January issue 2018 (issue 64)

Birmingham g n i liv

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January 2018

WORLD CLASS

Edgbaston Medical Quarter

SIMPSON’S LEO KATTOU

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2018 Eat Healthy SHAPE UP FOR Train Smart Look Great

WICKED WORLD

KOMPAS

LAS IGUANAS

MICHELE WILBY JOHN STREET

JOE FRASER GYMNASTICS CHAMP

LIVING ON THE EDGE WITH BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH

T H E H E A LT H I S S U E

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EDITOR’S VIEW

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At the risk of tempting fate, 2018 has all the makings of being a good one for our city with many exciting arrivals such as the opening of HSBC UK’s magnificent new HQ

have to make an admission here. New Year is generally not my favourite time. It’s not that I’m a wet blanket or anything, more that there’s always a bit of uncertainty in the back of my mind about what the coming 12 months have in store. But at the risk of tempting fate, 2018 has all the makings of being a good one.

Personally, I’m expecting my third grandchild this spring – well, rather my daughter is. It’s her first and a very exciting time for all concerned. My other two grandchildren (twins) also celebrate their first birthday in a few months.

Professionally, Birmingham Living goes from strength to strength and the team working here continues to be a complete joy to be around. So here’s to another fantastic year!

Looking beyond my little world, 2018 looks like being a good year for Birmingham too.

On the sporting front, the city will be hosting the world’s elite athletes when the Gymnastics Word Cup comes to town in March. There’s the anticipation of Wolves and Aston Villa seeking promotion to the Premier League – and the hope that West Brom and Stoke can remain there! Four teams in the top flight would put us back where we belong.

In business, various organisations such as the Birmingham Chambers of Commerce continue to brilliantly champion the city both at home and abroad – so important at this time of general national nervousness over Brexit. In Brum, I’m delighted to say that despite Brexit the feedback from the majority of business leaders is that they expect the city to continue to thrive and confidence to remain strong. Many exciting projects are on their way – such as the opening of HSBC UK’s magnificent new head office in May. Here’s to a great New Year for our city – and its people.

I

David Johns

Editor: David Johns david@brumliving.co.uk

Features editor: Shelley Carter shelley@brumliving.co.uk Designer: Tracy Duffy

Contributors: Rob Price, Sue Cooke, Rose Gallagher 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.

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Cover image: Benjamin Zephaniah by Harry Borden of H B Photography

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january 2018

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When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it

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g n i liv

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INSIDE

Highlights

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Benjamin Zephaniah The poet, writer, musician, actor and freedom fighter on how Brum shaped his life Calthorpe Estate How home to some of Birmingham’s most iconic institutions is forging a dynamic future Leo Kattou Simpson’s sous chef talks food, Masterchef: The Professionals and dad’s fish and chip shop Healthy Food & Drink New Year news, views and recipes, plus Rob Price’s great, lighter wine selections Style: Get Fit Kit Whether you’re running a marathon or playing tennis, look the part in 2018’s coolest kit New Year, New You Everything you need to know to get fit and improve your all-round health and well-being

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CONTENTS

22

Best of the Rest

46 58 60 66 73 78 82 january 2018

Homes Tips, tricks, gadgets and kit… design expert Lisa Melvin previews what’s new in bathrooms Motoring Designed and engineered here in Brum, MG’s new ZS SUV shows the brand’s future look Young, Gifted & Brummie Gymnastics champion Joe Fraser talks somersaulting on the settee and Olympic dreams Business Tech company Kompas, plus this month’s news and views from the business community Social Scene The pages that picture who’s been out and about networking in Birmingham this month Shows, Arts, Gigs and More What’s on, where and when – all you need to know about New Year entertainment scene In The City Michele Wilby, executive director of Colmore Business District

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NEWS

g n i liv TODAY

BALLET STARS JET OFF The UK’s leading classical ballet touring company will be crossing two oceans in 2018, as Birmingham Royal Ballet performs in the US and Japan. The company will perform Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet at Virginia Arts Festival in April before heading east to four cities in Japan the following month.

The schedule includes the capital Tokyo, where the company will also bring to life Sir Peter Wright’s The Sleeping Beauty and Sir Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée.

Bringing you the brightest and most colourful stories from across the city each month

CITIZEN KHAN HONOURED

GENERATION GAME Life is one big pantomime for the Stevenson family. Over the past 26 years, three generations of the family have been involved in the Belgrade Theatre pantos – both on stage and behind the scenes. This year saw mother Vicki, 35, and daughter Zayleigh, 10, performing alongside each other for the first time in the theatre’s production of Cinderella.

The family’s love of theatre stems back to grandmother Margaret, aged 75, who began chaperoning for the Belgrade pantomime in 1991.

Cinderella runs until Saturday 13 January.

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Birmingham has celebrated one of its own by awarding a top honour to Adil Ray, creator of TV’s hit series Citizen Khan. Adil, who was born in the city and grew up in Yardley, received the special President’s Award at the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce’s 30th anniversary dinner.

ABCC president Saqib Bhatti said: “Adil has achieved exceptional heights as a national and international actor and epitomises the amazing talent the Asian community has.”

RYAN TEES UP AS HEAD CHEF The Belfry Hotel & Resort has appointed new head chef Ryan Swift at their signature Ryder Grill restaurant, adding to its culinary team operating across three restaurants at the resort.

Working in the industry for more than 14 years, most notably at Michelin star restaurant Hambleton Hall and Mallory Court, Ryan’s trade has been crafted at some of England’s finest eateries.

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NEWS

VIOLA VICTORY An American teenager has landed a recording contract after winning a global music competition at the new £57million Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Emma Wernig, 18, from Los Angeles came first in the Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition and Festival.

Hosted in conjunction with the Arts Council of England, British Viola Society and Birmingham Services for Education, the competition is named after South African violist, Cecil Aronowitz.

BALLY’S DREAM ROLE Coventry-born actor Bally Gill is to star in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new spring production of Romeo and Juliet. Bally was brought up in the Foleshill area of Coventry where he attended President Kennedy College and was part of Belgrade Youth Theatre. He made his RSC debut in 2016. Romeo is his first Shakespeare leading role. He said: “I watched Baz Luhrmann’s film with Leonardo DiCaprio

OWZAT FOR A SUIT?

playing Romeo when I was in Year 9. I never thought I would get the chance to play him.”

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has named Birmingham-based online fashion retailer MensTweedSuits.com as its first official suit/formal wear partner. The deal, which runs until the end of 2019, launched with a made-to-measure, navy blue, single-breasted Warwickshire CCC suit which the players unveiled at a club dinner.

The suits will be worn by players and management at club functions and external events.

IN MEMORY OF ANDY

MUSIC WITH MIRGA Birmingham Contemporary Music Group has invited star conductor Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla to join them for a special concert at Birmingham Town Hall on Sunday 28 January. The CBSO’s music director will conduct BCMG for the first time as they celebrate American composer Elliott Carter. Earlier in the day, young people will enjoy music-making workshops before sharing their compositions to the audience on the Town Hall stage ahead of the main concert.

A committee led by BBC broadcaster Pat Murphy has raised more than £40,000 for Cure Leukaemia in memory of Midlands TV cameraman Andy Payne, who died in 2016 aged 55. The committee’s aim was to fund a specialist research nurse at the Centre for Clinical Haematology at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital – a goal they comfortably beat. Andy worked on popular shows including Gardener’s World.

DUO TAKE TV AWARDS Two creative Birmingham students are celebrating after being named winners at the Royal Television Society Midlands Awards, recognising talented people in TV, film and broadcasting. Andrea Haenze picked up the Student Factual Award for her documentary on a churches’ charity in Birmingham, while Nina Parker Noon took the Student Animation Award for her animated piece, The Cosmonaut. The pair study visual communication at Birmingham City University.

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NEWS

REP’S MOVE SPOT-ON Birmingham Repertory Theatre has announced a joint fund-raising partnership with Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. The theatre is raising money during its production of The Hundred and One Dalmatians which runs until Saturday 13 January.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People trains dogs to alert deaf people to sounds they would otherwise miss – such as a doorbell or alarm. Twenty pence of every pound raised goes to the charity, with the remainder going towards REP First initiatives.

SHAZIA COMES TO BRUM Comedian, actress and Birmingham Living cover star Shazia Mirza is returning to the road with a brand new show, With Love From St Tropez.

Shazia was recently seen back to absolute basics in Channel 4’s Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, and guested on ITV’s Jonathan Ross and Loose Women shows. She will bring her new show to Birmingham Old Rep on 2 February. Details http://www.shazia-mirza.com

IN BRIEF ROYAL ROLE Grammy-award winning organist Nathan Laube has become international consultant in organ studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. The Chicagoborn virtuoso will give recitals, coaching and masterclasses for the students.

SHEVY’S WIN Local photographer Shevy Sandhu won the award for Best Cinematography Company at the Midlands Asian Wedding Awards at the Vox Conference Centre.

He specialises in covering large scale statement weddings.

SPARKLE: iLite owner Jane Vaar

LIGHTS FANTASTIC There’s no place like homewares for luxury brand iLite, following the launch of Birmingham’s first Swarovski Lighting partner store. Joining the likes of Heal’s and Made.com, iLite Mailbox opened on level one of the shopping destination.

Building on iLite’s existing partnership with Swarovski Lighting, the store showcases pendants, wall lights and table lamps, with prices ranging from £200 to more than £200,000.

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HOME HELP FOR YOUNG A housing development which has helped more than 2,000 young people in Birmingham has celebrated its 25th anniversary. Will Steel House, one of YMCA Birmingham’s supported accommodation projects, was launched in Aston in 1992, providing 30 homes.

Housing service director Hyacinth Blackburn said: “We are using this occasion to announce that YMCA has bought Will Steel House from Midland Heart in a deal worth over £1million.”

ACORN BOSS Mark Hopton has been appointed chairman of the board of trustees at Acorns Children’s Hospice. He is also pro-chancellor and chairman of the board of governors at Birmingham City University and chairman of governors at Solihull School.

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NEWS

MARATHON DATE Organisers have announced that the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run and Birmingham International Marathon will be held on Sunday 14 October this year. More than £4.1million was raised for good causes at 2017’s marathon and half marathon, while the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K generated more than £1.4 million. Visit http://www.greatrun.org/great-birmingham-run to sign up for the half marathon or http://www.greatrun.org/birminghaminternational-marathon to sign up for the marathon.

ART’S NEW STARS ON SHOW Picture: Nigel Harniman

FOGGY ROARS BACK

A celebration of the most exciting work from emerging artists is set to open in February. New Art West Midlands will be held at three venues, including Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, from 15 February to 13 May. The exhibition features 28 new artists, all who have graduated from the region’s six art schools within the last three years.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, organisers of the ON THE BALL: Radioactive Rhonda by Lily Wales (Picture: Ian Richards) Bike4Life Ride Out and Festival, has announced that two special guests will be returning to the 2018 event. Former World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty and motorcycle and truck racing legend Steve Parrish, will lead the Ride Out on Sunday 22 April from Meole Brace in Shrewsbury to RAF Cosford for the Bike4Life Festival. Carl said: “It’s a brilliant atmosphere leading over 3,000 bikers.”

DATE WITH DARCEY

BHANGRA BEAT The UK’s biggest student show and the world’s biggest Bhangra competition returns to Birmingham next month. The Bhangra Showdown on 3 February at the Genting Arena sees the best eight university Bhangra teams from across the country competing to be crowned the UK’s Best Bhangra Team. The line-up include Birmingham and Aston universities. The show will also feature live performances from Punjabi singers.

If the excitement of Strictly Come Dancing on TV wasn’t enough, there’s a chance to see the celebrities and judges go through their paces live in Birmingham. The show at Arena Birmingham on 19 January marks the first time that Darcey Bussell has appeared as a judge on the Strictly tour. Celebrities include comedian Susan Calman and Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock.

GOT ANY NEWS? Email your news and pictures to editor@brumliving.co.uk 12 birmingham living

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COVER STORY

RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PLACE Benjamin Zephaniah talks to Shelley Carter about the freedom of his thrilling childhood in Brum, how he wakes up happy every day, why he declined an OBE and the time he supported Julian Clary on stage ry to pigeon hole Benjamin Zephaniah at your peril. Poet, writer, lyricist, musician, actor, republican, activist, campaigner, freedom fighter. It’s impossible. His achievements are too plentiful to mention, but we’ll pick a fistful.

For example, he was named in The Times list of top 50 post-war writers cementing his status as one of the most influential writers of modern times, not that he needs the accolades. In 1982 his album Rasta recorded with the Wailers as a tribute to Nelson Mandela gained international recognition and triggered a meeting with Mandela himself.

So charmed was Mandela by Zephaniah that when planning his Two Nations Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1996 he requested that Benjamin host the event. Famously anti-establishment, he rejected an OBE for services to literature in 2003 and has multiple honorary doctorates including one from the University of Birmingham. A far cry from humble beginnings in the shadows of Villa Park.

T

BOMB PECKS Now living in Lincolnshire, Benjamin’s upbringing was a world away from leafy, so what happened? One of nine children, Benjamin grew up in Aston and then later Hockley. His childhood sounds thrilling and edgy. Benjamin and his pals enjoyed the freedom of the Sixties and Seventies when children played on the streets ‘til after dark with the bomb pecks of Brum as a backdrop where they uncovered treasures left behind.

He recalls: “You’d find medals and cameras, all sorts of interesting things. I loved that.” An eclectic mix of neighbours included Ozzy Osbourne. Benjamin remembers: “It was possible to jump from my garden into Ozzy’s. He definitely stood out with his cool biker jackets.”

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In Hockley, community spirit was strong and everyone knew everybody. “We lived around a courtyard with shared toilets at one point and there was only one phone on the street, so when you needed to make a call you’d borrow it in exchange for tuppence.” He adds: “People would throw street parties for no reason and all the kids played out together generally with homemade toys. It was normal to have a bike made by someone else’s dad.”

Benjamin remembers an elderly couple, Frank and Margaret who lived in the flats close by. When Frank died he and his friend adopted Margaret and would visit her often for a cup of tea and a natter. “I remember getting into a lift and going up to the eighth floor. It felt so futuristic.”

TOUGH LOVE Benjamin’s favourite game was to go out with his brother and get lost, literally. “We’d go to an area we didn’t know, get lost, then try to find our way home.”

More often than not they’d hitch a lift with the local bobby, but they got into a few scraps too. One particular scuffle has stayed with Benjamin. “I got beaten up in Erdington and when I came home my dad told me to go back and fight him, so I did.” Benjamin was beaten up a second time and his father told him to go back and fight the boy. This happened four times until Benjamin gave the boy a pasting. He came back and told his dad the news who calmly said: “Very good.”

When the gypsies came to town which they did periodically Benjamin was in awe. “They were rough and ready and exciting. They’d have a fight then sit down and play guitar and the girls would read poetry.”

Getting into poetry seemed a natural thing to do.

While listening to Jamaican music growing up quite

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COVER STORY

“

My friends thought I was

weird. We’d be doing something slightly illegal and rather than rushing

”

in and out, I’d be looking at books on the shelves and thinking about the people that owned them

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often there’d be a B-side track of poems which whet his appetite. Benjamin’s mum was unwittingly a poetic influence too. “She had a library of poems in her head although she would never call herself a poet. I loved rhyme and rhythm in speech.” By the age of 11 Benjamin was reciting poetry in public in church halls and the like.

SLIGHTLY ILLEGAL School wasn’t great and by the age of 13 Benjamin had been expelled with the words of his teachers ringing in his ears. “They told me I’d either end up dead or serving a life sentence. Well, we’re all going to end up dead, so that was a bit silly.” Around this time Benjamin realised he wanted to do something with poetry. “My friends thought I was weird. We’d be doing something slightly illegal and rather than rushing in and out, I’d be looking at books on the shelves and thinking about the people that owned them.”

It was around this time Benjamin started to notice racism and trying to get a paper round to earn some money was an eye opener. “A lot of white kids had paper rounds, but I tried 40 places and no one would employ me. Then a Chinese guy gave me a job doing potatoes round the back of a restaurant.”

Birmingham had limited opportunities for Benjamin to pursue poetry, so he moved to London. “I slept in a car for the first couple of days. Someone told me if you want to be a real poet you need to be published. I used to turn up and read for publishers rather than sending my work, then I heard about an alternative publisher – a co-operative, called Pen River.” They snapped Benjamin up and Pen Rhythm was published in 1980.

Soon after he moved to London he met other creative types and began an extraordinary trip. One man in particular who was bringing creatives together with his vision of alternative entertainment was Roland Muldoon who set up legendary underground political theatre group CAST. His alternative comedy circuit included Rik Mayall, French and Saunders and Paul Merton among others. Benjamin did a stint supporting the flamboyant Joan Collins Fan Club aka Julian Clary around this time. He recalled: “Everything just fell into place. Right place, right time, right skills.”

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When awarded an OBE for services for literature in 2003 Benjamin’s rejection was unwavering. “I’m not interested in impressing the establishment. People would come up to me on the streets and say, ‘when you refused the OBE that was such a great moment for us’.

I’ve maintained credibility at a grass roots level.” It would have felt like selling out for Benjamin and he’s been critical of other black writers in the past who have accepted honours.

In an article for the Guardian which he wrote at the time he said, “I have even heard black writers who have collected OBEs saying that it’s a ‘symbol of how far we have come’. Oh yes I say we’ve struggled so hard just to get a minute with the Queen and we are so very grateful – not.”

Martial arts has been a big influence in Benjamin’s life particularly kung fu although he’s keen to point out it’s far from the Bruce Lee brand. Every year Benjamin travels to China to train with a teacher. He’s also into tai chi which he describes as an internal martial art requiring ‘amazing strength from within. It’s all about the mind’.

When Benjamin wakes he likes to push his body to the limit and says: “When I wake I’m glad I’m alive. So many people leave me, so I never take people for granted.” (Checkout his poem Happy Everyday).

Some of the old guard he grew up with in Brum have died which brings home how short life is.

BACK IN TIME Writing his autobiography which should be due out in May has been an intriguing project for Benjamin. “It’s the first time I’ve sat down with my mum and really questioned ‘how did you feel about that?’ There were bouts of domestic violence you know. It’s interesting to hear about our life, what made her.”

Benjamin thought deeply about his large family with eight siblings and considered it linked to the fact that in African countries big families are the norm because infant mortality is still relatively high. His

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COVER STORY

“

I slept in a car for the

”

first couple of days. Someone told me if you want to be a real poet you need to be published

mum put him straight though. “She told me: ‘Oh no it wasn’t that. It was just your father wouldn’t stop!’”

Of Brum, Benjamin is still thoroughly in love with the place and the people and ‘can never say he’s home until he’s in Birmingham’, but he’d make some changes too. “I love the city so much. While Peaky Blinders has given it some pride, there are no contemporary programmes set in Birmingham. We need that.” He adds: “In other countries there are a number of cities that could be the capital, but here it’s all London. That needs to change. Also, it would be great if more of the fun bits of Birmingham were outside the city centre.”

NOT FOR SALE Just before I caught up with Benjamin, I heard the former casting director of I’m a Celebrity being interviewed on the radio and when asked who his

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dream signing for the show would be, he replied: “Without a doubt Benjamin Zephaniah.” I put this to the man himself who was fairly clear. “I’ve been asked many times and they’ve offered me a lot of money, but I would never do it. I’ve asked them not to call again.

If I want to humiliate myself there are better ways.”

Understood.

Although on reflection I can see why he would be an intriguing signing. He has bags of charisma – of that there is no doubt – and he’s also opinionated – no bad thing, is hugely interesting, famously antiestablishment and can get a bit angry about issues important to him. A ratings winner if ever there was one, but let it go ITV. His dignity is not for sale. I LIFE AND RHYMES OF BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH Catch Benjamin on 15 June at Birmingham Town Hall www.thsh.co.uk

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THE GREAT ESTATE Home to some of Birmingham’s most iconic institutions, we look at how historic Calthorpe Estate has transformed into a world hub for cutting edge medical research and top-class leisure and pleasure destination major area of Birmingham has been revolutionised over recent years bringing wealth, jobs and international recognition to the area. Calthorpe Estate – which is one of the UK’s largest urban estates – has just celebrated its 300th birthday and its recent history and future has never been brighter.

The 1,600-acre estate is home to some of Birmingham’s most iconic institutions, such as Edgbaston Stadium, the Botanical Gardens and MAC arts (all of which featured in our series of articles naming Birmingham’s Greatest). The estate is also home to some leading schools including Edgbaston High, St George’s and Hallfield.

The ongoing development of Edgbaston Village

A

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hosts some fine leisure and retail outlets but perhaps where Calthorpe Estates is excelling most, certainly on an international stage, is the Edgbaston Medical Quarter (EMQ). The Quarter boasts 64 per cent of the city’s health care economy. It is at the hub of the medical and life sciences revolution taking place in the West Midlands.

GO-TO DESTINATION EMQ is home to more than 550 medical companies, 180 medical organisations, 80 hospitals and specialist care centres, 44 GP clinics and routine care facilities and 23 training facilities. It’s the location for 25 life sciences specialisms with active research programmes and is Europe’s largest clinical

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FEATURE

DRIVING FORCE: Calthorpe Estates chief executive Mark Lee

BioHub Birmingham, and the Accelerated Trials Programme, as well as the Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine Centre – which is helping to improve diagnosis, clinical management and treatment of rare diseases.

trials centre and the go-to destination for more cost effective and rapid clinical trials.

Many are at the cutting edge of world-class medical technology and involve leading practitioners and students from internationally renowned medical facilities, including the University of Birmingham, Birmingham’s Women’s Hospital, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Biomedical Research Centre for Inflammatory Diseases and the Institute of Translational Medicine – all part of Birmingham Health Partners which is one of the lead centres in the 100,000 Genome project into rare diseases.

EMQ is most famously home of the world-class Queen Elizabeth Hospital, as well as Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry, the

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SCIENTIFIC CATALYST West Midlands Academic Health Science Network is a catalyst and helps drive forward cooperation, collaboration and productivity between academia, industry and healthcare providers to accelerate innovation and improvement in the region’s health and wealth. It has been responsible for the delivery of new innovation products and services such as Medstars and Script.

EMQ’s blend of existing medical buildings and health care development opportunities has seen it attract world recognition and international investment from the medical industry.

It offers some of the best and cutting edge places to be treated in the UK providing faster access to treatments and helping to save lives.

SPECIALIST CARE CENTRES INCLUDE: • Oncology: The Institute of Translational Medicine and Birmingham Centre for Clinical Trials takes the very latest research findings and progresses enhanced treatments for patients across a range of major health issues including cancer and liver disease.

• Trauma: The Centre for Defence Healthcare Engagement is the leading centre for dealing with military and civilian trauma cases.

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FEATURE

>> HISTORY LESSON The Calthorpe estate was bought in 1717 by London merchant Sir Richard Gough. His son Henry succeeded to the estate in 1727 and married Barbara Calthorpe. He maintained the rural character of the area by banning the building of warehouses and workshops. Edgbaston was developed as a residential area from 1810. The trades of Birmingham brought prosperity to the city and Edgbaston became a fashionable suburb for wealthy industrialists.

• Mental Health: The Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Mental Health promotes excellence, innovation and creativity in the delivery of interdisciplinary mental health teaching, learning and research.

• Diabetes: The Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism takes a bench-to-bedside approach working closely with the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

• Addiction and eating disorders: The Addition Detox and Rehab Centre delivers the latest treatments for all forms of addiction.

THRIVING VILLAGE Set in tree-lined avenues with green open spaces within the Calthorpe Estates, the healthcare and medical facilities sit alongside a thriving leisure, lifestyle and commercial community. Edgbaston Village boasts many character buildings and premier places to eat – including Michelin-starred Simpsons and the Edgbaston Hotel – and shop, such as OKA and Neptune.

A further phase of expansion for Calthorpe sees the replacement of the old 70s and 80s office blocks creating a new prosperity and skyline. As part of its

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£300million New Garden Square project Edgbaston House will be demolished to be replaced by new apartments, commercial units and leisure facilities built around a stylish garden square.

Calthorpe Estates chief executive Mark Lee said: “Edgbaston has got so much to offer and has undergone the biggest rebirth in its history. If you go back 25 years it was very tired but there has been a change of outlook for the whole area. The area has a new lease of life.

“On the back of Calthorpe Estates raising its profile on a national and international level, we have attracted Circle Health to Pebble Mill, who plan to build a 19,000 sqm facility, along with Bupa who are due to open early 2018 a 62-bed care home.

“More recently we have seen the opening of a world-class IVF centre by CARE Facility on Highfield Road, who are the UK’s leading independent provider of fertility treatment. Re:cognition Health recently established a new pioneering brain and mind clinic at 100 Hagley Road, where they specialise in the diagnosis, treatment and care relating to cognitive impairment symptoms or mental health concerns.

“The EMQ initiative at Arab Health has to-date led to direct pipeline inward investment in Edgbaston of over £73.5million and created 300 jobs.”

Alongside this, EMQ has seen strong demand for consulting rooms and healthcare facilities, as businesses grow. All of which means the future is very exciting indeed for this very important corner of the city. I

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FOOD & DRINK

LEO KATTOU The sous chef at Simpsons Restaurant, one of the stars of of this year’s Masterchef: The Professionals TV show, recalls starting out working in his dad’s fish and chip shop Tell us about your cooking My approach is to keep things very simple. I like to use good quality ingredients and treat them with respect to produce the best flavours.

How did you become a chef?

Having a Greek heritage, I’ve always been around food. When I was young we sat down as a family at mealtimes. Food was such a big part of family life but I didn’t want to work in our fish and chip shop forever. I told my dad that I wanted to be a chef but he played some reverse psychology by saying that I should stick to cooking fish and chips. Little did I know that he’d already spoken to his friend Andreas Antona about giving me an opportunity at Simpsons.

I joined Simpsons on work experience in 2009 and started working there weekends from September the same year. I was also studying at catering college and working part-time during the week at both my family fish and chip shop and Andreas’ restaurant in Kenilworth, Beef.

What do you eat when at home?

I rarely eat at home as I tend to eat out a lot. When I do have the time what I cook depends on what mood I’m in. It will either be a Sunday roast on any day of the week, or a Greek barbecue – I love a BBQ. Who’s the best chef in the world and why? And who’s the best in Brum?

The best chef in the world is Daniel Humm from 11 Madison Park.

I love his food philosophy and people should take note of his mantra “Make it Nice’ because it holds a lot of truth in its meaning. We’re lucky to have many brilliant chefs in Birmingham, but for me the best has to be Luke Tipping. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am now. I also have a huge amount of respect for Matt Cheal, who taught me so much during his time at Simpsons. It’s great to see him doing so well running his own show now at Cheal’s of Henley.

Is the customer always right?

Yes, but there are occasions when we need to bite our tongue and agree to disagree!

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CHEF’S CORNER

LEO’S CAULIFLOWER & CRAB RISOTTO For the recipe to make Leo’s delicious cauliflower and crab risotto visit www.brumliving.co.uk

Share a cooking tip When it comes to cooking meat or a roast bird, cook it low and slow to retain and increase flavour and make the meat more tender.

What was your favourite food as a kid?

It’s as much for the experience as the food itself. I always remember eating octopus and grilled fish in a beach restaurant in Cyprus during a family holiday. I’ve tried cooking octopus since and it tasted good but it just wasn’t the same as back in Cyprus.

Food heaven and food hell?

Heaven would have to be octopus and hell would be anything from the squash family (butternut squash, pumpkin and sweet potato) and oysters.

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

I’ve eaten a lot of unusual food but at a Greek wedding in Cyprus the family tradition was to serve sheep’s brain inside its head. I looked, tasted and said ‘no thanks’ to a second helping!

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

Easy, I’d be a golfer. I’ve played golf since I was four and if I could play every day I would. I still like to play two rounds on my days off when possible. I won several golf awards including a Young Masters when I was young and I could perhaps have become a professional had I not once had a bad day on the course which made me reconsider. I Simpsons Restaurant, 20 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DU. Tel: 0121 454 3434 www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk

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SEASON’S EATINGS

JAM SESSION Fresh bread and rhubarb jam – there’s no better combination for a post-festive ‘kick’ fter all the rich indulgences of Christmas why not give yourself a post-festive ‘kick’ with some gorgeous homemade jam on freshly baked bread? Like the idea? Thought so! Try this jammy treat using in-season rhubarb…

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RHUBARB & VANILLA JAM Ingredients:

I 1kg of trimmed rhubarb I 1kg jam sugar I 2 vanilla pods I Juice of one lemon

Method: Put a small plate in the freezer (this will be used later to test that the jam has reached setting point). Sterilize the jars and lids for canning by boiling them (there should be enough jam for around three or four jars).

Cut the rhubarb into 3cm chunks, halve the vanilla pods and then add to a large saucepan with the sugar. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until all the sugar has dissolved, then squeeze in the lemon juice and increase the heat. Boil for about 10 to 15 mins, skimming off the scum as you go until the fruit is soft.

Test for setting point by spooning a little of the mixture onto your chilled plate. The jam is set when it holds its shape on the cool plate. If it seems loose, continue cooking over medium-low heat until set. Once the jam is ready, let it cool for about 15 mins before ladling into the warm sterilised jars, gently tapping the bottom of each jar to release any air bubbles before sealing. It should keep in a cool, dark place for around six months.

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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 AND THE CURRY OSCAR GOES TO… Asha’s Indian restaurant and bar is celebrating after being named the best Indian restaurant in the Midlands for the second year running at the ‘Curry Oscars’ – the British Curry Awards. Asha's director Pawan Kenth, who owns the Newhall Street eatery with business partner Paul Bassi, said: “To be recognised in this way by our peers is hugely gratifying and it is great for Birmingham.”

HOTEL TAKES SERVICE CROWN Hotel du Vin took the Outstanding Customer Service title at the Asian Business Chamber Awards. It is the second time the hotel has won the accolade, having previously claimed it in 2014. General manager Tony Elvin said, “We are honoured to win this much coveted award again and were delighted to share in the ABCC’s 30th anniversary celebrations on the night.”

GROWING PLACES AT THE DOUBLE Opus restaurant, Birmingham has signalled its intentions for future growth by appointing two directors. Pawel Skrzypinski, who has worked at Opus for four years, and executive chef Ben Ternent, who has just celebrated his 12th anniversary at the Cornwall Street restaurant, will join directors Irene Allan and Ann Tonks on the board. The promotions come as the independent restaurant puts in place exciting plans for 2018 and beyond.

GRAN CAFE OPENS IN SELFRIDGES San Carlo Group has opened a second dining concept at Selfridges, Birmingham. Gran Cafe, a patisserie, ice cream bar and cafe is on the lower ground floor of the store. The all-day menu to eat-in or take-away, includes gourmet sandwiches, pastries, cakes and muffins. The opening follows Fumo restaurant on the fourth floor.

MUSEUM FOOD STRIKES GOLD The British Motor Museum has won gold in Focus on Gluten and silver in the Cafes and Teashops category at the FreeFrom eating out awards. The awards raise awareness of the opportunities offered by FreeFrom food within the food service sector. The winners were announced at a presentation party at the London trade show Food Matters Live.

TUCKING IN AT THE COOKHOUSE The Cookhouse restaurant and pub has opened in Oldbury. The venue has an open kitchen serving freshly prepared grazers, oven-fired topped flatbreads and baked egg skillet brunches, alongside a selection of pub classics and desserts. Rotating craft beers, cask ales and ciders are available alongside draft wines and cocktails.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

LAS IGUANAS The Arcadian, Hurst Street, Birmingham B5 4TD. Tel: 0121 622 4466 lasiguanas.co.uk e find pre-theatre dining an oddly unrelaxing affair with one eye on the clock at all times. However, a Saturday evening performance of The Nutcracker at the Hippodrome lent itself to a pre-ballet nibble.

Ordinarily we’d be in Chung Ying devouring crispy duck pancakes faster than you can say hoisin, but we thought we’d branch out. Cue Las Iguanas at The Arcadian.

First impressions were ‘grandma’s not going to like it’. It was when she said: “Shall we go somewhere else?” that gave it away. Loud, lively, bright, canteen-like in décor and atmosphere we thought we’d made the wrong call for our party which included children under the age of 11 and a trio of big people that may or may not have included an octogenarian.

We stuck with it, bagged a large round table in the middle of the action and ordered a potent cocktail called Smoking Plums that at first glance appeared to have a burning cigarette poking out of it. “Cinnamon,” the waitress assured us through a fit of smoke-induced choking. Two for one meant double cocktails. They were pretty good too.

The kids enjoyed fizzy grapefruit juice and grandma nailed a glass of chardonnay (they didn’t

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have sauvignon). From here on in things improved. We forgot about clock watching, embraced the rough and ready vibe (although the state of the toilets was kind of unforgivable) and had a bundle of fun.

The food was really good which helped. Fiery nachos with four accompaniments was a great start. A strong veggie enchilada game followed filled with butternut squash, spinach, red peppers and cheese served with the customary refried beans and spring onion rice. It was gargantuan, but absolutely delicious. A perfect sirloin steak with punchy chimichurri was served with an unlikely star – Argentinian roasted sweetcorn purée. It didn’t look special, but tasted just that.

Fajitas were fun and tasty brought sizzling to the table, but again were massive. We probably got through a quarter. A Cuban sandwich filled with belly pork, pulled pork, emmental, sweet mustard and pickles squished into a toasted buttery bun was the size of my nine-year old’s face, but tasted great.

With no time for dessert we hotfooted it (teetered gingerly on heels actually) to the theatre pleased we’d stayed and would probably go back. However, we’d avoid Saturday night unless we were childfree and would order from the starters/tapas menu to avoid a mountain of waste. I

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

WINTER WARMER If there was ever a drink to banish the winter blues it’s this little beauty

t may not be enormously healthy but there is some tropical fruit in it! Mixed with the warm notes of ginger and vanilla it’s a perfect antidote to a cold and snowy night.

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PINEAPPLE & GINGER MARTINI Ingredients:

I 50ml vodka I Two fresh pineapple wedges I Two strips of fresh peeled ginger I 10ml vanilla syrup I 50ml pineapple juice

Method: Muddle the ginger and pineapple in the base of a shaker. Add all the other ingredients. Shake well with ice and fine strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

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FOOD & DRINK

NEW WINES FOR A NEW YEAR Rob Price makes his expert selections to get 2018 off to the perfect start

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FOOD & DRINK

hristmas, all done for another year. Turkeys can breathe again. We’re now contemplating, looking back forward and sideways. What will 2018 hold for us? Maybe you would like to learn more about wine, drink better quality wines and know what wines to buy…

And of course, I have the answer – a wine course.

You could start with just an introduction to wine tasting event in the evening or day. We have four and eight-week courses, all informal and good fun. You learn by tasting lots of different wines. We also have WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) courses, enabling you to gain a wine qualification, perhaps useful for starting or developing your career in wine.

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EXTRA ZING But enough of that, onto which wines should be considered for January. We may have ever so slightly overindulged, and I think some lighter wines would be welcome. We need wines that are lower in alcohol with less body, refreshing and zingy. Wines from cooler climates where the grapes are not as ripe or full of sugar; so we could choose an English wine. There are around 500 vineyards in England and Wales, so plenty to pick from. Visiting an English vineyard is a fine thing and a super activity over a weekend. The englishwineproducers.co.uk website is a great resource with lots of information on where to visit and what to buy.

German wine is worth a look, and comes in differing styles from bone dry and magnificently crisp to lusciously sweet, and everything in between. All generally characterised with low alcohol. I know those of a certain age will remember wines of a certain heritage, maybe not so fondly, but modern German wines are a delight and most fit the bill of being light and fruity. If you have the opportunity try German Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) which is excellent.

VERY MOREISH Northern France has some beautiful wines that are fruity, deliciously moreish and delightful. Try Vouvray, which is made from Chenin Blanc, in the Loire Valley or Pinot Gris from Alsace, slightly more flavour than Pinot Grigio from Veneto, Northern Italy.

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ROB’S

4 TO TRY

Wine Society’s Gavi 2016 – Made with the lovely Cortese

grape, this is a fine example of a refreshing crisp Italian white wine from the Gavi region, Piemonte, in north west Italy. Super value for money at £9.50 a bottle. Fruity and not as bone dry as some.

Lemon Hill Viognier 2015 – Viognier is one of my favourite grapes and this is a top example from California, just inland from San Francisco near Sacramento. Lovely gold colour, citrus grapefruit and peach and hints of ginger follow. Will keep you wanting to come back for more. £14.49 from Laithwaites.

Tesco Finest Pinot Noir Central Otago 2016 – A really fine example of top class Pinot. From the best region for Pinot in New Zealand – Central Otago. Real depth and flavour. Made by Villa Maria on behalf of Tesco. Excellent value for money too at £12.50 a bottle.

AIX rosé 2016 – A superior rosé, crisp and dry. Made by top winery Domaine de la Grande Séouve. Do not over chill and it will reward with delicate raspberry and strawberry fruits. Not cheap at £27 but this is for two bottles worth, a Magnum! Worth seeking out from Majestic.

North Italy though has a range of white and delicate reds that suit our needs; leading the way are reds from Valpolicella, Bardolino or whites such as Gavi and Orvieto. All normally lower in alcohol and high acidity. Choose some soft creamy cheese to complement.

New Zealand also produces some elegant and refined wines, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris both performing well in the cooler climates of this wonderful country.

So many wines, so little time. Drink well… and make 2018 a year of (wine) discovery. I Birmingham Wine School is an independent wine education company that offers fun informal wine tasting events and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses in Birmingham Warwick and Milton Keynes city centres. For more information contact Rob Price, 0121 270 7359, or visit www.birminghamwineschool.com

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ADVERTORIAL

NEW YEAR, NEW ROUTES What better way to start 2018 than planning a break to one of the new destinations direct from Birmingham Airport ake 2018 as an opportunity to explore places you’ve never visited and indulge in new experiences. They couldn’t be easier to get to – just fly from Birmingham Airport. Simple!

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FURTHER AFIELD Make a short hop over to the other side of ‘the pond’ and discover the fascinating cities of Boston and Toronto. Accessible fares make both of these destinations perfect for either a long weekend break or an extended family holiday.

Boston is often referred to as America’s oldest city, boasting a unique charm and brimming with stunning architecture and symbolic red brick buildings. The Freedom Trail is arguably the most iconic way to spend a day in the city. Encompassing 16 of the most historically significant sites, take a guided walking tour along the two-and-a-half mile path and be immersed in the highlights of the city.

If you’re visiting with the family, spend an afternoon at Boston Common where there’s an outdoor theatre, carousel, tennis courts and a splash pool to keep the kids entertained. If you’re a foodie then check out the Beacon Hill district – Figs, a snug pizza eatery, comes highly recommended for a lunchtime bite and one of

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the traditional dive bars with a loud jukebox and friendly staff are popular for the evening.

In contrast to Boston, Toronto is a dynamic and buzzing city with a skyline of skyscrapers. Famous for the CN Tower and its stunning 360-degree views, it’s home to so much more than the typical tourist traps.

Our must-do list includes an afternoon picnic beneath the cherry blossom trees in Trinity Bellwoods Park with a macaroon from Nadege, the best French patisserie in the city.

Follow this with a day spent in Toronto’s Annex district, a Bohemian neighbourhood full of independent businesses and entertainment venues including the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema and Lee’s Palace, the area’s concert venue. Then either check-out Ossington Avenue and grab a signature bagel from Schmaltz Appetizing or Kensington Market, with its gluten-free bakery, burrito bar and vintage shops.

CLOSER TO HOME If you’d rather stay a little closer to home there are some exciting new destinations in Europe easily accessible from Birmingham Airport this summer.

Stockholm, Venice, Bodrum and Dubrovnik are all fascinating cities worth exploring.

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ADVERTORIAL

Stockholm, spread across 14 individual islands, has become known as one of the coolest Scandinavian cities to holiday in. Built on the water, Stockholm has an air of calm about it, while still being a dynamic and modern city to explore. Brimming with museums and interesting buildings, most notably Skansen – the world’s first open-air museum – you’ll leave the city feeling enriched and inspired.

Venice with its Grand Canal, Venetian buildings and Basilica di San Marco is on the top of most people’s ‘to visit’ lists. To do the city justice, you’ll need to spend longer than just a few touristy hours there. Stay for at least a couple of nights in the city itself so you’ve got a chance to venture off the beaten track and discover its quieter, narrow backstreets.

You’ll stumble across neighbourhood churches, cafes offering cicheti (Italian tapas) and bistros with a plentiful supply of the infamous Venetian prosecco. The best way to take in the city is from the water. Bypass the expensive gondola trips and have a go at being a gondolier yourself in a lesson with Row Venice, or jump in a kayak and paddle yourself through the city’s canals.

Dubrovnik, in the still fairly undiscovered southern part of Croatia, is known for its incredible stonewalled Old Town and picture perfect views across the Adriatic Sea. To get the best bird’s eye view of Dubrovnik climb the city walls either first thing in the morning or before they close in the evening – the

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cruise ships will have left the port so the city will be quieter and even more magical.

If you are looking to escape the tourists in the peak of the day, Cavtat, just across the bay, is worth a visit. A slightly calmer version of Dubrovnik with an old Riviera style, the town has a range of harbour front restaurants and bars and is a perfect boat day trip ride from Croatia’s capital.

Bodrum has managed to retain its elegance and culture even through its progression to a popular beach holiday destination. Jutting out into the Aegean and home to an impressive castle, lots of mosques and multiple marinas, the city has an exotic feel and is a fascinating place to discover. To enjoy the best of the coast, head about 20 minutes south of Bodrum to Barbaros Bay with its breath-taking panorama views.

A more remote spot with white washed buildings and deep azure haze, this is the perfect place to really relax and unwind. I From May there will be direct flights from Birmingham to Boston and Toronto with Primera Air. Services to Boston will operate four days a week with flights to Toronto three times a week. Fares start from £149 per person, one way. Jet2.com has launched flights to Venice, Bodrum and Dubrovnik for summer 2018 and SAS has recently announced a new direct route to Stockholm from Birmingham starting in April.

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JUMP TO IT Sports range, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

FIT FOR PURPOSE

We reckon if you look the part you’re more likely to stick to your New Year fitness goals – so here’s a bit of inspiration to keep you on track

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STYLE

THE LEGGINGS HAVE IT MPG x LTS Dare Capri leggings £48, Long Tall Sally longtallsally.com

COLOUR BLOCK Sport panel detail vest £9, M&S Longbridge

CRISS CROSS Strike sports bra £65, Every Second Counts everysecondcounts.co.uk

BRUSH STROKES Leggings £35, M&S Longbridge

FEMININE CHARM Spirit urban bloom printed crop top £15, Accessorize, Grand Central

ALL STYLE

he most popular New Year resolution by a country mile is getting fit. Gym membership rockets in January – okay it’s on the wane by March, but leaving that to one side, we reckon we’re more likely to keep up the good work if we look and consequently feel good while working out.

So, whether you’ve booked your place in a marathon or you’re trying your hand at a spot of tennis, give yourself a fighting chance of succeeding and invest in some cool kit that you actually enjoy wearing. Check out this little lot for some inspiration… and good luck! I

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Gucci glitter trainers £495, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

SWEAT IT OUT Pink speckled print sweat top £26, Apricot apricotonline.co.uk

TOP OF THE CROPS Active crop top £10, F&F, Tesco

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STYLE

SIMPLE STYLE Grey jogger £24, Apricot apricotonline.co.uk

MARVELLOUS MARBLE

JOG ON

CAMO COOL Camo print running tights £24.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

Sports bra £28, M&S Longbridge

No Ka’Oi stretch jersey jogging trousers £240, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

SUPER STAR Sporty stars metallic weekender £45, Accessorize, Grand Central

SLOUCHY PANTS STRONG SHOE GAME New Balance 574S £90, Schuh, Fort Shopping Park

OLD SCHOOL Isabel Marant Étoile mélange sweatshirt £170, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Erin panel trousers £65, Hush, John Lewis, Grand Central

WRAP UP Black Honeycomb print hooded running jacket £34.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

BACKPACK JOY KeriKit Joy XL Backpack in Ice Grey £295, kerikit.com

RIGHT STRIPES Biba Body movement short £22, House of Fraser, Corporation Street

LACE UP Wildfox lace-up sweatshirt £140, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

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STYLE

MADE FOR RUNNING Graphic leggings £16, top and bra set £14, F&F, Tesco

HUG A HOODIE Babel Life scuba jacket £45, House of Fraser, Corporation Street

JACKET IN Retro jacket £39.99, TK Maxx, Bullring Link

CARRIED AWAY Seafolly Carried Away leisure luxe gym bag £60, House of Fraser, Corporation Street

COMFORT IS KING Tread track pant £69.95, Barbour barbour.com

IF THE CAP FITS Pineapple grey logo cap £14, Miss Selfridge, Bullring

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STYLE

ALL ABOUT BALANCE Era collection sports bra in teal £65 and leggings £85, Every Second Counts everysecondcounts.co.uk

BEST VEST Biba blue vest £28, House of Fraser, Corporation Street

IN THE HOOD Zesty printed hoodie £55, White Stuff, Cannon Street

LIFT THE SPIRITS Bjorn Borg leggings £35, House of Fraser, Corporation Street

WHAT A MESH Abstract print sports leggings £17.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

ALL WEATHER Electric blue sports jacket £15, Primark, Bullring

WHITE OUT Bjorn Borg sport jacket £80, House of Fraser, Corporation Street

PROTECT THE BREAST Sports bra £52, Figleaves figleaves.com

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STYLE FOR MEN

WORK IT OUT Endurance gym short £68, Every Second Counts everysecondcounts.co.uk

SORT YOUR KIT OUT Happy New Year! Time to reclaim your pre-Christmas body and you might as well do it in style

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STYLE FOR MEN

ALL ABOUT THE BASE Blue long sleeve top £26, M&Co mandco.com BLAZE OF GLORY Fitbit Blaze £149.99, John Lewis, Grand Central

RED RUNNER Valentino camouflage trainers £500, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

o, our pre-brandy butter bod is currently hiding under a thin layer of egg noginduced blubber and we want it back.

Whether you’re launching into a serious training regime or starting from scratch, we’ve pulled together a handful of pieces to get you off the New Year blocks with a bang.

If you’re all about high style, checkout the red Valentino camo trainer or the purple joggers by Palm Angel that’ll raise a brow or two in the gym. Every Second Counts is sporting some serious training pieces while Moncler wins in the reflective jacket stakes. If there wasn’t a Fitbit Blaze in your stocking checkout the John Lewis sale. If you’re quick you might just bag a bargain. Now go forth and shred.I

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HOME AND DRY Strike Through performance jacket £178, Every Second Counts everysecondcounts.co.uk

MELLOW YELLOW Compression mid layer top £16.99, TK Maxx, Bullring

ON THE RUN Grey running tights £19.99, New Look, Bullring

FEELING REFLECTIVE Moncler O reflective shell jacket £730, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox JUDGE SHRED Blue slogan t-shirt £12.99, New Look, Bullring PURPLE PATCH Palm Angels striped jersey jogging trousers £330, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

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HEALTH

MAKE NO EXCUSES – THIS IS YOUR YEAR!

With New Year resolutions already being tested by the leftover selection boxes, we asked training expert and founder of Exercise Rebellion, Sean Kaydoke, to give us a kick-start to get fit in 2018

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HEALTH

his is it. This is the year you’ll get fit and healthy. You are going to drink tons of water, mainline kale and work-out daily.

Until the third Monday in January, which is traditionally when such strict and unachievable resolutions go out the window.

But this is the year to rebel. From the everprevalent couch potato lifestyle, from the usual ‘I’m just too busy’ refrains and the typical disappointment when you realise next January that nothing really changed. It’s time to stop making excuses and get it done!

Our approach is simple. Set a goal, make a plan, get support and make no excuses! It’s not going to be easy, but your health is an investment and if you crack it this year, I promise every area of your life will benefit.

4. Complete the compounds – Big moves or ‘compound’ exercise like deadlifts, squats, sumo high-pull and a clean and press give you more bang for your buck. They build muscle, which in turn burns more fat and by doing them quickly in a HIIT regime, you work up a sweat that ticks the cardio box.

SEAN’S TOP TIPS FOR GETTING AND STAYING IN SHAPE

6. Portion control – Essential if you are to see real changes. Make vegetables the largest portion of your meal, taking up half of the plate, with protein the second and carbohydrates the smallest.

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1. Get organised – What do you want to achieve? Fat loss, muscle, tone? All of the above.

That means consistent exercise and good eating.

Dust down that new diary and plan out when you’ll get to the gym. Plan and prep some of your meals and get a few back-ups in the freezer. As a father of baby twins, I understand how difficult this can be, but by prioritising your health and making it a solid appointment in your schedule you are 80 per cent there.

2. Document everything – You can’t make a plan without a clear understanding of where you are and where you want to be. Gather the details – weight, height, BMI, body fat percentage, waist size and any other measures that mean something to you.

3. Embrace HIIT – Incorporate High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) into your workout regime.

HIIT is about working as hard as you can in short bursts to maximise the number of calories burnt. It is perfect for busy people. With 30 minutes on the clock working to your maximum, you’ll get a serious work-out that you can squeeze in before the school run or that 9.00am presentation.

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5. Know how many calories you need – By following our portion control and fruit rules below, and with just one treat meal a week, you shouldn’t have to count calories. However, it is useful to know how many calories your body needs (i.e. Total Daily Energy Expenditure) to ‘survive’ and know that in the back of your mind, any more than that need to be ‘earned’ through exercise.

7. Eat one, three portions of fruit a day – While full of nutrients, fruit is also full of sugar.

So, keep your consumption in check.

8. Get support – You need some ‘cheerleaders’. Whether that means investing in a personal trainer, convincing your other half to hit the treadmill with you, or fitting in a lunchtime run with a colleague, get a support crew that can join you on your journey. I

Sean Kayode is a fitness professional with more than 15 years’ experience. Sean worked as a professional football coach for West Ham FC, Barnet FC, and Millwall FC, as well as being the head of PE in a Birmingham secondary school before following his passion – helping focused individuals reach their fitness goals and establishing Exercise Rebellion.

Exercise Rebellion is a holistic personal and group training service based in Kings Heath www.exerciserebellion.uk

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HEALTH

ON THE BALL

Personal trainers are in demand at this time of year, but how do you pick the right one for you? anuary is a time we traditionally focus on our fitness – and more of us than ever are seeking the help of a personal trainer to keep our New Year’s resolutions on track. We asked Richard Westwood, fitness manager at Edgbaston Priory club for his advice on finding a personal trainer to suit you.

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You should also check out their qualifications. Find out about their level of training and ask to see their certificates. If you have a medical condition, then it is especially important to ensure your personal trainer has the qualifications and experience to develop a fitness programme suitable for your condition.

Ask around for personal recommendations

Make sure you get on well

A personal trainer’s reputation is based on the results they have achieved with their clients. So, start by asking friends and colleagues, especially those who enjoy personal training themselves, for their recommendations. Most of our new clients come via personal referrals so identifying personal trainers who come highly recommended is a good way to begin.

You’re going to spend a great deal of time with your personal trainer so it’s important you get along together! At your initial meeting set out your aims – weight loss, preparing for a marathon or recovering from an illness or injury – and give some insight into what personally motivates you.

If you’re someone who likes to be gently encouraged, you won’t last very long with a very strict taskmaster! It’s also important to think about and discuss your proposed schedule so that your personal trainer understands the amount of time you have available to commit to your goals.

By setting out your goals, establishing a schedule and sharing your outlook on life you are more likely to find a personal trainer to complement your personality. I

Check out their qualifications and experience

It is important to check whether your potential personal trainer is a member of a recognised body within the fitness industry, such as the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) or the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)

Richard Westwood is the fitness manager at Edgbaston Priory club, tel: 0121 440 2492 www.edgbastonpriory.com To help get your 2018 training programme off to a good start, the club is offering new members a lifestyle orientation and two free personal training sessions.

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ADVERTORIAL

REST ASSURED Luxury bedmaker Rest Assured launches dedicated showroom uxury British bedmaker Rest Assured has opened two dedicated showrooms in Birmingham and Dudley’s Cousins furniture stores, displaying its range of quality handcrafted mattresses, divans and headboards in a dedicated space.

Showcasing the brand’s 115 years of bed making expertise, the showrooms offer the ultimate bed buying experience, with Rest Assured’s core range of high quality, zoned pocket spring mattresses complemented by a new selection of British made upholstered bedframes, chairs and ottoman storage benches.

Forever striving to offer ultimate comfort and support, Rest Assured provides customers visiting the showrooms with the opportunity to choose from a carefully selected mattress range all featuring zoned pocket springs for tailored support and offering a choice of quality comfort fillings such as British Wool,

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blended natural latex, silk and wool. Each collection offers a simple choice of softer, medium or firmer support so there is something to suit all preferences.

Priding itself on offering unprecedented luxury at affordable prices the much loved British heritage brand is known for its uncompromising quality; hand making all of its beds in the Lancashire countryside.

All materials and mattress types are rigorously tested in the in-house testing lab, so customers can be sure that they are purchasing a quality product that has been properly and carefully constructed to offer superb comfort and tailored support.

The Birmingham and Dudley showroom ranges include Rest Assured’s British Wool mattress collection, crafted with three luxurious layers of wool, hand tufted and double sided for longer lasting comfort and durability, and approved by The Good Housekeeping Institute 2017. I

WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS THINK THE HYLTON LATEX MATTRESS – AT LONG LAST A DECENT NIGHT’S SLEEP After years of nagging my husband, I eventually persuaded him to purchase a new mattress. I was fed up waking up in the middle of the night with hip pain from springs that were no longer effective and a dip in the centre of the bed.

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Quality is impeccable at Rest Assured, you can simply rotate it periodically, there is little need to turn it. Our first night’s sleep was like floating on a cloud, simply heavenly! I feel refreshed every morning, 5 stars.

THE BRITISH WOOL MATTRESS – BEST NIGHT'S SLEEP I'VE HAD FOR A LONG TIME This mattress is soooo comfortable. Firm and yet it feels forgiving and cosy. An absolute dream to sleep on!

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COMPETITION

WIN!WIN!WIN! A LUXURIOUS REST ASSURED BED AND MATTRESS o celebrate the opening of the Rest Assured showrooms at Cousins Furniture Stores in Birmingham and Dudley, Rest Assured is offering one lucky reader the chance to win your choice of mattress, divan and headboard from its stunning new collection.

The winner will be invited in store to choose from Rest Assured’s full collection of mattresses, storage divans and stylish headboards, selecting your perfect bed from a simple choice of comfort options, quality mattress fillings and headboard styles.

With over 115 years of bed making experience in every detail, all Rest Assured mattresses are handmade in the heart of Britain using premium zoned pocket springs combined with luxurious fillings such as wool, silk and latex for superb comfort and tailored support.

The Rest Assured range of mattresses at Cousins has been carefully selected to offer you a simple choice of comfort; from softer, medium to firmer, so you can easily choose the right mattress for you. Offering something for all preferences, the showroom’s range of beds includes Rest Assured’s British Wool mattress collection, crafted with three luxurious layers of wool,

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hand tufted and double sided for longer lasting comfort and durability.

The lucky winner will be guided by an in-store expert to choose their perfect mattress for relaxing, refreshing, restful sleep. I

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN To enter simply email the answer to the question below to admin@brumliving.co.uk with ‘Rest Assured competition’ in the subject line including your name, address and telephone number by 26th January 2018.

Which is the largest of these mattresses?

1. King 2. Double

3. Super King

* Bedframes, chairs and storage ottomans are excluded from the prize.

Full terms & conditions apply visit brumliving.co.uk for details.

To celebrate the showroom launch Rest Assured and Cousins are offering all customers a fantastic winter saving. For a limited period customers will be able to purchase a Rest Assured King size mattress, divan and headboard and pay the price for a double. The offer runs from 26th December 2017 to 25th February 2018 at Cousins Furniture Stores.

For more information on the Rest Assured showroom and to see the full Rest Assured range online visit www.rest-assured.co.uk/showroom

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THE GOOD LIFE

Having just completed a project that would easily fit into a high-end hotel in a swish part of the capital, interior designer Lisa Melvin tells us how to recreate the luxury look at home

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HOMES

OVERSIZED TILES

By Homebase

here’s no reason you should leave the luxury of a high-end hotel bathroom behind and go back to a second-rate version at home. After all you spend much more time at home, so it’s worth getting the look and vibe you really lust after.

I recently completed a project that did just that giving the feel of a luxury hotel suite. While the budget was plentiful and incorporated some of the very best products on the market – for example, the state-of-the-art Japanese toilet cost £13,000 – there are elements of the design you could easily adopt at home. Here are my tricks and tips.

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SUITE SUCCESS Bathroom by Ripples at Cookes

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SEAMLESS SURFACES A move away from tiles eliminates grout lines that can become soiled and discolour over time.

Dekton is a fantastic alternative providing a seamless slick finish which is aesthetically pleasing and easy to clean.

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HOMES

MINIMUM FUSS Accessories by Nest nest.co.uk

Large-format tiles on the floor also give a luxury vibe and keep grout lines to a minimum.

Where a joint is required I’d recommend an epoxy grout that’s practically invisible and sets like an acrylic – non-porous, smooth and very hard – so it easily resists dirt.

SECRET STORAGE The trick is to make a bathroom look like there’s no storage when there’s actually loads which minimises clutter. Floor to ceiling mirrors that double as storage work particularly well concealing large hidden cupboards. Add glass shelving and LED lights for a touch of glamour.

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CLEAN LINES

By Lisa Melvin Design lisamelvindesign.co.uk

Utilising the area under the bath that can house your shampoo, loo rolls, even towels if you don’t want them on show is a great use of wasted space.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL Paying attention to the smallest details is essential in creating a decadent bathroom, and recent innovations have led to a seemingly endless range of choice. When it comes to taps and ironmongery, you’re no longer limited to chrome or brass finishes. Hansgrohe’s Axor FinishPlus range of taps and bath fillers come in 15 different polished or brushed finishes

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HOMES

including black, bronze, stainless steel and two shades of gold. The beauty of being able to choose from so many colours means you can really fine-tune the overall look you’re trying to create.

WARM GLOW No matter how beautiful a bathroom is, it also needs to be comfortable and nobody likes the feeling of a cold floor on bare feet first thing in the morning. An electric underfloor heating system solves this problem. This would serve as a secondary heating source depending on the size of your bathroom.

january 2018

COOL ON TAP Accessories by Argos

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HOMES

CLEVER DESIGN

By Classic Interiors classicinteriors.co.uk

MARBLE TOP Accessories by George at Asda

LIGHT UP In every interior, lighting is key, as it sets the mood and ensures the space is functional as well as good looking. The Toto Bathroom which I used recently includes a combination of mood, ambient and task lighting, so users can set the scene as required.

HIDDEN STORAGE

By Lisa Melvin Design lisamelvindesign.co.uk

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SHOWER HEAVEN The Axor Shower Heaven is a large overhead shower measuring 1200x302mm and incorporates built-in lighting. It can be adjusted to provide three different spray patterns: RainAir (rain jet entrenched with air), mono and powder rain. The three options can be used individually or in combination, and can also be aimed at different spray zones. Always go for a glass shower screen instead of a curtain. They are easier to clean and look so much better. I

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HOMES

RIGHT STRIPES Missoni Home Taylor bath mat £108, Amara WORK OF ART William Morris guest soaps £15, National Trust

FINISHING

TOUCHES

ANIMAL MAGIC Hippo dispenser £5, George Home

PRACTICALLY PERFECT New tongue and groove tall cabinet £59.99, Argos

Once your very own spa at home is sorted add a few final flourishes to perfect the look

SCRUB UP Tumbler £3, Dunelm COPPER TOP Aquanova Lura pedal bin £42.50, Amara

BEST TOWELS Striped hand towel £4.99, HomeSense

UNDER SINK Westbay under basic unit £99.99, Very

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SIMPLE STYLE Accessories by Kelly Hoppen

NAUTICAL BUT NICE Large coastal mirror £79.99, The Nautical Company

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HOMES

Hot Properties This month’s star buys include one of the most dramatic homes we’ve ever featured, a Victorian gem and a very cool apartment

SPECTACULAR LIVING Hedge House, Knowle Guide price: POA Agent: Mr & Mrs Clarke Estate Agency, mrandmrsclarke.com This spectacular house spans 10,450 square feet and is set in 6.5 acres of gently undulating land with awesome, far-reaching rural views on the outskirts of a much sought-after village. The incredible finish and high ceilings have created a light, airy house with a real sense of space.

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BRICKS&BITS

CREST OPENS NEW DIVISION Developer Crest Nicholson has opened a new Midlands division to expand its regional portfolio and growth strategy. The new division has operational control over the Bournville Park development as well as Elysian Gardens in Balsall Common. Sourcing new development opportunities for 2018 is a key priority. Managing director Ben Miller, who transferred from the Crest Nicholson Chiltern team, heads up the division.

GOLD BLEND Westfield Road, Edgbaston Guide price: £1.35million Agent: Fine and Country, tel: 0121 272 6800 This is a fine example of where Victorian grandeur has blended seamlessly with contemporary luxury to create an amazing sevenbedroom, three-storey semi-detached family home in the heart of Edgbaston. There’s more than 5,000sqft of living space, plus an amazing garden. Perfect family living.

GUIDE HAILS LAW EXPERTS Real estate law specialists at Midlands firm Lodders have been ranked among the best in the country by leading independent guide to the legal profession, Chambers UK. The guide recognised head of Lodders Real Estate, Paul Mourton, for his expertise while Real Estate partner, Nick East, was awarded Band 2 ranking for his real estate specialism in the region.

HOMES BOSS MOVES IN Expanding housebuilder Hayfield Homes has appointed Kelly Sharman as sales and marketing director. The company, formed just over a year ago, is building a portfolio of high quality residential developments in the Midlands. Kelly brings over 20 years experience to the key role.

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

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COOL LOCATION Moseley Central Guide price: £470,000 Agent: Knight Frank, tel: 0121 200 2220 A cracking thee-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment in a stunning development in a very cool part of Birmingham. Finished to the highest standards and complete with your own private terrace with stunning views, this pad provides the perfect urban village lifestyle. january 2018

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TOP GRADE Crackley Lane, Kenilworth Guide price: £1.05million Agent: Knight Frank, tel: 01789 867298 A beautiful Grade II listed cottage that offers a wealth of original character stretching over three floors. As well as four bedrooms, a double garage and stores, there’s a huge mature garden, plus paddocks and stable block.

Don’t miss Property of the Week on our Facebook page every Thursday

www.facebook.com/bhamliving january 2018

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MOTORING

GOING FOR BOLD MG’s new SUV shows the future look of the brand with bolder styling, more space and bigger badging. What’s more, it’s designed and engineered right here in Brum, says Sue Cooke f you’ve run out of space to cram the latest child into your saloon or hatchback and the price of a 4x4 is a step too far, then just a short distance away is a new MG, designed and engineered in Birmingham, with a class-leading interior space and starting from £12,495 on-the-road.

The compact SUV and small crossover segment is growing, up 10 per cent in the first half of 2017 which has encouraged MG to launch its second SUV, the ZS. On sale from 1 November last year, the ZS also offers a seven-year/80,000-mile warranty as standard across all variants, which MG says is one of the longest fully transferable warranties in its class.

Showcasing the future design direction for MG, there is an enlarged, full frame grille inspired by the brand’s heritage, which allows for a much bigger MG badge to take centre stage. And this is a brand to be proud of, tracing its history back to 1924 in the city and now owned by the Chinese company, SAIC.

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GENEROUS Exterior paintwork is a standard Arctic white, but there is a specially developed three-coat Dynamic red option, featured here, which is gorgeous.

Headlights have 23 LEDs which add to the contemporary design statement.

The interior comes with most of the ‘extras’ as standard and trim level choice is the entry level Explore, Excite or Exclusive. This compact SUV has one of the most generous shoulder, leg and headroom capacities in its segment. There is 448 litres of boot space, which is 60 litres larger than the typical compact SUV. The split level boot has plenty of room for prams, luggage, outdoor leisure equipment or the weekly shop. Numerous compartments throughout the car provide additional storage. In competition with the Nissan Juke, MG says the ZS offers similar internal space to the larger Qashqai and has a bigger

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boot than the Juke and the other competitor, the Mazda CX3.

Inside the cabin, an 8-inch touch sensitive infotainment screen is supported by DAB radio (on the Exclusive and Excite models). Bluetooth handsfree and cruise control is also included and satellite navigation and a rear camera are standard on the Exclusive variant. MG offers Apple CarPlay on the Excite and Exclusive variants at no extra cost. The safer way to use your iPhone in the car, CarPlay takes the things you want to do with your iPhone while driving and puts them on the car’s in-built display.

Rather unusually, and I am not sure whether it is a feature I would continue to use, the Excite and

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MOTORING

FACTS AT A GLANCE: Model: MG ZS sports utility vehicle Explore trim Basic Price: £12,495 otr Engine: 1.5-litre DOHC VTi-tech manual gearbox Performance: 0-60mph in 10.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 109mph CO2 emissions: 129g/km Combined fuel consumption: 49.6mpg

Exclusive models come with three power-assisted steering modes – Urban, Normal and Dynamic.

Normal is normal, but Urban steering offers a lighter and quicker response at low speeds and when parking.

The Dynamic mode is designed to increase the steering effort, deliver a higher damping effect and increase the centre definition at medium and high vehicle speeds.

Customers can choose a 1.5-litre DOHC VTI-tech, four-cylinder engine with a five-speed manual gearbox, or the more expensive 1.0 GDI turbocharged, three-cylinder version of the engine which complements the six-speed automatic gearbox

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option. I much preferred the latter which has plenty of get-up-and-go.

The MG ZS launches with a host of competitive finance offers at £199 per month for the top-of-therange Exclusive manual, with £3,550 deposit and zero per cent finance. And the icing on the cake is that the MG ZS is designed and engineered in Birmingham. I

SHOWROOM: MG Sales Centre, Lowhill Lane, Longbridge, Birmingham B31 2BQ. Tel: 0121 251 6533 www.birmingham.mg.co.uk

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

JOE FRASER

The British all-round gymnastics champion talks somersaulting on the settee, Birmingham’s world class facilities and Olympic dreams eing crowned British all-round champion in his first national senior competition was a big deal for plucky teenager Joe Fraser. He’d planned to break into the senior scene successfully after achieving big in the junior ranks, but not necessarily winning the title which he describes as ‘unbelievable’ making all the hard work worth it.

On the back of such a brilliant year, Joe’s now gunning for Commonwealth Games and World Championships selection with an eye firmly on the Tokyo Olympics, too. Training at Birmingham’s world class facility in Perry Barr he’s spurred on by the prospect of being involved in a home World

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Championships at Arena Birmingham next year.

As an energetic five-year-old, Joe liked nothing more than somersaulting on the settee. His mum – perhaps for the sake of the sofa – decided to channel his energy into gymnastics at the City of Birmingham club which Joe loved, but wasn’t exceptional.

However, when a new coach joined the club in 2008 he saw something in Joe. “The coach liked my work ethic and pushed me,” said Joe. “A year later I made the national team aged 11.” At this point training cranked up to 20 hours-aweek and while it could have been tough juggling school work and gymnastics, Joe’s school was

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JOE’S CV 2015 European Youth Olympics, all-around champion 2017 British Championships, all-around champion 2017 European Championships all-around, fifth place

incredibly supportive. “The school could see that it was a good opportunity. They helped by giving me homework in advance, so rather than playing catch up I was actually ahead.”

Now aged 18, Joe still trains at the City of Birmingham club with coach Lee Woolls. He trains full-time, six-hours-a-day concentrating on strength, conditioning and flexibility and has a nutritionist to keep him at his optimum weight. But what is it about the sport that he finds thrilling? “There are endless opportunities to perform. It’s such a high,” he explained. Joe also enjoys the friendly nature of the sport. Junior and senior national teams train

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together resulting in fantastic team spirit. Travelling is a big part of the sport and over the years Joe has spent a lot of time away from his parents who are ‘100 per cent supportive’ and fly to see him compete when they can.

With the World championships coming to Arena Birmingham in March and the city’s Commonwealth Games bid in the mix, it’s not a bad sporting period for Brum. Of the home World Championships Jane Allen, CEO of British Gymnastics, said: “We’re delighted to bring this world class gymnastics event to Birmingham – a city that has produced some of the most successful British gymnasts in history.” The city has a world class training facility in the Gymnastics and Martial Arts Centre (GMAC) in Perry Barr which is a dedicated dual sports centre that opened in 2008.”

Joe’s hero is Japan’s Kohei Uchimura who is widely regarded as the best gymnast of all time and by Joe a ‘legend’. Competing against him was interesting. Naturally Uchimura came out on top – as Joe says ‘he never comes second in anything!’ Perhaps Joe could be the one to knock his hero off the top spot.

He’s certainly ambitious. He said: “I’d love some Olympic medals.” Joe’s aiming for both the Tokyo and Paris games. He’s also keen to recommend the sport to youngsters. “You need to enjoy and love sport to be successful and gymnastics is massively enjoyable.” He’s grateful to Max Whitlock and Louis Smith for raising the profile of men’s gymnastics. We reckon young gymnasts in years to come will be thanking their hero, Joe Fraser. I

WORLD CHAMPS LOWDOWN The event which will be hosted by Arena Birmingham on 21 March (men’s) and 22 (women’s) will feature up to nine male and female gymnasts representing eight countries including the US, Russia, China, Japan, and Great Britain.

Tickets from £18 at theticketfactory.com

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GROWING PLACES

SCHOOL REPOR T

ELLIE GOES FROM ZERO TO HERO Grace Academy Year 12 student Ellie De’Athe has been awarded a Solihull Borough Education Award for ‘outstanding progress in mathematics’ after an incredible turnaround which has seen her go from D and E grades in the bottom set to achieving 8 A*s at GCSE. Ellie said: “In Years 7 and 8, I wasn’t good at anything but I made a decision to turn my life around. I started revising and I knew I wanted to try harder.”

Birmingham Livin g is committed to highlighting the best of our sc hools and college s. Here’s our round-up of the la test stand-out ne ws and events

NEW HEAD

Keith Morrow has been named as the new head of Hallfield School, Edgbaston. Currently headmaster at Elms School in Long Eaton, Nottingham, he will take up his new post from this September. He will be the 14th headmaster to lead the independent school in its 139-year history and takes over from the acting headmaster Richard Batchelor and deputy head Anne Oliver who will both remain at the school as deputy heads.

REGIONAL CHAMPS Bromsgrove School’s U18 girls’ hockey team has been crowned regional champions at the Midlands indoor hockey finals. A tense day of tough competition saw the girls triumph over Repton, King’s High Warwick, Oakham and Malvern College who had previously beaten Bromsgrove 3-0 in the county finals. The team will now compete in the national finals, to be played at Bromsgrove School’s arena later this month.

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GROWING PLACES

SCHOOL OF THE YEAR King Edward VI High School for Girls, Edgbaston has been named West Midlands Independent Secondary School of the Year in the Sunday Times schools guide, Parent Power. Guide editor Alastair McCall said: “The award is based primarily on outstanding academic results last summer, particularly at GCSE.” KEHS was named top school in the Midlands and third in the country after achieving its best-ever GCSE results, with 97 per cent graded A*/A and 83 per cent A*.

CRICKET CALL

SPEAKING UP Moreton Hall School hosted the Rotary Youth Speaks district round with its intermediate team progressing to the area finals. The three-strong team spoke eloquently on the topic of anorexia. Head of spoken English, Merriel HalsallWilliams, said: “They were a great credit to themselves and should be very proud.” The finals will be held at Gwyndwr University in March.

Amelia Bayliss from Winterfold School has been selected to train in the U13 performance team at Worcestershire County Cricket Club. Amelia attended county trials at Evesham over two weekends in the autumn.

The U13s are split into two teams – the performance team and the lower development team. This summer, Amelia – who is a member of Bromsgrove and Pedmore Cricket Clubs – will have the chance to play in the Malvern festival against international opposition.

GROW YOUR OWN More than 90,000 people across Birmingham have been given the tools to lead healthier lifestyles thanks to the Health for Life scheme funded by Mondel z International Foundation.

The five-year initiative has resulted in a 25 per cent increase in primary pupils cooking at school across the region. The scheme has also provided schools with the means to grow their own produce, resulting in an increase in school gardens – in secondary schools 47 per cent more students have taken part in gardening for the first time.

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PERSON TO PERSON

CLOSE WITH…

JOHN STREET The founder of young people’s charity free@last on playing football in the streets of Zimbabwe, a landmark £2million campaign – and how we can each make a difference to often forgotten communities BEEN THERE, DONE THAT After three years working in a computer centre, my new wife and I went to Zimbabwe as volunteers for a youth organisation called Youth Alive Ministries. From football with street kids to national youth rallies we had an amazing 12 months in a beautiful country. We only returned to the UK to start my degree in applied theology and youth and community work. Placements in south London and south Chicago taught me about the dark side of life, the hidden communities in our world that are forgotten and neglected.

We moved to inner Birmingham to work for a small charity in Nechells and then I became an independent youth and community worker before eventually setting up our own charity – free@last – to improve the lives of the children and young people of Nechells.

In 2009 we began our ‘buy a brick’ campaign to raise money to buy our own building for delivering services in an environment where the local young people and children felt valued. Three days before Christmas we completed our £2million youth and community centre.

BIGGEST SUCCESS My children. I am exceptionally proud of all four and how they have grown/are growing into men and a young lady who care about others, are selfless and reflect God’s character.

Together with my exceptionally lovely, kind and supportive wife, they have allowed me the freedom to have an impact on other people’s lives too.

IT’S WHAT I DO I am the founder and director of free@last. The charity, for some, is a lifesaver – for others, whether local people of business supporters, it provides opportunities to give and receive, creating opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives.

DOWNTIME What’s that? I am a season ticket holder at Aston Villa FC, I like to do all the activities that Freax Adventures offers, particularly climbing mountains, wild camping – and getting away from phone signals.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE Eradicate child poverty and get every business in Birmingham involved. To climb a 4,000-metre mountain!

To run a school of integrity for people in the public eye. To get my published works into the hands of young people around the world.

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BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED Everything takes time. There are no quick wins, especially when working with people (community based and professionals). Nurturing supportive relationships to help you on your journey is a must, we can’t do any of this alone.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BRUM Birmingham as a whole city has a massive amount to celebrate and share with the rest of the country. Our history, diversity, youthful creativeness and passion as a city – but the barriers we put up ourselves stop progress. Change these and we will become a leading city (because who wants to be second?!)

FINALLY… Living in a poverty stricken area does not mean you cannot achieve, especially when you have the right support and vision for change.

John Street runs free@last, Freax Adventures and Family Fun Zone. For more information about free@last, tel: 0121 327 5959 www.freeatlast.st

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KOMPAS

The young Birmingham tech company is blazing a trail with its awardwinning and simply amazing ‘pocket guide to the world’s urban jungle’ f, like us, you love exploring the backwaters of a city but don’t have the time to spend hours or days attempting to research the most original, quirky, different places to visit, Birmingham-based technology company Kompas has just the answer. Its awardwinning mobile phone and tablet city app is described as ‘a pocket guide to the world’s urban jungles’.

According to Kompas co-founder and CEO Tom Charman the aim is to highlight the obscure things in the chosen city – those truly hidden gems that you won’t find in any regular guide, whether that be amazing and different places to eat, secret off-thebeaten track sights to see, or alternative nuggets for

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music and the arts. In fact, anything you wouldn’t ordinarily get to know about or go to see.

FUTURE FACE In under three years Kompas has gone from a small idea, fuelled with food and a love of exploring to a mobile app available on both iOS and Android which has won a clutch of top accolades for innovation. The most recent saw 24-year-old Tom win Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s Future Face of Technology and overall Future Face of Birmingham awards.

Kompas was started by Tom and co-founder Olivia Higgs when they spent a year living in and exploring

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COMPANY TO WATCH

Munich, Germany. They set out on the trail of finding original and different places to eat before expanding to explore abandoned railway stations, street art in the underground and hidden city passages. They even discovered homemade vodka being served in a Franco-Slavic bar.

“I wanted to explore the city,” said Tom, “but there wasn’t anything good enough to help me find the kind of places I wanted to go to. You can spend so much time searching for information and come up with nothing. When you do find something it is never personalised to your interests, and when you read the reviews they are fake.”

HIDDEN MUNICH After posting their findings on a Facebook page and an Instagram account under the name Hidden Munich, the pair realised from the response and feedback that there was a market for a city exploration app to help people uncover these incredible places. Their blog attracted more than 20,000 users in six months, proving that Tom wasn’t the only one finding it hard to get the information he wanted about the city.

“Kompas is all about offering exceptional experiences to those with a sense of adventure,” said Tom. “If you’re just looking to walk the same old trail along to the same old tourist traps, I’d strongly advise you to try somewhere else.”

The Kompas team, which includes design, production and software gurus, is currently 10-strong and growing all the time to match the expansion of the business. So far, the app covers six cities – London, Birmingham, Exeter and Liverpool in the UK and Munich and Berlin in Germany. Over the next 12 months, a further 11 UK and European cities will be added with Paris being the first. Longer term, there are plans to cover North America and Asia within the next five years. Based at Innovation Birmingham Campus, the business has a marketing partnership with train company London Midland.

NO BIG CHAINS Tom said: “When we decide to launch in a city and we have the right people in place, it takes about two weeks to get it up and running. Once we’ve launched and we can see it grow sustainably by itself we begin to

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think about the next city. We are at a stage now where companies approach us to be on the app, but they must have less than five outlets in the city we are operating in. We are talking about featuring the obscure and unusual, so we are talking independents, not big chains. If a big chain approaches us, we turn them away. It is not what we are about.”

Kompas has been recognised with a number of top industry awards. Hello Tomorrow, a global organisation bringing together leaders in breakthrough technology, named Kompas one of the Top 500 Deep-Technology companies in the world. In July, Visa Everywhere selected Kompas the overall award winner in its competition to foster partnerships with innovative startups. The firm was also shortlisted as one of 2017’s hottest travel startups in the Europas, the leading awards for Europe’s top tech businesses.

“So many great city features are missed by people just not realising the wealth of amazing opportunities waiting around every corner,” said Tom. “It’s our mission to help people discover the experiences they’ll want to share with everyone they know, whatever it is they’re in to.” I

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OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC RESULTS 83% Pass rate to select entry LA grammar schools 37 Scholarships to independent schools a record number! (for September 2017)

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MONIKA NAILS IT

BUSINESS

Nail polish entrepreneur Monika Shine of Solihullbased Semilac UK has been appointed brand advocate for Darren Campbell’s Pro Athlete Supplementation (PAS). Monika, who recently won a prestigious national beauty award, becomes PAS’s first brand advocate who is not an elite athlete. Olympic gold medal sprinter Darren said Monika embodies the drive and determination needed to achieve ambitious personal goals in sport and health.

NEWS £100K WAKE-UP CALL

An alarm clock app aimed at changing the way the world wakes up has created a crowdfunding buzz – raising £100,000 in less than 10 hours. Snoozle allows users to create and send voice messages which play at the time their friends have set their own alarm. Snoozle, the brainchild of Birmingham brothers Phil and Dan Neale, became the number one ‘Investment Opportunity’ during the week of its campaign launch on crowdfunding site Seedrs.

HSBC MAY DATE HSBC UK’s new head office in Birmingham city centre will officially open on 16 May. A series of special events is being planned to mark the launch of the bank which, upon completion of its new head office building in Centenary Square, will have invested more than £200 million and will have a 4,000-strong workforce in the city. Ian Stuart, pictured, executive of HSBC UK, said the bank’s investment in the city would provide it with an “exciting new heartbeat”.

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SUCCESS STORY Less than three years after launch, Story Comms has been named Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy of the Year at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) PRide Awards. The firm was also runner-up for Best Use of Photography or Design for its #AlphaSunrise campaign with CEG Property. Founder and MD Amanda Lowe said: “With our third birthday just around the corner, we've got some exciting plans in the pipeline – we're just getting started.”

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COMMONWEALTH BID

BA BACKS BRUM British Airways is to launch new services from Birmingham Airport. From May, there will be an extra weekend flight to Palma and additional summer routes to Malaga and Florence. Luke Hayhoe, pictured, British Airways’ general manager customer and commercial, said: “Following the successful launch of our regional flying this year we are delighted to resume flights from Birmingham next summer.”

An initiative to boost trade between Birmingham and the Commonwealth is underway with the launch of Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce. The Commonwealth Chamber offers services to businesses who want to develop markets in Commonwealth countries.

GBCC chief executive Paul Faulkner, pictured, said: “Birmingham’s bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games has shone a light on the strong links which already exist between the city and the Commonwealth.”

100 YEAR JOBS BOOST Premium furniture retailer Lee Longlands says it has secured 100 years of jobs in the Midlands by upgrading to a new, bigger logistics and distribution warehouse in Minworth. The relocation to the 23,000sqft unit has seen a £300,000 investment by the company, reflecting ambitious growth targets for next year. Sutton Coldfield’s deputy mayor, Cllr Derrick Griffin, officially opened the facility.

SPACE RACE HEAL’S HIRE REWIRED Birmingham furniture and interiors retailer Heal’s has appointed Rewired to deliver national press office support, working alongside the company’s in-house PR and marketing team. Rewired was initially appointed to support the launch of the new Heal’s store at the Mailbox, which included a series of events, media relations activity, and strategic communications to develop brand awareness across the Midlands and drive footfall.

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A multi award-winning chartered accountancy firm has taken on extra space within 54 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, following a period of exceptional growth. Salhan Accountants, which currently operates from the 15th floor of the Grade A office complex, agreed a new eightyear lease for an additional 2,670 sqft of space on the third floor of the East Wing. The company provides a number of accounting services.

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BUSINESS

AMY HITS WINNING NOTE Business leaders, mentors and entrepreneurs gathered at Edgbaston Stadium to see Strings Club director Amy Cunningham win the NatWest Great British Small Business Entrepreneur Award. The NatWest awards recognise the hard work and inspiring stories of British entrepreneurs. Having worked as a violinist and teacher for more than 10 years, Amy set up Strings Club in 2012 to offer high-quality musical experiences for children aged four to 11.

ARCHITECTS BIG PLANS UNI HONOURS JOHN A Walsall business leader has been recognised by one of the country’s leading universities for his contribution to supporting the region’s business, education and charitable communities. John Greaves, HomeServe’s brand director, was one of three people to receive honorary degrees from the University of Chester at Chester Cathedral. Others receiving awards included actor David Suchet, famed for his TV role as detective Hercule Poirot.

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Birmingham architectural practice Associated Architects has unveiled a new identity and made five internal appointments as it approaches its 50th anniversary. The Mailbox-based practice was founded in 1968 by three tutors at the Birmingham School of Architecture and has been recognised with RIBA Awards for its work across the university, education, residential, arts and commercial sectors. The creative team is now the biggest it has ever been at 69-strong and in 2016/2017 Associated Architects posted record turnovers.

INNOVATION PARTNERS Innovation Birmingham Campus has struck up a new partnership with not-for-profit innovation and research centre RE-Rise UK and its virtual incubator and accelerator service. Phase one of the alliance between the two companies is set to run until September and will see the organisations collaborate to drive business growth and success for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The partnership focuses on providing start-up businesses with international access to support and mentoring programmes.

TEAMING UP: Cliff Dennett of Innovation Birmingham and Venkat Raman of RE-Rise UK

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From only £25

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IT’S ONE BIG PARTY AT BIRTHDAY BOOTCAMP Jewellery Quarter online agency celebrates fifth anniversary in style irmingham SEO agency, Bootcamp Media, celebrated its fifth birthday with a party at the Hyatt Regency hotel. Owned by Jimi Shabir, the company based in the Jewellery Quarter specialises in online marketing, SEO and website design. Guests at the drinks reception were treated to several special performances including a set by Vintage Got Soul. I

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1 Bernice Heard, Mario Flanagan. 2 Leah-Naomi Lyriqe Ellis, Rene Williams. 3 Karyl Iles, Sue Wright, Chris Iles, Lucia De La Fuente.

4 Jag and Bally Guru. 5 Bunmi Fayomi, Michelle Richards. 6 Ifraz Ahmed, Jeremy Walker, Sam Moxon. 7 James Hall, Shahid Raza, Gemma Greaves.

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8 Raj Kaur, Jimi Shabir, Anita Champaneri.

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EDGBASTON WELCOMES NEW SKINCARE CLINIC Award-winning medispa brings unique anti-ageing treatments to Birmingham

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uests enjoyed a sneak preview of the first medispa and skin clinic of its kind in the region at an event to celebrate the launch of EF MEDISPA Edgbaston. The new clinic is part of the award-winning EF MEDISPA group, which has its headquarters in London. The group has clinics in the affluent areas of Kensington, Chelsea, St John’s Wood, Richmond and Clifton. Now the Edgbaston opening brings the brand’s unique rejuvenating, anti-ageing skincare treatments to Birmingham. I

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1 Violeta Negrea, Victor Fieldgrass, Natalie Kingsley-Fieldgrass, Theo Fieldgrass. 2 Tony Hall, Lisa Winters, Jo Denning.

Claire Hales, Lotty Harper. 4 Natasha Walkden, Nikki Gibberson.

3 Clare Thompson,

5 Harchie Basra, Dalbir Basra. 6 Karen Lyness, Gloria Elvidge.

7 Ting Newall, Melina Lyraki. 8 Anna Brader, Jason Hadden, Ellie Greenwood. 9 Perm Saini, Pav Shergill, Lakh and Aman Hayer.

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NETWORKERS GET A TASTE FOR CIDER Popular business event toasts new drinks from Birmingham company DGE Creative hosted another of its popular business networking events at Hotel du Vin, Birmingham. The evening was sponsored by family-run property investment company Epic Investments team. Invited guests had the opportunity to try new fruit ciders crafted

by Birmingham-based drinks company ODC Drinks – a concept from the clever chaps behind Indian wine business Soul Tree Wines. I

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1 Jon Kibbler, Joe Dakwa. 2 Paul Bevington, Chris Arkwell. 3 Adam Jones, Raimund Berens, Mark Williams, Louise Panayides, Richard Hunter-Rice, Phil Whelan. 4 Abbie Vlahakis, Greg Ford, Jaanika Okk, Dave Radburn, Martin Carrington. 5 Richard Hunter-Rice, Ros Wilson, Adam Jones. 6 Jenny Welch, Pete Hall, Ellen O’Neill, Ryan Harvey. 7 George Thomas, Mark Panayides, Raimund Berens.

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CANALSIDE HOSTS BIG CELEBRATION Double for BBC man headlines winners’ roll at annual awards

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analside, the events venue in the Cube, hosted the Midlands Media Awards. The Burton Mail was named newspaper of the year, while for the second year running Jonathan Gibson of BBC Inside Out West Midlands won the television journalist and story of the year categories.

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1 Tom Colley, Siobhan Molley, Mark Hadley, Katie Cohen, Mike Finnegan, Steve Gracey. 2 Caroline Lowbridge, Sue Green, Lewis Cox. 3 Rhea Turner, Nicholas Reid, Helen Kreft 4 Mike Lockley, winner of the president’s award.

5 Jonathan Gibson, Jennie Downton.

6 Co-hosts Bob Warman and Llewela Bailey with Tara and India Pooni. 7 Milly Taylor, Sian Young, Kate Gothorp. 8 Helen Kreft, Rhea Turner, Russell Jeans, Burton Mail editor Emma Turton, Julie Crouch.

Photography by Spanner in the Works and John Charlton

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CLINIC REVEALS NEW LUXURIOUS ROOMS Champagne launch guests get taste of bigger Hampton Clinic r Lorraine Hill, owner of Hampton Clinic, welcomed guests to the extended premises with luxurious new treatment rooms in the grounds of Hampton Manor. The evening was a huge success with local businesses in attendance for a spot of Christmas shopping, as well as champagne, canapes and fire pits! The clinic specialises in aesthetic treatments including CoolSculpting (fat freezing), non-surgical facelifts and a range of skin rejuvenation treatments.

Experienced beauty therapists also deliver a range of beauty and holistic services, seven-days-a-week. I

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1 Paula Dene, Krusha Agarwal. 2 Rachel Northam, Sue Botterill. 3 Loretta Paterson, Amanda Rees, Deborah Jones, Catherine Parr, Jo Oswald. 4 Cherie Rhodes, Barbara Rohman. 5 Dr Lorraine Hill. 6 Hanna Crichton, Lynsey Ogilvie. 7 Guests enjoying the launch event.

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8 Sally Rideout, Kerry Browne.

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ing ON il vWHAT’S

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WHAT: The National Running Show WHEN: 20 and 21 January WHERE: NEC, www.nationalrunningshow.com This inaugural show is set to be the only scaled non race-affiliated event that focuses solely on runners allowing sports retailers, nutrition experts, official sporting bodies and communities to gather under one roof like never before.

Speakers include British Olympic double champion Dame Kelly Holmes.

WHAT: Chinese New Year

WHAT: Shazia Mirza

WHEN: 16 February

WHEN: 2 February

WHERE: Various throughout the region

WHERE: The Old Rep Theatre,

Birmingham’s annual Chinese New Year celebration is always special and this year there will again be special events in the Southside District of the city with lion dances, funfair rides, street food and a host of traditional entertainment.

tel: 0121 359 9444 www.oldreptheatre.co.uk The only female Muslim stand-up comedian on the circuit, Mirza is known for her deadpan delivery on observations of her religious world. She is back in her home town for another tour that lifts the veil on the world of Muslim comedy.

WHAT: Lady Gaga – Joanne World Tour WHAT: Sleeping Beauty WHEN: 13 to 24 February WHERE: Birmingham Royal Ballet at Birmingham Hippodrome, www.brb.org.uk One of the grandest ballets ever created, with a classical score by Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Marius Petipa. Enter the opulent world of Imperial Russian ballet, a dazzling spectacle that has delighted audiences for over a hundred years.

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WHEN: 31 January WHERE: Arena Birmingham, tel: 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com The Grammy and Golden Globe winner and Academy awardnominated superstar has amassed an amazing 30 million global album sales and 150 million single sales – making her one of the best-selling musicians of all time. She’s back is back in town with her rescheduled and unmissable show.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: The Story of Guitar Heroes WHEN: 27 January WHERE: Belgrade Theatre, tel: 02476 553055 www.belgrade.co.uk If you like music and guitars then you’ll love this show. Hendrix, Clapton, May and Slash are just some of the outstanding guitar heroes you will have a chance to experience in one amazing show, performed by Phil Walker and his exceptional band.

WHAT: Thomas Bock WHEN: Now until 11 March WHERE: Ikon Gallery, www.ikon-gallery.org This is the first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of convict artist Thomas Bock (c.1793–1855) with a selection of drawings, paintings and photographs that demonstrate his technical skill and sensitivity, including an extraordinary series of portraits of Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

WHAT: Jazz at the MAC WHEN: 30 January WHERE: Mac Birmingham, tel: 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk Saxophonists Paul Dunmall and John O’Gallagher played together for the first time earlier this year with a blistering set at the Surge in Spring Festival. They enjoyed it so much that they are now touring nationally and returning to the MAC for another intimate gig.

WHAT: Natalie Imbruglia WHEN: 5 February WHERE: Town Hall, box office: WHAT: Jim Jefferies

0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk

WHEN: 18 January

The Australian superstar has had an incredible career that has seen her star on stage, TV and in movies as well as having platinum-selling albums. She’s in town again following the huge success of last year’s Acoustic Tour.

WHERE: Symphony Hall, box office: 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk One of the most popular and respected comedians of his generation, entertaining audiences across the globe with his controversial, belief-challenging, and thought-provoking comedy.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Reggae and Party Night WHEN: 26 January WHERE: The Lake at Barston, tel: 01675 444890 www.thelakeatbarston.co.uk Pumping out all the reggae classics we know and love, Reggaelicious is one of the best UK reggae tribute bands on the circuit and this should be a great night.

WHAT: Jersey Boys WHEN: Now until 6 January WHERE: New Alexandra Theatre, tel: 0844 8713011 www.atgtickets.com/birmingham

WHAT: The Script WHEN: 15 February WHERE: Genting Arena, tel: 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com The Irish three-piece are an impressive live act and this tour should be no exception as they celebrate the recent success of Freedom Child topping the official UK album chart.

WHAT: Louise WHEN: 22 January WHERE: Birmingham O2 Institute, www.academymusicgroup.com/ o2institutebirmingham Louise Redknapp returns to the stage for an intimate tour of the UK. With an array of hits from across her 25-year career, both as a solo artist and as part of Eternal, this is a great opportunity to witness the star perform her finest work.

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The internationally acclaimed smashhit musical has won 57 major awards worldwide, including the Olivier for best new musical. Telling the true life story of four boys from the wrong side of the tracks who wrote their own songs, invented a unique sound and sold 100 million records.

WHAT: Olly Murs & Bruno Mars Party With Robbie Glenn WHEN: 2 February WHERE: Nailcote Hall, tel: 02476 466174 www.nailcotehall.co.uk An amazing evening with the UK’S No 1 tribute to Bruno Mars and Olly Murs.

Capturing the hits, the moves, the voices and unique style of these two fabulous performers, all in one show.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Mount Carmel

WHAT: Bruckner’s Seventh

Does Strictly

WHEN: 11 January

WHEN: 27 January

WHERE: Symphony Hall,

WHERE: Redditch Palace Theatre,

tel: 0121 780 3333

tel: 01527 65203

www.cbso.co.uk/whats-on

www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk

Bruckner heard the beginning of his Seventh Symphony in a dream, played by an angel. And like the famous slow movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21, it certainly sounds divine.

Pianist Yeol Eum Son is set to make a stunning Birmingham debut.

A charity night of entertainment and glamour as amateur couples take to the stage in a dance competition.

Audience participation is a must for this event as everyone gets the opportunity to vote.

WHAT: 101 Dalmatians

WHAT: Cinderella

WHEN: Now until 13 January

WHEN: Now until 28 January

WHERE: Birmingham Rep,

WHERE: Birmingham Hippodrome,

tel: 0121 245 2024

tel: 0844 338 5000

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

www.birminghamhippodrome.com

Dodie Smith’s delightful tale is the perfect festive treat and has been brilliantly transformed for the stage

by Debbie Isitt, the writer and director of the hugely popular Nativity! films. You know the book and film, now experience the magical story live on stage.

Cinderella is possibly the most magical pantomime of them all and this star-studded, glittering production will be no exception. The cast includes Beverley Knight, Danny Mac and Suzanne Shaw so make sure this is one ball you get to go to!

WHAT: A Christmas Carol WHEN: Now until 4 February WHERE: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, tel: 01789 403493 www.rsc.org.uk A new adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic by David Edgar, one of our greatest living writers.

This festive tale of redemption and compassion is one of the most loved short stories ever written.

Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh.

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IN THE CITY I love the fact that Colmore Business District is starting to see more of a café culture with on-street seating at a number of our venues

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I am Michele Wilby, executive director of Colmore Business District. We are a Business Improvement District (BID), which is a not-for-profit company funded by a levy on business rates. We provide services, events and other projects in a defined geographical area. There are five BIDs in the city centre and we are the only professional services BID. HOW DO YOU GET INTO TOWN? I walk to work most mornings, apart from the occasional bus journey along the Bristol Road. We moved to a mansion flat on the Bristol Road a couple of years ago, after moving from the Jewellery Quarter. It is nice to still be able to walk to work. I often go through Southside as part of my journey and it is nice to see their newly-opened Parklet, which provides some welcome greenery in the area.

LUNCHTIME? A quick bite from Philpotts for breakfast (toast and butter), or somewhere like EAT, or the restaurant on the top floor of House of Fraser – they do a delicious daily roast. And for a special occasion, it’s usually Opus.

POWERWALKING? I tend to walk around the Jewellery Quarter or wander in the cathedral grounds.

Michele Wilby, executive director, Colmore Business District

HOW’S THE COMMUTE? Great! A daily walk is good for the body and mind.

That said it would be far better with less traffic and pollution, especially on the A38.

IS BRUM A GOOD PLACE TO WORK? Absolutely!

COFFEE BREAK? Anywhere in the district! We’ve got so much choice and Java Lounge is just around the corner from the

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office. Off-patch favourites include York’s in Stephenson Street, which is in Retail BID.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE CITY? Obviously Colmore! There’s so much going on, we’ve had many new hospitality venues open so you really are spoiled for choice.

AFTERWORK PINT? Usually a G&T at Gingers rather than a pint. Or if its wine, Hotel du Vin or Harvey Nichols HOW CAN THE CITY BE MADE BETTER? I love the fact that Colmore Business District is starting to see more of a café culture with on-street seating at a number of our venues. Ideally the district needs to be more pedestrian-friendly, which is what we are hoping to achieve with our next public realm works. To meet the targets for pollution reduction in the city centre we need to see fewer cars coming into the core area. I

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