December issue 2019 (issue 87)

Birmingham g n i liv

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December 2019

THE BIG XMAS GIFT GUIDE

KIT HOLDER BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET

MICHELIN STAR MAN

LUKE TIPPING

PARTY STYLE

PANTOS & GIGS

DAVE HILL

SPARKLING FESTIVE FIZZ

SO HERE HE IS... SLADE’S KING OF GLAM

THE CHRISTMAS ISSUE

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EDITOR’S VIEW

S

o here it is… Merry Christmas, everybody’s having fun! Unless you’re living in an igloo in the Arctic, you won’t go through Christmas without hearing one of the all-time, most famous festive songs. Released back in 1973, Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody was an amazing, raucous, festive extravaganza of glam rock that has been played on TV, radio, in clubs, bars, at parties and in your local supermarket ever since.

Famous for his outrageous silver body suits, make-up and towering platform heels, Slade guitarist Dave Hill put the ‘glam’ in the Wolverhampton glam rockers. Now in his seventies, Dave is still rocking and touring and, as he told our own Shelley Carter for our special Christmas cover interview, he never tires of playing the band’s festive hit… Afterall, It’s Chrrrriiiiistmas!!

Christmas also means our Big Gift Guide is back. Better than ever, over eight pages you’ll find loads of great present ideas for the whole family, from pocket-money to lavish luxury prices. As always, we look to promote the best that the local area has to offer, especially our wonderful independent outlets.

Food and drink is on everyone’s mind this month and we’re delighted to feature the top chefs at two of our six Michelin-star restaurants. Luke Tipping at Simpsons is a legend having put the Midlands on the fine dining map two decades ago and holding the coveted Michelin star every year since. Meanwhile Luke Butcher at Purnell’s tells us what makes his cooking tick as well as playing lead guitar in a heavy metal band – in his dreams!

Add to the mix, wine expert Rob Price’s top Christmas fizz picks and I hope you’ll agree we’ve put together a cracker of an issue. Whatever you’re doing, wherever this Christmas, have a great one.

s n h o J d i Dav

visit www.brumliving.co.uk @brum_living Cover image:

/bhamliving

FINALIST

Dave Hill of Slade

EDITOR: David Johns david@brumliving.co.uk FEATURES EDITOR: Shelley Carter shelley@brumliving.co.uk DESIGNER: Tracy Duffy

CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Price, Sue Cooke, Lisa Melvin, Hywel Davies ACCOUNT MANAGER: Jane Morris jane@brumliving.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY: David Morphew, Andrew Llewellyn PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Jonathan Carter

Rock Hopper Media Limited Burleigh House, 23 Tagwell Road, Droitwich WR9 7BN tel 01905 771110 © Rock Hopper Media Ltd. Birmingham Living is published monthly by Rock Hopper Media Ltd and printed by Buxton Press. Views and opinions expressed by authors and services and products offered by advertisers are not specifically endorsed by Rock Hopper Media Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part of the contents of Birmingham Living without written permission is strictly prohibited.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: The subscription rate (post paid) is £24 for one year (12 issues). Subscriptions 01905 771110 ISSN 2051-8560

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INSIDE

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Highlights

Luke Tipping

In the kitchen with the super-chef celebrating a Michelin star for 20th year in a row at Simpsons

It’s Chrrrriiiiistmas!!

Slade’s Dave Hill is still rocking in his seventies, but those glam platform heels have had to go…

Luke Butcher Keeping up the music and Michelin star theme, Purnell’s head chef reveals his heavy metal dream

Festive Food & Drink News, reviews and recipes from Brum’s restaurant scene, plus our fave fizz picks

Festive Fashion The table’s set, the corks are popping, and you’ll be ready to sparkle with our party edit

The Big Christmas Gift Guide It’s only the biggest, best gift guide in town!

Loads of great present ideas for the whole family

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CONTENTS

Best of the Rest

44 60 64 69 78 82 december 2019

Health

No one wants the lurgy over Christmas, most of all Santa. Our guide will help banish the germs

Young, Gifted & Brummie Netball player Fran Williams on becoming an England star and playing world’s best in Brum

Up Close With A Christmas message from Pastor Andrew Kisumba, with Kayne West and the dolphins!

Business News News and views from the commercial community at this busy time, plus our Social Scene round-up

Festive What’s On Oh yes it is! Your top guide to the best pantos, gigs and events in and around Brum this merry Christmas

In The City Birmingham Royal Ballet first soloist Kit Holder celebrates our city’s world-class cultural scene

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NEWS

MUSICAL SNOW RIDE A selection box of Christmas musical treats for all is being promised by Orchestra of the Swan, Stratford’s own professional chamber music orchestra.

The season begins at Warwick Arts Centre on 7 December with Snow-Ride! – a helter-skelter journey for all the family through some of classical music’s best-loved winter pieces. Upon a Midnight Clear on 10 December at Stratford Play House and 11 December at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, features ancient carols,

NEWS

popular songs and winter-themed classical favourites.

Information and tickets www.orchestraoftheswan.org

BRINGING YOU THE BRIGHTEST AND MOST COLOURFUL STORIES FROM ACROSS THE CITY EACH MONTH

88,000 LIGHTS FANTASTIC

ELLIE’S PLEA Two of the Midlands' best-known celebrities are supporting an appeal to save a hospice.

Paralympic gold medal-winning swimmer Ellie Simmonds, pictured, and rock star Noddy Holder are backing Acorns Children’s Hospice charity’s £2million campaign. The appeal has raised £400,000 in only three months. Ellie, who is part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games organising committee, said: “As a Walsall girl, I know how important Acorns is to all the children and families who use its services.” Donate at www.acorns.org.uk/appeal

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Ever wondered what 88,000 fairy lights looks like? See for yourself at Once Upon a Time in Birmingham, a fun festive pop-up experience lighting up the Bullring and Grand Central. Visitors are transported to an illuminated wonderland filled with glow and sparkle, carol-oke, party games, illuminated cocktails and world’s first crystal clear Christmas puddings. Delicious! The fairy lights installation is more than 9km in length, enough to reach the top of Mount Everest! Once Upon a Time in Birmingham is open until 23 December.

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NEWS

NEW YEAR NIRVANA

It’s about this time of year when weighed down with Christmas shopping and freezing weather, our thoughts turn to heading for the sun. Well, Egypt here we come! Sun-seekers from Brum should pencil in a break to the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh in the new year after TUI, the world’s largest holiday company, announced flights from Birmingham Airport departing from February.

Airport aviation director Tom Screen said: “It’s great news that TUI has recognised the popularity of this Egyptian destination with Midlands travellers.”

ON YOUR MARKS, SANTA Hundreds of Santas and elves are needed for the most festive fund-raising event of the year. Acorns family-friendly Santa Run takes place at Millennium Point on Saturday 7 December. Money raised will help Acorns

TRAM-TASTIC!

children’s hospice fund its vital care for

Trams arrived in Centenary Square for the first time with tests of Birmingham

babies, children and young people with life-

Westside Metro extension. A series of overnight trials saw trams running

limiting and life-threatening conditions.

across all of the newly laid track from Grand Central to Centenary Square in

Rachel Farrington, Acorns events officer,

preparation for the launch of passenger services in December. West

said: “It’s a magical event for people to

Midlands mayor Andy Street who was on-board one of the first journeys

support a great cause while soaking up the

from Grand Central said: “The project is on time and will be bringing

festive atmosphere. “ Sign up for the run at

passengers to the ICC, HSBC Bank and Library of Birmingham.”

www.acorns.org.uk/santarun

JUMPER DAY KNIT TO BE MISSED Get your best festive sweaters at the ready. Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is asking the local community to dig out their most festive knits in a bid to raise much-needed funds. The hospice’s Christmas Jumper Day on Friday 6 December will see friends, families, colleagues and pupils wear their best pullovers. Taking part is easy – simply wear your Christmas jumper on the day and make a donation to the Hospice online. Get a free fund-raising pack at www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/jumper or call 0121 752 8779.

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NEWS

NEC LAUNCHES WRC The world’s top rally drivers are coming to

Picture: Rodrigo Garrido

Birmingham. Led by world champion Ott Tänak, stars from the big four World Rally Championship manufacturer teams of M-Sport Ford, Hyundai Motorsport, Toyota Gazoo Racing and Citroën Racing will unveil their 2020 WRC cars in front of tens of thousands of fans at the first public day of Autosport International – dubbed WRC Super Saturday – at the NEC on 11 January.

More information and ticket offers at

BIRTHDAY BEAT

www.autosportinternational.com

Europe’s longest-established Taiko

drumming ensemble found the Midlands hard to beat when it came to celebrating their 25th birthday. Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers marked the anniversary with a

SYMPHONY PREMIERE

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) hosted Andrew Lloyd Webber for the world premieres of three new symphonic suites at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

Arranged and conducted by Andrew Cottee, the CBSO presented special arrangements of suites from three of the composer’s greatest shows – Evita, Sunset Boulevard and Phantom of the Opera. Among those joining Andrew at the concert was his brother Julian Lloyd Webber, principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

TOUCHWOOD, IT’S PRESLEY

performance at Belgrade Theatre.

Welcome back, Presley the polar bear. Touchwood’s

Mugenkyo’s furiously energetic concerts

iconic bruin is returning this Christmas to provide the

have blazed a trail for Taiko drumming in the

perfect family photo. Presley is just one of the festive

UK and across Europe. Literally meaning

treats and surprises at Touchwood – including Santa

“limitless reverberation”, the name

in his grotto with his trusty elves. For those dreaming

Mugenkyo expresses the company’s belief that Taiko should be without limitations, either musically or geographically.

of a white Christmas, Snow Play provides some frosty fun with artificial snow right up to Christmas Eve. Special guests and festive choirs are also being promised at the centre to keep the whole family entertained. Further information at www.touchwoodsolihull.co.uk

USHER ALEX’S STAR ROLE A former usher at Alexandra Theatre has swapped selling ice-creams for stardom after landing a lead role in a new David Walliams musical. Rosie Coles, 26, of Sutton Coldfield, worked front-of-house at the Alex for nearly four years, selling sweets and ices, checking tickets, helping patrons to their seats and latterly manning the stage door. Rosie, who studied at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, plays Sapphire in Billionaire Boy, which is touring the UK, including performances at the Alex.

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NEWS

WILL, LOOK WHO’S HERE…

YOUNGSTERS OF NOTE Talented young musicians from across the UK are being sought for the annual Bromsgrove Young Musicians’ Platform (BYMP), with auditions due to take place on 20 and 21 February. The final will be held in Routh Concert Hall at Bromsgrove School in April. The competition, now in its fifth year, has expanded and welcomes young musicians aged nine to 17 who are at school or resident in the UK. Applications must be received no later than 26 January at www.bromsgroveplatform.com

IN BRIEF

HIPPODROME SCULPTURE

PARK GO-AHEAD

Birmingham Hippodrome has unveiled a new sculpture entitled

A new urban National Park in the West Midlands has been given the green light by a Government review. The Landscapes Review has supported the ambitious plans to create the National Park which will span seven cities, creating hundreds of miles of green space, conservation areas and new cycle routes.

Tower of Varieties as part of its 120th birthday celebrations. In

SHOE SHINE Wasps rugby players are looking sharp off the field after being supplied custom-made shoes by new official Midlands footwear supplier Clements & Church. Each player has received a pair of shoes, handmade to their individual measurements by the independent tailoring brand.

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William Shakespeare himself getting ready to greet tens of

partnership with Pangaea Sculptors’ Centre, the work created

by Rachael Champion was commissioned to mark the Hippodrome’s origins as the Tower of Varieties circus in 1899.

Hippodrome artistic director Fiona Allan said: “Rachael’s design perfectly brings together both Birmingham’s history and architecture, with a nod to the backstage world of theatre.”

thousands of visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon’s famous Victorian Christmas Market. Run by the district council, town council and LSD Promotions, the market takes place on 6, 7 and 8 December. Last year’s event attracted more than 102,000 people and Mr Shakespeare is confidently expecting even

CLOCKING ON The Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) has revealed plans to renovate one of Birmingham’s muchloved landmarks. The historic Grade II listed Chamberlain Clock will undergo major work as part of the JQDT’s long-term vision of protecting the area’s unique heritage.

What’s this? None other than

more this time, each searching out Christmas goodies on more than 300 stalls. Entertainment includes

TOYBOX APPEAL

a traditional funfair.

A major appeal has collected hundreds of presents for

children who might otherwise miss out during the festive season in the West Midlands. Central England Co-op’s firstever Christmas Toybox Appeal featured special present delivery points at all of their stores in the area to allow people to drop off a gift or stocking filler. The toys were collected via Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Birmingham Salvation Army, Bethany Food Bank and Elim Church before

GOT ANY NEWS? Email your news and pictures to editor@brumliving.co.uk

being handed out to families and youngsters in need.

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FEATURE

TIPPING POINT LUKE TIPPING HAS JUST SEEN SIMPSONS RETAIN ITS MICHELIN STAR FOR A RECORD-BREAKING 20TH YEAR. DAVID JOHNS TALKS TO THE SUPER-CHEF WHO FIRST PUT BIRMINGHAM ON THE FOODIE MAP uke Tipping is way too modest to admit that his kitchen is where Brum’s explosion onto the world-class dining scene began. Together with owner Andreas Antona, he propelled Simpsons to its first Michelin star back in the late Nineties. Last month, the super duo celebrated retaining that precious star for an astonishing 20th year in a row when the new 2020 Michelin guide was published.

In the guide’s latest edition, Birmingham now boasts six star restaurants – the most outside of London. The chances are that you’ll be familiar with the likes of starred chef Glynn Purnell, the Yummy Brummie of Purnell’s fame, who pops up on TV pretty regularly. Glynn is just one of the great chefs who were mentored by Luke and worked in his kitchen and now run their own highly-regarded, successful restaurants.

L

THE PROFESSOR The legacy of chef director Luke and Simpsons lives on in the West Midlands and beyond, with other former chefs, including Adam Bennett, Andy Waters, James Cross, Marcus Eaves and Matt Cheal to name but a few. Luke, however, plays down his impact on our food scene. “Bringing through promising young chefs is really what it is all about,” he says. “It’s very important to me that they are given the opportunity and the right avenues if they have the potential and are good enough.” This passion to develop the next generation earned Luke a professorship of culinary

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arts at University College Birmingham where he places the utmost importance on training and mentoring young chefs.

Growing up as a child Luke was always around food, living above restaurants where his father Ted was a chef and his mother was also in the industry. But it wasn’t until he was in his twenties that he was bitten by the cooking bug. He describes his teenage years as ‘misspent’ and eventually his frustrated father got him a placement in a kitchen which led to enrolment in Halesowen catering college.

PERFECT PARTNERS He formed his enduring partnership with Andreas Antona after they worked together at Birmingham’s Plough and Barrow restaurant before Andreas set up Simpsons in Kenilworth. They earned their first Michelin star in 1999 before the restaurant moved to its current home in Edgbaston. Luke became chef director in 2011.

“It’s just amazing where those years have gone,” said Luke. “In our business, it’s incredible for a restaurant to have been around this long and to have progressed, and continue to progress, like this.” He added: “I’ve always enjoyed working here. Andreas is such a great guy to work for and the beauty of it is that he owns it and I just run it for him. Of course, over the years I’ve had offers to go elsewhere but I’ve never wanted to leave.

“While it is every young chef ’s dream to want his

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own restaurant, the reality is that it can be a bloody nightmare, from the financing to stuff like having to choose what knives and forks to buy and from where.

Anyone who opens a restaurant in this day and age is a brave man, or woman. And anyway, I treat Simpsons as my own because that is the sort of relationship we have here.”

STARRING ROLE True to character, Luke doesn’t make a huge fuss about the Michelin star. “We didn’t go seeking the star,” he said. “We did what we want which is believe in quality. The star just came.” That modesty teamed with a superb talent for creating wonderful food means that Luke is hugely respected and admired by his fellow chefs. In what is an ultra-competitive, high-pressure industry, we can tell you – fact – that no one has anything but good words to say about Luke.

Always looking to explore new challenges and collaborations, it wasn’t a surprise when Simpsons won the accolade of being one of the top 50 vegan restaurants in the world by a panel of leading food experts. This followed being placed in the top 10 UK vegan eateries by animal rights organisation PETA. “We’re always looking to find new challenges, to improve, expand our horizons and offer the customer more,” said Luke.

The last couple of years have been especially memorable for Luke. This year’s 20th Michelin star was preceded last year by Simpsons celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark that landmark, Luke teamed up with his namesake Birmingham-based clothing brand Luke 1977 in a collaboration that saw the seasonal worlds of food and fashion come

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together. He first came across Luke1977 when he purchased a shirt several years ago and began to use the brand’s logo as his Twitter icon. He was later introduced to the man behind the brand, Luke Roper by Roper’s cousin Matt who runs the Birmingham store.

YOUNG GUNS Did we mention Luke’s modesty already? He’s never one to duck an issue if things don’t always go quite according to plan. He admits “we made a few mistakes” when talking about Simpsons highpublicised refurb a few years ago. “Changes to the menu and the setting didn’t go down well in some quarters so we quickly accepted it and went back. No problem,” said Luke.

Always up for trying different things, Luke has appeared as a guest on BBC’s Saturday Morning Kitchen and Yes Chef shows, but says (modestly, again!): “Sure I enjoy TV, but really I think it’s the kind of thing where they are looking for younger chefs.” Now, far be it for us to question Luke’s premise… all we would say is that at 54 he’s precisely one year older than a certain Gordon Ramsay!

Truth is, Luke is far happier flying under the radar, discovering and developing the young chefs that will carry Brum’s food scene on to even greater heights while also having time to visit vineyards and go trufflehunting in Italy (a first!) – which is where he was heading shortly after talking to us... I

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Christmas just wouldn’t be the same

FEEL THE NOIZE!

without Slade belting out across the

airwaves. Shelley Carter caught up with Dave Hill and found a family man who’s still rocking in his seventies. The

platform shoes have had to go thoughÁ

o TV and with only classical music playing on the radio at home meant that when rock ’n’ roll landed it was like lifting a lid on another world for Dave Hill. He launched himself into the scene in a big way and managed to convince his parents he should pack up his job and pursue a career in music. The next hurdle was the extravagant outfits of glam rock that his father was less than impressed with.

It was the home-made nature of the outfits that his dad struggled with, including the famous Metal Nun costume that Dave wore on Top of the Pops when performing Cum On Feel the Noize among many others. Of his home-made creations, Dave says: “One day I had this idea of a silver outfit. I bought a long black ladies coat and sprayed it silver with the paint you spray cars with. I thought it was great, so I put it up against the door in our council house and it left an imprint of the shape of the coat. Dad went mad!”

N

EVER THE SHOWMAN The inspiration for the costumes came from watching American films at the local cinema as well as entertainers from Vaudeville such as Max Miller. Dave recalls: “I knew that you had to be noticed and special. I still wear great costumes today. It’s still about dressing up for a show for me. No platforms mind you as I broke my ankle in the seventies, but I still rock out for sure. You can’t hold Dave Superyob Hill down!” Dave’s dad was mightily relieved when a

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professional stylist came on the scene and he could kiss goodbye to the make-shift design house at home.

Embarking on another tour we wonder if still playing that song ever gets tedious. “No, I don’t ever get bored. It’s part of so many people’s lives. It is popular because it means so much to people across the world. Look to the future will always be here in the hearts of people.” He adds: “I enjoy playing every Slade song. We have so many that every song I play in the set is a big hit. Not many bands have that and I’m thankful we do. When you finish a show on Merry Christmas Everybody the audience goes home still singing the songs and feeling the Noize!”

WAY OF LIFE At 73 years of age, Dave didn’t think he’d still be touring, but he has never viewed Slade as a job, more a way of life. “When you do something you love people recognise that and they see me having a great time on stage, so they join in for the party and remember their happy times.” Proud to still be in the music business, Dave has always loved to travel, meet new people and hear the fans stories and memories. He says: “Life is for living and having something you love.”

A published author as well as glam rock legend, Dave’s memoir, So Here It Is, was published in 2017 and documents his upbringing in the Midlands post war. Of those years, he says: “We had bombed out houses to play in. We felt very safe being out in the woods and fields – a different time to now. There wasn’t much money but

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there were nice people. Life was simple and then rock ’n’ roll arrived – my world and purpose in life. The guitar was new. I just wanted to play it because pop stars like Elvis, Duane Eddy, Hank Marvin, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry played one.”

MAGIC MELODIES The fact we’re still listening to old tracks is testament to the greatness of the melodies. Dave says that back then the lack of technology and other forms of entertainment meant that music was everything. “The songs had great melodies and we fell in love to music and danced to it, there were no computers or mobile phones but a lot of imagination and the TV to look at.”

Dave’s music knowledge is vast and he’s always on the look out for new talent, but if he needs a lift, it’s the oldies he harks back to. “I stick on Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis, The Beatles Number Ones or The Shadows. My upbringing was special. We had the best music and melodies to learn from. Just like Slade songs they don’t go out of fashion, they’re great to play and make people happy.”

A ‘family man’, Dave’s managed to stay grounded through the years despite the success and he’s pretty philosophical about it. “I love people and I like to connect with them. We are all the same in this world. We all have gifts and mine is music and entertaining. When you make people happy you don’t withhold from yourself, it’s a two-way feeling and on stage is where it happens. Off stage I’m just Dave who likes to chat to people.” I

MAKE A DATE WITH SLADE Catch Slade on 22 December at the O2 Institute. For tickets visit www.ticketseventim.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK

LUKE BUTCHER

Ever wanted to play lead guitar in a heavy metal band?

The head chef at Michelin-starred Purnell’s has – but thankfully for the rest of us, he’s happy making his food rock instead

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CHEF’S CORNER

Tell us about your cooking It’s all about simplicity on the plate but complexity in the components. What excites me most is when you have just three or four things but the flavour smacks you in the face and leaves you smiling.

What’s important is love, care and understanding of the ingredients.

How did you become a chef?

My grandad was a chef in the Navy and he passed down his love of food to my mum, which then got passed down to me. When I got a job working at Michelin-starred Adlards in Norwich, my love of food amplified. And then a young chef taking on his first head chef role at Adlards, by the name of Tom Kerridge, caused my love for food to explode. I went on to work with Tom for the next few years and was with him when he opened the Hand and Flowers in Marlow. I still class him as family to this day.

What do you eat when at home?

I love cooking family meals for my wife and two children, who are five years and 18-months-old. I like them to eat what we eat, exploring flavours and seeing their reactions. Normally on my two days off, I’ll cook a big family meal on one of the evenings and then on the other I like to take them out to experience a restaurant environment. My go-to meal at home would be a nice steak from the local butcher.

Who’s the best chef in the world and why? And who’s the best in Brum?

For me, it’s about longevity and what they’ve brought to the industry while remaining relevant.

Examples would be Thomas Keller, Ferran Adrià, Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay. It’s about the legacy that a great chef creates and builds on. In Brum there are so many talented chefs, which is reflected in how many Michelin-starred restaurants we now have. When I moved to Birmingham there was only one chef I wanted to work for – Glynn Purnell.

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Is the customer always right?

Simply… no. It’s about a mutual respect and understanding between the restaurant team and the guest (I hate the word customer).

Share a cooking tip If you’ve got any meat to cook, the day before leave it uncovered in the fridge on a plate with some kitchen roll to dry out the outside of the meat. Take it out of the fridge a minimum of 45 minutes before you want to cook it. The drying out process extracts the moisture from the outer layer of the meat, which will give you a better caramelisation of your steak, or a crispy skin to your chicken.

What was your favourite food as a kid?

I loved going to the Norfolk coast, especially Cromer, and getting a little polystyrene pot of prawns, cockles, mussels and whelks, all doused in vinegar. Walking along the seafront, eating it all with a wooden fork was a proper childhood treat. I still do it now when I go back with my own kids.

Food heaven and food hell?

Heaven is crispy duck and hoisin pancakes – either homemade or from the Chinese. Hell is offal – mainly brains and kidneys.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve eaten?

Dried wasps dusted in barbecue seasoning!

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

Lead guitarist in a heavy metal band.

What do you recommend from today’s menu?

The apple choux bun from the Purnell’s lunch menu. It’s seasonal, made with a classic technique but with a modern twist and full of flavour.

Purnell’s Restaurant, 55 Cornwall Street, Birmingham, B3 2DH. Tel: 0121 212 9799 www.purnellsrestaurant.com

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LUNCHSPOT

BISTROT PIERRE

Waterside House, 46 Gas Street, Birmingham, B1 2JT. Tel: 0121 616 0730 bistrotpierre.co.uk Sunday stroll down the canal took us on an impromptu hunt for a roast to warm the cockles and silence the cries of ‘we’re starving’ from the little people. Bistrot Pierre put in a strong bid for our business looking all handsome and like it would give us a warm Brummie welcome.

It was rammed and we hadn’t booked, but the staff couldn’t have been more charming. A table was rustled up and we ordered a round of lemonade for the kids and a carafe of excellent pinot grigio for the grown-ups. While the restaurant is large set out over numerous floors, the place is packed with enough character to feel cosy and warm. Views over the canal were pretty special too.

The menu is seriously good value at £15.95 for two courses. All the Sunday favourites featured along with some more off-piste dishes. The children are in that stage of being slightly too big for children’s menus but not quite managing grown up portions, however they devoured man-sized roast pork with all trimmings hungrily. It was utterly delicious with top-notch gravy.

There was a terrific pink 21-day aged rump steak with awesome crunchy fries, but the stand-out dish wasn’t your average Sunday lunch fodder – sea bass with creamy saffron curried mussels and samphire. Cooked to perfection and full of flavour, it was just beautiful.

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Puds were all appealing but we went in hard with a gooey chocolate brownie with a warm chocolate sauce and salted caramel ice cream, a perfectly balanced tarte au citron and classic crème brûlée done blooming well.

It goes without saying that we were thoroughly impressed. We were probably lucky to bag a table, so would recommend booking rather than risk winging it like us. I

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FOOD & DRINK

NIBBLES and SHORTS

BIRMINGHAM HAS A LIVELY AND BUZZING BAR AND RESTAURANT SCENE. HERE, WE PRESENT OUR INSIDER GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR CITY’S EATERIES AND DRINKING DENS

TROPICAL TOUCH AT ARCADIAN One of Birmingham’s best-known leisure venues has welcomed a new pan-Asian and Western fusion restaurant. Rozu brings a touch of the tropical to the Arcadian with a bar and 80-cover

HIGH FIVES FOR HIGHFLYING HIGH FIELD The High Field gastropub, Edgbaston

restaurant in the heart of the arena and a menu that takes inspiration from Eastern and Western

is enjoying a double celebration after

cuisines to create Asian-fusion dishes. Rory May of Rozu said the eatery serves high-quality

picking up two top food accolades. It

food, matched by an upmarket cocktail lounge and lavish pink and green décor.

was named Midlands Gastro Pub of

TOP COFFEE SHOP OPENS IN JQ After winning Best Café/Bistro of the Year regionally and nationally at the English Food Awards, Damascena has opened the doors of its new Jewellery Quarter store. The independent coffee shop is well established in Birmingham with three other stores in Moseley, Harborne and the city centre.

Damascena boasts a MiddleEastern influence interior, featured in fabrics, furniture and light fixtures.

the Year as well as runner-up as the

ARCADE FULL OF GOOD INTENT

best gastropub in the country at the Food Awards England 2019. The

awards are voted for by the public and Not-for-profit real ale bar, the Good Intent, Sarah Robinson, partner at Peach Pub has launched at Great Western Arcade. StourbridgeCompany which runs the High Field, based Craddock’s Brewery opened the new bar with said: “Being singled out for praise like the aim of donating all the profits to charities and good this is just fantastic.” causes. The Good Intent offers a selection of the brewery’s real ales, plus a variety of other beers, wines, spirits and bar snacks. Online sponsorship platform Crowdfunder helped raise more than £18,000 to complete the refurbishment A new restaurant is coming to Knowle. of the two vacant arcade units South African chef, Jacques Van Der Merwe, into the bar. will open Jacques Restaurant next March. He said: “We had been searching for a suitable venue for some time and we finally came across the perfect location.” The eatery will open at the old HSBC bank. Jacques is keeping details of the restaurant and menu under wraps but his approach to cooking earned his first restaurant a place in the top four restaurants in South Africa.

NEW EATERY BREAKS THE BANK

GARDEN TERRACE SET TO BLOSSOM Michelin-star restaurateur Aktar Islam and the team behind Craft Dining Rooms are joining forces to launch the Craft English Garden, a garden terrace and inside dining room, next month. Located on the Canalside at the ICC alongside Craft Dining Rooms, the site will be centred around a bar and crafted dining pods. The Craft English Garden has been envisaged with nostalgia and childhood in mind, recreating traditional British dishes with a modern view and specialising in afternoon tea.

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

REBELLION OF THE THREE GUARDS You’d expect a cocktail named from a Chinese civil war to have a kick – and you’d be right! aking its name from a Chinese civil war of the 11th Century, Rebellion of the Three Guards is a winter warmer from the clever mixers at Chung Ying Central. The drink takes the lead from Hibiki which utilises whisky from Chita, Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries to make its blend.

This drink takes these three whiskies and blends them into an Old Fashioned using maple syrup. Unlike the combatants in the Chinese war, act responsibly when you drink….I

T

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY INGREDIENTS:

I 30ml Chita whisky

I 20ml Hakushu whisky

I 10ml Yamazaki whisky

I 5 dashes cherry bitters I 10ml maple syrup

I Garnish with a cherry

METHOD: Stir the ingredients in a mixing glass. Pour into rocks glass with an ice block.

Chung Ying Central, 126 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 3AP. Tel: 0121 400 0888 www.chungying.co.uk

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

CHEZ MAL

Malmaison, The Mailbox, 1 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RD. Tel: 0121 794 3004 malmaison.com here’s so much to celebrate about Birmingham’s food scene and there seems to be an exciting new launch every week, so it’s easy to forget the old gems. Malmaison is one of those that we’d let slip for a while, so we thought we’d address it. A new menu seemed an ideal excuse.

Firstly, in true Malmaison style, the menu design is a winner and had us at first peek. Minimalist, chic and with great food photography, everything appealed. It wasn’t style over substance either. Full of inventive dishes as well as the classics, we were won over big time.

The only problem with top notch food photography is the pressure to make the dish in real life live up to that. We ordered a chicken satay and roasted squash noodle soup to start whose lip-smacking image featured on the menu and website. In reality, it looked like a different dish, however, it tasted unbelievable.

Shredded chicken, toasted peanuts, coriander and spring onion served in a tasty broth was warming and moreish. A pot of red chilli paste/sauce served separately was seriously fiery, so we’d advise caution.

Less is more. A small amount was enough for us adding a perfect amount of heat. Such a good dish.

A salt beef and confit pork terrine, with mushrooms a la grecque and burnt onion purée looked a treat. The accompaniments were better than the main event which, without the punchy purée would have been a bit bland, but maybe that’s the balance. Miso glazed short rib of beef fell off the bone and just melted served with

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a zingy carrot and orange purée and radish salad. We ordered triple-cooked fat chips as a side which were superb. The highlight was a crab & scallop risotto. With fresh white crab meat, crab bisque, samphire and pan seared scallops, this was a perfect risotto in our book.

Far too big for one, but perfect.

Dessert was winking. A pineapple upside down cake with rum, caramel and coconut sorbet hit the spot nicely, while a sticky poached pear, raspberry and frangipane tart inspired much cooing. As well as the food, the cracking wine list deserves a nod as does the service which was attentive and knowledgeable. It’s also far enough from that market to pretend it’s not happening. We won’t leave it so long next time. I

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FOOD & DRINK

CORKING CHRISTMAS FIZZ

CHAMPAGNE, CAVA, PROSECCO… AND MORE! WINE EXPERT ROB PRICE NAMES HIS TOP OF THE POPS TO ADD SPARKLE TO YOUR FESTIVITIES

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FOOD & DRINK

ROB’S

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SUPER SPARKLERS

Franciacorta – Normally quite difficult to find in the UK and also quite expensive, so the Franciacorta from Tesco’s Finest range is a delight. Apple, citrus brioche and nuts abound in this lovely sparkling wine at an equally delightful price of only £15.

English Fizz – Nyetimber is a consistent, high-quality producer, and while fairly expensive, it’s one of the very best English sparkling wines. Crisp, dry, full-bodied, with savoury overtones. Try with fish and chips!

The Wine Society sells for £31.

Prosecco – As mentioned Conegliano Valdobbiadene is the top place and my choice of La Marca, Extra Dry, shows why. Delicious moreish with fresh tropical fruits leaping out of the glass. Majestic sells for £14.99 Champagne – My favourite, non-vintage (NV) champagne is Taittinger Brut Reserve. A complex blend of reserve wines, aged for a minimum of three years, ensures consistent high quality. Discreet fine bubbles, brioche, peach and honey in this beautifully balanced wine. The Birmingham-based Champagne Company sells for £32.

parkling wine is one of life’s treats, those mischievous little bubbles jumping around on your tongue and creeping up your nose! It lifts your mood and tantalises every sense. And the good news… Christmas is a great time to buy bubbles, plus there are so many different types – Champagne, Crémant, Cava, Prosecco, Asti, New World fizz and not forgetting wonderful English sparkling wine.

Now there’s a new kid on the block – Corpinnat. This is a band of merry men (and women) who are leading the way for a very high-quality sparkling wine just south of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It’s made with the same grapes as Cava but with stricter quality standards. Organic grapes, manual harvest, minimum age of at least 18 months, and the ones I’ve tasted are superb. Not that easy to find in the UK yet, but expect to see more next year.

S

HIGH QUALITY Another very high quality wine, not well known in the UK, is Franciacorta which is an Italian sparkling wine. And like Corpinnat this is aged for longer than Champagne and made using the traditional method, again like Champagne. So, if you like the sophisticated taste of Champagne, I would suggest you try these two ‘new’ sparkling wines.

Crémant is another traditionally-made sparkling wine. This is the name for all other sparkling wine regions in France, other than Champagne, and it has the advantage of still tasting great but about half the price of its more glamorous neighbour.

We must include Prosecco as it’s now our favourite fizz in the UK, and why not – it is a light, delicious, refreshing sparkler, perfect as an aperitif and again not too taxing on the

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wallet. Prosecco from Conegliano Valdobbiadene region is the best and worth the slight increase in price.

The New World produces many sparkling wines in a vast range of styles, from cheap and cheerful to premium types made the same way as Champagne, using the same grapes and aged for the same period of time. Good quality sparkling wine needs a cooler climate, so while each New World country will produce fizz, normally only the cooler regions will do so.

KEEPING COOL Therefore, with its cooler climate, New Zealand sparkling wines are beautifully balanced with complexity and fresh fruit flavours. The cooler climate allows the grapes to ripen slowly, retaining good acidity which is vital in any top-quality sparkling wine.

We should not, of course, forget England. We make some fantastic award-winning fizz, our best cuvees beating Champagne in some blind-tasting competitions. Our (very) cool climate is ideally suited to producing premium sparkling wines.

Try my four sparkling Christmas recommendations and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. But whatever you’re drinking over the holidays, cheers to a great Christmas! I Birmingham Wine School is an independent wine education company offering fun, informal wine tasting events and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses in Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull and Warwick. For more information contact Rob Price on 0121 270 7359 or visit www.birminghamwineschool.com

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GOLD RUSH

Dress from Lipsy, Fort Shopping Park

PARTY TIME

THE DIARY’S PACKED AND WE NEED SOME ORGANISATION IN OUR SARTORIAL LIFE TO ENSURE A LEVEL OF CHICNESS THAT’LL LAST THROUGHOUT SILLY SEASON

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STYLE RIGHT STRIPES Top £49.50, M&S

SKY’S THE LIMIT

Sophia Webster Evangeline 100 winged suede pumps £425, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

FESTIVE FEELS

Dress from Wallis

irstly, let’s just say we love Christmas. There is not even a hint of bah-humbug over here at Brum Living Towers. However, the party season brings with it a few style-related challenges.

HEAVY METAL Obviously, it’ll be fun, but with a multitude of dress Bronze pleat midi skirt codes to navigate, a bit of planning is needed. £32, Dorothy Perkins Black tie can be tricky, but if you ensure you don’t compromise on your personal style you can’t go far RAZZLE wrong. If you’re not an evening gown type of person, DAZZLE avoid them and check out a slick tuxedo or a jumpsuit Sequin jumpsuit £25, instead. The black Clementine jumpsuit from Hobbs Primark, Fort Shopping Park pictured is a stunner and super flattering. Add a pair of killer heels and you’re good to go.

MINI TO The trend for a high neck continues which we love.

THE MAX Whether it’s a cute blouse that will look equally chic Self Portrait contrast collar floral sequin mini dress £355, with jeans as a smart trouser or a midi dress like the exclusive to Selfridges purple animal print version from Monsoon pictured, it’s a look that screams cool and not too try hard. A high BOOT neck isn’t universally flattering, so try before you buy.

CAMP In terms of dresses, we’re absolutely spoiled for choice Olivine boot £160, across all price points. We’re in the business of buying Dune, Bullring less but more wisely and investing in pieces that will last.

Take a look at Self Portrait and Erdem at Selfridges for ultimate party frocks that will stand the test of time. On the high street, Oasis and Hobbs have some cracking examples that look way above their price tag.

F

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STYLE ACE LACE

Black lace high neck top £55, Oliver Bonas

BACK TO BLACK

Clothing and shoes, Dorothy Perkins

EMBELLISH FOR THE WIN

Dress £160, Oasis, New Street

TIMELESS

Casey bag £39, Carvela, Resorts World

BLACK TIE WINNER

Clementine jumpsuit £199, Hobbs, Grand Central

HIGH NECK

Black detail blouse £38, Oasis, New Street

HEAD TO TOE

Black sequin jumpsuit £70, Wallis

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WELL HEELED

Laries shoe £59, Carvela, Resorts World

Pleated skirts are a winner. M&S and New Look are leading the way with colourful festive pieces that’ll look great dressed down with a pair of Converse post silly season too.

Party season is an excuse to go big or go home when it comes to shoes. The ability of a shoe to elevate any outfit from stylish to stunning is a thing of wonder. A great heel affects the way you walk encouraging a natural swagger, so we’re on board always. Sophia Webster’s winged sandals are tweaked every season, but in essence they’re becoming a classic. We love a lot.

The burgundy peep-toe boot pictured from Office is gorgeous with a perfect heel and the ability to show off your pedi while keeping your ankles warm. Win, win. Carvela at Resorts World and Dune at Bullring have cracking examples, too.

Lastly, add a bit of self-care into the schedule to keep you going. Sleep in a bed not drooling in the back of an Uber, eat your greens – and we don’t mean triangle Quality Street! – and stay hydrated by drinking something other than fizz. I

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STYLE

SPOTS AND SPOTS

Dress, shoes and bag from Oasis

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STYLE OLD SCHOOL GLAMOUR BRILLIANT BURGUNDY

Erdem Ottavia puffed-sleeve floral-print stretch-jersey midi dress £695, Selfridges

Mesh pleated skirt, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

PEEP TOE

Aware shoe £75, Office, Bullring

PURPLE PATCH

Aida jersey dress £229, Hobbs, Grand Central

HIGH SHINE

Charcoal satin midi dress £75, Oliver Bonas

ANIMAL MAGIC

Phi Phi animal shimmer dress £120, Monsoon

BERRY GOOD

ULTIMATE SASS

Kankan shoe in wine £49, Carvela, Resorts World

Clothing and shoes from River Island

NEUTRAL BAE

Sade bag £38, Dune, Bullring

BUTTONS FOR DAYS Dress £69, M&S

HELLO YELLOW

Rosa midi dress £229, Hobbs, Grand Central

PLEATS PLEASE

Skirt £49.50, M&S

LIFE’S A BEACH

Malibu heel £99, Dune, Bullring

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WRAP UP

Stand Studio faux fur coat £280, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

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STYLE

WIDE LEG

Jumpsuit from M&Co

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STYLE

BEAUTY UPDATE THIS TIME OF YEAR IS NOT THE BEST FOR YOUR BARNET. A MIXTURE OF RAINY DAYS AND CENTRAL HEATING IS NOT A GREAT COMBINATION, SO WE THOUGHT WE’D PUT SOME HAIR PRODUCTS THROUGH THEIR PACES. HERE ARE OUR TOP PICKS Untamed hairdryer with Argan oil £69.99, untameduk.com The aim of the Untamed game is frizz-free, salon level blow drying at home. It comes complete with small bottles of Argan oil which slot into a special diffuser, pictured, and as you dry the oil is blown onto your hair. We suffer from a bit of frizz, but not a huge amount, so we started using the oil when hair was about 80 per cent dry, but I guess you could do it from the get-go if your hair is more unruly.

Firstly, the hairdryer is powerful so it dries in no time and secondly, what we thought might be a bit gimmicky and fiddly wasn’t at all and we were left with what genuinely felt like a professional blow dry that stayed looking fresh for three days at least. Really impressive and a bit of a steal.

Umberto Giannini Grow Serum £8.50, and Grow Long & Smooth Wonder Blow Dry Spray £8, umbertogiannini.com

As well as the packaging being a sight for sore eyes, what’s inside packs a punch too.

The serum is lightweight and not sticky like some on the market. It contains vegetable protein and pro-vitamin B5 as well the brand’s caffeine gro-complex which claims to encourage stronger hair and faster growth. We’re not sure about the growth claim as it’s only been a week, but our hair is softer and sleeker after two uses which is pretty good. It’s also really reasonably priced. Four to eight pumps of product is recommended. We went for four which worked a treat.

Onto the blow dry spray. We’ve tried a lot of heat protection products and with the exception of Aveda we find they leave a residue that doesn’t feel nice, so we didn’t hold out much hope.

We were wrong. This leaves no residue at all and promises to seal the hair cuticle creating a barrier that repels water and fixes frizz. It did the trick, resulting in a super shiny, swishy hair that looked younger than our… ahem… years. Vegan and cruelty free too.

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STYLE FOR MEN

GOOD TO GO Clothing and shoes from River Island

JACKET IN

PARTY WEAR IS NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS FOR MEN, SO WE’VE PULLED TOGETHER A HANDFUL OF IDEAS TO SET YOU ON YOUR MERRY WAY

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STYLE FOR MEN

CLASS SLIPPER Christian Louboutin Dandelion spikes flat veau velours £965, Selfridges

WE LOVE IT Clothing and shoes from Jacamo TERRIFIC TREWS Velvet burgundy trousers £30, Burton

BLAZER GLORY Hoveton velvet blazer £145, White Stuff, Cannon Street

GREEN DREAM Deadly dapper blazer £100, Joe Browns

t’s a bit of a myth that formal wear is easy for men. Just stick on a black suit and you’re good to go. Not so. And if you’re one of the many men who has been wheeling out the same trusty jacket since Aha were topping the charts, it might be time to rethink your party look and send your beloved tux to charity shop heaven to be someone else’s go-to.

Fit is everything with a jacket.

Obviously bespoke is the ideal – check out Brum’s very own Tweeting Tailor or Clements & Church. Failing that there are some cracking off-the-peg examples too.

Just try before you buy. It sounds basic, but nothing ruins a good look like a bad fit and it doesn’t matter how much you spend. Fit is everything.

If your ‘do’ is smart, but not black tie check out some fancy trews like the rich red velvet trousers from Burton, pictured, or a luxe velvet jacket. On the shoe front, we love a slipper. If you’re in the market for an investment, the Christian Louboutin Dandelion pictured is dreamy.

Head to Dune for something slightly easier on the pocket.

I

TIMELESS CLASSIC Richard James regularfit wool tuxedo jacket £755, Selfridges LOAFING AROUND Sassoon loafer £95, Dune, Bullring

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TRUE BLUE Jacket £149, Skope, Resorts World

PARTY ON Clothing from M&S

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HEALTH

COLD COMFORT ‘TIS THE PEAK MONTH FOR COLDS AND FLU, AND THE DREADED GERMS CAN LAY ANYONE LOW – EVEN SANTA HIMSELF. HERE’S OUR GUIDE TO HELP MINIMISE THE RISKS OF GETTING SICK

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HEALTH

inter is the season for colds and flu. Although scientists still don’t know why, we do know that December is when infections tend to become prevalent. And as colds circulate round offices and schools it can put a real dampener on the festive season.

Blocked nose, sore throat, muscle aches, pressure in your ears and face – who needs it? While it may be bloomin’ difficult to avoid entirely this winter here are a few top tips to (hopefully) minimise the risks…

W

haemoglobin in the red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs around the body and boosts energy levels).

KEEP WARM – Once you start feeling the cold you shiver and this depresses the immune system, making us more likely to catch colds. We lose up to 30 per cent of our body heat through our heads – so wear a hat.

EAT GREEN VEGETABLES – Green, leafy vegetables are rich in vitamins that help you maintain a balanced diet and support a healthy immune system. Also, maybe swap sandwiches for soup at lunchtime. Studies found that drinking any warm liquid – like tea, soup or stew – helps relieve symptoms by loosening congestion and stimulating the flow of mucus.

WEATHER WATCH – Low cloud, dull and misty conditions tend to bring an increase in germs as viruses survive longer when the weather is moist. They can hang in the air attached to water droplets more easily, and when it’s cloudy and dull there are fewer breezes to blow the germs away. This is the time when you’re more likely to catch something.

WASH YOUR HANDS – Germs can be transmitted by physical contact and enter the body when infected hands touch vulnerable parts like our eyes, mouths and noses.

Washing hands often – and drying them on disposable paper towels – can significantly reduce the chances of catching a virus, especially the rotavirus, which tends to infect children and causes vomiting and diarrhoea. Use soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.

AVOID CONTACT – Keep away from anyone who is sick. Stay home if you are sick to prevent spreading your illness. When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve.

USE TISSUES – If you have a runny nose remember the mantra ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’. Catch any sneezes in a tissue, bin any tissues immediately and kill the virus by washing your hands with soap and warm water.

VITAMIN BOOST – Especially vitamin D (essential for teeth and bones and helps resistance against winter bugs), vitamin C (boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation as well as fighting fatigue) and iron (helps produce

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ZINC AND GARLIC – The mineral zinc is essential to help fight colds and provide a boost to a flagging immune system. Good food sources include meat, eggs, seafood, tofu, black-eyed peas and wheat germ. Garlic helps ease chest complaints and small amounts taken daily may also reduce the frequency of colds and flu.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER – Doctors recommend we drink about eight glasses of water a day to stay healthy.

Water helps the kidneys function properly and flushes out the toxins that accumulate in our bodies. Especially important to stay hydrated if you’ve already caught a cold.

And, sorry, but it’s best to lower your alcohol intake. Too much booze can increase your exposure to bacterial and viral infections.

KEEP ON MOVING – Regular activity, keeping our circulation going and enjoying plenty of fresh air will all help our bodies fight bacteria and viruses.

GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP – Lack of sleep makes us more prone to infection. If you’re not rested and are stressed you are more likely to become ill compared to when you're feeling happy and relaxed.

AND FINALLY… GET A FLU VACCINE – This highly infectious virus is different to the common cold and kills an average of 8,000 people a year. It can be particularly serious in older adults, very young children and people with underlying health conditions, so check if you’re eligible for a free jab. The flu vaccine remains the best defence we have. There are different flu jabs available so chat with your GP for more advice. Remember that the jab doesn’t cause the flu and unfortunately it won’t protect you against the common cold. I

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GIFT GUIDE

Black wireless headphones £12, Primark, Fort Shopping Park

Mission Possible limited-edition Midlands Air Ambulance bauble, £5. Limited to 420 baubles with money raised funding a lifesaving air ambulance mission. Available from midlandsairambulance.com/shop

Pine & Eucalyptus luxury candle £300, Jo Malone, Grand Central Christmas bathtime favourites £53, Lush, Touchwood

Personalised Features baby gro £14.99, GettingPersonal.co.uk

THE BIG

s a m t hrisGUIDE CGIFT Cashmere ribbed glove £50, Pure Collection

Oh yes, it’s that time again. We’ve pulled together eight pages of gift ideas across a range of price points including some all-important brilliant local makers and producers to get you through your festive shopping stress-free… maybe.

Check out our social media channels too where we’ll be giving you all the Christmas feels throughout December with even more gift ideas posted daily. Happy shopping!

Friend of Birmingham Hippodrome, includes exclusive discounts, priority booking and an exclusive programme of events. Single, joint and family membership from £50 a year, www.birminghamhippodrome.com/giveandjoin/memberships/

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Christmas gift box £62, Biscuiteers Baking

Dalmore Port Reserve gift pack £71.95, Hard to Find Whiskey www.htfw.com/dalmore-portwood-reserve-glasses-gift-pack

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GIFT GUIDE

Slimline gold flask bottle £18, Honey Bee Home www.honeybeehome.co.uk

Black Freddie Mercury Microphone T-shirt £14.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

Hourglass Vegan Brush Collection £600, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Rocket money box £7, Sainsburys

Christmas veg box set £9.95, White Stuff, Cannon Street

Ring with approximate carat weight of 0.74, available in 9 and 18 carat white gold, yellow gold, rose gold and platinum £1,950, House of Solus, Jewellery Quarter www.houseofsolus.co.uk

Luna moon and starburst stone slides, two pack £15, Oliver Bonas, Harborne High Street Christmas pet jumper £16, Joe Browns Gift vouchers valid across Resorts World, including shopping, food and drink, Cineworld, Genting Hotel and Santai Spa, £10 (or multiples of) www.resortsworldbirmingham.co.uk/gift-card

Supersized Grande soap/lotion dispenser finished in diamond cut, handmade crystal £450 each, from Kuche & Bagno www.kucheandbagno.co.uk

Gold trinket pouch £6, Honey Bee Home www.honeybeehome.co.uk

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KitchenAid Artisan 4.8l tilt head stand mixer £599.99, Very

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GIFT GUIDE

Be Generous gift card available to use at awardwinning spas Hoar Cross Hall, Staffordshire and Eden Hall Day Spa, Nottinghamshire for spa days, overnight stays and dining experiences. Visit https://baronseden.com/ book/gift-cards

Golden Ticket gift vouchers £10 (or multiples of), Ridding & Wynn, Custard Factory

Alexander McQueen skull-print cotton scarf £275, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Cire Trudon candle in Nazareth 270g, £85, Selfridges.com

‘Make a Wish Upon a Sycamore’ necklace in gold £80, Alice Stewart Jewellery www.alicestewartjewellery.com

Globe light in Swedish green £69.95, Cuckooland.com

Astronaut onesie £30, FatFace Ryder Cup Experience at the Belfry. Enjoy an 18-hole playing lesson on the Brabazon course with a PGA-qualified senior teaching professional £375, https://thebelfry.skchase.com/vouchers Star Wars shaped glass decanter £21.99, Very

Swallow studs by the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter’s jeweller in residence, Fiona Harris, £40, From the museum shop and https://shop.birminghammuseums.org.uk/ collections/jewellery

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Langan lamp £259, Lee Longlands

Sara Miller geese pastry fork set £21, Daisy Park

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GIFT GUIDE

Untamed hair dryer with argon oil, creates salon standard blow dry at home £69.99, https://untameduk.com/

Gucci Marmont mini leather bucket bag £705, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Light blue monogram stripes recycled leather 2020 diary £95, Rae Feather www.raefeather.com/personalisation/hom eware/personalisation-2020-diaries

Madagascar rug £675, Lee Longlands

Hot chocolate sloth hamper £15.99, New Look

Nino garden gnome, large £85, small £35, Ridding & Wynn, Custard Factory

Peaky Blinders IPA, glass and cap set £25, Debenhams, Bullring Quarter Workshop jewellery class gift vouchers. Can be bought for a specific class or an amount to be used towards a class. Workshops include Make a Ring evening, Silver Bangle class and All-Day Jewellery among others.

Visit https://thequarterworkshop.com/

Circles and pearls bangle £60, Elizabeth Anne Norris Jewellery, Jewellery Quarter www.eanjewellery.com

Cookie The Cat wooden wall clock £27.95, Dotcomgiftshop

National Trust Homes Through History £14.99, National Trust

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Bee cufflinks £49, Sara Preisler Gallery, Custard Factory www.sarapreisler.co.uk

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GIFT GUIDE

Rippled smoked grey Champagne saucer set of two by Ferm Living £35, Heal’s, Mailbox Kiddimoto Kurve Balance bike £74.95, Cuckooland Flocked Beethoven bust in hot pink £38, Audenza

Mad Millie Kombucha kit £25, Amara Halo drop earrings £55, Sara Preisler Gallery, Custard Factory

Cortez leather Nike £65, Schuh, Fort Shopping Park

Give the gift of REP Friend and support the creation of worldclass theatre in Birmingham. Includes exclusive events and behind the scenes experiences. Suggested minimum donation £12.50 a month or £150 per year www.birminghamrep.co.uk/support-us/rep-friends Wing Yip Oriental hamper £19.18, wingyip.com

Eureka Kitchen at Simpsons, a hands-on cooking experience at the Michelin-star restaurant £150 per person www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk

Handmade silver sliced skull ring made from 925 sterling silver £120, the Nine of Hearts 79 Jewellery https://thenineofhearts.co.uk

Tranquil spa break, from £139 per person includes full English breakfast, 40-minute spa treatment, threecourse dinner at the Ryder Grill and entry to Bel Air Nightclub, Belfry Hotel and Resort https://thebelfry.skchase.com/vouchers

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GIFT GUIDE

Christian Lacroix Dangerous Game Backgammon £46, Amara

Playstation game controller mug £10.99, Very

Raspberry and hibiscus gin £25, John Lewis, Grand Central

Scamp & Dude grey and neon coral leopard and lightning bolt romper £30, John Lewis, Grand Central

Birmingham Botanical Gardens family membership £65, www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/become-amember-today

Fabric necklace in Liberty Art print £15, Blackbird Geranium www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BlackbirdGeranium

Slow coffee brewer brass stand by Kinto £180, Heal’s, Mailbox

Black diamanté embellished headband £14.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park Aurelia Overnight Treatment Collection £80, www.aureliaskincare.com

Cheeky Geeky cassette tape decorations £6 each or £8 for a custom order, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CheekyGeeky

Snow Black and the Seven Rastas and Other Short Stories by Talisha Tee Cee Johnson £7.99, Amazon

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GIFT GUIDE

Wellness Journal £27, Amara

Finlay fairisle knit tank £27.50, White Stuff, Cannon Street

Bear socks £10, Dorothy Perkins Ice bucket bar tools set £69.50, Oliver Bonas, Harborne High Street Yes Bab eco glitter tee £25, Punks & Chancers punksandchancers.co.uk Believe gift bundle £81, Smiggle, Touchwood Amplify tickets to James Arthur at the exclusive Premier Lounge, Arena Birmingham £120 + fees. More shows available. Visit www.amplify.co.uk

Pick ’n’ Mix gift builder £17.99, Teapigs

Gift voucher for traditional afternoon tea at the Edgbaston Hotel from £26.50pp, theedgbaston.co.uk

British Motor Museum gift voucher, includes two admission tickets and a souvenir guidebook £25 + p&p, britishmotormuseum.co.uk

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GIFT GUIDE

Camper van socks £6, FatFace

Kreafunk bluetooth speaker £99, Made.com, Mailbox

Showtime tulle skirt £29.95, White Stuff, Cannon Street

GPO Bermuda record player £159, Cuckooland

Gold cactus salt and pepper £4.99, HomeSense

Tea Me, Tea You mug by Katy Ruby Miller £10, Artwow

Name A Seat at Symphony Hall, from £350 for a seat dedication lasting 10 years, THSH www.thsh.co.uk/nas

Shakespeare rubber duck £6.50, RSC shop.rsc.org.uk

Personalised teaspoon Champagne and Prosecco stopper £18.99, GettingPersonal.co.uk

Dolly Llama Make Your Own Model Llama modelling clay kit £5.95, Rex London Christmas gift box of 12 macaroons £24 + P&P, Miss Macaroon, Great Western Arcade missmacaroon.co.uk

Soru Jewellery Luna moon and star drop earrings £260, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Snurk children’s football duvet set £44.95, Cuckooland.com

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HOMES

PROPERTY BESPOKE BEAUTY

THIS MONTH’S PICK OF TOP HOMES FOR SALE ON THE MARKET

Creynolds Lane, Cheswick Green, Solihull Guide price: £875,000 Agent: Fine and Country, tel: 0121 746 6400 My oh my! A spectacular bespoke, five-bedroom detached luxury home set in an idyllic semi-rural position. There’s a huge open plan kitchen, dining and living area and it’s all bursting with every gadget, gizmo and mod-con a family would need for perfect modern living.

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HOMES

GRAND DESIGN Scholars Gate, Severn Street, Birmingham Guide price: £425,000 Agent: James Laurence, tel 0121 456 5454 A luxurious penthouse in a fabulous converted Grade ll listed building that retains loads of historic character. There’s an open plan living/dining/kitchen area, two bathrooms and two bedrooms, with the master a stunning gallery bedroom.

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HOMES

REAL BARNSTORMER Dunsley Road, Stourbridge Guide price: £820,000 Agent: Andrew Grant, tel: 0330 024 3000

A beautifully-appointed barn conversion that’s bursting with character and charm. The versatile accommodation includes four bedrooms, master suite with en suite and dressing area, formal living room and dining room, study, utility, cloakrooms and a superb open plan breakfast kitchen family area.

PERFECTLY COMPOSED

Delius House, Symphony Court Guide price: £227,500 Agent: Maguire Jackson, tel: 0121 634 1520 Hitting all the right notes at Symphony Court is this beautifully presented, recently fully refurbished one-bed apartment. The accommodation boasts a lovely open plan living/dining area with access to a balcony, separate kitchen, bathroom and a double bedroom with built-in double wardrobes and access to a second balcony.

BRICKS&BITS

From the industry’s movers and shakers to the latest groundbreaking developments… email your property news and pictures to shelley@brumliving.co.uk

UNI EXTENSION

MAYORAL LAUNCH

GOING, GOING…

A 34,000 sq ft extension to the University of Birmingham’s business school has been completed by Morgan Sindall Construction.

The contractor built the £18million annexe to the Grade II listed University House in partnership with consultants Acivico, through the Constructing West Midlands (CWM) framework.

Engine Brother Capital has unveiled plans for its Coinpress Residence development in the Jewellery Quarter. It will include 14 luxury apartments and one commercial unit. The project, which will see the first phase released in autumn 2020, was officially launched by West Midlands mayor, Andy Street.

Upmarket residential developer Court Collaboration has only 20 per cent of properties at its Arden Gate development remaining. The development at William Street is a collection of 225 one and twobedroom apartments designed with modern living in mind, just a ‘hop skip and jump’ from the city centre.

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HOMES

STUNNING PLOT Aylesbury Road, Hockley Heath Guide price: ÂŁ800,000 Agent: Fine and Country, tel: 0121 746 6400

A cracking four-bedroom detached home on a stunning plot that backs onto fields. Loads of versatile space to work with and some beautifully landscaped gardens to the front and the rear to enjoy.

Don’t miss Property of the Week on our Facebook page every Thursday www.facebook.com/bhamliving

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

FRAN WILLIAMS The elite netball player explains the sport’s growing appeal ahead of the Nations Cup coming to Brum next month

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

o significant was England’s gold medal-winning victory in the Commonwealth Games in 2018, it’s one of those sporting moments that begs the question: ‘Where were you?’ Since that stunning triumph, the popularity of netball has grown exponentially with approximately 320,000 adults now playing the sport fortnightly in the UK while other team sport participation has plateaued.

We’ve a while to wait for the home Commonwealth Games in 2022, but you can get your netball fix right here in Brum next month when the brand new international tournament, Vitality Netball Nations Cup, rolls into town.

A round robin format between England, Jamaica, South Africa and current world champions New Zealand, it promises to be explosive. Ahead of the tournament we caught up with England defender Fran Williams to find out what makes the sport so special.

S

Birmingham too, Fran can really focus. She explains: “I’m a full-time athlete now which means proper rest and recovery.

Some girls have to pick up work, but I’m lucky.”

Some of the squad have known one another since their teenage years progressing through the same pathway programmes as well as touring together and it makes for a bonding experience. Of the team spirit Fran says: “We’re away on long tours together. You see the best and worst of your team-mates. You experience the same pain and successes, high and lows, so you do get close.”

BIG IMPRESSION Fran has built up quite a CV. The local Wasps defender plays in the Vitality Netball Superleague in addition to her national commitments. She captained the England under21 team and made her senior Vitality Roses (England’s elite team) debut against Uganda last year, making an immediate impression on the national side. She was selected for the England squad for the Vitality Netball International Series as part of the Quad Series in January this year and will feature in the Nations Cup next month.

Playing the sport since she was nine-years-old, Fran knew pretty much straight away that netball was the sport for her. She says: “I’ve always loved competing and it requires so many skills – fitness, strength, the fast-paced change of direction.” By aged 14/15 years, Fran realised the sport could be more than a hobby and she was progressing quickly through county level followed by regional academy before joining the England pathway.

A balance was required between netball and schoolwork which was a bit tough. Doing homework in the car featured at times. Travelling long distances to train and play was the hardest part of the process, although you could say it made more time for homework on the move.

Silver linings and all that!

Fran says: “Funding kicks in at international level, so parents support along the way is key.” Now training ‘full-time’ although she is studying economics part-time at University of

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Head Coach of the Vitality Roses, Jess Thirlby says of the Nations Cup: “The competition is higher than ever and teams are out to prove themselves following the incredible exposure of the World Cup. Not only will we be gaining a valuable opportunity to face some of the world’s best teams, we will also be competing in a completely brand new international competition.”

Fran rates Birmingham’s sporting facilities and regularly plays at Arena Birmingham in Superleague as well as in international competitions and says a lively home crowd has the ability to lift a team hugely. “A big home crowd makes a massive difference particularly in close matches.”

Let’s get behind the Roses! I

VITALITY NETBALL NATIONS CUP The Vitality Roses will be battling it out against the Jamaica Sunshine Girls, New Zealand Ferns and South Africa SPAR Proteas across four days in three cities. The Birmingham leg is on Wednesday 22 January at Arena Birmingham. For tickets visit https://tickets.englandnetball.co.uk

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GROWING PLACES

KARTING KINGS

LIFE-TIME BEST Solihull School pupil and former subject of our Young, Gifted and Brummie feature, Charlotte Rigg, represented Team GB at the World Junior Championships in Budapest where she achieved two life-time personal bests. Charlotte said: “I felt extremely proud to wear a GB cap and truly honoured to represent my country.

Achieving personal bests while competing against some of the most skilled juniors in the world was incredible. It was an amazing meet in an

Two brothers from Bromsgrove Prep School enjoyed success at the IAME International Karting World Championship at Le Mans, France. Freddie Slater spent all week in top spot and was fastest in his group before being forced off the track, which left him in ninth place with only two laps to the chequered flag. He made an impressive comeback to finish in second place as vicechampion. Freddie’s younger brother, Alfie, had his best 10 days racing ever, also finishing runner-up in his class.

SCHOOL REPORT

outstanding facility.”

HOCKEY CHAMPS Moreton Hall students are celebrating the start of the hockey season with a series of triumphs following their first place victory in the County Championships. Moreton Hall U16s were crowned champions, winning all five of their games including the final 1-0 against Wrekin College. Moreton Hall U14s also finished champions, beating Shrewsbury School in the final. Moreton Hall U18s were ranked second on goal difference after finishing equal on points with the eventual competition winners.

RISING STAR

A young engineering development manager at National Express West Midlands has been crowned national Rising Star of 2019 by the bus and coach industry. Katie McGrath joined the bus company as a trainee after graduating from the University of Birmingham. National Express engineering director Bernie Cassidy said: “In the short time she has been with us Katie has made a real difference, developing intelligent data analysis systems that help our engineering managers dedicate more time to achieving customer-based results.”

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GROWING PLACES

AWARD WINNERS Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College has been awarded the CPD Quality Silver Award by the Teacher Development Trust. The Trust is an organisation founded by teachers that aims to raise awareness of the importance of CPD by building tools to help teachers transform their practice. The college was subjected to a rigorous audit, with the college’s current CPD programmes and training put through its paces. Principal Tony Day said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded the CPD Quality Award.”

CLEAR ROUND Young show jumper Chloe Chan from Bromsgrove Prep School achieved third place in the 122cm Working Hunter Pony Class at the Horse of the Year Show. Chloe has owned Waitwith Choice, also known as Little Mary, since 2018 and despite being their first season together, the pair jumped a clear round. Chloe said: “My experiences this year have taught me that if you focus and work hard, with passion and determination, your dreams can come true.”

DANCE SUCCESS A number of Elmhurst Ballet School pupils have been selected to perform in Sir Peter Wright’s world-famous production of the Nutcracker at the Hippodrome, cementing further the strong relationship between the school and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Eleven-year-old Wesley Mpakati and Joseph Burdett, 13, successfully auditioned for the role of Fritz, Clara’s cheeky brother. Other Elmhurst students dancing in the production are Holly Guiney, Leo Luscombe, Benedict Harrison and Thomas Kujawa.

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CLOSE WITHÁ

PASTOR ANDREW KISUMBA THE MINISTER AT CEDAR CHURCH, BIRMINGHAM TALKS KANYE WEST, SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS – AND MAKING PEACE WITH PERSONAL TRAGEDY BEEN THERE, DONE THAT Four years ago my family and I moved from West Yorkshire to pioneer and lead Cedar Church, Birmingham, where I currently minister in the visionary role of Senior Pastor. Prior to this, I was fully employed by Huddersfield Christian Fellowship as creative co-ordinator and as well as aiding the usual ‘hatch, match and dispatch’ – births, weddings and funerals – activities, I served as a trustee and elder.

IT’S WHAT I DO I act as a bridge between where people are and where they need to go, helping them to make the necessary connections beyond themselves and with others. This year we have been asked by the West Midlands’ Mayor’s Office to arrange a community sing over this seasonal period. We have put new words to Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory and recorded an up-tempo version entitled Christmas Hope And Glory. We hope it will bring people together from all walks to celebrate this special time.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE My greatest satisfaction has always been connected to others so my deepest ambition is to enable and see people, myself included, discover the reason why they were born and reach their full potential. Church is the perfect place for that to happen. My dad was killed two days before Christmas in the year a horrific regime ended in the country of my birth. Years later, I was invited to a film night at a local church and I made peace with that tragedy when I wholeheartedly embraced the unconditional love of my Heavenly Father. Church is where I met my beautiful wife, raised my family and met all my closest friends. My dream is that Cedar Church will grow in divine purpose to meet the deepest needs in our society. I long for one of my songs to add real value to the soundtrack of our world. Perhaps even have Kanye West’s 64 birmingham living

Sunday Service Collective do a rendition of one of them. I also have a secret desire to one day swim with dolphins!

BIGGEST SUCCESS I remember once getting eight per cent in an A-Level mathematics exam! After making a lifestyle change that involved 5am starts, I ended up with the best maths results in the entire school (second best in the whole country). This led to a scholarship studying architecture at Huddersfield University, where a talented young lady was also destined to study music.

Next year my wife and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage and our two girls are now 18 and 16. They are people I am most fond and proud of and we have shared an incredible journey.

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED People are your greatest source of joy, and pain, so understanding and maintaining good relationships is a major key to success in life. True wealth is found in genuine friendships.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BRUM The views of the city from the top terraces of Birmingham Library are wonderful but my favourite place is the Birmingham Botanical Gardens where we have made so many memories, including a life celebration for my late mother, Catherine. I love the youthful, vibrant cultural and economic scene in Birmingham.

DOWNTIME I want to get back into watching lots of films, as I used to BC (Before Children). Every now and then I like the idea of being able to turn my phone off to temporarily escape to other worlds.

To enjoy free lyric videos of Christmas Hope And Glory visit https://youtu.be/8HsidmLMDaw

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MOTORING

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE SUE COOKE NEVER THOUGHT SHE’D SAY IT… BUT ONE CAR HAS FINALLY TURNED HER INTO AN ELECTRIC FAN. STEP FORWARD THE KIA E-NIRO thought I had found the perfect excuse not to make the annual Christmas trip down South to see relatives.

Any previous all-electric powered car which I have road tested could not easily take me and my family on a 200-mile journey. And at the start of a holiday I certainly didn’t want the worry over the range, finding a charging point and then working out how to charge it. Then I road tested the Kia e-Niro.

This family crossover has a class-leading driving range of 282 miles on a single charge and it is linear, so when the information on the dash states that the remaining range is 55 miles, it really is 55 miles. And charging is so easy. I plug one end of a lead behind the grille at the front of the car, and the other end into the socket in my garage and overnight from nought, the lithium ion polymer battery will take nine hours

I

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and 50 minutes to fully charge. But using a fast charger, to 80 per cent the charge takes 54 minutes.

AWARDS More than 14,000 e-Niros have been sold in the UK and adding to an already expansive list of accolades this year, the five-door, five-seater won best electric car at the Business Car Awards. The futuristic design does not obviously shout that this is an all-electric car but the blue trim highlights at the front and rear and a bold LED rear light distinguish the eNiro from its hybrid and plug-in hybrid siblings.

In the modern interior, the cabin has generous space and technologies. To select the gear, there is a raised circular button which you turn to Drive, Neutral or Reverse. There is an electronic parking brake and an auto

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MOTORING

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model: Kia e-Niro all-electric crossover First Edition Price: £32,995otr (after £3,500 Government grant) Engine motor: 64kWh electric Charge times: 0 to 100 per cent – 9hr 50mins, AC 7.2kW 0 to 80 per cent – 1hr 15mins, 50kW DC charge time 0 to 80 per cent – 54mins, 100kW DC charge time Performance: 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds CO2 emissions: zero g/km

hold function. There is blue trim around the air vents and a wireless charger.

An eight-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard enables owners to locate nearby charging points and monitor the level of remaining charge and range. I like the fact that I can set an approximate departure time for a journey I will make the following day and then the car heats itself to a set temperature before I get into it. That’s very attractive with the cold weather at this time of year.

TECH LIKES There is a whole page of other technology on this crossover but the features I enjoy the most are the halogen headlights with bi-function projection which with earlier darker nights provide excellent visibility, and the heated front seats! Plus, boot space is not compromised on the e-Niro, it is actually enhanced from 324 to 451 litres.

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There are three modes – Normal, Eco and Sport – to select according to the driving experience wanted.

The latter enhances throttle responses and enables maximum acceleration reaching 60mph in 7.5 seconds. On one of my driving routes, I took to the Clent Hills to see the impressive regenerative braking technology at work. When I coasted downhill or braked, the technology recharged the battery pack!

This is a refined and very quiet crossover, particularly at low speeds. A pheasant wandered into the middle of the road and looked a little befuddled at the large machine which had suddenly stopped in front of him because he hadn’t heard a thing!

I never thought I would say this about an electric car, but I will really miss the Kia e-Niro. The crossover caters for every family need, with the advantage of zero emissions, no road tax to pay and the usual seven-year, 100,000-mile Kia warranty. What a great roadworthy Christmas present! I

SHOWROOM

Brindley Kia, West Bromwich, DY4 7BX. Tel: 0121 2228 https://dealers.kia.co.uk/brindleykiawestbromwich/

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From only ÂŁ25

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BUSINESS

ARE YOU FIT TO ROCK?

A new, state-of-the-art fitness studio with a ‘high-end nightclub vibe’ is coming to Birmingham. BLAZE by David Lloyd Clubs will open at Cornwall Street in January,

becoming the brand’s first stand-alone boutique studio in the UK. The new pay-as-you-go studio offers high intensity interval training, full-body workouts combining combat and mixed martial arts with intense cardio and strength training – all led by ‘rock star’

BUSINESS instructors with high-energy music and cutting-edge light effects.

NEWS

M6TOLL BOOSTS SKY CHAMPS Sky Champs’ Education Programme run by Midlands Air Ambulance Charity has been given a big boost with £20,000 funding from the M6Toll’s Drive For Charity campaign. The programme provides educational resources to empower responsible citizenship, increase knowledge of future careers and raise awareness of the charity among young people. Find out more about Sky Champs Education Programme at: midlandsairambulance.com/education

CREAM OF THE HR CROP One of the West Midlands’ leading HR consultancy firms is celebrating a top

NEW SITE OPENS

Central England Co-operative Funeralcare has opened a new £130,000 funeral site at Oxford Road, Moseley. The site, which incorporates the former N Wheatley and Sons Funeral Home, offers a superior look and feel for families, including modern

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award. Cluer HR was crowned Best HR & Employment Consultancy in the Corporate Coaching & Recruitment Awards, beating some of the region’s elite HR and recruitment firms – and adding the accolade to the Best SME HR Consultancy title it scooped earlier this year at the

colours and new furniture. Funeral

Acquisition International Awards. Cluer

director Zaheer Iqbal said: “Our new

owner Kirsten Cluer, pictured, said: “The

booking office reflects our commitment

region offers the cream of the crop when it

to providing excellent standards of care

comes to HR and recruitment, especially in

and ensures that we can help people in

the Birmingham area, so it’s an honour to

the local area during their time of need.”

receive this award.”

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BUSINESS

HOMELESS HELP BID The Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) is working in partnership with Birmingham Changing Futures Together to support vulnerable individuals in the JQ. Targeting the homeless community, the partnership aims to

MUSICAL CHEERS Who can blame Steven Greenhall if he blows his own trumpet once in a while? The chief executive of the West Midlands business awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise this year, has been appointed to the board of the Music Industries Association – the trade body for the UK musical instrument industry. His Warwick Music Group is the world-leading manufacturer of brass instruments created in recyclable plastic, the pBone and pTrumpet. Steven joins nine other leading figures

walk-arounds in the area together with Sarah Bruce and her

FIVE MORE YEARSÁ

colleagues from Inreach/Outreach, part of Birmingham

town centre following a renewal ballot of 457 member

Changing Futures Together, to highlight areas where

businesses. For a BID ballot to be successful, the majority of

homeless people have been sleeping rough.

those in the poll must have voted in favour of the BID, both

ensure individuals get access to services such as housing and healthcare. JQBID ambassadors Matthew CrawleyAlexander and Aaron Chow have been conducting regular

from the industry whose goal is to promote and support the UK music-making sector.

Solihull BID has won a new five-year term representing the

in terms of number and rateable value. A total of 90.35 per cent voted for Solihull BID continuing, with 96.27 per cent in rateable value. Chief executive Melanie Palmer, pictured, said: “We are looking forward to progressing exciting ambitions for Solihull’s future.”

BOBBY’S TOP TITLE

CALLING GIN LOVERS

Having already won the Sikh Businessman of the Year title, the founder and face of Love Your Postcode, Bobby Singh, was crowned the Most Influential Business Person of the Year at the Midlands Business and Community Charity Awards. The Midlands property brand recently partnered Grand Designs Live, Channel 4’s home renovating lifestyle event and in doing so became the only UK estate agency to engage as official partner and

COLMORE CHANGE

sponsor in the show’s 20-year history.

A new gin bar was given the official seal of approval when mayor Cllr David Stanley opened Dr Eamer’s Gin Emporium at intu Merry Hill’s waterfront. The family-run Black Country business handcrafts small batches of award-winning gin in Dudley. The bar also offers classes, demonstrations, tastings and bar food. The venue features a 20ft bar crafted out of cold rolled steel and a 100-litre Copper Pot Still which distills the gin. Locally produced beers, craft ales and cocktails are also available.

The chair of Colmore Business District is standing down after more than a decade leading the Business Improvement District (BID). Property consultant Gary Cardin, pictured, has chaired the BID since its inception in 2008, driving forward projects and events to enhance the Colmore area of the city centre. BID vice-chair Nicola Fleet-Milne will be interim chair until a successor is appointed. Colmore Business District is home to 35,000 employees and five million square feet of office space.

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BUSINESS

BUSINESS BITES

AIRPORT RITUALS

MAC CASH

Luxurious lifestyle brand Rituals has opened a boutique in Birmingham Airport’s north departure lounge. The store offers a range of signature, bath, body and home care products, as well as travel retail exclusive gift sets and complimentary hand and arm massages. A calming Sakura tree takes centre-stage in the store. Richard Gill, commercial director of Birmingham Airport, said: “We are delighted to welcome Rituals as a partner of Birmingham Airport. The store will give customers a calming pre-flight shopping experience.”

COCO COMES HOME One of the UK’s leading bridal designers has headed home to Birmingham to launch a new curvy bridal boutique. Shanice Alexandra has opened House of Coco, George Street after agreeing a three-year lease on a 1,300 sq ft unit with Prosperity, which owns the building. The 27-year-old, who trained at the London College of Fashion and University for the Creative Arts, has successfully managed bridal

OH BABY, WHAT A YEAR!

design outlets in Dubai, London and New York.

Birmingham’s Midlands Art Centre (MAC) has been awarded £400,000 as part of Arts Council England’s National Lotteryfunded Small Capital programme. MAC will use the money to re-purpose and create new, accessible artist studios, with a focus on environmental sustainability.

VILLA OPENING

Dementia patients visited Villa Park to see Aston Villa Foundation’s new Dementia Activity Café. The Alzheimer’s Society’s Focus on Dementia group were also shown the club’s two new Sensory Rooms which provide supporters with sensory needs a calmer environment on match days.

ASTUTE MOVE

Solihull-based full service marketing agency Astute Media celebrated the start of the next phase of its development with a house warming party for clients and special guests at its new premises. Visitors were treated to a masterclass by celebrity BBQ chef, Ben Bartlett.

Midlands-based organic nursery brand Green Sheep Group has recorded another record-breaking year of growth and turnover of more than £8.8million – £2.2millon up on 2018. The firm is supporting its ongoing growth with the recruitment of up to 10 new roles. Known for its Snüz and Little Green Sheep brands, the business – holder of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – has also welcomed former Tesco plc group managing director David Wood as its new chairman.

TOUR DE FORCE A cool £1million! That’s the target of champion fund-raiser Geoff Thomas when he gets on his bike for his Tour de France challenge next year.

The local ex-England football legend will be joined by 20 amateur riders who will cycle the 3,400km Tour course one day ahead of the professional cyclists in June and July. The team aims to raise the million for Birmingham-based Cure Leukaemia, of which Geoff is a patron. The event will be Geoff’s fifth, and final, Tour challenge.

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CONSTRUCTION FIRM BUILDS FOR FUTURE

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Mac-group celebrates continuing UK success with drinks reception

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ore than 100 construction and commercial property professionals attended a drinks reception hosted by West Midlands-based construction company mac-group. The event was held at Primitivo, Birmingham to mark the company’s growing market share in the UK, having secured significant construction and interior projects that have taken its UK turnover to more than £80million. Earlier this year mac expanded its Birmingham office and director Ray O’Sullivan said: “It was great to celebrate mac-group’s success since we opened our office in the city nearly three years ago.” I

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1 Simon Jones, David Bloxham, Paul Anderson, Rav Kumar, Sarah Reed. 2 Paul Anderson, Steven Handley, Andrew Crowter. 3 Chris Fisher, Roger Tice, David Burns. 4 Ian Goodman, James Costello. 5 Matt Biott, Michelle Elleman, Simon Dicken. 6 Mike Teague, Adrian Adams, Andrew Macklin, Kevin Campbell. 7 Dan Wilkes, Scott Lydon, Craig Baldwin. 8 Neil Edmunds, Emma Cochrane, Guy Hollis, Ray O’Sullivan.

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AWARDS HONOUR EMERGING TALENT 2

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Judges ‘blown away’ by quality of Midlands Fashion Awards finalists he inaugural Midlands Fashion Awards (MFA) were held at the CSBO Centre, Birmingham.

Thirty-five finalists competed in seven categories at the awards which showcase independent, emerging and creative talent from designers to make-up artists and photographers. Winners included Professional Make-up Artist of the Year, Chetna Ladwa, Rising Star Make-up Artist of the Year, Miriam Bibi and Young Designer of the Year, Convergence by Lucy Taylor. MFA founder and director Jenny Eason said: “The calibre of the awards candidates has blown me and the rest of the judges away.” I

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For further information on the 2020 Midlands Fashion Awards visit www.midlandsfashionawards.co.uk

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1 Abigail Burril, Fraser Cairns. 2 Angela Armstrong, Scarllett Holland. 3 Sophia Edie, Melisa Law, Jo Tabis, Jenny Eason, Alan Sharman, Marie Carter. 4 Chloe Lang, Millie Austin-Hare. 5 Matt Wilson with Fashion Photographer of the Year, Lee Leyland. 6 Preet Singh, Oliver Rose.

7 Rebecca Francis, Chetna Ladwa, Laura Quirk, Michelle Beddall. 8 Accessory Designer of the Year, Abigail Burvill.

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LAW FIRM CELEBRATES TOP-RANKING SUCCESS

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Drinks on the square as Lodders’ team toasts guides’ star ratings

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odders’ Birmingham-based Family Law practice marked its top rankings in each of the independent guides to the UK’s best law firms and lawyers with a ‘drinks on the square’ party at the Jam House, St Paul’s Square. More than 100 guests, including clients, barristers and professional contacts, joined the Lodders team to celebrate its continued success in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners 2020. Among those attending were Liz McGrath QC, Charles Westrope of Bridgegate Wealth and representatives from Ernst & Young, Bedford Row Chambers and KLO Financial Services. I

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1 Back: Daniel Payne, Graham Barber, Gurinder Johal, Caroline Dresden , Beverley Morris, Lynda Collins, Thaddeus Rasbash , Robin Cooke.

Front: Tina Forde, Baldish Khatkar, Alicia Farran, Amy Parker, Vivienne Middleton. 2 Deputy district judge Joan Price, Rebecca Franklin. 3 Matt Booton, Charles Westrope, Kim Klahn. 4 Sassa Ann Amaouche, Graham Mills, Philip Cayford QC. 5 Liz McGrath. 6 Vivienne Middleton, Andrew Day. 7 Lucy Bunting, Beverley Morris, Lynda Collins.

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STYLE ON SHOW AT THE FASHION EVENT 2

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Models hit the catwalk as designers make a splash in aid of Samaritans obden Hotel, Hagley Road was the venue for ‘The Fashion Event’ which raised money in aid of the Samaritans. Julie Morris and Sophie Alexander, the reigning Miss Diamond Hereford, hosted the show with 25 models wearing outfits from original designers, Omojevbe Couture, Wobia Designs and Jolina and resellers Diamond Couture and Jumping Ships. Also on the runway, Birmingham-based Warrillow Studios showed a collection of handcrafted vegan millinery.

Entertainment came from singers Iridis and Laura Griffiths and dancers Tierney Lawrence and Sewli Bhattacharyya. I

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1 Beverly Greenwood, Iridis. 2 Anne Barratt, Charley Rodgers, David Barratt. 3 Julie Morris, Lewis Cromwell, Sophie Alexander. 4 Julie Wright Howard, Jane McKenzie. 5 Jessica Jones, Esther Jones. 6 Rachel Warrillow, Dave Warrillow 7 Jessica Januszkiewicz, Chelsie Rose Evans.

8 Rachael Kin, Niamh Franklin, Vicky Lang. 9 Trinity Harper, Bina Rahul.

december 2019

Photography by Designer Photography

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MARKETING AGENCY ANNIVERSARY PARTY

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Barques hosts birthday night to remember at the Compound

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irmingham-based full-service marketing agency, Barques celebrated its 30th anniversary with a party night to remember at the Compound, Snow Hill, featuring delicious food and an eclectic choice of music that had been pre-determined by enthusiastic guests. I

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1 Rhiannon Williams, Claire Harris, Jilly Cosgrove, Baljit Soomal, Michelle Ward 2 Scott Heeks, Steve Bartlett, Ian Curtis. 3 Adrian Willet, Andy McKenzie, Nicki Gibberson. 4 Adam Hargreaves, Sarah Swain, Jason Fox. 5 Suzanne Barnes, Jilly Cosgrove, Lucy Hansell. 6 Bill Houle, Tim Blairs, Alex Watson. 7 Elliot Pettingale, Dave Goora, Reese Goora, James Roberts. 8 Danny Parmar, Peter Adkins, Paul King, Jayne Howarth, Beth Margetson. 9 Rhys Tummey, Lee Haynes, Craig Sargant, Luke Trueman, Hitesh Mistry, Joe Kyle.

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Success stories provide inspiration at networking and afternoon tea event

dgbaston Priory club hosted a networking and afternoon tea event celebrating female entrepreneurship in the Midlands and the support available to help further future opportunities. The successful event was run in partnership between Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Women in Banking & Finance and NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator. Keynote speakers included RBS chief financial officer Katie Murray, head of Rose Review Implementation Wincie Wong and the founder of Absolute Collagen, Maxine Laceby. I

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1 Margot Laceby, Maxine Laceby, Darcy Laceby. 2 Pam Sheemar, Sarah Cooper-Jones, Wincie Wong. 3 Elizabeth Russell, Victoria Platt, Katie Hale. 4 Sharonjit Clare, Jennie Koo, Laura Suffolk. 5 Pooja Raj, Manveer Mann. 6 Honey Ajuwon, Katie Murray. 7 Pam Sheemar, Laura Foley, Georgina Woodcock. 8 Jaz Rohel, Simone Bell, Steph Watkins. 9 Sukhy Lally, Gemma Hunt, Manjit Kang.

december 2019

Photography by Jas Sansi

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ing ON il vWHAT’S

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WHAT: Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market WHEN: Now until 23 December WHERE: Victoria Square and New Street With more than 120 stalls, there is something for everyone at the largest authentic German Christmas market outside Germany or Austria.

WHAT: Peter Pan WHEN: Now until 19 January WHERE: Birmingham Rep, tel: 0121 245 2024 www.birmingham-rep.co.uk Following last year’s acclaimed retelling of the Wizard Of Oz, director Liam Steel brings the classic Peter Pan story into the 21st century. This new Birmingham-set version will make you fall in love with the family favourite all over again.

WHAT: G4 Christmas WHEN: 10 December WHERE: Town Hall, box office: 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk Experience sumptuous harmonies in an idyllic, festive setting as the boys return with their biggest and best Christmas tour to date. Expect to hear timeless classics to evoke the festive spirit.

WHAT: Etsy Made Local market WHAT: Marco Pierre White event WHEN: 2 December WHERE: Canalside, the Cube, tel: 0121 616 6815 or email events@hibirminghamcube.com Meet the bad boy of the British culinary scene in person and listen to what drove the man to become one of our greatest ever chefs. There’s also a five-piece gospel choir on tap performing a series of Christmas songs to get you in a truly festive spirit. Booking essential.

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WHEN: 3 to 22 December WHERE: The Medicine Bakery & Gallery www.ideasbirmingham.co.uk Looking for something a little different this year? This little handmade haven, just a few steps away from the German Market, is packed with unique gifts and stocking fillers to suit a range of budgets.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Jim Jefferies WHEN: 5 December WHERE: Resorts World Arena, tel: 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com One of the most popular and respected comedians of his generation comes to Brum. He’s entertained audiences across the globe with his provocative, belief-challenging and thought-provoking comedy.

WHAT: Mirga conducts Brahms WHEN: 12 December WHERE: Symphony Hall, tel: 0121 780 3333 www.cbso.co.uk/whats-on When Edward Elgar became professor of music at the University of Birmingham he was eager to share his love of Brahms’ Third Symphony.

And you can hear why; because from tempestuous opening to final, glowing sunset, it’s romantic music at its most gloriously colourful.

WHAT: Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch WHEN: 16 to 22 December WHERE: Birmingham Hippodrome, Patrick Studio www.birminghamhippodrome.com Disney villain. Octo-woman. Plus-size icon. But who is the woman behind the tentacles? It’s time to take the plunge as Fat Rascal Theatre reveals what really happened under the sea in a tell-all tale of sex, sorcery and suckers.

WHAT: The City Social

WHAT: Happy Mondays – Greatest Hits Tour

WHEN: Now until 21 December

WHEN: 14 December

WHERE: Suffolk St Queensway underpass, Mailbox

WHERE: Birmingham O2 Institute

www.thecitysocial.co.uk

www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham

Transforming Suffolk St Queensway underpass this Christmas, City Social is

The Happy Mondays are back and will be cementing their status as one of Britain’s most treasured bands as they perform a variety of hits from across their hugely influential career.

back and bigger than ever before, bringing together local independent traders, festive food, bars and live music, as well as a host of festive cheer.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Rod Stewart WHEN: 13 December WHERE: Arena Birmingham, tel: 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com With his signature voice and style, Rod Stewart has transcended all genres of popular music, making him one of the few stars to enjoy chart-topping albums throughout every decade of his career. Due to the huge demand he’s extended his tour for an extra night in Brum.

WHAT: A Christmas Wassail 2019 WHEN: 15 to 17 December WHERE: Crescent Theatre, www.crescent-theatre.co.uk Kick-off your celebrations with this everpopular Wassail. Mulled wine, mince pies and a feast of Christmas spirit.

WHAT: Best of Boy Bands party night

WHAT: Xmas Mamma Mia Party

WHEN: 13 December

WHEN: 13 December

WHERE: Bel Air Nightclub, Belfry Hotel & Resort,

WHERE: Nailcote Hall, tel: 02476 466174

www.thebelfry.com

www.nailcotehall.co.uk

A fun-filled night with a glass of fizz on arrival, hot and cold finger buffet and live tribute acts celebrating the very best that boy bands have to offer. All polished off with DJ and dancing.

Enjoy a great party as the fabulous Abba tribute act, Bootleg ABBA, performs all the greatest hits. Ticket prices include a three-course meal, live entertainment and after-show disco.

WHAT: Barbara Nice’s Christmas Cracker WHEN: 12 and 13 December WHERE: Mac Birmingham, tel: 0121 446 3232 macbirmingham.co.uk Kings Heath’s most famous housewife is back with her annual Christmas shindig. Dig out your best pair of slacks, borrow some leopard print chiffon and get yourself a piggin’ ticket for a night of life-affirming laughter, top fashion tips and her world famous raffle.

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WHAT: Carols by Candlelight WHEN: 24 December WHERE: Symphony Hall, box office: 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk A sublime concert of carols and seasonal classics, staged in full 18th century costume in an evocative candle-lit style setting.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: A Museum in Baghdad WHEN: Now until 25 January WHERE: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, tel: 01789 403493 www.rsc.org.uk Hannah Khalil’s important and timely play is a story of treasured history, desperate choices and the remarkable Gertrude Bell. Featuring RSC associate Emma Fielding and Rendah Heywood making her RSC debut.

WHAT: The Snow Queen WHEN: Now until 30 December WHERE: The Old Rep, www.oldreptheatre.co.uk A lovely adaption of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale with an epic original score and spell-binding storytelling. Can Gerda rescue Kai from the heartless Snow Queen? A seasonal adventure for the entire family.

WHAT: St Mary’s Hospice Christmas Jumper Day WHEN: 6 December WHERE: Everywhere! For details tel: 0121 752 8779 or visit www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/jumper Get your best festive sweaters at the ready and turn that OTT knitwear into vital care this Christmas.

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is asking the local community to wear their best pullovers and help raise money to provide care to local people living with life-limiting illness.

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WHAT: The King and I WHEN: 10 December to 4 January WHERE: Alexandra Theatre, tel: 0844 8713011 www.atgtickets.com/birmingham Set in 1860s Bangkok, one of the all-time greatest musicals tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship between the King of Siam and Anna, a British schoolteacher brought to the country to teach his many wives and children.

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IN THE CITY WITH KIT HOLDER OF BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET Picture by Richard Battye

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I’m a first soloist with Birmingham Royal Ballet, the UK’s premier touring classical ballet company. We perform a broad range of productions, from famous classical ballets like the Nutcracker to new innovative ballets by some of the most exciting choreographers in the world.

All of our performances feature live music played by our own orchestra, the wonderful Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

HOW DO YOU GET INTO TOWN? Our studios are behind the Hippodrome Theatre, so easy to reach by public transport. My wife also works in the city centre so if we are on the same schedule we will drive in together. If not, we commute by train or bike.

LUNCHTIME? Quarter Horse Coffee is just around the corner from our studios and is part of a row of great little shops on this re-developed stretch of Bristol Road. A special mention to the Hippodrome Theatre’s own backstage canteen which provides quality food.

POWERWALKING? The Museum and Art Gallery in Victoria Square is an oasis of calm in the city. It’s really convenient just to dip in during a lunch break and re-charge the batteries. The ever-changing line-up of exhibitions means that there is always something to explore. I went to the exhibition celebrating 50 years of Black Sabbath several times…

IS BRUM A GOOD PLACE TO WORK IN? The migration of major businesses to Birmingham reflects the view of our city as a great place to be. It’s difficult to overstate the importance of the cultural sector to life here. Since the development of Symphony Hall and the relocation of our ballet company to the city in 1990, the opportunities to engage with world-class culture have continued to grow. The recent Birmingham Weekender free arts festival highlighted how the cultural sector is thriving. Happily, 41 per cent of visitors said they were attracted by the city’s dance programme.

WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE CITY? There’s nowhere I’d rather be on a Saturday afternoon than at Villa Park with 40,000 or so of my closest friends!

COFFEE BREAK? Medicine Bakery, New Street has great coffee and even better freshly baked goods. With an everchanging line-up of cronuts and cruffins there is always something delectable – and Instagram worthy!

HOW CAN THE CITY BE MADE BETTER? Improved cycle lanes! The network is far from comprehensive. If people could feel safer cycling then more commuters would leave their cars at home, improving congestion and air quality in our city.

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AFTERWORK PINT? Cherry Red’s in John Bright Street is cosy, independent and friendly and does great food – pancakes are a particular favourite. The Red Lion, Warstone Lane is not only a great boozer for watching live football on TV, but is also in the Sunday Times’ list for the UK’s best Sunday roasts.

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