A charity called the Diwali Basket Brigade has delivered food packages to families in lockdown across Birmingham in time for annual religious festival, this Saturday. The initiative dropped 2000 food hampers last Saturday alone, compared to 525 this time last year. Photo credit: Deepak Parekh Diwali is the festival of lights and is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. However, this year will be different as many people are not celebrating with family and friends due to lockdown restrictions. The community initiative provided food hampers to vulnerable and socially deprived families of all faiths and backgrounds. They also delivered…
Author: Anisah Vasta
There has been a rise in positive coronavirus cases amongst university students in Birmingham with over 500 cases in total. Birmingham City University (Credit: Birmingham City University) Birmingham City University (BCU) confirmed there has been a total of 160 positive cases between September 14 and October 7. 125 of the students were off campus, 33 on campus and 3 members of staff. University of Birmingham On Tuesday, University of Birmingham reported a total of 307 students tested positive for coronavirus between September 30 and September 6. 155 of these students where on campus two days prior to getting tested positive.…
A Birmingham nightclub has been suspended from trading after it was revealed at council meeting that it had broken Covid-19 laws. Councillors at yesterday afternoon’s Licensing Sub Committee meeting also agreed that Anton Gastparov, the designed premises supervisor of the Nakira nightclub, on Suffolk Street Queensway should be removed from his role immediately. The meeting heard evidence from West Midlands Police about several breaches. Last Friday night, the venue stayed open well after the 10pm curfew, with 20 to 30 customers still inside until almost 1am. Social distancing was not being observed, and no food was being sold, which are…
Birmingham based charity, Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer is celebrating its 20th birthday by unveiling the annual bra dressing of ‘The Floozie in the Jacuzzi’, in a bid to raise awareness during National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Co- founder Veronica Kumeta (right ) and Shelley Duncan (left) In England, around 46,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year with around 55,000 women and 370 men. According to research and care charity Breast Cancer Now, the most common type of cancer is breast cancer amongst women in the UK, with one women being diagnosed every 10 minutes. The Floozie was dressed…
Flights, cruises and hotel bookings may be cancelled for 2020 but it doesn’t mean you can’t take a break. The UK currently remains in lock-down and people are advised to stay in their homes unless for essential reasons such as food shopping or exercise. Therefore relaxing and taking a break can be difficult whilst being stuck at home. So…….. We’ve complied 5 inexpensive home spa treatments: 1) Applying a turmeric face mask Turmeric has been used as a spice and medicine by East Asian and South Asian cultures for many centuries . Curcumin is one of the ingredients found in…
Britain has now entered its second phase of a three-week lockdown due to the coronavirus. Across the UK, floods of support has been shown towards NHS workers and care workers and their efforts to save lives on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak. https://twitter.com/SaraDiss/status/1243275397833412609?s=20 #ClapforNHS has widely become a phenomenon where people across Britain clap in solidarity for all the NHS workers and carers during this difficult time at 8pm GMT every Thursday. A story from the hospital bed Elizabeth Payne from Walsall has experienced first-hand the impact of the NHS. She recovered from Covid-19 after being rushed to the…
Migrant and refugee pupils from South and City Birmingham College and Anderton Park School have produced a short film in hopes to inspire young people to stop knife crime. Knife crime is one of the leading issues within the UK. The West Midlands, alone, has seen an 17% increase in knife or sharp instrument related crime, according to latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics in January. It’s illegal to sell a knife to anyone under 18, and the maximum penalty for an adult convicted of carrying a knife is four years in jail and an unlimited fine.…
Prime Minister Theresa May is ‘blind’ to the country’s opinion of Brexit, minister declares in this Birmingham Eastside exclusive Brexit is undeniably the most debated political change of this generation. The Labour MP for Edgbaston, Preet Kaur Gill talks to Birmingham Eastside about Wednesday’s indicative votes on the Brexit options and how the second city will be impacted. MP Preet Kaur Gill (Preet Kaur Gill Website) Last night, MPs met at the Houses of Parliament to vote on the possible Brexit Options. They were as follows: No Deal, the Norway Model, the Norway model without a Customs Union, Leave with…
Co-written by Abigail Nruah and Anisah Vasta June Sarpong MBE and Sir Lenny Henry having a giggle Recently, Birmingham City University hosted an evening with Sir Lenny Henry, celebrating his role as the institution’s Chancellor. The event ‘Sir Lenny Henry in Conversation’ was held at the Birmingham Royal Conservatoire, and formed part of the university’s public lecture series ‘CityTalks’. The event consisted of a candid interview led by the author and broadcaster June Sarpong MBE, who asked about his personal journey as a comedian and the future he envisages for the media industry. Students at Birmingham City University School of…