The Paris Brown Fiasco

“When I was a child, I acted like a child. I thought like a child: I reasoned like a child.” –

1 Corinthians 13:11

The Paris Brown Fiasco, as it has unfortunately become, has gone too far. Since when did it become acceptable for a child – which at a mere 16 years, she is – to be tried by the nation?

It doesn’t take an expert to realise the major difference between someone who’s never held accountability, and the majority of us - who have. How indecent, to facilitate the witch hunt of a mere child. It might be worth noting, for those who haven’t realised, that the supposedly heinous tweets, were made long before assuming the responsibility of Youth Police Crime Commissioner (YPCC). IF, and only IF, the comments came during her role as YPCC, then we may have had grounds to call for her resignation.

Fundamentally true of Paris’ critics, three things are drastically under-addressed:

1)     They are firstly incredibly myopic in extending and contrasting their finely honed rationale with that of someone in their mid-teens; never a valid correlation.

2)     Secondly the tweets that have been submitted are exaggerations - typical of many teenage kids - and have thus been grotesquely mis-contextualised; and, 

3)     Finally, (arguably to youngsters' detriment), the Facebook-Twitter age, has come to bear more significance than some of the critics could have ever considered. Until we understand this, we will NEVER be in the right starting point to critique a 16 year old.

Through City Year London I mentor young people on a daily basis, and I can assure that what they say, is not what they mean, and by and large their exchanges are often exaggerated.  Particularly true when their intended audience are fellow youngsters on Twitter, a medium that has come to define Paris’ age, infiltrating every teenage move, be it through Blackberry or iPhone, or when they arrive home to their laptop or computer. With this new age, a barrage of unfiltered, politically incorrect or less than moral thought sequences, qualifies for a Tweet or status update. It doesn’t matter how detached this exterior may be of their actual day-to-day selves: it’s Twitter - which has come to represent the unregulated opportunity for alter-egos, exaggeration, and ultimate cool, for children, and adults.

At 16, and in many of her own cases, younger, Paris would of course been susceptible to this vacuum. This is something which I believe the perpetrators of Paris’ attack, really still haven’t quite understood.

In my experience mentoring, even typical playground trash talk, which Paris isn’t too old to remember, bares little substance. I hate to break it to The Mail, and others, but some of the closely related thug-esque and nonsensical rhetoric, are just that – nonsense.  The hurtful stereotypes they use, something Paris is accused of falling short of herself - they throw past one another without thought or meaning. On the playground, the next minute friendships are restored, after all.  Even in severe cases when things get physical, you find that there tends to be few friendships that cannot be reconciled.  

Yet the reason I continue to do what I do as a youth mentor, is simple: they are still kids. They are still developing their thinking and rationale to morals. And for as long as they exist in the school environment, they are still being taught right and wrong, and not to be given up on. It is these ages after all, when the juvenile tweets were made. Just how have those with the audacity to condemn someone so young, failed to realise this?

Perhaps most absurd if not the beautiful irony of this situation, is that only young Paris, who many perceive naïve, makes the distinction. On the computer as a mid-teen foregoing morals, yet years down the line realising it was time to grow up, and delivering a sterling application for Kent Youth Police Crime Commissioner (YPCC). Perhaps after all is said and done then, we could actually learn a thing or two from Paris how to make the distinction between youth and adult.

The utmost tragedy is this transition to maturity, as we might have seen it, would never come to fruition. What a missed opportunity both for her, and us. We’ll never know her capability to deliver efficiently as Kent YPCC – the first of its kind. All would be curtailed by an unquenchable desire to sell words. Just how is that for morals, exactly?

Ultimately, those who hound her need acknowledge that the tweets are a portrayal of her teenage past. Would those who ousted her, ever see Paris fit for redemption? By such indecent virtue, perhaps she will never be fit to fulfil any prospective job, (yes, however absurd this may seem to the rest of us).

It is most important for us who do genuinely know better to ensure that Paris, for all her youthfulness, understands that such Twitter contributions are wrong. Let her understand now as she approaches an age of responsibility, she need exhibit role model behaviour. And more crucially, that having stepped up and been condemned, must not be tempted to regress to any behaviours - written or otherwise – less worthy than herself.

It may seem most perverse that the themes of sex, alcohol and drugs can be fantasised by children. This is a societal flaw, not the flaw of an individual youngster. If anyone holds error for this, it can only be the generation that’s paved the way. Perhaps then, when the critics point the finger, they might, as in the literal expression, find three fingers pointing back prompting them to encourage the youth back on track.

This is what Kent Police’s Ann Barnes PCC took the initiative to do in hiring a Youth PCC: Bridging the gap between ‘them’ and ‘us’. Perhaps likewise, the fingerpointers might try and understand the young before casting judgement, and do the same.

Why not give a little Hope this Christmas?: The Tope Project

This Christmas Day I am volunteering with The Tope Project, a volunteer-led initiative for unsupported care-leavers between the ages of 16 and 24.

I can vividly recall the ten or eleven weeks back when Sally Bartolo approached me at a youth enterprise event to promote The Tope Project. In a nutshell, she explained, the project would facilitate a day of celebration for 70 care-leavers in a church on Christmas Day. This particular day though, she was recruiting volunteers to make the event possible.

I hadn’t known a particularly great deal of the Care experience prior to the invitation, and in fact, ‘care-leavers’ at the time was something alien to my vocabulary, if honest. It’s all very apt; I’d never given thought to what may happen after to those who had been through care and come of age. In fact, rather conveniently, I had spent much of the last few years trying to figure out my own predicaments that came with coming-of-age, as it were, which seemed central enough.

 I look to my own situation which I guess most would refer to as somewhat regular: School, college, university. A degree and a bunch of debt later, I would find myself in the wilderness pondering next steps. Questions spiralled: What career do I want? How do I get my foot on the ladder? So many questions yet such little sense of direction. Yet all said and done, I was fortunate enough to have a supportive family network behind me until I was firmly level, and placed in my current youth mentor role with education charity City Year.

For care leavers, the end of the road as far a support is concerned is 18 should they not be in further education. Here on, life begins as an independent as support once provided by social services, is withdrawn. In short, this lackadaisical approach to an already vulnerable youth only diminishes the chances of these youngsters before they have even begun, and tragic statistics are only waiting to be created, inevitably.

In fact, the sombre reality is that one such tragedy has sparked this project. Tope, a 23 year old care-leaver took his own life back in 2010, to the shock and confusion of friends. Confusion, not just emanating from the youngster’s untimely demise, but from failing to understand why an apparently content young man felt it necessary to consider suicide. Tope’s story alone hints at the ramifications of what can occur when we deny basic human regard and consideration. 

Surely though, don’t we have a sense of duty as a moral society to resist such realities? Fortunately, out of the depths of such tragic circumstances The Tope Project takes a vital first step towards addressing this question in the positive. And indeed Christmas Day is a great start. This family-orientated celebration creates something of a Marmite dichotomy. You are either a part of the family celebrations, or you are not. All too often for the marginalised folks like those who have left care, it is the latter.  The reality is that the perception of such at a time when it seems that the rest of the world is at a party, can have such dire consequences as that above. And this is what makes the project imperative to run on Christmas day.

The Christmas narrative derives from a story of despair to hope.  For me personally, this is often lost amongst the materialism that the yuletide has accrued over the years. In glorious echoes of the Christmas story though, the Tope Project sets about to call on this essential transition of negative to positive; tragedy to celebration; and above all the transition from despair to hope. Hope for youngsters that will be able to share stories with others with common experiences on the day. Hope for care-leavers that will be able to realise that there are others who do care, even if this doesn’t appear the case. And furthermore, hope that those deemed ‘problem’ often hold the keys to their own solutions. Such is exactly what the project will foster; resilience, self-respect and a boost of self-worth for use far beyond the day.

Quite simply, this December 25th, The Tope Project will be rewriting the script of many marginalised youngsters’ Xmas, for the better. With the project a brainchild of Shalyce Lawrence, Sally Bartolo and Jerome Harvey- youngsters themselves  who have shared experience of the care system - this is surely youth enterprise at its very best.

This transition to adulthood, nobody should enter inadequately. Support attachments are crucial, and have been proven are indispensable to future success. Equally a lack of support has been proven to correlate with more dire long-term outcomes. The stats speak for themselves; a significant number of care-leavers will enter a life of crime or homelessness, eventually.

All in all though, this Christmas, through its volunteers and benefactors, The Tope Project, to me, creates the perfect antidote to such a harsh reality, proving what alternatives can be achieved when we come together to spare a little thought, consideration and care. Raising a much needed awareness for some of London’s highest at-risk young people, this is a compelling demonstration that we are all interconnected, and does wonders to encourage hope,  for at least someone out there truly still cares.



Please visit http://www.justgiving.com/TheTopeProject-2013 , and give whatever you can. All donations can, and will, continue to make a change for several vulnerable young people.

Penrose Market: Let The Christmas Markets Commence!

Christmas comes early TODAY courtesy of students at London’s world class design and media university college, Ravensbourne.

The college – situated ideally by The o2 – today has final-year undergraduates partake in the annual Penrose Market event, where students actually showcase and sell the fruits of their past three years labour.

There’s crafted Xmas cards for chums; to cute cushions and knitted wear for nana! Jewellery for the lovely lady; to personalised tees and other prints for the egoistical Mr!

There’s even eco-friendly recycled goods stalls to alleviate any guilt induced by indulgence shopping; and what’s more is that a number of these stalls will make a donation from their profits to charity; so it’s well worthy a cause.

Prices according to Ravensbourne, will reflect the economic climate; ie, quality products at student prices, so if you’re feeling a little hesitant on the finance part; today may save you a few quid, before you have to resort to getting something for the youngsters in the extortionate high street Xmas build up (and spend a lot more).

The college’s Penrose Market promises to offer something for everyone, Penrose Market opens from 12-6; but is for ONE DAY ONLY, therefore if you want to grab a bargain from some of tomorrow’s certain leading figure’s of media, design and fashion, then it’s well worth jumping on the tube to North Greenwich.

Ravensbourne’s young professionals between them have a series of accolades to their name, including awards from leading car manufacturer Audi; to The Graduate Awards; to the prestigious Royal Society of Arts. Key Alumni include Bruce Oldfield, Stella McCartney and Kevin Carrigan; so rest assured you are in safe hands, and will quite likely be grabbing a bargain today, worth quite some times more in a couple of years!

Get down to Penrose Market, and support our young aspirants!

Address is Ravensbourne, 6 Penrose Way, London SE10 0EW. Nearest Station, North Greenwich. For more info see www.penrosemarket.co.uk

Gaddafi Dead: Libyans Celebrate in London Streets

Hundreds of Libyans have began jubilant celebrations in London, after the momentous news of Colonel Muammar Qaddafi’s death.

Reports of Qaddafi’s death began to surface on and off line at approximately 3pm BST, as Libyans around the world waited in anxiety for confirmation. By 6pm local time, after eight turbulent months, millions received their verification when Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) announced the dictator was finally dead.

In London, tens of hundreds of Libyans descended upon Edgware Road to begin celebrations in the street, long into the night. A cacophony of sounds; drumbeats, singing and general cheering resonated along the capital’s Arab centre-point, as Libyans celebrated the end of a 42-year tyranny.

Guma al Gamati, co-ordinator in the UK for Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC), triumphantly said:

“It’s been a great day. A momentous day; very symbolic. It marks the end of a long episode of suffering and killings; oppression and tyranny in Libya. At last the Libyan people can say that they are free, and at last they can say proudly that they stood up to the tyrant Qaddafi eight months ago and went through a great revolution. They have sacrificed a lot. They have succeeded and today they are victorious because the end of Qaddafi has been witnessed and seen today at last”.

I put to the NTC representative, whether he thought true justice had been served in the circumstances of Qaddafi’s brutal death, images which proved even too graphic for some news bulletins as they were broadcast around the world.

“I think ideally it would have been better if he was arrested and stayed alive and put on trial. But it looks like there was an exchange of fire and he was badly injured, and did not survive his injury and he died as a result”. Al Gamati continued: “I don’t think it was an intention to kill him but maybe there was an exchange of fire and he was hit badly by bullets.”

Meanwhile emotional Libyans - of all ages - continued to sing, dance and display flamboyant scenes of triumph, around the Marble Arch streets. A couple to teenagers, one who had experienced the revolution first-hand, offered an alternative perspective of what the day’s news meant to them as young Libyans.

“I was there last summer, I was fighting with them as well, but I came back for my studies. Insha Allah (God willing) I am gonna go there on Monday, and go celebrate and finally sleep with no worries. Forty-two years!”, a defiant adolescent exclaimed.

Another elated youngster of similar age revealed:

“I’m over the moon…Speechless! Forty-two years he’s been there and he’s just been causing havoc for all of us Libyans, his own people; causing bloodshed on all of them. To be honest today is the happiest day of my life - 20^th October 2011… I’ve never had this feeling before… I can finally go to my home town… I had no chance of going because of what’s been going on there, but now I can go without a doubt. I can go today if I want to!” he joyfully expressed.

The first youngster meanwhile offered his insight into what now lay ahead for the new Libya; ‘the challenge’.

“We’re at the best point right now. It’s a challenging moment, We’ve been challenged to change the country overall; to clean everything basically. We’re gonna need to know who are the good guys and the bad guys, but it looks to be going well”, he spoke optimistically.

Returning to the issue of the nature of Qaddafi’s death though, it was clear that contrary to the rationale of NTC representative al Gamati; the adolescent believed that the dictator’s killing today was an inevitability:

“All the Libyans wanted him alive, but we had no choice. He was running that’s the problem. If we didn’t catch him, he would be somewhere else right now where we couldn’t catch him, so that was the best point. And I am proud to say to that 18 year old guy who held the sniper; good luck to him and I wish him the best!”

Later in the evening, as the crowds began to settle, I spoke to one final Libyan. The man in his mid 30s offered an even further insight in the circumstances of the Libyan leader’s death, and what it could have meant had the dictator been caught alive:

“Today is a very happy day. Forty-two years of pain and sorrow. We’ve had couple of good moments in the last couple of months, but this seems to be the end-game. At the end of the day a trial may have been nice in one way but a trial would have been a problem. It would have meant that maybe he would have been handed over to The Hague; Libyans would have wanted him tried in Libya. Now God will decide what will happen with him”, the Libyan resolved.

Regarding what progress he felt had been made, the Libyan of Scottish residence imparted:

“The last sort of eight months have been totally different. Before Libyans didn’t have real pride in their nation now they’ve got a lot of love and pride for their nation. But it’s not just positive; there is negative; a lot of families have lost members; there is a lot of problems going on in the country just now, because simply people are out of work, and that. But the spirits are extremely high; the spirits are totally different from before. People can see the future being bright, God willing”.

His prospects of optimism was shared by the NTC’s Guma al Gamati who emphatically revealed to me in closing:

“I think the future is great… Free democratic prosperous huge resources and hopefully the Libyans will be able to build a great country and will enjoy it and will be able to fulfil all their hopes and aspirations”.

Qaddafi's demise sees the toppling of a third leader in the revolutionary Arab Spring.

NHS Bill Protesters bring Westminster Bridge to a Close

Thousands of protesters took to Westminster Bridge at lunchtime yesterday, bringing disruption to the bridge, and the surrounding Westminster areas.

The demonstrations – largely organised by protest group UK Uncut - campaigned against proposed reforms to the NHS, set to dramatically change the structure of the National Health Service for the first time in its 60 year history.

More than 1000 campaigners came out to campaign against the proposed Health and Social Care bill, which will enter the House of Lords this week. An overwhelming number dressed as doctors and nurses, apt for the occasion, and many, at the behest of UK Uncut donned artificial cuts, wounds and blood injuries. In fact much of the proceedings were symbolic, not least the chosen stage of the demos - Westminster Bridge; the bridge linking Parliament with St Thomas’ Hospital.

A plethora of placards and slogans were paraded, some reading ‘No to the Health and Social Care Bill’; ‘People Before Profit’ and ‘NHS Cuts Will Never Heal’. Poignant quotes on the other hand was the choice of banner for other activists who displayed the words of Aneurin Bevin: ‘The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it’.

The protests - greatly mobilised with the help of social networks - saw ‘#blockthebill’, become an increasingly popular ‘trending’ topic on Twitter, as thousands around the country had by lunchtime vowed to attend, or at least advocated their support for the demonstrations. Even celebrities added to the clout, with comedian Russell Brand tweeting; ‘Save NHS from privatisation. I will be there dressed as a wounded pigeon’.

The government continue to dismiss claims that the reforms will bring privatisation to the National Health Service, but many analysts, theorists and academics have argued to the contrary claiming the remodelling to bring about inevitable competition in the providing of healthcare from various healthcare companies under the proposed guidelines.

“I’m here partly because I’m nervous of American private health companies coming in and making a profit out of the NHS”, one disgruntled campaigner told me.

“And people pay their National Insurance contributions. They’re not paying for them to go into the pockets of private investors. They’re paying it for health. Health shouldn’t be a question of profit and shouldn’t be a question of competition.

“It should be for everybody and it belongs to everybody”, she added.

Campaigners were backed by trade union and socialist groups – including the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, whose general secretary referred to the proposals as a bill that “no one voted for”. Meanwhile Strawberry Thieves, a south-London socialist choir provided musical entertainment singing well-known songs, invariably substituting original lyrics to themes opposing the government and NHS reforms.

For others though, attendance was compulsory, with the protest being a personal cause.

“We’re here today because of the National Health Cuts. We’re trying to save the National Health Service, its going through privatisation, and through the back door, and we’re trying to stop it and keep it free to everybody.” another campaigner, Elizabeth Webb said.

“It’s actually affecting us now. I’ve got two physically disabled daughters at home and the appointments that they have; they’re having to wait longer now to get in. It’s gonna get even worse. I’ve seen the nurses running around. They haven’t got time to look after everybody… It’s really bad”. Ms Webb (pictured, right) elaborated.

“My daughter, when she went in, she was left in hospital sat in urine. She hadn’t even had her face washed or her hair brushed. So yes it’s affecting me and my family”, she said

Ms Webb, who had travelled from as far out as Preston for the demonstration, expressed further contempt at government cuts also.

“We’re just an ordinary family and we’re actually feeling it… All my bills have gone up and we’re struggling now. We’re struggling to keep warm… We’ve had to go out and cut firewood for the winter coming up. We shouldn’t have to do that!

“I’m not joking; that’s the sad truth… To keep disabled people warm – because they’ve got bad circulation – I need to have [the heating] on all the time… That’s why I’m here today” the Preston campaigner concluded.

Teenage Girls AND Baby Targeted in West London Triple Shooting

Three teenage girls last night became victims of a drive-by shooting in Queen’s Park, West London. It has emerged today that one of the girls; an 18-year-old named locally as Jessica Crichlow, had been holding her eleven-month-old son at the time of the attack.

The shootings – said locally to have been a direct by-product of ongoing estate rivalries – took place at approximately 1915 hours yesterday evening on John Fearon Walk, Mozart Estate, Queen’s Park.

The shot victims – aged 17, 18 and 19, and understood to be friends – were immediately rushed to hospital where they received treatment for non-life threatening injuries. The baby escaped unhurt, police revealed earlier today.

Today at a press conference concerning the attempted murder, Detective Mick Foote said that he did not believe that the three females were the attempted targets. According to the detective, the group of girls had been interacting with a larger group of boys on John Fearon Walk, when an apparently lonesome entered and fired a single bullet at the crowd.

"What we do know is that the guys in the large group were aware that something was going to happen, because they decided to run off just before the shot was fired".

Foote elaborated that the gunman, then joined three others on bikes, one of whom was holding a holdall, and the rival gang made an escape in the direction of Marylebone Road. All four men are said to have been wearing dark clothing.

Detectives believe that the teenagers were all struck by the same single bullet during the suspected drive-by shooting. The 17-year-old has since been discharged early this morning, while the other two remain hospitalised in a stable condition.

Local residents last night expressed their stunned reactions to the horrific events.

“I was shocked when someone told me it was her”, a resident referred to one of the victims. “I went over to her’s and her mum was crying and said she’s stable; she was shot in the chest, and her friend in the back of the head”, the neighbour continued.

“The girl that I know has nothing to do with the gangs; she just happens to live on the estate. You know, she has good parents, is hardworking; she worked locally, went to college; I’ve never even seen her in the streets to be honest”.

The neighbour – who declined to reveal his name – shed light on the local gang tensions which culminated in the night’s tragic events.

“From what I know, it’s been going on for a while; rival gangs from the Mozart estate and South Kilburn estate just a couple of hundred yards down the road, and what they do is just tit-for-tat basically.

“It’s been going on for a few years now. The guys from here will probably do the same… They do YouTube videos taunting each other, and Facebook and Twitter, even. Sometimes you know something’s going to happen ‘cause there’s big groups during the day, and word’s going round”.

Commenting on notorious gang tensions in the area, the residents made a distinction between gang and estate ‘warfare’ attributing the night’s ordeal to the latter.

“I think it’s just they’ll come to the estate, they’ll recognise faces, certain demographics that fit the bill and that’s it; they’ll get shot unfortunately… It’s rival estates rather than gangs”, he insists before revealing senseless episodes of similar shootouts that had preceded last night.

“This is like the third time I know… They’ll take a couple of shots and run off. It’s almost like a waterfight!” he whisks before concluding:

“Young men with nothing to do; just trying to give themselves something to feel big about”.

The resident’s notion is in line with that of Labour MP Karen Buck who visited the scene late last night, claiming that these incidents would only escalate with governments cuts to young people’s services. The local MP for Westminster North, home to the Mozart Estate, was echoed by long-standing Westminster resident Aiden who originally came to the ward a quarter-of-a-century ago. Whilst insisting that the area had improved in his time in the area, he noted:

“There’s not much to say really, but if we get the kids off the street; keep them occupied. Boredom can lead to trouble so get the youngsters off the streets”, the Queen’s Park resident said.

Asking him what could have galvanised the local tensions, Aiden asserted:

“Maybe something trivial I’m sure probably started it up. Something simple, then it’s just escalated hasn’t it? The youngsters don’t realise it takes a split second to pull a trigger and somebody can die as a result of it… Especially the fact that you’ve got three kids shot today”.

Mohammad – a resident on the Mozart estate where the shootings took place – meanwhile took a different view.

“We don’t have the right to tell our children to stay home. The freedom the government give young people they use to their full advantage”, he said, before moving to the lenient punishments young people faced when caught.

“They know it’s one night down the station, then the next they’re free”.

The case of attempted murder continues to be investigated by the Operation Trident wing of the Metropolitan Police, who deal with gun crime in the black community. No arrests have been made thus far.

Today, at the press conference, Detective Foote said confidently:

“There are I’m sure, other witnesses. It was seven o’clock in the evening. There were people walking around at the time”.

Potential witnesses or anyone with information relating to the shooting, are urged to call the Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Olympians - Past, Present & Future - get set for 2012 at Lloyds' Westfield Launch

Olympic champion Collin Jackson was amongst the list of big names yesterday at the launch of Westfield, Stratford City.

Tens of thousands flooded the doors at 8am, as the doors to the East London complex were opened. Many are said to have queued for periods as extensive as twenty hours to take advantage of opening day offers in some 300 stores.

The shopping centre which looks to replicate the success of its sister mall in White City was described by the mayor as “one of the most important legacies of the 2012 Olympics”.

Meanwhile, the Olympics looked to have come early for ecstatic shoppers got the chance to have their photo taken with the Olympic torch, in the newly-opened Lloyds TSB. Lloyd’s TSB is an official partner of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

At midday, Collin Jackson opened the mall’s branch bank to excited shoppers that immediately formed queues for photos with the former Olympian.

At the launch, Jackson, a silver Olympic medallist himself, cemented his support for the high street bank’s Local Heroes scheme. The scheme launched in 2008, sees Lloyds TSB provide financial support to hundreds of emerging athletes across the UK, to help cover essential costs like training and necessary sports equipment.

The athlete-turned-presenter told me:

“It’s really important for us to get involved with the community and the Olympics experience, and really get into the heart of the community. Lloyds TSB are lucky enough that they are in it…So it’s a good initiative for us to get involved and I think the more information we can drum up; the more enthusiasm we can drum about the Olympic games is gonna be better for everyone!”

Some of the promising talents were on hand at the grand opening to talk about how the scheme had benefited them:

“I’ve been on the scheme since 2008 when it started" Local Hero Twinelle Hopeson imparted. "They sponsor us by giving us a grant each year of £1000 which goes towards physiotherapy, travelling costs and things like that. Also, we get to do coverage things, for example I’ve been to the Olympic stadium; been filmed for the BBC, and it’s all through Lloyd’s TSB”, the 100m sprinter from Croydon revealed.

Tyler Saunders, a wheelchair basketball athlete from Edgware echoed similar contentment:

“As a young person doing a sport there’s a lot of costs involved and for Lloyds TSB to give you a grant towards it, it makes life that bit easier. You can just focus on the sport instead of trying to raise money in order to do the sport”

He continued: “It’s a really good initiative. Lloyds are one of the main sponsors of the Olympics; Instead of just saying ‘yeah, we’re a partner’; they’re actually putting money into emerging athletes, so come 2016 there’s actually going to be a pool of young British athletes coming through due to Lloyds TSB”.

Whilst they acknowledge the 2012 games are too imminent to expect glory, both young heroes fervently anticipate medals at Rio 2016.

On Saturday, Tyler and Twinelle will return to Lloyd’s TSB Westfield with other fellow athletes, for an event further publicising the Olympics and Local Heroes Scheme.

Thousands Mourn Tottenham Police Shooting Victim Mark Duggan

More than 1000 people descended on the streets of Wood Green yesterday (Friday) to pay their final respects to Mark Duggan.

The funeral service for Duggan - who's shooting dead by police sparked last month's civil unrest - took place at the New Testament Church Of God, Wood Green, just two miles from where his life was taken on August 4.

In an emotionally-fuelled service, relatives and close friends paid tribute as they described Duggan as a “highly-spirited, humorous, caring and loving” individual who took an immense pride in his family.

A selection of Biblical readings and musical tributes came from Mark Duggan’s immediate and extended family network. Too distraught to speak, Semone Wilson – Duggan’s partner of 14 years - conveyed her own heartfelt memories of her first ‘true love’ in a tribute read out by her sister.

In an equally touching obituary, cousin Donna Martin affectionately recalled how Duggan boasted a smile “that used to take over the whole of his face!” The cousin also elaborated on how Duggan had come to be a respected role model for younger people in the community talking to them about ‘life’. ”He was seen as a peacemaker by many, and saw it as his role to prevent unnecessary conflict”, Ms Martin recollected. She concluded with speaking about Duggan’s final days up until the tragic circumstances which led to her cousin’s untimely demise.

Speaking to a family friend and Tottenham resident after the service, Kareen Vere vented her anger at the police, and their failures surrounding Duggan’s death in their custody.

“It grieves me that someone so young, a father to four children; his life is just ended just like that… Nobody is supposed to die at the hands of police for no reason. And the lying, and trying to cover their tracks and discredit the family is just not on”.

Of the memorial, Ms Vere said; “There was a lot of love and respect today. I hope we don’t just go home and tomorrow forget about it. I hope we get active in the community, and follow the campaigns that have started in order to get justice for the family… I’m not gonna wait till it’s my son to help”.

Kareen Vere was echoed by Douglas Williams of local campaign group ‘Find Your Voice’ The group which sets about to empower the community , has since Duggan’s death, campaigned for justice for the 29-year-old.

“Where we go from here is that as a community we must get justice”, Williams asserted. “We have to move by any means necessary to bring justice to Mark… That means we have to begin with our MPs; councillors; they all have to be held accountable. There will come a time when we have a day of action when we say ‘ On This particular day; Nobody will work on This particular thing’. Then, they can start to take to take us seriously”.

With reference to the circumstances of Duggan’s death, Williams noted;

“The reason why people can do things to you is because they know they can get away with it… As a community we just can’t take this kind of thing lying down”, Williams vehemently continued, before highlighting the fact yet another two men had died in police custody since Duggan on August 4^th.

Marcia Rigg, - whose brother Sean Rigg died in Brixton police custody in August 2008 explained why it was so important she attend Mark Duggan’s funeral.

“I’m here for Mark Duggan, to support the families of victims of deaths in police custody. When people disperse after the funerals it’s the families left”, Ms Rigg opened up, before turning her attention to the police.

“How can they sleep at night? How can they close their eyes? It’s blatant murder and they feel they’re allowed to get away with it because they’re wearing the Queen’s uniform. We have to put a stop to that.”, Ms Rigg vowed.

“Since 1969 there has been over 400 deaths [in police custody] and no officer has ever been made accountable for any of these. We need to bring this to the media!

“The system too needs to be put to account… The government allows the police to get away with murder, and if the government was to highlight the situation and show the police they cannot do this, maybe they will think twice before they kill somebody”, Ms Rigg concluded.

Mark Duggan was shot dead by police marksmen on August 4th, after police intercepted the minicab he was travelling in. The police's failure to explain why Duggan was shot, sparked the Tottenham riots that escalated in to nationwide unrest last month.

The Duggan family meanwhile continue to await answers as the Independent Complaints Commission (IPCC) continue to investigate the events of that August evening.

Duggan family friend Kareen Vere suggests there to be only one way to vindicate the Met at this stage: “I suggest that if the police want to have better relations with the community, then they need to be real, they need to tell the truth, and they need to have honour.”

Amy Has Created A Legacy, say Winehouse fans

Merely ten days after her tragic death last weekend, Amy Winehouse is immortalised with a return to the top of the charts, while her Camden Square home has become a shrine to the soul sensation.

Winehouse’s groundbreaking Back to Black this week sees a return to the no.1 album chart position more than four years since it held that spot in 2007. According to HMV, so phenomenal was last week’s demand for the late singer’s Grammy-winning CD, the music stockist had completely sold out by Thursday.

Meanwhile, a week-and-a-half after her passing, more and more fans continue to gather outside the singer’s North London home, Camden, leaving heartfelt floral displays, and various other tributes for Winehouse.

Fans from her local area of Camden, to as far afield as Canada, have been coming to pay their final respects.

“I was at my aunt’s house. My aunt turned on the TV to BBC News and across the screen it said that Amy Winehouse was dead”, Alicia Baird, a Canadian fan visiting London, tells how she learnt the bad news.

“I was shocked… Even though I didn’t know where her home was exactly, I just thought I’ll go down to Camden, and ask the locals where she lives so at least I’ll know for myself it’s true”.

Alicia reveals becoming a fan in 2007 after seeing promotional content of Back to Black on Perez Hilton’s website. Instantly she was taken by Winehouse’s signature sound.

“Being from Toronto, Canada, we don’t really get a lot of British artists that we hear about, so it was good that I got to hear it on Perez. I loved her music, her voice and sound. I actually got the opportunity to see her in Toronto but I missed the opportunity, figuring I could see her another time. Now it’s like: ‘That’s not going to happen again’“, she whisks her head regretfully.

Another fan at Camden Square expresses sentimentality of when she too was seduced by Amy Winehouse’s soulful sound via Back to Black.

“Back to Black was the album that first established my connection with Amy. It’s one of those albums you can play to anyone. I played it to family who never knew anything about her and instantly they thought she was a genius”.

Fortunately for Evi J though, she did meet the songstress, not at concert; but bumping into her in the local Camden area.

“She was with her dad. I had a small chat with her… I said ‘I think you’re amazing and don’t let anyone tell you differently; just keep doing your music’. She was really lovely and said ‘thank you babe!’. I just thought you could see the child in her eyes the whole time, despite the public image”.

Alas, it was this ‘public image’ that afforded Amy Winehouse an undesirably turbulent reputation, whilst an insatiable media capitalised on the singer’s litany of drug affairs. Fans who gather at Camden Square ten days on though, resent even the possibility that Winehouse should be remembered for this.

“I hope that people do not glamorise the drink and drugs”, one Columbian fan visiting the square mutters.

“We all as human beings have our own demons and everyone has their own ways to fight them”, Georgina Kosky continues. “Some people succeed; some people do not succeed, and I don’t think we’re entitled to criticise her way of life because we were not in her shoes to know why she did what she did”.

Inevitably, the question of ‘who is to blame’ has gathered momentum since Amy Winehouse’s death.

“It seems as though she had a lot of support”, Evi J argues. “It looks like she couldn’t get herself out her rut. That’s how it seems to me, but who’s to know?”

Evi poses a very good question. The final interviewee I question at Camden Square though, thinks he may have inkling.

“I’m not surprised by her death; I’m more shocked by her sudden death”, Paul Mwaniki reflects solemnly. ”I personally feel she didn’t have enough support”.

Paul raises concerns on Winehouse’s final European tour in June, and how the shambolic Belgrade performance where she was booed offstage, contributed to the Rehab singer’s death. “If your biggest fans boo you, it doesn’t get lower than that... I feel that this was the beginning of the end”.

The London fan is not alone in his lack of surprise over Amy Winehouse’s premature demise. But was the Camden singer’s death - likely of a drug overdose - inevitable?

“About the drug abuse, I think where there’s a will there’s a way”, Paul says. Anyone can get away from drugs if there is a will to stop taking… But that all depends on the people you hang out with”.

Truth be told, much of Winehouse’s company was as ominous as the paraphernalia that led to her untimely demise. For one, the singer was perennially linked with rockstar Pete Doherty who is alleged to have supplied her with drugs.

That said, both elements – addictions and relationships – would play a considerable role in providing much of the content themes on Amy Winehouse’s five Grammy award–winning sophomore effort. Back to Black today features five songs in the top 40; including Rehab, which features autobiographical lyrics concerning the singer resisting medical help for her alcoholism.

And how better to honour our very own soul sensation than returning her to the fame and success that her music phenomenally reached over the course of just two albums? Meanwhile tributes keep coming to Camden Square with heartfelt messages such as “Your music nursed me thru hard times…” and, “At the touch of a button, you are alive again; music is immortality”.

Loyal fan Evi J puts hers simply: “She’s led the way for future artists, and to have had only two albums with such an impact; she’s created her own legacy”.

Indeed, truly will this extraordinary feat form an integral part of Amy Winehouse’s legacy. As well as for being the pioneer who delivered an elixir to the ‘stuffy’ and ‘tired’ jazz and soul genres; for being the forerunner who paved the way for Adele, Duffy, and a continuum of other British female experiments to surmount transatlantic fame; and most importantly; for being the British singer and songwriter, who revitalised the UK urban music scene; and its perception worldwide.

Perhaps summing Winehouse up best though, was my Columbian interviewee Georgina, who closed;

“Amy was totally different to most artists this side of the pond. She was a white woman from Jewish heritage, with a black voice, and a lot of soul in her voice”.

And this is yet further reason why Amy Winehouse has undoubtedly made a lasting impression on both British and global music scenes; to live on through fans throughout the world, for ages to come.

QPR Return to Queen's Park to Unveil Birthplace

QPR this weekend returned to their roots – namely Ilbert Street, Queen’s Park – to celebrate the club’s 125^th Anniversary.

QPR players and representatives – including legend Stan Bowles – joined Westminster’s Deputy Lord Mayor (Right) and event organisers CityWest Homes, to unveil a plaque honouring the club’s St Jude’s Church Hall birthplace.

1886 saw the amalgamation of two local amateur church teams – ‘Christchurch Rangers’, and ‘St Jude’s Institute’ – to form Queen’s Park Rangers (after the district home to most of the boys). Since then the West London side has gone from strength to strength, climbing their way to the top flight of English football.

Whilst the club has had a record fifteen different homes since – with its current being Loftus Road, Shepherd’s Bush, – 125 years on, the original, St Jude’s Hall Ilbert Street, is now immortalised thanks to Saturday’s plaque-unveiling.

Andy Evans (speaker, left), Chief Executive of QPR’s Community Trust, expressed his delight at the day’s outcome:

“Today’s a really good day; a really lovely warm community feeling at the event, and obviously from a club perspective, for QPR it’s a really proud historic day as well”.

Meanwhile, Darren Levy, Director of Customer Services for CityWest Homes (who teamed up with QPR to bring the event to fruition), echoed similar contentment:

"It’s taken probably a year’s worth of planning. The atmosphere’s fantastic and it’s great to have the deputy Lord Mayor here, and Stan Bowles from QPR.

“Most of the residents I’ve bumped into seem to be having a good time; lots of smiles which is great. The key thing is what we can build from here in terms of nurturing our relationship with Queen’s Park so they can continue to provide things for the kids in the area”.

The day was quintessentially a community celebration with a range of activities on offer. Neighbouring Queen’s Park Gardens hosted face-painting, funfair rides, bike maintenance, Zumba dancing, and a variety of community stalls. A DJ was also on hand to add music entertainment throughout.

QPR provided football coaching to youngsters; and the club kindly also brought their latest trophy with them to allow delighted fans a unique photo opportunity.

Speaking about some of the other community work Rangers do, Andy Evans, the R’s Community Trust CEO revealed:

“We operate across a number of London boroughs at the moment… We have an education department… a football development department … [W]e’ve also got a big social inclusion programme, for example, we deliver four different Kickz projects across different boroughs which purely targets 12-18 year olds during the evenings, giving them positive activities to take part in”.

On league promotion, Evans said great benefits could be extended to the community, with the club being granted access to the Premier League pot fund in the coming season.

As QPR gear up for Premier League action, one certainty that the R’s can put their confidence in is the enduring dedication of their fans. Lifelong Hoops fan Linda Heavey,

accompanied by her son Tristan, 5 (Right); demonstrated her family’s undying devotion to the club, since its inception:

"We’ve [my family] lived in this area for over a hundred years, and since QPR have been going my family have supported them. Cousins, mum, dad… - my father was a steward at QPR for nearly 12 years, - they’ve all got season tickets to Queen’s Park Rangers and I am so happy they have gone up!”

Ms Heavey concluded, “I am so happy to be here today for Queen’s Park Rangers, and the plaque on that wall is fantastic. It makes me proud to be a supporter and to live in this area”.