Birmingham Living September 2020 issue 95

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Birmingham vli ing

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September 2020

ED KING

SNAPSHOTS OF MUMBAI

AW20 STYLE EDIT

BHARAT CHANDEGRA PERFECT PASTRIES

ESTHER SMITH FOOD&DRINK

NEWS I REVIEWS I RECIPES

BACK TO BUSINESS OPENING UP THE CITY

SUITED FOR SUCCESS

CUCKOO, PANTO AND APPLE TV’S HIT SERIES

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EDITOR’S VIEW

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s I write my intro to the magazine this month, there’s the disturbing news that an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Birmingham has led to the city being put on the Government’s national watch list. Additional measures to tackle the rise include greater testing and even more emphasis on the basics – wear a mask, socially distance, wash your hands.

The biggest increase in cases is among the 18 to 34-year-olds – exactly the age group that believes by some weird logic that they are immune from the virus or, in some cases, just don’t care as long as they can continue to ‘have a good time’. I encountered just such an individual in a shop a few days ago. Everyone was masked up except for a young man who was with a youngish child. He made it clear that he thought he was being ‘Mr Big’ by not wearing a mask. Glad to say, the strong reaction of the store workers and fellow shoppers put him to shame and he left in double quick time.

The fact is that we all need to act responsibly for the common good of the rest of the community. I bet this chap hasn’t had the horror of losing a parent or grandparent to Covid or else he wouldn’t act in such a mindless, cavalier way.

And let’s be clear, it’s not just the human cost of such irresponsibility that needs to be reckoned, there’s also the potential economic price to pay for Birmingham. To be forced into lockdown again by the actions of a few fools would be even more disastrous for a city just starting to feel its way back to reopening businesses, restaurants and venues again.

This autumn is already going to be like no other we’ve experienced before. Don’t let’s make it even harder!

s n h o J David

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

Esther Smith by Wolf Marloh – wolfmarlohphoto.com

/bhamliving

FINALIST

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

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

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

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

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INSIDE

10 14 18 28 34 42 04 birmingham living

Highlights

Esther Smith

The actress on her much-acclaimed role in TV’s Trying and her debt to a canny tutor at college

Ed King How a holiday turned into a love affair with India for writer of the brilliant Snapshots of Mumbai

Food & Drink The world of exquisite pastries with Bharat Chandegra, plus news, views and reviews

Health Do you run-run? Tens of thousands are with you in the great lockdown hit-the-streets boom

Style Fashion carries on, pandemic or not! So, what’s hot for AW20? Our edit delivers the goods!

Homes What’s cooking in the world of kitchen design and gadgets this autumn? We pick out our favourites

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CONTENTS

Best of the Rest

50 52 57 60 64 66 september 2020

Motoring

There’s no stopping Sue Cooke as she drives the new car that predicts the next green traffic light!

Young, Gifted & Brummie Rupinder Kaur – poet, performer and champion of South Asian culture in Brum and beyond Business News Latest news and views as commercial community gets back to business

Suited for Success The award-winning charity’s styling and coaching skills in demand like never before

What’s On After months of lockdown, some music and performance venues are back making a splash

Up Close Dean of Birmingham, Matt Thompson talks hopes and dreams for the city he grew up in

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NEWS

REP SEES RED

Picture: Hannah Kelly

Birmingham REP took on a warm glow as part of the national Light It In Red initiative. The theatre’s lighting technicians transformed the venue to shed a light on freelancers, suppliers and those who work in the theatre and events industry in a time of uncertainty as a result of the coronavirus epidemic. Artistic director Sean Foley said: “We joined a multitude of venues across the country who lit up their buildings red in support of those on whom our entire theatre ecology relies.”

NEWS

IN THESE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES, WE BRING YOU STORIES TO INSPIRE AND ADMIRE FROM ACROSS THE CITY

IT’S VIRTUALLY RUNNING

Runners are dusting off their trainers to take part in a new virtual event. Run over 5k, 10k, half or full marathon distances, the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Charity runs can be completed anywhere, any time and at a personal pace.

Runners can choose to complete their distance in one go, over a few days or even weeks, logging their evidence right up until Sunday 11 October and receiving a medal for each distance completed separately. More details at bch.org.uk/redrunners or bwh.org.uk/purple-pacers

CUSHY NUMBER? Andrew Cussins is sitting pretty after the opening of a new Sofas & Stuff showroom in Mere Green. The furniture brand’s MD took a seat at the store which showcases a large selection of bespoke British-made sofas and chairs. He said: “Since the opening of our flagship store in 2009, our loyal customer base has continued to grow, even in these uncertain and difficult times, and we are delighted to share our showroom experience with even more customers in the new Mere Green, Birmingham store.”

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NEWS

CARRY ON GLAMPING

Warwick Castle has extended its legendary Glamping until the end of the month due to the huge demand from families opting for staycations in the pandemic.

The medieval-themed Glamping experience includes two-day castle tickets, evening activities in the Knight’s Village and parking. The castle has been awarded the VisitEngland We're Good to Go charter mark for its health and safety standards. More details at: www.warwick-castle.com/stay-overnight.

BIRTHDAY TREAT GAME-CHANGER DENISE A nationwide search to find the ‘Mascot Maker’ for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is nearing its conclusion. Children aged five to 15 were set the challenge to create and design the official Birmingham 2022 mascot. The winning design, revealed this month, reflects the identity, heritage and culture of the West Midlands through its youthfulness, diversity, dynamism and creativity. The competition followed the world’s-

CLOCKING OFF

first Virtual Mascot Summit, hosted by president of Commonwealth Games England and former Olympic heptathlete Denise Lewis, pictured.

A local care home team was given a birthday surprise to celebrate 10 years of service. Staff who have worked at Broadway Halls Care Home, Dudley, since it opened were presented with high street gift vouchers and a special gold pin badge to show their 10 years of commitment to the residents.

Broadway Halls recently became part of the Barchester Healthcare group which runs more than 200 care homes in the UK.

A Birmingham landmark is being restored to its former glory. The Jewellery Quarter’s 117-year-old Chamberlain Clock has been dismantled and moved from the junction of Warstone Lane and Vyse Street in the Jewellery Quarter to clock-makers Smith of Derby, where it is undergoing extensive restoration. The cast-iron clock, which was badly corroded and with a broken mechanism, is expected to return home and keep perfect time again in early 2021.

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NEWS

NEW ARRIVALS Animal magic was the order of the day when Drayton Manor Park welcomed a host of new babies into the world during lockdown. The arrivals included two baby Iguanas, a baby spider monkey and macaw and two sets of monkey twins. Head of zoo operations, Chris Mitchell, said: “We’re delighted to welcome so many new animals into the park ahead of re-opening, not least because six of the babies are classed as vulnerable or endangered species.”

CRICKET DEAL Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care marked the return of county cricket by announcing an enhanced five-year partnership.

Scrivens is now Warwickshire’s lead partner for First Class and List A cricket with featured branding on the front of the County Championship and Royal London Cup shirts – as modelled in our picture by captain Will Rhodes – until at least the end of the 2024 season.

KEEPING IT SWEET

LEAGUE LEADERS One of the UK’s biggest bands is coming to Birmingham to perform its classic album, 40 years on. The Human League will be playing the DARE album in its entirety as well as other hits from their extensive back catalogue on Saturday 4 December at the Utilita Arena. The band dominated the airwaves and charts throughout the 80s with their post-punk electronica. Support acts are the Thompson Twins, Tom Bailey and Altered Images.

When Cadbury World celebrated its 30th anniversary there was only one way to do it – in chocolate! Chocolatiers Dawn Jenks and Donna Oluban produced an impressive creation weighing 10kg – the equivalent of 222 standard bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk – and featuring giant hand-crafted white chocolate numbers and chocolate recreations of Cadbury characters Freddo and the Caramel Bunny.

The Bournville-based tourist attraction welcomes more than 600,000 visitors

RUN OF A KIND

each year.

Birmingham’s first-ever city running tour has hit the ground with the arrival of a new homegrown team, Run of a Kind.

Based on the popular tourist walking tour activity, a running tour is a more unique (and faster!) way to see the city with a local guide. Run of a Kind founder, Lucy Canham from Moseley, pictured, said: “We promise runners will go home with new facts and friends, an awareness and understanding of the city in new ways, plus with a massive smile and love for Brum.” Details: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-best-ofbirmingham-running-tour-tickets-111948053642.

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NEWS

NICE TRY, NICK!

Children and families supported by Acorns Children’s Hospice are set to benefit thanks to a charity partnership headed by a Worcester Warriors rugby legend. Ex-professional player Nick Baxter, now MD of Baxter Williams, is giving five per cent of sales from the Safety Screen – a patented workplace screen to combat the spread of coronavirus – towards the charity and its specialist palliative care for children and families. Entrepreneur Nick, pictured, visited the Midlands hospice to launch the partnership.

RAKHI TO THE RESCUE A junior Birmingham A&E doctor has used her lockdown paintings to raise funds for disaster relief charity ShelterBox. Having left her paintbrushes behind in her teens, Rakhi Ghosh returned to the easel as a way to relax after challenging shifts during the coronavirus crisis. Her Gift of Time Art is posted on Instagram with prints and originals being sold for donations on JustGiving, raising more than £600 so far.

Rakhi said: “I wanted to be able to share my achievement, using it as a positive change for other people as well.”

PLASTIC FANTASTIC Midlands-based Warwick Music Group, which developed the world’s first plastic brass instruments, has become the first UK music instrument manufacturer to be certified as carbon neutral. It has received the designation for its full range of brass instruments – produced in highly colourful recyclable ABS plastic – from the UK’s leading sustainability validator, Carbon Footprint. The company – winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its innovation of its first instrument in plastic, the pBone – is now the world’s largest producer of brass instruments manufactured in ABS plastic.

SELFRIDGES LAUNCH Selfridges Birmingham has launched a new sustainability initiative which aims to change the way we shop by 2025.

Project Earth has a three-pronged attack – to address the materials used in products, explore new retail models such as repair and resell, and engage with teams, partners and customers to inspire a shift in mindsets. The store is working closely with more than 250 brand partners with support from the Woodland Trust and WWF.

PSYCHIC CITY Birmingham has officially been named the UK’s most spiritual city – with more than 1,400 Brummies searching for psychics, clairvoyants and tarot readers every month! The mystical revelation comes in a special lockdown study of hobbies and pastimes by TheKnowledgeAcademy. Birmingham was followed in the psychic league table by second-placed Glasgow.

GOT ANY NEWS? Email your news and pictures to editor@brumliving.co.uk september 2020

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COVER STORY

STAGE RIGHT

ACTRESS ESTHER SMITH TALKS CHEMISTRY TO SHELLEY CARTER, THAT ACCENT AND A LITTLE NUDGE TOWARDS THE STAGE FROM A CANNY TUTOR AT COLLEGE

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COVER STORY

”

TRYING IS THE TALE OF A THIRTY-

SOMETHING MARRIED COUPLE EMBARKING ON THE ADOPTION PROCESS AND ALL THE EMOTION, TENSION AND CLOSENESS THAT COMES WITH IT

f you haven’t watched Apple TV’s first scripted project from Europe, Trying, you’re missing a heart-warming, amusing, uplifting trick. The stars of the show, Esther Smith and Rafe Spall, have chemistry in spades and the entire thing feels natural and believable and therefore really moving. We caught up with West Mids lass Esther who describes crying and laughing in equal measure when she first read the script that turned out to be her dream gig.

Launching a show just as lockdown kicked off wasn’t ideal for Apple TV, but as it turns out perhaps it was a silver lining, a captive audience? Reviews have been knockout with healthy viewing figures.

Trying is the tale of a thirty-something married couple, Nikki (Esther) and Jason (Rafe) struggling to have a baby and deciding to embark on the adoption process and all the emotion and tension and closeness that comes with that.

Once Esther had mopped up her tears after reading the script, she decided she really wanted to play this

I

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character. She says: “The chemistry read with Rafe was really important. It’s basically two characters for eight episodes and viewers need to believe the relationship.

It’s essentially about a couple in their mid-thirties learning to understand themselves.” Safe to say, the read through went well and they got on brilliantly from the off. Filming in the sunshine largely on Hampstead Heath was pretty dreamy and right now Esther says she’d give a lot to be back there with actual people!

HELL OF A PROCESS Infertility and adoption are not topics often dealt with in this way – it’s as funny as it is moving – and Esther has received some lovely messages. She says: “It’s one hell of a process and I think it’s important to highlight stories and subjects that don’t get a light shone on them. I’ve had some gorgeous messages from people who’ve gone through it.” The filming of the next series was due to begin last month, but there’s a certain pandemic ruining the schedule.

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COVER STORY

Esther’s Stourbridge twang is still recognisable although she says it gets more obvious when she’s had a few drinks! “It is more subtle now. I’ve lived in London for so long, but there’s a freedom in it. It’s who I am.” In her first TV job Esther read the script in her natural accent and it just felt right. She says: “Nobody batted an eyelid, so I just stuck with it. Regional accents are embraced so much more now and I think it adds a richness to your work. It’s like pockets of the country showing how great and how different they all are.”

Esther did four series of Cuckoo with Greg Davies which was set in the Midlands. She says: “It was such a joy.

A funny mad family. Greg was great and I got to work with Helen Baxendale who I’ve been a fan of since Cold Feet.”

Esther also played Delphi Diggery in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and more recently Kat in the award-winning Parliament Square.

DANCE AND PANTO Growing up, Esther was into dance and local panto. She was a member of the operatic society in Stourbridge and performed occasionally with a local theatre company. She wasn’t from a family that was into the acting world and never really thought it could be a career. “I’d never seen a play before I went to college. I didn’t know I could do plays. Then one of the directors at college said, ‘I think you could do this’ and it planted a seed. I might have got there in my own way, another way, but that was a moment. It set me off on that path.” Esther says without that push or validation it would have felt out of reach. How would she have got a London agent? That, along with lots of other questions might have become barriers.

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IT’S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT

”

STORIES THAT DON’T GET A LIGHT SHONE ON

THEM. I’VE HAD SOME GORGEOUS MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE WHO’VE GONE THROUGH IT

Esther isn’t fazed by the inconsistent work that comes with being an actress – rather the opposite. She explains: “There’s something thrilling about not knowing what next year will bring.” Obviously the uncertainty of lockdown adds another dimension particularly for theatres and Esther worries about the future for them. She says: “It’s crippling and really sad. I think it’s a necessary artform that collectively allows you to take yourself out of it all.

That bit of escapism that we all need. I miss it. It’s depressing.”

We get the impression Esther is a doer. She’s taken the opportunity in lockdown when she should have been on stage in Chichester to ‘develop her own ideas’. She’ll say no more than that, but it’s very intriguing and I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of Esther Smith. I

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COVER STORY

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FEATURE

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

How a holiday turned into a love affair with India for writer Ed King,

culminating in Snapshots of Mumbai, the first in a series of new books holiday back in 2006 triggered Ed King’s love affair with India. “That first taxi ride from the airport,” says the Moseley-born writer. “I remember being hit by the vast similarities and yet the differences from where I grew up. I felt at home, yet alien at the same time. I was immediately fascinated and captivated.”

Perfectly summing up the strange mix was the plethora of British-inspired architecture all around – yet with dozens of monkeys hanging from the masonry. Ed also recalls: “We passed a funeral procession that was familiar in so many ways, except that the body was being carried high above people’s heads.”

In the intervening years, India has become an intricate part of Ed’s life – he has his own house in south Goa. Now he has put his experiences and interactions with the Indian people down in writing in the first of a series of five books. Snapshots of Mumbai was published last month, 73 years on to the day from India’s independence from British colonial rule. The book proves even more timely with the current moral and political focus on India’s torrid history under the British Empire.

A

MIGHT AND MAJESTY Ed describes the 204-page coffee table book as “a love letter to the modern-day megacity which encapsulates the might and majesty of India while following the roots of British imperialism”.

The anthology of essays and interviews from Mumbai starts with South City, a walking tour through the historical blueprint behind the sprawling metropolis.

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FEATURE

MAKING NOTES: Ed sits it out on Mumbai’s Marine Drive

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FEATURE

TASTE OF MUMBAI: A food stall on Chowpatty Beach

Places Behind goes deeper under the surface of prominent areas in Mumbai, such as Dhobi Ghats – the world’s largest outdoor laundromat – and Dharavi, Asia’s biggest slum where the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire was set. Modern Gods, meanwhile, explores three major driving forces behind Mumbai – religion, entertainment and trade.

Interviews sees Ed talk to people about their firsthand experiences of living and working in Mumbai.

Interviewees include Saami, a street hawker in Colaba; Ashwin Merchant, deputy director of the Swiss Business Hub, and Naresh Fernandes, a prominent Mumbai-based journalist and writer, who edited Time Out Mumbai when interviewed.

PICTURE SHOWCASE Supporting the text are a series of original images from Birmingham-based photographer Paul Ward, who won the Fashion Photographer category at the 2020 British Photography Awards. The final chapter in Snapshots of Mumbai, titled The Gallery, showcases a series of 12 photographs by Paul which have been on display as stand-alone exhibitions at Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Bilston Art Gallery.

Snapshots of Mumbai is available from Review Publishing in hardback and paperback editions. More information and links to online purchasing at: https://www.reviewpublishing.net/snapshots-of-mumbai/ All photography by Paul Ward https://paulward.net/ and featured in Snapshots of Mumbai © Review Publishing

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CATCHING UP: Ed interviews street hawker and aspiring writer Saami on the harbour wall in Colaba

Ed, who initially worked in arts and entertainment before going into journalism and copywriting, said: “Since 2006, I have been back to India virtually every year. I am 42 years old and the Empire and India was never taught in history lessons when I was at school. It has been left to fade away as part of our forgotten history. I wrote Snapshots of Mumbai because I wanted to learn myself about the relationship between Britain and India. Something I hope to pass on in an engaging narrative surrounded by Paul’s beautiful pictures.”

The remaining books in the series will follow Britain’s involvement with India from the trade of the East India Company to the military occupation enforced by the British Crown and cover Kochi, Chennai, Kolkata and Kashmir. I

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FOOD & DRINK

BHARAT CHANDEGRA How the pastry chef who launched XO Patisserie during lockdown has defied the pandemic by scoring a business success with his amazing petit gateaux, macaroons and celebration cakes

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CHEF’S CORNER

Tell us about your cooking I set up XO Patisserie to offer Birmingham a range of Petit Gateaux, macarons, eclairs and celebration cakes. With my experience I am keen to bring something really special and along the lines of the amazing cakes presented in the famous patisseries of Paris and London.

Flavour is absolutely key and I like to give classic combinations a twist. For instance, I add blackcurrant to peanut butter jelly to balance the sweetness. While flavour comes first, each creation needs to look eye-catching. I like to entice people to want to eat each piece and then the flavour takes over.

How are you adapting to the current crisis?

I launched XO Patisserie during the lockdown so my business adapted to the crisis at the outset.

I was lucky to have been offered the opportunity to have my cakes delivered by Andreas Antona of Simpsons and the Cross, Kenilworth. Since the lockdown has been eased, I’ve been supplying various cafes and restaurants.

How did you become a chef?

What was your favourite food as a kid?

Chocolate cake and custard.

My uncle inspired my interest in food. I would work alongside him in the kitchen and he would teach me skills such as chopping vegetables from the age of about six. I studied catering at the College of Food in Birmingham where I qualified with NVQ Levels 1, 2 and 3.

That’s where I fell in love with pastry work. I’m lucky to have had many chefs influence my career. These days I follow pastry chefs on social media and I find Amaury Guichon particularly inspiring.

What do you eat when at home?

I’ve been living with my parents since lockdown. Mum is vegetarian so I tend to eat vegetable-based food at home. They taste just as good as meat dishes – especially mum’s lentil dishes.

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

For me that would be Amaury Guichon.

Closer to home, I’d have to say Stu Deeley – his food is an explosion of flavours.

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Share a cooking tip To avoid caramel crystalising during preparation add a couple of drops of lemon.

And using light soft brown sugar in cakes instead of caster sugar gives a softer consistency.

Food heaven and food hell?

Despite loving vegetarian food, I’d have to say heaven is fried chicken. I can’t think of anything I’ve eaten that would be my hell…

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

Dehydrated crickets – they had a slightly malty flavour and added texture to the dish.

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

A carpenter as it’s a creative job where I could create and sculpt, much as I do with my showpieces. I

MAKE BHARAT’S YUMMY BANANA CAKE Bharat has produced an easy banana cake recipe for readers to make at home that uses some of those lingering items in the store cupboard. You’ll find the recipe at www.brumliving.co.uk

For more details on Bharat follow him on either Instagram: x.o_patisserie or Facebook: XO Patisserie

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FOOD & DRINK

NIBBLES and SHORTS

BIRMINGHAM’S BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE SHOWING HOW TO ADAPT TO THESE CHALLENGING TIMES, WHILE HELPING LOCAL COMMUNITIES LIKE NEVER BEFORE

REP FEEDS HUNGRY KIDS Birmingham REP has become the first theatre in the UK to partner with national food solution organisation Open Kitchens – providing 9,000 freshly prepared meals for children in poverty in the city in the project’s first six weeks. The REP’s kitchens are receiving surplus food each week from supermarkets, manufacturers and the hospitality sector. Volunteers from the theatre’s bar and restaurant team are preparing the meals which are distributed free by Open Kitchens partner organisation Fareshare, the UK’s network of charitable food redistributors.

WEDDINGS BOOST

CLICK & COLLECT LAUNCH

GEN UP ON GIN Calling all gin lovers! A new gin distillery and tasting school has opened at Birmingham’s Clayton Hotel. Run by master distiller Neil Harrison from Nelson’s Distillery, the four-hour course allows you to learn

everything there is to know to make The team at the Lost & Found Birmingham has your own unique blend. The day also A £500 ‘save the date’ deposit launched a new Click-&-Collect service of tasty take includes three servings of gin and scheme helped a wedding home dishes. The menu features starters, mains, and tonic, a leisurely lunch while you caterer see a rise in business desserts and caters for all tastes whether you’re a meat distil your unique blend and a 70cl through lockdown. The scheme freak or vegan lover. If you don’t want to leave the bottle per still of your own unique was the brainchild of Marc comfort of your sofa, Lost & Found has partnered blend of gin/vodka to take home. with Deliveroo. Available every day from midday Hornby, who jointly owns to 9pm (Sundays until 8pm) get a tasty wedding business Caviar & meal to your door – Chips and the Virgins and Castle what’s not to like? pub in Kenilworth, A new afternoon tea is going down a treat with visitors to the Warwickshire. Caviar & Chips Laura Ashley tea rooms in Solihull and Coventry. The menu has all the sandwiches, savoury treats, had built up revenues of cakes, scone and pastries you’d expect from a cracking afternoon tea, plus new vegan options £250,000 a year before the including cucumber, apple and dill sandwiches and avocado and lime crostini. A children’s afternoon pandemic wiped out bookings. tea includes a selection of finger sandwiches, vegetable sticks and dips and fresh fruit kebabs.

Marc said: “The deposit

NEW-LOOK TEA-TIME

initiative is for clients who wanted to book us for next year and the year after and brought a lot of enquiries.”

MEXICAN MAKEOVER

BUBBLE DINING AT ASHAS Award-winning Indian restaurant Ashas has reopened post-lockdown with a new ‘bubble dining’ concept. The eateries in Newhall Street, Birmingham and Touchwood, Solihull, now feature private glazed booths which divide existing private dining areas into a number of units. Paul Bassi, who owns the restaurants with business partner Pawan Kenth, said they had used the lockdown period to consider how they could return to serving customers and create safe spaces in which to enjoy dining.

Coach House restaurant in Moseley Village has re-emerged from lockdown as a Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar. Spanish head chef Pablo Aquilla has created a punchy menu full of flavour and fan favourites, including the likes of paella, tapas and burritos as well as dishes such as albondigas, picantonas, and patatas bravas. New manager Chris Delaney has also put together a cocktail menu – which includes Tolkien’s Paradise in tribute to the local Lord of the Rings writer – to complement the dishes.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

GAUCHO

55 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2AA. Tel: 0121 439 9236 gauchorestaurants.com

his period of forced abstinence has made it crystal clear that eating out is our number one pastime. Obviously, the spontaneity isn’t back to pre-lockdown levels and there are contact forms to fill in, social distancing to be done and hands to be sanitised, but we’ll take it. It’s good to be back and we’ll never take it for granted.

Gaucho is probably our fourth or fifth meal out since restrictions lifted, so we were pretty relaxed about being out and about. The restaurant was on the ball with contact forms and hand sanitising on arrival, but once that was done we could almost forget about it. Although tables were appropriately spaced, it didn’t kill the vibe.

Almost every table was full and according to our waitress, the Eat Out to Help Out scheme had made a real difference to the early part of the week. The staff seemed as happy as we were to be back.

The last time I ate at Gaucho, it was as a pescatarian and it was brilliant even without sampling the restaurant’s famed steak. This time was all about the meat via some moreish warm cheesy rolls, corn bread and a beautifully balanced dish of perfectly cooked scallops with a silky cauliflower puree and delicious, tangy pickled cauliflower and some tasty lamb empanadas.

Then the beef. Our waitress talked us through the different cuts of which there are eight plus a

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chateaubriand for sharing, all from Black Angus cattle raised chomping their way through umpteen types of grass on the Pampas. We plumped for sirloin with bearnaise sauce and a ribeye with chimichurri.

The ribeye was one of the best steaks we’ve ever eaten. Ever. Marbled with fat, it was packed with flavour and tasted like beef straight from the top Argentinian drawer. The punchy herb-filled chimichurri enhanced it brilliantly. The sirloin was wonderfully charred on the outside and pink inside and was all kinds of lip-smackingly good with a dreamy bearnaise sauce. We recommend not sharing a pot of chips. They are so damn good, you’ll definitely want your own.

A word to the wise – even the restaurant’s small steaks (300g) are really generous and we honestly couldn’t have managed any more. A Journey’s End Chardonnay slipped down nicely from a wine list that’s well put together, featuring some fine Argentinian varieties as you’d expect. The restaurant isn’t cheap even with the PM’s scheme, but sometimes/often you get what you pay for and Gaucho feels just that.

Finally… while we’re sure our readers are far too classy to pull a no-show, here’s a friendly reminder that if you’re making a booking anywhere in the city please either honour it and enjoy or phone ahead and cancel. Don’t be that person! I

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SWEET SPOT

XO PATISSERIE Order through www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk/simpsons-at-home/order/ Follow @x.o_patisserie on Instagram

e’re suckers for a pastry and while ordering a Simpsons At Home meal during lockdown, we may have added a selection of the sweet stuff from the clever sticks at XO Patisserie. Twice. If you’ve ever watched Bake Off The Professionals, opening the unassuming white box to reveal the stunning morsels inside was a bit like that, minus the high drama and expletives.

We might have eaten them as though we were judging BOTP style mind you. Picture Benoit Blin only from Smethwick.

We’re not pastry chefs, but even we could appreciate the talent and effort that had gone into each intricate dessert. They were genuinely like a work of art and so colourful. The vivid green of the pistachio éclair was something else and tasted absolutely dreamy. The smoothest creme pat through the centre, beautiful crisp choux and a sweet hit of icing was just stunning.

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A mango and roasted hazelnut gateaux stood proudly displaying a canary yellow coating sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts. Slicing into it was guilt inducing, but worth it. The layers inside looked technically impossible yet there they were winking at us. The textures were bang on with the smoothness tempered with crunchy nuts and fruity mango cutting through the sweetness.

Up next, triple chocolate petit gateaux. A classy chocolate fest that wowed the crowd. Then came a peanut butter and blackcurrant slice. Admittedly this doesn’t sound great on paper, particularly if you think peanut butter is the work of Satan, however it tasted brilliant. It was like a touch of old school Black Forest gateaux finessed wonderfully.

Chef Bharat Chandegra took part in Bake Off The Professionals in 2018, so he really knows his stuff. Out of a box of four, there were only winners. All of them were super special and felt like a real treat. The selection varies from week to week. I

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SEASON’S EATINGS

PERFECT PLUM CAKE We think plums are under-valued and under-used.

In fact, we feel a campaign coming on… lums. Outside of Pershore, where they’re slightly obsessed, why don’t we celebrate this little fruit more? They’re great value, work in sweet or savoury dishes or eaten as a snack and they’re bursting with vitamins and antioxidants which are helpful for reducing inflammation. Plus, plums are great for bones and may even help cut the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

They’re also bang in season this month so why not give them a whirl? Who doesn’t love homemade afternoon teas – especially with this simple little plum cake as the centrepiece?

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Ingredients

I 150g caster sugar I 115g butter

I 140g plain flour

I 1 tsp baking powder I 2 eggs

I 1 pinch salt

I 12 plums, pitted and halved I 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Beat the sugar with the softened butter until fluffy. Mix the flour and baking powder and then sift into creamed mixture. Add the eggs and salt and thoroughly mix everything together.

Grease a 26cm round springform tin then add the mixed batter and smooth it out. Top with the plums (cut side up) and sprinkle with two tablespoons of caster sugar and the cinnamon. Bake on the lowest shelf for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature – either way it’s bloomin’ lovely!

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

SIPPING PRETTY Say hello to the Bobo, a perfect summer cocktail based on One Gin’s new Sage & Apple gin

obo is a distinctively elegant, fruity and flavoursome cocktail that is perfect for sipping in the garden in the lazy, late days of summer. To make, you’ll need One Gin’s new Sage & Apple gin which is available at Tesco.. I

B

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY INGREDIENTS:

I 540ml One Sage & Apple Gin I 25ml ruby port

I 25ml plum saké

I 10ml honey syrup

I 1 sprig of thyme

I 10ml berry cordial

I 10ml Verjus

I 1 edible flower for garnish

I Beetroot powder and icing sugar for dusting

METHOD: Add the first seven ingredients to a cocktail shaker with fresh ice and shake well. Double strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass, dust the glass with the beetroot powder and icing sugar and garnish with an edible flower. Enjoy… and as always, drink responsibly.

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FOOD & DRINK

FABULOUS FRENCH FIZZ NOT EVERYTHING THAT SPARKLES FROM FRANCE HAS TO BE CHAMPAGNE, SAYS ROB PRICE WHO IS TOASTING THE

PASSING OF LOCKDOWN WITH BRILLIANT CRÉMANT INSTEAD

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ROB’S4

FOOD & DRINK

TO TRY

1. The Society’s Saumur Brut NV. Produced for the Wine Society by Gratien and Mayer, this is a fine example of a Crémant de Loire. Crisp, clean and floral, a

hat do you call a sparkling wine from France? Well, if it’s from the Champagne region you call it Champagne. If it’s from any other region in France it’s called Crémant, which is actually the French word for sparkling.

There are eight regions in France that produce Crémant and one just outside in Luxembourg. But all of these eight regions still only produce about 25 per cent of what Champagne manages each year.

Each produce their own unique style of fizz.

While the method used to make Crémant is the same as Champagne – the traditional method – the grapes used may be different and the minimum time spent on lees is not as long.

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FAB FOUR The four main regions are Crémant de Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne, Crémant de Loire and Crémant de Limoux, although I must confess I am partial to a glass Crémant de Bordeaux – lovely bubbly!!

Let’s have a little gander through the four main regions: Crémant de Alsace – This region produces the most Crémant, about 45 per cent. North and west of Champagne, right on the border with Germany, Alsace has a cool but sunny climate and with the Vosges mountains west of Alsace keeping the rain away, this regions is very suitable for making high quality crisp and vibrant fizz. Up to eight grapes maybe used and you’ll find quite a few sold varietally (ie, by grape) but most are a blend with Pinot Blanc as the base.

Crémant de Bourgogne – Fizz from Burgundy, and therefore the two grapes mainly used are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Most Crémant comes from the north of the region in Auxerre or further south from Rully in Cote Chalonnaise. The cooler north will tend to produce a crisper, fresher style with

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lovely low-cost fizz at £10.95.

2. Dopff and Irion, Blanc de Blancs, Alsace. This is a blend of Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois, producing a fresh dry Crémant. Aromas of apple and pear with a lovely nutty finish. Available from Frazier’s Wine Merchants, £15.75.

3. Victorine de Chastenay Brut. A hugely impressive dry style of Crémant de Bourgogne made with older vines and aged on the lees for 20 months. Citrus and orange zest. Available from Majestic, £19.99. (Mix six price, £14.99).

4. Cuvee Royale Brut. A rich and dry Crémant de Limoux. Showing good autolytic characteristics (brioche and biscuits). A very drinkable and affordable sparkling wine from the south west of France. Waitrose sells for £11.99.

those from Rully showing more body and a fuller style. Sharing the same grapes as Champagne it may be similar but generally not as complex, but if you see Eminent or Grand Eminent on the label it means a minimum of 24 or 36 on the lees and therefore higher quality.

Crémant de Loire – Made in the Anjou-Saumur and Touraine parts of the Loire Valley with mainly the Chenin Blanc grape, although eight other grapes are allowed. Chenin Blanc makes a fine contribution to the Crémant family and I especially like the demi sec style with its gentle, softer and sweeter character.

Crémant de Limoux – Claims to be the oldest sparkling wine region in France, starting in 1531, more than 100 years before the first sparkling was made in Champagne. Most is produced around the city of Limoux, near Carcassonne, using Chardonnay, Chenin blanc and Mauzac. I

Birmingham Wine School is an independent wine education company that offers fun informal ONLINE wine tasting events and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses in Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and Warwick. For more information, contact Rob Price on 0121 270 7359 or visit www.birminghamwineschool.com

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HEALTH

YOGA

KNOW-HOW

IT’S ONE OF THOSE PASTIMES THAT HAS SEEN AN UPLIFT IN

LOCKDOWN. IF YOU HAVEN’T JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON HERE’S A BRIEF BEGINNER’S GUIDE WITH EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER WANTED TO KNOW BUT BEEN AFRAID TO ASK

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HEALTH

he word ‘yoga’ is thought to mean ‘union’– taken from the Sanskrit word yuj which means to join – referring to the striking and flowing of poses to unify body and mind. Specifically, yoga focuses on matching breathing patterns with poses that take your body through a full range of motion, to help promote flexibility, mobility and a sense of calm.

Thankfully, to start yoga at home you need very little equipment. In fact, you don’t even need a mat – you could kick off with just a towel.

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TERMS YOU MAY HEAR To the newcomer, the world of yoga might seem all too much. What’s the difference between hot yoga and cold yoga? Between downward facing dog and upward facing? It can seem overwhelming! So here’s a quick rundown to ‘demystify’ yoga…

JIVAMUKTI – Has its roots in Ashtanga yoga and includes a dynamic mixture of asana (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation and chanting. The purpose of Jivamukti yoga is to remind Western civilization of the original intention of yoga, which is to provide a practitioner with a path to enlightenment; to intertwine a holistic approach to living into every class and allow that approach to life to flow with grace into every moment through compassion for all living beings.

HOT YOGA – The benefits of hot yoga have been established time and time again. Incorporating everything yoga stands for – mindfulness, balance of body and spirit, alleviation of stress and anxiety; along with the detoxifying benefits of the added heat, the rewards of hot yoga are countless.

Great for beginners as well as experienced yogis, hot yoga – carrying out yoga in the heat – is designed to stretch and strengthen muscles through a sequence of static asana (postures) which leave you feeling stronger, renewed, and flexible. The heat enables joints and muscles to loosen and open up, allowing a more free range of movement while cleansing your body from within.

HOT FLOW/VINYASA – Hot Flow yoga tends to be for the more experienced yogi… but everybody has to start somewhere! Rather than going into and out of

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BENEFITS OF YOGA IMPROVES YOUR FLEXIBILITY – One of the first and most obvious benefits of yoga. Initially you may not be able to touch your toes, never mind do a backbend. But if you stick with it, you’ll notice a gradual loosening and eventually seemingly impossible poses will become possible. You’ll also probably notice that aches and pains start to disappear.

BUILDS MUSCLE STRENGTH – Strong muscles do more than look good. They also protect us from conditions like arthritis and back pain and help prevent falls in elderly people. And when you build strength through yoga, you balance it with flexibility.

BETTERS YOUR BONE HEALTH – Weight-bearing exercise strengthens bones and helps ward off osteoporosis. Many postures in yoga require that you lift your own weight.

And some, like Downward and Upward-Facing Dog, help strengthen the arm bones which are particularly vulnerable to osteoporotic fractures.

INCREASES YOUR BLOOD FLOW AND HEART RATE – Yoga gets your blood flowing and help your circulation, especially in your hands and feet. Yoga also gets more oxygen to your cells, which function better as a result.

Yoga also boosts levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues.

LOWERS BLOOD SUGAR – Yoga lowers blood sugar and LDL (bad) cholesterol and boosts HDL (good) cholesterol.

In people with diabetes, yoga has been found to lower blood sugar in several ways.

HELPS YOU FOCUS AND RELAX – An important component of yoga is focusing on the present encourages you to relax and slow your breath, shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system (or the fight-orflight response) to the parasympathetic nervous system. If you learn to quiet your mind, you’ll be likely to live longer and healthier.

static yoga poses, the various postures are connected through a fluid sequence, leading into more advanced material.

DON’T SWEAT IT – Yoga’s ability to de-stress you before or after a busy day at the office can do wonders for your working day. Heading straight from work to the yoga studio can really help you to leave your work at the office and achieve a peaceful mind-set to take home with you. I

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HEALTH

RUNNING L KEEP ON

MORE OF US THAN EVER TOOK UP RUNNING IN

THE LOCKDOWN. WITH RESTRICTIONS EASING, IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THOSE LEGS CHURNING

ockdown saw more and more people hitting the streets and parks and taking up running.

But is it really good for you? Simply put, running will give you a total body workout and improves loads of aspects of your health. Here’s how…

LOSE WEIGHT – Running requires a lot of fuel. In fact,

the average person can burn as much as nearly 500 calories on a 40-minute run – even more if you throw in a few slopes or some interval training.

BOOST LEGS AND CORE – It’s no big surprise that running is a fantastic workout for all aspects of your

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HEALTH

legs, with your inner and outer thighs, quads and hamstrings are all being used. However, it’s great for your core strength too as those deep muscles play important roles stabilising your spine and transferring power between your swinging arms and legs.

TIPS

OK, so you’re sold – you’re going to give it a go. But how do you make sure you keep it up and it becomes part of your regular routine? Running can get pretty boring, so here’s a few tips to help you on your new jogging journey.

BUILD MUSCLE STRENGTH – This increases with running, reducing joint problems, lowering blood pressure and improving all-round fitness. Regular running helps to improve and maintain the density or strength of your bones, reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis.

EASY DOES IT: When you first start running don’t try to do too much too soon. An average beginner’s pace is around 13 minutes per mile, but if you find that too hard or not challenging enough, simply adjust your pace and you’ll soon get a feel for what your body can do.

CUT THE RISK OF DIABETES – Your pancreas makes

GET COMFORTABLE KIT: You don’t need to spend a fortune but clothing has to feel comfortable. Socks, vests, shorts and a decent pair of trainers will all help – the more everything sits comfortably the less they become an excuse to stop. Try before you buy and borrow from others to test.

insulin, which is responsible for normalising your blood sugar levels. Regular exercise and keeping to a healthy weight lowers your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by as much as 50 per cent.

CUT THE RISK OF CANCER – You can halve your risk of bowel cancer by running regularly! Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms are also relieved by easing constipation and bloating. Stress levels are closely linked to IBS too, so running helps.

GET AN ENDORPHIN HIT – Feelgood brain chemicals and hormones are released when you run, helping to ease stress and anxiety and treat depression. In addition, your risk of dementia and stroke falls as brain circulation is kept healthy. Concentration, memory and motivation sharpen and sleep improves, too.

HELP THE HEART: You can reduce your risk of heart

disease by up to 35 per cent with regular exercise.

Reductions in weight, blood pressure and ‘bad’ cholesterol levels lead to a healthier heart.

BREATHE EASIER – Running improves your lung capacity

and strengthens your respiratory muscles – these are the muscles between your ribs and in your diaphragm. Your lungs also become more efficient which is great news for those with asthma.

FEEL THE FREEDOM – Running costs nothing. You can

do it anywhere, around any routine and unlike a lot of other exercises there’s not much of a learning curve.

Plus, it’s very easy to go at your own pace. I

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SET YOURSELF CHALLENGES: The more you can overcome challenges the better you will feel and the more likely you’ll continue. Start with small challenges and then gradually build up to other things you can do to ‘toughen’ you up – like run when its raining, run all the hills or run into a headwind.

BREATHING: It’s so important to remember to breathe properly. Expanding your chest causes tension in the shoulders. The more you can relax, the more you can move the breathing to the diaphragm. Trying to breathe every four, six, or even eight steps can help to both distract and relax.

POSTURE: Are you engaging the stomach and glutes? Imagine starring in your own run film and run the way you think you would want to see yourself running.

FORM: Look at the shadows to see what your arms and legs are doing. Try to feel where the wind is catching you and become more aerodynamic.

How much can you relax shoulders and arms?

DISTRACTIONS: Studies have shown that running to music can be hugely helpful but you can also try listening to an audiobook or podcast. There is often an urge to add a bit more distance to get to the next chapter but you also get to associate landmarks, run routes and distances with moments in the book.

MIX IT UP: There are lots of things that you can change in your training to make it more enjoyable – try a different route, run along one of our awesome canals, try getting on a track or you can vary the type of training session you’re doing (like intervals, run/walk or progressive pace) RUN WITH OTHERS: Time flies by when you are engaged in conversation so why not try running with your wife, husband, partner or kids?

REST: Take rest days between your running days and take plenty of minutes to warm up before each session. Stretching before and after exercise is beneficial and something that many of us forget to do enough.

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SUITS YOU

Alexander jacket £170 and Karen trousers £70, Kaya Turello

HOT RIGHT NOW

WE’VE PULLED TOGETHER KEY TRENDS FROM AW20 TO INSPIRE YOUR NEXT SHOPPING TRIP 34 birmingham living

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STYLE

BACK TO BLACK

Clothing by Matalan

he strangeness of 2020 has been felt in every industry across the globe and fashion is no exception – redundant catwalks and zero events means little opportunity to get designs noticed and the rise in online shopping means physical stores are having to adapt fast. Shopping IRL masked up and social distanced is something we’re still getting used to but we’re going with the mantra, use it or lose it. Go forth and remember your mask.

Expect lots of tailoring. We particularly like the cute sugar pink dress and jacket combo from Balmain and on the high street, River Island’s version is a winner. If a suit is too done for you, take a look at belted

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WAISTED

Drawstring trench £559, Marc Cain

GET SHORTY

Zara short £40, Kaya Turello

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ACE LACE

JUST DO IT

Two-pack face masks supporting Young Minds £18, Dune

Michelle Keegan premium high neck lace dress £80, Very

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STYLE

TERRIFIC TRENCH

Saskia trench £199, Hobbs

UTILITY FIRST

Khost yellow dress £49, M&Co

BLUE BLOOD

Cobalt blazer £35.99, M&Co

COOL MULE

Mantra £85, Dune

BLOUSING AROUND

Materiel Blouson sleeve silk blend blouse £550, Selfridges

COVER UP

Asymmetric funnel neck coat £45, TU Clothing

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CRIMSON WIDE

Alice + Olivia Dylan short £195, Harvey Nichols

SHARPSHOOTER

Clothing by Hobbs

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STYLE

jumpsuits which offer more structure than your average all-in-one but are still more chilled than grown-up suity vibes. Smart trenches and utility dresses provide a softer tailored look too.

We don’t usually like bright red – it seems angry, but 2020 and all that… We prefer accents of the scarlet stuff in the form of shoes or a cute bag, but there’s enough opportunity to go full-on crimson if that’s your thing. There are plenty of sweeping red gowns that might tickle your fancy if you’re looking ahead to party season – obviously no one is truly sure party season will be a thing this Christmas but let’s assume it will for our sanity. Check out Christopher Kane and Valentino for some showstoppers.

Black is also bigger than ever this season. Floorgrazing long line coats, sharp suits and cute dresses are on the money. I

SUGAR PINK

SHOP SMART

Frankie Shop Elvira double-breasted crepe blazer £325, Selfridges

Balmain dress £1,250 and jacket £1,695, Harvey Nichols

CHECK MATE

Checked skirt £18 and jacket £22, TU Clothing

CLUELESS VIBES

Boucle skirt and jacket, River Island

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STYLE

BELT UP

Sandro Vino belted satin-crepe coat £529, Selfridges

JUMP TO IT

Talitha jumpsuit £240, Seraphina

CREAM DREAM

Cream belted jumpsuit £59, Topshop

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STYLE

SMARTISH CASUAL

Clothing by Matalan

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STYLE FOR MEN

NEVER DULL Clothing from Joe Brown

AUTUMN VIBES

THIS MONTH WE TALK TAILORING, COLOUR AND FRINGING, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

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STYLE FOR MEN

BEAR CHIC Palm Angels bear intarsia fringed wool blend jumper £735, Harvey Nichols

ON THE FRINGE Palm Angels rose-embroidered fringe cotton and wool-blend hoody £800, Selfridges

COLOUR DE JOUR Pieces Uniques Anger belted stretch-crepe shirt £155, Selfridges

e’re diving headlong into the autumn in a mixture of sharp tailoring, colour and fringing – not all at once, although that might be the exact visual representation of 2020, so you never know. When we say fringing we don’t mean a festival or country vibe, we mean cuddly sweaters with woolly fringing. You read that right. Sounds hideous, somehow looks cute. Just keep it simple on the bottom half to avoid kid’s TV territory.

Tailoring and its structure is one of the things we rate about autumn and this year we are spoilt. Head to Alexander McQueen if you’re looking for an investment piece and Joe Brown for a great selection of waistcoats and jackets on the High Street. For a tailored trench that’ll last you can’t beat Hugo at Selfridges.

Colour is a winner whether fringed or not. We love the boldness of the Pieces Uniques top, pictured, and the signature stripes of Paul Smith that will never go out of style. If you’re after a more subtle hit of colour try the Trickery trainers, pictured, from Dune.

Oh, and remember your face mask. Don’t be that guy.I

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SIGNATURE STRIPE Paul Smith jumper £485, Paul Smith at the Mailbox

MASK UP Two pack face mask £9.99, Topman

PERFECT BLAZER Alexander McQueen monochrome textured blazer £1,590, Harvey Nichols

CLASSIC TRENCH Hugo Doublebreasted woven trench coat £269, Selfridges CUTE KICKS Trickery trainer £85, Dune

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ng il viHOMES

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HOMES

THERE ARE THINGS AROUND THE HOME YOU CAN GIVE THE DIY TREATMENT AND SOME YOU CAN’T. CREATING THE KITCHEN OF YOUR DREAMS ISN’T THE TIME FOR WINGING IT.

GRAND DESIGNS New range of kitchens and colours from Classic Interiors. Colour featured is Slate Blue, classicinteriors.co.uk

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HOMES

or lots of people, lockdown has meant a period of reflection in all sorts of ways, not least where and how you live. The property market hasn’t taken the hit that some expected with plenty of people on the move after taking stock of their lot. Even those who are happy with their location, have been apparently renovating and decorating with vigour. Instagram feeds are awash with inspiring before and afters – Farrow and Ball seemingly one of the winners of Covid19.

The kitchen is potentially the biggest project of all and can be daunting in part due to the significant cost, but also the range of trades needed like plumbing, electrics, underfloor heating, etc. Some things you can wing, others not so much. Cue a proper kitchen designer who will make the process simpler and the outcome more efficient and ultimately more beautiful.

While you still have to live through the considerable mess for a bit, a designer will minimise the chance of hiccups and delays and come up with a scheme for the space that you may not have even considered. Because the kitchen is not a room you completely overhaul regularly, it’s worth taking the time to pick the right designer for you.

It’s certainly not one size fits all and you don’t click with everyone – that’s just life. Do your homework. Check out past projects, look at interiors website Houzz, narrow it down and meet a handful of your favourites to see who gets you the most.

Here’s a bit of inspiration to get you started. I

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WHITE OUT Kitchen designed by Lisa Melvin Design, lisamelvindesign.co.uk

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HOMES

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HOMES

MINIMAL FUSS Made to measure kitchen by Poggenpohl, birmingham.poggenpohl.com

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HOMES

PARED BACK VIBE Scavolini Diesel open workshop kitchen £15,000, scavolini.design

TRADITIONAL CHARM

NATURAL WORLD

Neptune Henley kitchen hand-painted in Sage from £14,000, neptune.co.uk

SieMatic kitchen in lotus white, nutmeg and brushed bronze

by Kitchen Gallery, kitchengallery.co.uk

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HOMES

TEA TIME Camila teapot £34, Oliver Bonas

COLOUR POP Passaro butter dish £19.50, Oliver Bonas

FOREVER BOARD Wooden chopping board £12.99, Homesense

PENDANT POWER Ribbed Wellington pendant £250, Fritz Fryer

FINISHING TOUCHES

ONCE THE MESS HAS SUBSIDED AND YOU HAVE A SHINY NEW KITCHEN TO ADMIRE, YOU MIGHT NEED SOME FANCY

OIL SLICK Ipanema oil pourer £5, Sainsbury’s Home

SHELVE IT Products from Dunelm

BITS AND PIECES TO COMPLETE THE LOOK CHIN CHIN Set of two gin goblets £25, John Lewis

BEE CHIC Small bee print jug £12.50, M&S

FULL MOON Daytona Moon Accent chair £99, Cult Furniture

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GOLD RUSH Set of four utensils £25, John Lewis

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MOTORING

BRILLIANTLY CONNECTED

FROM SOPHISTICATED VOICE CONTROL TO PREDICTING THE NEXT GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHT, SUE COOKE TESTS THE MOST ADVANCED AUDI EVER or the first time in a week I have a smile on my face and a feeling of excitement. The cause is the Audi A4 that I am road testing.

Lockdown meant it had been a while since I had driven and that in itself was a reason for elation. But the Audi was the icing on the cake.

I slide into the driving seat which hugs and fits in all the right places, feeling snug in the quality cockpit with every highly polished button, easy flick lever and bright fluorescent instructions immediately ahead. I grip the flat-bottomed steering wheel and head out for the quieter country lanes. I have the all road quattro model and despite heavy rain and muddy tracks, the Audi takes every corner with precise steering, grace and ease. Hence the grin!

This Audi is gadget heaven and the most â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;connectedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; model in the Audi range. The new

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operating system is based on the third-generation modular infotainment platform MIB 3. Its hub is a large, 10.1-inch high resolution MMI touch display tilted slightly towards the driver in the centre of the instrument panel. It responds to fingertip inputs with acoustic feedback and permits free text input, replacing the functions of the previous rotary/pushbutton control on the centre tunnel console. I find the natural language voice control is quite adept at understanding many of the reportable phrases I use in everyday speech!

GREEN LIGHT Ok, it took me a while to get my head around some of the systems, but one of the most exciting (sorry but anything is exciting after being stuck inside the house for weeks on end) is the traffic light

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information function. By networking with the urban infrastructure, the car receives information from the traffic light central computer via a server so that the driver can choose the speed to match the next green light. Audi says it promotes an efficient driving style along with a constant flow of traffic.

I remember being blown away on seeing the Audi headlights at the launch of the R8 some years ago.

Audi was the first manufacturer to introduce innovative headlights and continues to be groundbreaking. Matrix LED units establish and track multiple road users and illuminate the appropriate corridors of lights either side of them to maintain maximum visibility without dazzling others. The quattro all-wheel drive makes light work of even the roughest terrain helped by underbody protection and wheel arch trims and a wider track. Ground clearance is raised by 35mm.

GADGETS GALORE I could wax lyrical for endless paragraphs on the exceptional technology. But suffice to say that the A4 Allroad is everything you would expect to find from Audi. And when stationary, sitting in interminable traffic jams, what better pastime than

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FACTS AT A GLANCE Model: Audi A4 Allroad quattro estate Price: £44,100 otr Engine: Sport 45 TFSi quattro S Tronic Performance: 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 154mph CO2 emissions: 154 g/km

to play with the innumerable gadgets – in safe circumstances, of course.

Until 30 September, Audi is offering a new retail Solutions PCP offer. Audi covers the first three months of payments with up to 5.2 per cent APR representative. The Vorsprung durch Technik brand will also provide deposit contributions of between £700 and £16,000, and any existing offers that were already available at Audi centres will continue.

The new A4 Allroad quattro combines the latest brand’s exterior design with efficient TFSI and TDI engines that adopt mild hybrid (MHEV) for the first time. Excitement guaranteed! I

SHOWROOM Birmingham Audi, 780 Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4BQ. Tel: 0121 746 5500 www.listers.co.uk/audi/birmingham

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

RUPINDER KAUR

WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE BIRMINGHAM-BORN POET, PERFORMER AND CURATOR WHO EXPLORES AND CHAMPIONS SOUTH ASIAN CULTURE IN BRUM AND BEYOND upinder Kaur’s celebrated debut poetry collection Rooh, which means soul in Panjabi, was released when she was only 22 years old. Published by Verve Poetry Press, it’s a collection that pulls down borders combining English and Panjabi cultures using words from Panjabi, Hindi, Urdu and English. Rupinder began her route into poetry through spoken word in Brum and

R

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doesn’t shy away from often-avoided dinner party chat tackling religion, politics, gender inequality and regularly questioning orthodox views head-on. Mentored by poet Rachel Long and awarded a grant by the Arts Council, Rupinder is now working on her second collection which promises to be just as striking as Rooh.

Although Rupinder says some of her old work makes

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her cringe, those days of discovering her style and evolving through events and spoken word must have been exciting too. Rupinder reckons Birmingham’s spoken word scene is as good as any and thinks moving to London to find your voice and pursue a creative career isn’t necessary anymore. She is a perfect example. Rupinder has founded Azaad arts which explores traditional and contemporary arts in South Asia and in Birmingham.

FREE EXPRESSION Azaad means free and reflects Rupinder’s belief that artists should be able to express themselves without censorship. Rupinder is working on a project titled Sada Chidiyan da Chamba, which means Our Temporary Nest of Birds, exploring Panjabi wedding folk songs through the female narrative and earlier this year was named one of the BBC’s new creatives – the broadcaster’s talent development scheme offering commissioning opportunities to emerging creatives.

In terms of South Asian culture, it’s a great time to be in Birmingham. The city’s Transforming Narratives project seems a natural fit for Rupinder’s exploration of the region’s culture. The three-year project, managed by Culture Central and supported

by Arts Council England and the British Council, aims to establish Birmingham as a global centre for contemporary Pakistani and Bangladeshi arts. The project spans visual arts, music, dance, theatre and combined arts and uses digital technology to link artists and creative organisations.

Rupinder’s involvement in the project is through Gully Zine which she created with friends and fellow creatives Nafeesa Hamid and Kamil Mahmood.

Gully creates multidisciplinary zines giving a voice to South Asian artists linking up creatives in Bangladesh and Pakistan and ‘offering diaspora communities in Birmingham a vivid reality instead of an imagined homeland’.

Rupinder had planned to travel to Pakistan to take up an artist’s residency to explore the culture from a female perspective but unfortunately coronavirus scuppered that and she’s not sure when it will happen now. There’s a script recording scheduled this month as part of the BBC new creative scheme and the second collection of poetry to finish among other projects, so Rupinder’s pretty busy!

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JUGNI FROM ROOH BY RUPINDER KAUR o mereya jugni, jugni o mereya jugni, jugni jugni travels from Delhi to Amritsar across to England jungi; the essence of life, the spirit of life comes inside my rooh jugni comes and dances in my dreams jugni makes me fly jugni takes me across borders taking me to Lahore jugni removes the radcliffe line and I see my five rivers flowing together jugni sees me read and write poetry jugni tells me to light the candle jugni watches me apply kohl jugni watches me paint my lips jugni looks at me and smiles jugni tells me to fall in love with myself jugni is no kafir or fakir jugni is azaad, jugni is azaad and jugni makes me free jugni sets my rooh free the jugni becomes me… and the jugni becomes me… o mereya jugni, jugni… o mereya jugni, jugni…

Find out more about Transforming Narratives www.transformingnarratives.com

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JOBS FOR THE GIRLS Aston University is working with schools to inspire girls to consider careers in cybersecurity. Vladlena Benson, Aston Business School’s professor of cybersecurity management teamed up with the university’s student recruitment team to develop digital educational resources for Cyber Girls First. The digital pack is being distributed to 20 schools in Birmingham potentially reaching 700 pupils. The initiative was the idea of Pat Ryan, who worked as a code-breaker at Bletchley Park during the Second World War.

ARTS SCHOOL SUCCESS

More than 80 Dudley primary and secondary pupils took part in a summer performing arts school hosted by Resonance, the state-ofthe-art music institute in Brierley Hill. The aim was to make up for some of the schooling pupils missed during lockdown by offering extra support before returning to their classrooms.

SCHOOL REPORT

POSITIVE CHANGE

A Cadbury Sixth Form College student has been given the prestigious Diana Award for going above and beyond to create and sustain positive change. Zaynab Sohawon, 19, has experienced mental health services first-hand and became committed to changing how provision is designed and delivered.

She is involved in a number of projects for mental health services and charities, including steering committees, research advisory panels and councils. Zaynab also gives lectures at the University of Birmingham’s Institute for Mental Health and Birmingham City University.

OUTSTANDING OUTCOMES

Despite the national lockdown, school closures and anxiety about exam results, St George’s in Edgbaston has continued to thrive through the crisis and pupils have enjoyed an outstanding set of results. Chair of trustees, Sir Robert Dowling, pictured, said: “The results are not just good, they are outstanding. Many students are to take up places at universities across the country where they will follow degree courses right across the spectrum of the arts and sciences while some students have decided to pursue courses at local universities.”

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GROWING PLACES

SPOKEN WORD

BRIDGING THE GAP

Students at BMet are being encouraged to stay positive and focused on their future goals by a local spoken word artist. Raza Hussain, known as Wuzzamill, has produced an inspiring video driven by his desire to see young people succeed in life. Filmed during lockdown and released to coincide with the start of BMet’s summer enrolment period, the video is set to encourage a new wave of FE learners.

Moreton Hall is launching an innovative new programme of study from September entitled, Bridging the Gap which aims to support local teenagers moving into Year 11. Principal George Budd explained: “In light of the challenging educational circumstances so many young people find themselves in as the result of Covid, offering places to support pupils with their final year GCSE studies and on to A-Level was a natural thing to do. We are making fee assistance and scholarships available to support entry for these pupils.”

TOP AWARD A 10-year-old cub scout from Bromsgrove Prep School has received her Chief Scout’s Silver Award – the highest award a cub scout can earn. Isobel’s mum, Rebecca Boardman, said: “When Isobel first joined her cub pack, she was the only girl, along with 29 boys. Since then, the number of girls has slowly increased. She is now a Sixer and is hoping to move to scouts in September, faceto-face in an ideal world, but virtually if not, and attended her first virtual Zoom camp, along with her brother and sister.”

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LGBT CENTRE BOOST Following a successful funding application to Comic Relief’s Covid-19 recovery fund, Birmingham LGBT has launched a new, free counselling service. The funds will allow the centre to offer help to all members of the LGBT community during the pandemic.

Steph Keeble, director of Birmingham LGBT said: “This will enable us to offer free therapeutic counselling to members of the LGBT community for the next 6 months, many of whom have experienced poor mental health and isolation as a result of the pandemic “

BUSINESS

NEWS

CHRIS STEPS OUT

Local magistrate Chris Devney challenged himself to walk 100km between two of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s lifesaving airbases to raise funds for the service. The 57-year-old was himself airlifted by air ambulance after a crash on his motorbike in 2010. “Midlands Air Ambulance Charity provides a vital service but also needs donations to keep flying. I wanted to challenge myself and decided any money I could raise should be donated to this lifesaving cause,” he said.

CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR Birmingham marketing agency Tribera was crowned New Consultancy of the Year at the prestigious PRCA Dare Awards. Tribera was also highly commended in the Medium Consultancy of the Year category and shortlisted in the Reputation Management category for its work with West Midlands Trains. Tribera represents a number of top consumer brands, including Grenade, Costa Coffee, WD40, The Works and the Bear Grylls Adventure. The PRCA Dare Awards recognise

LOUISE MOVES UP Law firm Lodders has appointed Louise Igoe as the new head of its private client practice. A specialist in estate planning, wills, trusts and probate, Louise made history at the firm when she became its youngest partner at the age of 30 in 2011. She takes over as head of the private client department from Martin Green, who originally joined the firm as a partner in 1986 and remains Lodders’ senior partner, a position he has held since 2014.

the best PR and communications talent.

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EXECUTIVE ROLES Birmingham-based outsourcing specialist, Sigma Financial Group, has

appointed two new executive directors to help support the firm’s growth plans

ON THE BALL A women's football club has secured the use of its Solihull ground until 2030, thanks to specialist advice from Thursfields Solicitors. Thursfields arranged a 10year lease for Leafield Athletic Ladies FC to continue playing at Dickens Heath Sports Club, Earlswood, which is owned by Tanworth and Camp Hill Cricket Club. Leafield Athletic’s first team competes in Division One Midlands of the FA Women's National League.

The lease will allow the club to progress development plans, including improvements to changing rooms.

in the UK and abroad. Jo Regan-Iles has joined as the newly-created group people officer and is responsible for the HR strategy in the UK and across the South African business in Cape Town. Utilities expert Will Brown has also been appointed to Sigma’s senior management team as director of water services,

CLARE HEADS TEAM

leading the company’s growth across the water industry.

A Midlands law firm has appointed a new head of its corporate department following a period of sustained growth. Clare Lang who joined mpg Solicitors in 2018, leads a team which specialises in mergers and acquisitions, business disposals, management buy-outs, reorganisations, and a series of business-related commercial and finance matters.

The firm has offices in Birmingham, Worcestershire and Shropshire.

WINNING SMILES It was all smiles when a Midlands dental

practice celebrated re-opening after lockdown by winning two prestigious awards. FamilyTeam of the Year – Central at the Dental

THE POWER OF FOOD

Awards, while also receiving the Special

Food for Life Get Togethers has awarded multiple crisis grants to organisations across the

Recognition Award in Prevention in the Global

Midlands. The funding for the £1,000 emergency grants comes from the National Lottery

run New Road Dental Practice was named

100 – 2020 edition. The family-owned

Community Fund to help local organisations across the UK with Covid-19 response

practice opened in 2008 and is run by sibling

actions. Local recipients include Birmingham’s Free@Last, Manor Farm Community

duo Dr Ravi and Dr Pritesh Solanki.

Association, Ryecroft NRC charity and Enderby Mission Free Church. Food for Life Get

HANDS ON SUCCESS

Togethers uses the power of food to bring people together to grow, cook and eat.

A Midlands wellbeing business has celebrated its tenth anniversary following a period of strong growth and the introduction of new services. Hands On At Work was founded by businesswoman Kathy Scott in 2010 and over the past decade has expanded from two therapists to a network of more than 100, delivering treatments in workplaces across the UK. Covid-19 has seen the business diversify with virtual workshops and advising on health and wellbeing through video conferencing technology.

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BUSINESS BITES CBD LAUNCH

SUCCESS IN THE BAKING

After two years of planning, furloughed office manager Katie Keates has launched the Real Cake Company from her kitchen. The 31-year-old, pictured left, from Atherstone bakes a range of cupcakes, brownies and celebration cakes and has seen the business take off with orders pouring in since she started up just before the pandemic struck. Katie was helped with backing from Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s CW Business: Start, Grow and Scale Programme.

NETWORK ADDITION

A new online-based Midlands business has launched in response to an increase in UKbased CBD users. Choice CBD offers customers six products tailored to ease stress relief, provide an alternative to pain management or boost the immune system.

POWER CHAMPS

An electrical engineering firm known as trouble-shooters to the global power and generation industry, was named Business of the Year by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. Excitation Engineering Services Ltd (EES) was crowned winners at the Chamber’s first online awards ceremony.

ON BOARD

Birmingham-based Martin James Network has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of VR company, VR Simulation Systems. Headquartered in Edgbaston and employing more than 1,200 people globally, Martin James Network is formed from a variety of organisations ranging from start-ups to well-established brands. The latest move sees the network expand its mental health group TalkOut, headed by CEO Jill Mead, as it looks to help businesses navigate new ways of

One of the Midlands’ leading legal names has joined MetroPM as a consultant.

Richard Lane, formerly managing partner and senior partner of Leamington Spabased Wright Hassall, is advising MetroPm on the next phase of its expansion programme.

working and support staff wellbeing following the coronavirus outbreak.

BURNING AMBITION The UK’s only 100 per cent plastic-free firewood retailer, Love Logs, is aiming to reduce the nation’s plastic use and provide a sustainable ‘ready to burn’ solution for the home. Love Logs was founded by local environmentalists Heather Emery and Paul Strachan and ships manageable volumes of kiln-dried British firewood to consumers’ doorsteps. Heather said: “We moved into a house with a log burner and were horrified when all small-quantity firewood was supplied in plastic bags or nets.”

HISTORY-MAKER Birmingham Law Society is making history with the first black president in its 202-year history. Inez Brown, a partner at law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys, said: “The world is in a period of huge re-adjustment economically, politically and socially.

I’m excited to be taking over the presidency and supporting the continued growth and development of the Birmingham Law Society at this time. I’m also supremely proud to be the first black woman in this esteemed position in its history.”

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SUITED FOR SUCCESS THE AWARD-WINNING BIRMINGHAM CHARITY HELPS THE UNEMPLOYED GET

WORK BY DRESSING THEM TO IMPRESS. THEIR STYLING AND COACHING SKILLS ARE NOW IN DEMAND LIKE NEVER BEFORE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC JOBS CRISIS e’ve all been there. Turning up for a job interview hoping to make a good impression and look the part. It’s a fact that most interviewees feel anything but confident as they prepare to face the ‘moment of truth’, even if outwardly they look ice cool and ready to go. The lack of confidence is magnified if you haven’t worked in a while or if you’ve suddenly lost what you thought was a secure job through no fault of your own by redundancy. You can multiply these fears many times over if you’re so strapped for cash that you can’t even afford to buy that outfit you need for your interview.

The good news is that help is at hand. Suited for Success is an award-winning, not-for-profit organisation that does what it says on the tin by providing job-seekers in Birmingham and the West Midlands with the clothing and styling they need to impress at their interviews. As Suited for Success has developed it has grown from much more than a free outfitters.

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE The charity now provides full bespoke coaching and preparation for the jobless using a wide network of experts in different strands of business and industry who act as advisers and mentors. This expertise is particularly valuable to those who have to re-skill for new jobs with new challenges.

Suited for Success is run by managing director Patricia White, who herself decided to pursue a different path in life when she quit her journalist job after 10 years at the BBC. “I decided that I really wanted to work in the community and make a difference,” she explains. “I started off by running a

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food bank in Birmingham and I began to see that beyond help with food, many people needed help in getting back into work but they didn’t have the resources to do so.”

At around the same time a group of young professionals from some of Birmingham’s leading businesses had got together with the idea of giving back to the community. When they heard about Patricia’s successful foodbank project they approached her to see if they could work together to help the city’s unemployed. Patricia started Suited for Success in Ladywood in 2015 and the charity has since provided hundreds of men and women with free high-quality interview clothes, styling and interview preparation skills. Lightly worn suits and smart workwear is donated by professionals in corporate companies, law firms, banks, offices and businesses across the city.

The only criteria Suited for Success insists on is that those they help with clothing are currently unemployed and have confirmation of a guaranteed job interview.

“All our clients are given a one-to-one appointment to receive interview coaching and are dressed and styled by our volunteers ready to give a great first impression in their job interview,” said Patricia.

Suited for Success operates with a variety of frontline support agencies that work with unemployed men and women of all ages and backgrounds who are experiencing significant personal barriers and complex issues to gaining employment. To further its mission to support unemployed people who are the furthest away from employment, the charity has developed several work strands as part of its More Than Just a Suit

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BUSINESS FEATURE

WELL-SUITED: Managing director Patricia White and her team are helping hundreds of Brummies get back into work

programme with a focus on working with the ex-forces, ex-offenders and back-to-work mums.

Patricia also facilitates training workshops supporting third sector organisations, charities and churches to set-up job clubs and employability projects in their local communities and regularly speaks at events, workshops and presentations about the work at Suited for Success and the social challenges of unemployment.

ROYAL RECOGNITION The charity’s role in helping the city’s unemployed was recognised by the Queen in October 2019 with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. In July this year, Suited for Success was also crowned winners of the Excellence in the Third Sector in the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Awards. Patricia said: “It is lovely to win these awards but the most important aspect is that the profile they give puts us out there and brings us to the attention of more and more businesses who can help.”

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Pre-lockdown Suited for Success was giving bespoke help to about 40 people every week. Patricia is expecting that number to double to nearer to 100 a week from this month as the full impact of the pandemic on jobs becomes clear. Around one-third of UK firms have reported that they will be making substantial redundancies as they get to grips with surviving through the pandemic.

The picture is mirrored in the West Midlands where Patricia said: “We have been experiencing the calm before the storm. We are having conversations with lots of businesses in the city to help support those who will be out of work. I’ve been talking with the likes of Barclays, HS2 and PWc as well as many other companies.

“We know we are going to get really busy from this month once the sticking plaster of the furlough schemes is removed. Many people who never thought they would see this kind of crisis are going to need help navigating their way through it. Together with our partners in business we will help them in every way we can to get back into work and get their life back on track.” I

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SOCIAL REWIND THE BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCENE IS WAITING PATIENTLY TO GET BACK TO SOME KIND OF NORMALITY AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO MAKE NETWORKING AND PARTYING A THING OF THE PAST. WE LOOK BACK AT HOW IT USED TO BE WITH A REVISIT TO A COUPLE OF THE BEST SOCIAL EVENTS PRE-LOCKDOWN

BEST ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES HONOURED City’s great entertainers saluted at Wonders of Westside awards he Wonders of Westside awards celebrated the finest venues and businesses in Birmingham’s entertainment district. Organised by Westside BID and sponsored by Jelley’s Organic Vodka, the WOWs 2020 honoured the venues, bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels, organisations and businesses in and around Broad Street and Brindleyplace. Top awards went to Pushkar (Best Fine Dining), Hyatt Regency Birmingham (Best Hotel), Hampton by Hilton (Best Hotel Manager), Vodbull (Best Promoter) and Jurys Inn (Best Front of House). The awards held at Pryzm Birmingham, Broad Street were hosted by ITV Weather presenter Des Coleman. I

T

Photography by Jas Sansi

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SOCIAL REWIND

TOP AGENCY MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY 1

2

Marketing firm toast of the town as it hits landmark birthday

3

4

hat a party that was! Barques, the Birminghambased full-service marketing agency, celebrated its 30th anniversary with an event at the Compound, Snow Hill. Great food was teamed with an eclectic choice of music that was chosen by enthusiastic guests. I

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5

6 7

8

9

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

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Photography by Jas Sansi

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WHAT: Birmingham Heritage Week with the BRB WHEN: 20 September WHERE: Aston Hall,

AS WE RETURN TO SOME KIND OF NORMALITY, LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS ARE

www.birminghammuseums.org.uk Celebrate Birmingham Heritage Week with

EASING AND WE’RE EVEN SEEING SOME INDOOR THEATRE, MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE VENUES ABLE TO REOPEN WITH SOCIALLY DISTANCED AUDIENCES. HERE’S A ROUND-UP OF A FEW THINGS THAT MAY TICKLE YOUR FANCY, BOTH LIVE AND VIRTUAL… BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL ARE SUBJECT TO LAST-MINUTE

a visit to this magnificent 17th century mansion and also meet staff from Birmingham Royal Ballet. The BRB is breaking the stereotypes and bringing ballet into the communities. Learn that ballet isn’t

CHANGES OR CANCELLATION.

posh, it’s not just for girls and theatres aren’t scary places. Ballet is for everyone.

What better way to find out about dance, costumes and how dancers train.

WHAT: Birmingham Comedy Festival WHEN: 2 to 11 October WHERE: Various, www.bhamcomfest.co.uk With a bit of luck, the annual 10-day city-wide, mirth-filled extravaganza is set to return celebrating a wonderful mix of big comedy names with emerging talent. Featuring dozens of great performances with theatre, improv’, film… and much more.

WHAT: The Social Cheese Fest WHEN: 5 and 6 September WHERE: The Bond, Digbeth via Facebook The first socially distanced version of the city’s annual Cheese Festival is in town with some of the cheesiest street food traders in tow, including Patty Freaks, Yardbirds, Paneer Wrap Street Food Company and Urban Cheesecake. There’s also drinks, live music, talks and much more. Pre-booking essential.

WHAT: Virtual open day – Strensham WHEN: 13 September WHERE: Midlands Air Ambulance Facebook page, facebook.com/MidlandsAirAmbulance Following the success of this year’s Tatenhill airbase open day going virtual, Midlands Air Ambulance has decided to take its Strensham airbase open day online, too. Supporters can expect to experience a virtual tour of the base and helicopter aircraft, live Q&A interviews and an aircrew demonstration of how they tend to an incident scene.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Marvel Fine Art Show WHEN: From 1 September WHERE: Castle Fine Art, www.castlefineart.com Castle Fine Art was given access to one of the largest collections of Marvel comic book art in the US. From these archives, a selection of

WHAT: Lady Sanity

rare editions – all hand-signed by

WHEN: 16 October

the late, great Stan Lee – was

WHERE: THSH online via Facebook

curated into a dynamic, desirable

Available on Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Facebook and

collection of Marvel fine art, entitled the Legacy Collection. Never

YouTube channels, this is a chance to watch Lady Sanity

before exhibited in the UK, these graphics provide a snapshot into

perform a never-before-seen set, accompanied by Ashley Allen

the early modern era of Marvel comics.

and filmed at the world-renowned Symphony Hall.

WHAT: Voices of the West End

WHAT: Cactus Show

WHEN: 25 to 27 September

WHEN: 4 October

WHERE: British Motor Museum, tel: 01926 927823

WHERE: Birmingham Botanical Gardens,

www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

tel: 0121 212 3383

This new and innovative production will be performed live in

www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk

the safe and beautiful grounds of the museum. The outdoor

Come and see a display of superb cacti and

production is a collaboration between Ginger Boy Productions

succulents and marvel at the variety of plants

and Birmingham Hippodrome and will showcase music from

being entered in the show by experienced

the West End’s greatest musicals. Some of the theatre world’s

growers from around the country.

most illustrious singers will perform award-winning hits

Experts will be on hand to answer

including Earl Carpenter who played Javert in Cameron

your questions and give cultivation

Mackintosh’s 25th Anniversary Tour of Les Misérables.

advice. Plus, there’s the chance to purchase that special plant you’ve been looking for from one of the specialist nurseries that will be present.

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PERSON TO PERSON

CLOSE WITHÁ THE VERY REV MATT THOMPSON THE DEAN OF BIRMINGHAM ON THE CITY HE GREW UP IN AND HIS HOPES FOR A FLOURISHING NEW COMMUNITY BEEN THERE, DONE THAT I was born and brought up in the West Midlands and went to school in Walsall. I went to university and trained to be a priest in Cambridge. I was ordained in Manchester Cathedral and spent 23 years serving in four different parishes in and around Greater Manchester. Serving God means signing up for a life of surprises and the biggest of all so far was the call in 2017 to come back to the Midlands and become Dean of Birmingham.

IT’S WHAT I DO My role is to lead the cathedral in its mission and ministry to the city and region of Birmingham. This involves ministering to and alongside our vibrant cathedral community and working with a wonderful team of staff and volunteers. I work closely with the Bishop of Birmingham, David Urquhart, and on his behalf, I chair the Diocesan Board of Education and work with them to oversee the work of our 51 schools.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE One of my great joys is seeing others flourish and achieve their dreams. In the cathedral it’s wonderful to play a part in that in so many ways – whether it’s seeing our young musicians blossom or helping someone in need get to a better place. I’d love to see our city flourish too as a place where all can feel welcomed and share in the blessings of living in an integrated, cohesive community.

BIGGEST SUCCESS I am always delighted when a team I am part of achieves its goals. Working with a very talented group of people is

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very exciting. I have also been proud to be part of teams which have revitalised schools and parishes.

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED Education is a vital part of building a fair and just society.

Every moment in life is an opportunity to learn and develop and working together with others is the only way to achieve the truly worthwhile things in life.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BRUM Living in Birmingham is wonderful. The city has been transformed from the place I remember from my childhood. As a boy, my favourite thing about Birmingham was Hudson’s bookshop which I remember as a palace of delights! Gazing each day at our beautiful Burne-Jones windows in the cathedral is a gift which keeps giving.

DOWNTIME I am happily married with a daughter and love being at home with my family. I enjoy reading, watching films, going on long walks and running. Once a year I make an annual retreat for a time of silent prayer. I always return full of life and ready for more of God’s surprises.

FINALLY… It felt awful to have to close the cathedral this year due to the pandemic. After 104 days, Bishop David and I reopened it in the company of our friends, Archbishop Bernard Longley and Monsignor Tim Menezes from St Chad’s Cathedral. We prayed in each other’s cathedrals and gave thanks together – a small moment of hope for a better future. I

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