Thousands turn out for Wolverhampton Vaisakhi celebrations
Vaisakhi is the Sikh New Year festival and this year marks the 326th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa Order and making of Saint-Soldier by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699.
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South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Newport's Riverfront Theatre hosts Windrush celebration
The free event honoured the Windrush Generation through music, dance, storytelling, and community connection, bringing together people from across the globe in a joyful tribute to heritage and resilience. The afternoon was packed with live performances, cultural exhibits, Caribbean and Asian cuisine, and interactive workshops. Local charities such as Newport's AGE ALIVE were also present, highlighting the ongoing contributions of grassroots organisations to the city's diverse communities. Among VIP guests were two remarkable Windrush elders: Roy Mackpenfield Grant BEM and Vernesta Cyril OBE, whose stories embody perseverance and service. Roy Grant, a retired Jamaican-born engineer and author, shared his journey from hardship to innovation. After arriving in the UK, he faced racism and isolation, recalling the voyage as 'horrible, wet, cold and miserable,' worsened by seasickness and unfamiliar conditions. Yet he rose to become Newport's first Black production manager, pioneering carpet-cutting technology and later writing several books. Titles such as Patchwork Culture explore his experiences and the cultural ties between Jamaica and Wales. Vernesta Cyril OBE, born in St Lucia, migrated to the UK in 1962 with a dream of becoming a nurse. She trained at Royal Gwent and St Woolos Hospitals, serving for over 40 years as a midwife, earning the title Midwife of the Year in 2006 and an OBE in 1999 for her work in community relations. Vernesta recounted her journey with warmth, remembering the excitement of leaving St Lucia and the camaraderie among fellow Caribbeans aboard the ship: 'The worst part was the launch that took us to the ship,' she said, 'because the harbour was too shallow for that big boat.' Her career touched thousands of lives, and she shared a touching anecdote about actor Michael Sheen, who publicly revealed that Vernesta had delivered him at Royal Gwent Hospital, a surprise to Vernesta. Just weeks earlier, Vernesta represented the Windrush Generation at the Pride of Britain Awards, where they were honoured with the Outstanding Contribution award for their immeasurable impact on British life. From 1948 to 1971, over 500,000 Caribbean people came to the UK, bringing with them skills and determination that helped shape Britain's vibrant culture. As the music played and stories were shared, the Riverfront celebration reminded all in attendance that the Windrush legacy is not just history, it's a living, breathing part of Newport's identity.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
August bank holiday in the West Midlands: Dancing, street food, music and more
The August bank holiday weekend is closing in so whether you are looking for one last family outing, a day of enjoying the arts or letting loose with your friends, the West Midlands has you covered. Below, we have put together a list of some of the activities and events taking place between 22 and 25 August across the region: Birmingham and the Black Country We start in Birmingham with the Birmingham Weekender – a free city-centre festival from Saturday until 25 August, featuring aerial dance, street performers, pop-up experiences, installations and family-friendly "carnival happenings", so say organisers Birmingham in Kings Heath, there's the Páirc Summer Series, described as "the biggest celebration of Irish music and culture", between Saturday and 25 August at the outdoor grounds of the Irish also, on 24 August, Afrobeats N Brunch, called "the UK's biggest African brunch" at Sector 57 in Digbeth. Elsewhere, in Wolverhampton the largest-ever exhibition of the UK's hobbies continues at Wolverhampton Art Gallery with the Come As You Really Are exhibition running until 5 October. They feature objects on show that have been created, modified or collected by hobbyists from across the activities and events are listed on the Visit Birmingham website and the Enjoy Wolverhampton website. Coventry and Warwickshire In Warwick, they're holding what they dub the BIG Summer Market - and could it be any bigger?Arts, crafts and a local produce market held on Market Square on the bank holiday Monday with street food and other entertainment in the town from 24 August t0 25 August is the town's Horticultural and Allotment show with craft stalls and a tea tent as they celebrate horticulture in the town and activities and events are listed on the Visit Warwickshire website. Hereford and Worcester Boat fans should consider the Ross Regatta this bank holiday, a charitable event held annually in Ross-on-Wye between 25 and 26 August. The event will see boat racing across several classes as well as live music and duck racing.A little further north, the Ledbury Carnival returns on 25 August in the Herefordshire town and features fairground rides, bands, stalls, dance displays, children's entertainment and, of course, the carnival procession. Just after the bank holiday, in the Herefordshire hamlet of St Owen's Cross, they are holding their outdoor summer fiesta at The New Inn on 26 August with summer-themed entertainment and organisers promise it is for those who "enjoy live music, delicious al fresco dining and cocktails". Then from Thursday through the bank holiday weekend, until Sunday, is the Bewdley Beer Festival at St George's Hall in the Visit Herefordshire and Visit Worcestershire websites host more ideas for activities and events. Shropshire Starting in the county town with the Shrewsbury Folk Festival – a family and dog-friendly folk Americana and world music festival, running from Friday to 25 August, with live music across multiple for steam enthusiasts, there's the Shrewsbury Steam Rally at Onslow Park on 24-25 August, featuring more than 1,200 exhibits including steam engines, vintage tractors, classic cars, plus craft stalls and fairground rides. Down the road from Shrewsbury, on the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend, there will be the White Horse Pulverbatch Beer Festival at the White Horse Inn, Pulverbatch, with real ales, ciders, live music and food all on it will be a good weekend for ballooning with the Telford Balloon Fiesta taking place from Friday to the bank holiday Sunday at Telford Town Park. Organisers have promised family activities, live music and of course, plenty of balloons. More ideas for your family can be found on the Visit Shropshire site. Stoke and Staffordshire In Staffordshire, they have the Single Parent Festival at Sherratts Wood, east Staffordshire, from Friday to the 27 is an event, organisers say, designed for children to play and fellow parents to meet and make friends. Elsewhere, there's the Penkridge Open Air Festival, near Cannock, from Friday to 24 August with the Vengaboys, Boney M, The Weather Girls and more perform Visit Staffordshire website has other events planned for the coming weeks. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
How will the new Match of the Day work?
Match of the Day is back with a new presenting trio ready to bring insight, energy and entertainment to the Premier League new campaign represents a bold new era for BBC Sport's flagship football show when it returns to screens live on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday from 22:20 BST, with Sunday's show starting at 22:30 BST. Who are the new presenters? Match of the Day will be presented by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby lead presenter role will be shared for the first time across Match of the Day and Match of the Day: Champions League - the latest addition to the BBC's football highlights has had a 27-year career in football with stints on all major broadcasters, including the BBC on Radio 5 Live. She previously hosted 606 with Ian Wright on Sundays. Cates, whose dad is former Liverpool and Scotland legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, has been presenting Premier League football for Sky Sports since 2017 and will continue to work for has been hosting MOTD2 for 12 years and also presents a range of sports programming on BBC Radio 5 Live, including the Monday Night Club and 606. He has hosted various sporting events for both BBC TV and radio. Chapman also presented Sky Sports' coverage of the Carabao first joined the BBC in 2007 and has presented many sporting events, including men's and women's World Cups and European Championships, the Six Nations and Olympics. Since 2013, Logan has co-hosted BBC Sports Personality of the trio are the sixth set of main presenters for the weekly football highlights programme since it first aired in have also been changes to the show too, with new augmented reality graphics in the studio and an updated title sequence. Who will present the first show and how will they rotate? The new presenters will rotate throughout the season, sharing equal billing on Saturday and Sunday's shows, and Match of the Day: Champions League on schedule may change throughout the season, with Logan presenting BBC Sport's coverage of the Rugby World Cup this autumn, as an first show of the season will be hosted by Chapman with insight and analysis from Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer in the will lead Sunday's highlights show with guests Joe Hart and Danny Murphy. Who are the pundits? As well as Rooney, Shearer, Hart and Murphy, fan favourites and returning stars include Micah Richards, Ashley Williams, Dion Dublin and Martin Keown. Ellen White, Nedum Onuoha, Steph Houghton, Theo Walcott, Shay Given and Stephen Warnock will also be on hand to impart their knowledge, energy and experience. Who decides the running order? The running order is decided by considering various factors: the number of goals, the importance of the result in the title race or relegation battle, any particularly controversial decisions, and the overall quality of the MOTD programme editor has the final call on the running order the programme will follow, but they will take into account where we're at in the in the season, there is no particular urgency to reflect on the standings. So high-scoring games will generally become top picks to start the draws will not normally sit at the top of the programme, but towards the end of the season that result could be more significant if it feeds into a story around the title race. How can I watch Premier League highlights from 8pm on BBC Sport? The BBC Sport website will feature highlights of every Premier League match during the 2025-26 will be available on the BBC Sport app, website and iPlayer on Saturdays and Sundays - ordinarily from there is an evening match, highlights from all matches that day will be available 30 minutes after the final game of the day of weeknight matches will be published at 10.30pm. What other football will there on the BBC? Champions League highlights will continue to be available on BBC Sport from 10pm on a Sport will continue to broadcast action from every stage of the FA Cup, as well as providing highlights and digital clips across the BBC Sport website, app and social will be also digital highlights for every Women's Super League match on the Women's Football Show, as well as 21 live matches on the Scott continues to present Football Focus, and you can get all the scores and reaction on Final Score with Jason Mohammad throughout the Radio 5 Live will have commentaries from 209 Premier League games this season - more than any other UK Scotland and Northern Ireland there is extensive live coverage of the Scottish Premiership and NIFL Premiership across the Sport has also launched a new football podcast - The Wayne Rooney Show - available to watch or listen to on BBC Sounds, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport biggest names in football and entertainment will also join host Kelly Somers for bold, in-depth conversations in The Football article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. What is Ask Me Anything? Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. More questions answered... How can I watch Premier League highlights from 8pm on BBC Sport?What's new in the Premier League this season?Who decides the Match of the Day running order?
