried, and frozen form at your local supermarket and speciality food stores.

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Seekh Kebabs from Nairobi with Khadija This particular kebab is very famous in the city of Nairobi and all over East Africa. Seekh is a skewer in the Punjabi language and seekh kebabs are cooked on metal skewers.

These kebabs are made using many different variations and combination of minced meats, spices and seasonings. Often these kebabs are eaten as appetizers with cocktails or with simple Nans and good onion salad.

These days, as rolls and wraps are becoming popular, so are the seekh kebabs rolls and wraps. Try this recipe and serve them in rolls or wraps using your favourite trimmings, I am sure everyone at your party would want the secret recipe of these kebabs.

In Kenya many butchers and community centres had seekh kebabs prepared regularly in the evenings. These butchers used to sell the best fresh cut meats in the morning and then Seekh Kebabs on the street, in front of his butchery in the evenings. Though depending on individuals butchers the best tastes of these Kebabs stemmed from goat meat and always insist on the hind leg meat.

Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef/chicken/lamb or goat meat.

1 medium onion finely chopped 2 tbs. Fresh ginger root finely chopped 1 tsp. Garlic paste 4 finger hot green chilies finely chopped 4 tbs. Fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbs. Cumin seeds rubbed between your palms 2 tbs. Fine breadcrumbs 1 tsp. Kasoori methi ½ tsp. Green cardamom powder Ÿ tsp cinnamon powder 1 pinch clove powder 1 pinch nutmeg powder Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Clarified butter to baste

Method: In a mixing bowl add the meat of your choice and add all of the above ingredients except the butter. Mix all the ingredients well and divide it into 24 equal portions, make balls and refrigerate them for about an hour.

Wash your metal skewers well and using moist hands, spread each ball on to the middle of the skewer and pressing along the skewer to wrap the meat evenly making each kebab about 6� long. If using longer skewer, you may wrap two kebabs ensuring they are about an inch apart.

These kebabs are usually cooked in a moderately hot tandoor for about 4 minutes; otherwise cook them on a charcoal grill for about 6 minutes.

In Kenya these kebabs are always cooked on charcoal grills.

If cooking on a grill make sure to turn the skewers at regular intervals to cook them evenly and avoid burning and too much charring. When the kebabs are almost fully cooked and golden brown, baste them with the clarified butter and slide them off gently onto a serving platter.

Garnish with sliced onion rings and lemon wedges. Kebabs are best served hot. You may serve them on a sizzling platter for that added flair and a classy touch.

Seekh kebabs may also be cooked in an oven or shallow fried on a tawa without the skewers. The shape of the kebabs can be rolled to look like sausages or shaped like croquets. Mint or tamarind chutney and lemon wedges are good accompaniment for these kebabs.

Enjoy your Seekh Kebabs this season & share with your friends & neighbours.

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ENTERTAINMENT After a very encouraging 2014 we yet again rewind the hand of time and look at some of the BritAsian artistes that gave their best in 2014 and those that have kicked off 2015 with a promise of making this an explosive entertaining year.

Shujat & NaamLess - Sufi infusion...

Pakistani singer Shujat Ali Khan teams up with UK producer NaamLess to create Their first offering is the beautiful ‘Jaagi Mori Akhiyan’, a Sufi infused urban beat sensation. London based music producer NaamLess spent years learning his craft from none other than Rishi Rich. He has in a short span of time become one of the ‘must use’ producers and has worked with a huge array of artists in his studio. Jaagi Mori Akhiyan is releasing on the Virtual Recordz label and available via iTunes and other digital outlets.

Debut singer, rapper The Jujj - Bakvaas The Jujj was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and lived in Oman before coming to the UK (Swansea, South Wales) at a young age. His aim is to make music that is fun, creative and unique: Bakvaas is based around an idea The Jujj formed at Clapham Junction railway station, where he thought everyone says today’s music is Bakvaas so why not use that as the main word in a song? The line “Raj ke geet che pavaan ga mithaas, raj ke rap che karaan ga bakvaas” came to mind. Akhiyan is a Punjabi-infused hip hop anthem, with a relentless beat and stunning vocals. The track also features a rap interlude from Rishi Rich’s latest protégé, Stax. Speaking about her latest track, Kee says: “I mainly used to listen to Bollywood music growing up, and that’s influenced my own sound a great deal.

Jenny Johal’s Narma…

Bunty Bains Productions and Speed Records presents Jenny Johal’s second single ‘Narma’ released on the 23rd March 2015. Jenny Johal launched her singing career this year with her debut track Yaari Jatti Di that topped the charts across the world making her one of the most anticipated acts of 2015. Jenny is now back with her single Narma written and conceived by Bunty Bains Productions. Jenny recently topped her Guru Nanak Dev University a few weeks back in MA Music Vocals and was honoured by the Governor of Punjab as an outstanding student.

This beauty, brains and talent is set for a bright year ahead with several releases lined up back to back.

Manjit Sahota MP4 Records and Khaas Banda Productions are proud to present the high pitched and classical trained vocalist, Comedian, Actor and Writer Manjit Sahota. His new single was ‘Chete Kareya’ is now out... Raised in a village called, Jagdev Kalan near Amritsar. The Multi talented Manjit Sahota has written all the songs within the Punjabi movie ‘Sikander’. He has also sang two of the songs in the film, the title song; a hit song and Yaari Sardaari.

Jaz Dhami – Beparwaiyan Jaz Dhami returns to mesmerise audiences with another magical love song. Following on from Zulfa an upbeat modern day love song, Beparwaiyan brings back the simplicity of old school love songs, with an Indie fusion inspired by Ed Sheeran. Jaz’s soulful rendition of the heartfelt words will give you the impression that he’s performing Beparwaiyan in the same room as you.

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Manjeet Singh comeback on Mother’s Day…Maa Singer, Composer and Songwriter, Manjeet Singh of hits, Akhiyan and Ishq makes a comeback after 7 years with a Mother’s day special Maa. Manchester born artist Manjeet reached the heights of his career being the first British Asian Sikh to have his album One release in Pakistan by Fire Records in 2006. Maa is a tribute to Manjeet’s beloved mother who passed away, the pain of the loss of the mother and the remembrance of the happiness, the special moments and experiences the mother had shared with him, inspired him to write the song “Maa”.

Saphera Martha Paul (Pronounced and known as Safra Paul) is a British Asian, classically trained singer and songwriter. Alongside formal training, Safra has performed choral works from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries with classical greats such as Aled Jones, Hayley Marsh and Faryl Smith. She has worked with producers and artists such as Guy Stanway and Nikki Murray, and diversified in the urban Asian music scene collaborating with V-Dubl-E and Des C. Safra’s musical style is original yet versatile, and this enables her to reach a wide and diverse audience.

Hemina Shah Debut Single ‘Aa Bhi Ja’ 2015 introduces a talented British performing Artist Hemina Shah; with her debut single ‘Aa Bhi Ja’ from her forthcoming album, produced by acclaimed Pakistan producers Zain Khan and Sonu Khan. ‘Aa Bhi Ja’ is a sad love song with deep Urdu heart-touching lyrics and stunning vocals by Hemina expressing a broken relationship. “It’s always been an ambition of mine to release my own music one day. The past year has been a great musical journey for me in the studio working on the album. Aa Bhi Ja is a beautiful composition with deep lyrics that I’m sure people will be able to connect to”, says Hemina Shah

Sukhi Sivia – Canada!

After the huge global impact of his debut single ‘Sarkara’ produced by musical maestro Dr Zeus, Sukhi Sivia is back with his second instalment, this time a more mellow approach with ‘Canada’. Sukhi explains: “It was a great honour to be back home with my family as I had promised them I wouldn’t return without making a mark in our music industry. Recording Canada with my father was unplanned; it just happened and was definitely an added bonus to my trip home”. The music was produced by the impressive ‘Desi Crew’.

Election Crisis – Apache Indian Apache himself has worked very closely with his community in Handsworth, Birmingham over the years. Two years ago Apache set up his own music academy to help young people in the area. The ‘Apache Indian Music Academy’ (A.I.M) is based at South and City College on Soho Road, Handsworth and runs on a voluntary basis.

The Academy features in the forthcoming music video for ‘Election Crisis’.

PAGAL JIYA by SHEEBA KHAN featuring APACHE INDIAN After the success of ‘Aey Kaash’ and ‘Hum Kabhi’, Sheeba Khan is back with her new single ‘Pagal Jiya’, collaboration with legendary Apache Indian. Sheeba and Apache have taken a simple but catchy tune and turned it into an upbeat Reggaeton song which will touch hearts. Sheeba feels emotionally linked to the music she makes: “All of my songs including ‘Pagal Jiya’ are more than just what I hear. When I’m connected to something, I am immediately tied to a feeling or an emotion, a memory from my childhood, thoughts about life, my dreams or my fantasies and they’re all connected to the music.

Bunty Bains release Yaari Jatti Di Bunty Bains productions and Speed Records release Punjabi singing sensation Jenny Johal worldwide with her debut single Yaari Jatti Di. Jenny Johal began her training with Ustad Bhupinder Singh .Jenny takes the big stage with training and management by Punjab’s finest lyricist, Bunty Bains whose lyrics have created the industry’s biggest hits from Jazzy B’s Mittran De Boot, Mr Pendu by Roshan Prince and Romantic Jatt by Miss Pooja.

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DJ DAL ‘IN THE MIX’ REMIXES - JATTI FT HARJIT HARMAN Internationally acclaimed DJ Dal releases his debut mix tape ‘In The Mix’ with his first track Jatti ft Punjabi singer Harjit Harman. “ I’m a DJ my job is to make everyone dance, after Djing for ten years and seeing what the crowds like I had a vision to recreate, refix popular songs to make them more dance floor friendly. It’s been fun working on this mix tape but it’s just the beginning we have lots more music to give to our fans” ~Dj Dal

DJ Dips & Roach Killa Collaboration!

The music master Dj Dips returns with a banger of a track entitled ‘Kaun Nachdi’. This time he teams up with the Canadian reggae star Roach Killa to deliver a Punjabi dance-floor smash. H Dhami, Lehmber Hussainpuri, Kaka Bhaniawala, Sabar Koti, D Sarb, Saini Surinder and Juggy D are just a few names that Dips has worked with over the past few years. Possibly his biggest song to date is ‘Tohar’ featuring Garry Sandhu which has amassed over 3 million views on YouTube.

‘HANI’ MAKES A COMEBACK WITH BOLLYWOOD REFIX ‘SEVEN SEAS’ Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Hani makes his comeback with his first release of 2015 Saat Samandar.

Saat Samandar (Seven Seas) Refix is a taste of what is yet to come for 2015, the new sound is a fusion of Punjabi, Middle Eastern, English Urban and Hip Hop waves.

Niraj Chag’s Qawali Inspired Score for Dar Mughal India in 1659, the imperial court, a place of opulence and excess; music, drugs, eunuchs and harems, witnesses a battle of wills. Spanning the princes’ lives from cradle to grave, DARA is an intense domestic drama which is brought to life even more with a stunning score by composer Niraj Chag (Much Ado About Nothing, RSC, 2012). The soundtrack to Dara takes root in classical Indian music and Qawali, the devotional music of Sufism.

Money Spinner After a string of hit tracks, UK based music producers MoneySpinner are now set to take their musical talent to a whole new level to collaborating with Punjab’s most popular Sufi singer Kanwar Grewal for his new single ‘Ticketan’. His distinct and gifted style and humble persona has quickly created a platform for Kanwar, which has captured the hearts of all who have crossed his path. .

Kulwinder Billa with Sucha Soorma.

After the international super hit tracks, Timetable and Chakkwein Suit that reached the charts worldwide he is now ready to don the screen as Sucha Soorma. Such Soorma is a Lok Gaatha (True story). The song is written by Punjab’s finest lyricist Bunty Bains who is currently working with the biggest stars from Pollywood and Bollywood and recently launched his own production company Bunty Bains Productions.

Sunny-G teams with Parineeta Narula to create tribute to Surinder Kaur London based music producer Sunny-G has teamed up Parineeta Narula to create a beautiful yet haunting version of the Punjabi classic track ‘Akhiyan’. Akhiyan was released on the birthday of the late Surinder Kaur who was the voice behind the original track.

BRIT¬-ASIAN POP ICONS SWAMI RETURN WITH ‘DO IT AGAIN’ Multiple award¬-winning global Desi groove pioneers Swami launched their brand new single ‘Do It Again’, a song described as “the future of Asian pop music” (Bobby Friction). With funky guitars and hard hitting electronic pop beats meeting the sounds of Bhangra and Bollywood, you are truly about to witness the upgraded energy levels of Swami…

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Pooja Misrra set to launch her singing career!

Pooja Misrra who quickly rose to fame in Indian reality TV series Big Boss 5 is set to launch her singing career with her debut single. This bold and beautiful diva made a global impact with her entry in to the Big Boss house and went on to being an iconic reality show star. Pooja who is known for her hot, bold attitude is ready to make a comeback in to the limelight with a host of different projects from her singing career, Clothing brand to releasing her own Bollywood film as a producer by 2016!

Brit-Asian female singer, rapper and producer Suman London based ‘DS’, better known to many as ‘Suman’ has spent a decade behind the scenes in the music industry, gathering ideas and experiences which has inspired her to create her own unique style of music. Her amazing debut, self produced single in 2014, ‘Calling’ is a juxtaposition of Urban, Bhangra and Hip-Hop with a versatile vocal performance.

Gurinder Seagal Signs to Sony Music India Sensational London based singer Gurinder Seagal breaks the mould and sings to Mumbai based Sony Music India with his infectious new track ‘Tequila’ (Massa Massa) which effortlessly fuses Punjabi lyrics with R&B beats.

The young star says: “I grew up in London but still have a huge love for India and my understanding of both cultures really help and allows me to create music that gels here and in India.

Maz Bonafide - ‘Jaan’ ‘Jaan’ is Maz’s debut solo single. This beautiful, romantic, Bollywood inspired track, written and composed by Maz himself, is one of the biggest love songs of 2014. As one half the popular act Bonafide, Maz and his lifelong singing partner Ziggy produced a number of super-hits over the years including of ‘Feel It Sohniye’, ‘Ishq Hogaya’, ‘Only One’, ‘Mahi Ve’ and ‘Galay Lag Ja’. ‘Jaan’ highlights Maz’s versatility, range and ability to switch from one genre to another effortlessly!

San2 UK singer-songwriter San2 exploded onto the music scene with his smash-hit debut single ‘Nayo Lagda’ reaching number one on numerous charts and entering radio playlists across the globe. Releasing an earth shaking dance-floor filler in the form of ‘Gal Sunja’. Written and composed again by Deedar Singh and with music by the internationally acclaimed producer ‘Shayal’, Gal Sunja has ‘hit’ written all over it!

Rishi Rich Rishi Rich delivers yet another amazing song in the form of ‘Dream’. The beauty behind the vocals is South Indian born Serena Kern who despite currently having a high flying career as a lawyer in a top London firm, still finds time to do her daily voice exercises!

Serena says: “I have always liked to experiment with sounds from various cultures. Rishi is a master of fusion music and this EP has a particularly strong Indian flavour and theme throughout, from instruments to other featured vocalists on the tracks.

Kee Back with a bang, talented singer/songwriter Kee is taking the British Asian music scene by storm again with her brand new single ‘Akhiyan’. Returning with a stunning fresh look, buzzing new sound and a sure fire hit, Kee’s latest offering promises to be definite floor filler. Akhiyan is a Punjabi-infused hip hop anthem, with a relentless beat and stunning vocals. The track also features a rap interlude from Rishi Rich’s latest protégé, Stax.

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Inspiring our community Different faiths and places of worship in Bristol open their doors to each other and to the general public This is a unique event to Bristol, celebrating religious diversity - giving communities the chance to experience each other’s cultures and learn about each other’s beliefs. It is an annual event, offering the opportunity to visit a range of places of worship and discover the many faith communities that exist in Bristol.

This year a total of 16 places of worship opened their doors to the general public.

In addition, 6 of the 16 venues formed a designated ‘Faith Trail’, each representing a different faith.

All 16 places of worship stayed open between 10am and 4pm so people could follow the designated ‘Faith Trail’ at the specified times or visit any of the venues at their convenience.

The event is organised by Bristol Multi-Faith Forum in collaboration with participating faith places and supported by Bristol City Council. Further information, including details of events organised by individual venues, is available on the Bristol Multi-Faith Forum website at: The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Alastair Watson joined the Faith Trail visiting a number of venues. Also participating in the event was the Lord Mayor’s Chapel, where the talk was on, ‘This unique church, its 800 year history & its role today’.

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Bristol Bus Boycott

ACT FOR SOMALIA

International Day of Peace

Faiza Barre meets with the first Bristol bus Boycott campaigner and the leader of boycott team Dr Stephenson. In 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott led by Omnibus company to change its racist policies that stopped black people from working on the buses.

In 1965, the race Relation Act banned all discrimination in the workplace.

Act for Somalia invited Sadia Shegow, Member of Somali Parliament to their monthly event at Phoenix House in Bristol.

International Day of Peace, Queen's Park, Swindon. "All we are saying is Give Peace A Chance." Glad to have been part of this event this afternoon. Blue Bell Majorettes were great.

TV personality in Bristol

Awareness Training with Farzana Saker

Welcoming Hodan Nalayeh the Founder Host of integration TV from Canada to Bristol.

Hodan was shown around the vibrant Somali Businesses in Easton by Mohammed Cantoobo of Act For Somalia, a community group that is actively indulging the Somalian community in Bristol in community cohesion.

Bristol Kashmiri Community The Bristol Kashmiri community hosted Barrister Sultan Mahmood to Bristol in 2014.

Amongst those attending were Councillor Afzal Shah, Aftab Foroze and Javed Malik.

Aftab Foroze is the current chair of Pakistan Association Bristol and was also nominated at the 2014 MTM Awards for the Professional award catergory and awarded a Special Recognition Award for his community.

Mazar Iqbal was also awarded a Special Recognition award

“We believe that Somali women are currently marginalised in Somalia and we wanted to show girls that they could play an equal role in rebuilding Somalia, as well as kindling their interest in participating in politics.� Mohammed Ahmed Cantoobo.

Awareness Training in partnership with BMFF and NHSBT and the Bristol Somali community was attended by Joanne and Amanda from NHSBT and Nura Aabe among many. Farzana has since moved on to Wiltshire, we wish her well in her new role.

ATM Credible Voices Conference Act For Somalia host Mohamed Omar the Young Motivational Speaker and life Coach from Boorama (Somaliland) at the ATM Credible Voices Conference. Mohamed is a role model to many young Somalis. Act For Somalia was nominated for an MTM Award 2014 for Best Community Group in recognition for their hardwork Building Bridges within communities.

Inspiring Women Maliha, Anira & Faiza at a conference around Forced Marriages and Honour Based Violence. A productive event with high profile practitioners working hard to tackle this sensitive issue that is eluding our ethnic minorities. Forced Marriage is still a big norm amongst these communities as families still shun this subject with serious consequenes befalling victims of these marriages.

Happy Birthday VAS-2014 Happy Birthday VAS, 82 and you are still going very strong. VAS Community Fair held at the Central Library attracted many local residents, with VAS showcasing the services provided and available for local residents of Swindon.

Children had a great time with face painting, drawing, colouring, gluing workshop, and much more. It ended with the wonderful dances by the Tamil Dancers.

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out and about

My Father’s Legacy: A Somali Woman’s Journey from Somalia to Us. Over the loud speaker, I could hear crackling of static and the voice of our principal. His words echoed in the little classroom I was sitting in on that fateful October afternoon.

I put my pencil down and listened as he spoke. He was telling us that the school was dismissed and that the war had begun in our country, and we all needed to get to the safety of our homes.

Halima Abdirazak the author of the book was visiting Bristol courtesy of Act For Somalia.

Ricky Romain of Samswara

Szcos Concert-Bristol

“Marking Injustice”

Friday 5 March 2015, under the patronage of the Honorary Consulate of Romania in Bristol, the Romanian pianist Szocs Botond held his first concert in UK.

Awarded his first ever grant from Arts Council England for an exhibition at Bridport Arts Centre. With new paintings concerning human rights, new work by Heather Fallows and a new film about Ricky and his work by Robert Golden.

“We’re all keen to get people to participate in many ways and show how painting is still an inspiring art form that can highlight important issues and bring people together to discuss and debate. “

A recipient of numerous Romanian and international awards, Szocs Botond is a student of Professor Stella Dragulin at Transylvania University in Brasov – Romania.

The concert was attended by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Bristol Ms Susan Hampton DL, Honorary Consul of Finland in Bristol Mr Geoff Parsons, Bristol and South Gloucestershire Councillors, spiritual leaders, as well as members of Bristol’s communities.

The opening remarks were delivered by the Honorary Consul of Romania in Bristol, Dr Razvan Constantinescu.

At the end of the performance, the 19 years old Romanian virtuoso was rewarded with a standing ovation. Deputy Lord Lieutenant said: ‘A wonderful and powerful performance; watching and listening kept us intensely connected with his music.’

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...in the South West of England

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A Bright Outlook for Bristol’s young people with Pc John Shaddick Young people in Bristol are getting a taste of life behind bars or a visit to custody, in a bid to change their views and steer them away from crime and anti-social behaviour.

The Bright Outlook programme has been set up by officers on the local neighbourhood police team in Easton and is being run in partnership with Safer Bristol, Bristol Mediation, Early Help and FIT (Troubled Families) and the Princes Trust, amongst other agencies.

Young people whose behaviour is a concern are referred on to the course as a way of engaging with them and helping them to alter their behaviour and mind-set.

So far, results have been very positive and the diversionary tactics seem to be working. None of the 43 young people who have taken part in the course since it started in June are on the police or other agencies’ radars. After completing the course, the young people, most of whom are aged 11 – 18, continue to receive mentoring and guidance, to ensure that they stay on the right path.

What does the scheme consist of?

The scheme consists of three ‘phases’ which expose the young people involved to a real life police / and or prison experience, as well

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as hearing from victims, ex-offenders and serving prisoners. Children of different ages take part in the different phases depending on their age and circumstances.

Phase One consists of a visit to a police custody unit, where the young person is processed into a cell and treated as an arrested person would be (i.e. having their belongings, fingerprints, DNA and custody photograph taken, sitting in a cell etc.) They meet with an ex-offender who explains the consequences of committing crime and also with a victim who talks about the impact crime has had on their life.

Takes place at The Guild Hall in Small Street, Bristol. Children are the younger ones involved in the scheme, aged around 9 – 12 years old.

NOTE – the DNA and fingerprints are destroyed at the end of the project. We take them to ensure the process is as close to real life as possible and to show children that having these things taken does have real consequences.

Phase Two involves a court room experience, with the young person standing trial in front of a packed court room. They are found guilty and sentenced, then sent to a cell beneath the court where they experience prison life. They will sit in a cell and eat prison food, as well as discussing with a serving prisoner the realities of life in prison.

The aim is de-glamorise prison.

Also takes place at The Guild Hall on Small Street. Children are around 13 – 14 years old.

Phase Three is a six week programme of weekly workshops, looking at role models and helping the young people to challenge their own thoughts and behaviour. They will meet with ex-offenders who have turned their lives around and will learn about the impact of crime on victims. Emphasis will be on mentoring for the young people and providing on-going diversion from criminal thoughts and behaviour.

of channels including schools and social services. The police then decide on the most appropriate phase for the young person to take part in, by visiting them in their homes and speaking to their parents.

Young people are only asked to take part if they are willing to engage and are not currently told that they have to attend.

The team are looking into the possibility that the courts could use the programme when handing out sentences / disposals, so that young people will have to take part in the scheme as part of their sentence (in the same way that kerb crawlers have to attend the Change Course) but this isn’t the case at the moment. The Princes Trust is now also on board – 50% of their referrals have to be exoffenders or to have come under the police’s radar. Young people who complete phase three may be referred to the Prince’s Trust for apprenticeships, courses, work experience or other opportunities, thus helping them to stay on the right path.

Takes place at The Barton Hill Settlement and young people are aged 14 and over. However, there is no reason why an 11-year-old considered as beyond phases one and two couldn’t become part of phase three.

Who is involved?

This is a multi-agency scheme involving the police, Safer Bristol and Early Help. It is being part-funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner who has given £48k to the pilot, some of which is going to the University of Bath to research the success of the scheme.

Safer Bristol have provided £20k. Another partner is Bristol Mediation (who are running phase three – for example they pay the two youth workers). A Diversionary Referral Group meets regularly and young people can be referred to take part in the project through a number

Everyone is at risk however if you are over 40 a free NHS Health Check can improve your chances of living a healthier life.

For more information call your local Practice or GP.

When you get the call or receive an invite accept and protect your health for 2015.

Contact your local practice or go online at www.bristol.gov.uk/healthchecks Contact your local practice or go online at www.bristol.gov.uk/healthchecks

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A letter from Mukhytar Singh, a local community leader Turn around decision for Turban burning case with Mukhytar Singh.

On the 29th of September 2013 an incident took place in the Bishopsworth area of Bristol.

5 young women called a taxi to be taken home to Swindon in the early hours of the morning. They were inebriated. They did not have enough money to pay for the taxi.

When the taxi driver – an Asian Sikh asked them to leave the taxi they refused, used foul language and racially abused him. These women then went on to physically assault him, attack his vehicle and finally one of them tore the Turban off his head and set fire to it in front of him.

The police were called but it was evident that they were not interested. They seemed keen to move the driver on and did not show willingness to take action such as looking actively for the perpetrators – who were hiding nearby or to quickly gather evidence.

Only on the insistence of the taxi driver did the officers’ search in the vicinity and with the driver’s support apprehend the culprits.

and protocol, the failure to adhere to the role of the Crown Prosecution Service and its’ guidance quite frankly left us confounded and gravely concerned I approached SARI on the issue and it was agreed that a meeting should be called between the community leadership and senior police officers to be chaired by SARI. The meeting attended by Bristol’s District Commander Chief Superintendent Jon Reilly, his deputy Superintendent Mike Prior and the District community relations officer and officers who worked on the case. They outlined their explanation for giving a caution to the one offender and heard the views of the victim’s representative.

The law, procedures, protocol and victim’s rights were all sacrificed. The Sikh community demanded justice for the victim and requested the offender be persecuted afresh with for racial and religious discrimination.

The victim and his young family have gone through a deeply traumatic experience which left them humiliated, frightened, disillusioned with the law and order system and vilified by many.

The Crown Prosecution Service after revisiting the decision of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary and consultation at a national level, decided to rescind the caution given to the offender and prosecute her afresh.

The driver went to the police the following day to get an update but was not satisfied with their response. He contacted SARI who took up the case and contacted the police to know what action they were going to take.

After months of chasing by the victim and SARI the officer in charge informed them that he had decided to issue a mere caution to just one of the five offending women. By this time the victim was utterly disillusioned with the criminal justice system.

As an active a local community leader, I was chosen to represent the case and the wider Sikh community.

It is evident that from the outset this case was not handled properly or treated with the gravity it deserved. The initial approach to evidence gathering, the apparent undue influence of individual officer perceptions on decision making, the ignoring of procedures

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Sensibly the offender admitted her guilt in court, apologised to the victim and the matter was settled with her being sentenced and all parties reasonably accepting the outcome.

The Sikh community feels that in the end justice has been served. It is to the credit of the senior officers of Avon and Somerset Constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service that this case has been concluded with a just and amicable solution to satisfaction of all concerned.

Alex Raikes, Interim Director of SARI states: “This result has been a long time coming. It has taken over a year to reach resolution for those affected. This is a case where escalation to senior officers was unfortunately necessary.

SARI hopes that lessons from this case can now be used to inform learning and training development for police officers responding to race and faith based incidents – especially

to taxi drivers who are particularly targeted whilst delivering an important service to our local communities.

Chief Superintendent Jon Reilly, Area Commander for Bristol says: “We are very sorry for the delay and upset caused by our initial response. The recent result at court underlines the seriousness of the circumstances and the extreme offence caused by burning a turban. This should send a powerful message that hate crime in all its forms, and especially hate crime against the any community, will not be tolerated. I hope the outcome of this case has renewed the confidence of the victim, and the Sikh community as a whole, in our determination to challenge this kind of unacceptable behaviour.

Hate crime is an abhorrent crime and we will not tolerate it.”

CPS Senior Crown Prosecutor Jill McNamara said: “This is an example of the CPS acting robustly in relation to hate crime and the way we work closely with the police, as well as organisations such as SARI, to bring offenders to justice.

“The offender apologised to the victim in court and I hope this means she fully understands the seriousness of her actions.

The criminal damage caused was only of a low value financially but the impact of the crime on the victim was profound – it deeply affected his confidence and his life as a whole.

“I hope the outcome of this case has given the victim and the Sikh community as a whole, confidence in the criminal justice system and will encourage other victims of hate crime to come forward.

Hate crime is corrosive – it affects individuals, their families and the communities in which they live. The CPS takes community concerns very seriously and will always seek to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to do so We also hope that sharing this story will send out a clear message to the wider community – those who are victims and those who may be capable of perpetrating hate crime that Bristol must have zero tolerance to this cancerous form of personalised attack.

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With products superbly arranged and a system that is easy for customers to access Raja FoodsCHICK Cash & Carry has SANA PEAS bagged a handsome chunk of the 12X400g catering business and is expanding further the South West. During the same time Raja foods launched its brand Sana,

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In 1985 Raja Foods expanded its retail SANA CHAPATTI outlet and launched a cash FLOUR & carry service delivering25Kg to local restaurants and food places around Bristol. Serving local restaurants and meeting their very demanding needs meant the Raja Salim had to go an extra mile to maintain credibility which has been the group’s strong selling point since inception. His so Raja Rizwan Akhtar joined the group at the age of 11 years old. Doubling his school attendance and assisting at the store has eventually paid off for Rizwan as today he is respected as a Or for out of hours enquiries please call us on 07801 188808 | CHECK IN STORE FOR MANY SPEICAL OFFERS front runner in the business in the South West and surroundings. The group got AWARDS a stronger hold onto the wholesale www.radiomastfm.com business in late 1995 and eventually in

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WINNER 2014 BEST CASH & CARRY

producing and marketing their brand and making inroads into supermarkets and groceries in the region and beyond.

From the Sana pulp tomato , products such as the Sana Pizza & Chapatti flour, Sana Basmati rice, Sana Mango chutney and Sana Poppadum’s’, there is no stopping the brand as it expands further.

Sana range of authentic spices has CHICK becomeBLACK a household name. PEAS

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Backed by a committed team at both the warehouse and raja Store on the high street, Raja Foods still maintains its loyaltyORDER to its long customers RESERVE TOserving COLLECT often releasing /great offers as incentives 01179 512010 CALL RAMZAN YASIR to their clientele.

Follow us onproudly facebook Raja Rizwan picked the MTM for2014 more offers Best Cash & Carry Award at the Bristol Marriott last year. Speaking to Mast at the awards Rizwan said,” I am happy and honoured to have scoped this award but it does not stop here, we have great plans for expansion ahead and will be releasing new products soon”.

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