Latest news with #StJames
The Herald Scotland
17 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Balding contemplating Commonwealth challenge for Jonquil
However, rather than a St James's Palace Stakes rematch with his ParisLongchamp conqueror, the Kingsclere handler is contemplating reverting to sprinting at the Royal meeting. 'Jonquil is really good since France and obviously we're hoping for Royal Ascot and he has a number of engagements there,' said Balding. 'I think the most likely at this stage is dropping him back to six for the Commonwealth Cup but it's all in the mix. I'd hope he has enough speed for that.' Balding is one of the main beneficiaries of the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute having inherited both Jonquil and the high-class Epsom-winning filly Formal and he added: 'I think if Sir Michael had the horses we've acquired, they would have done exactly the same as what they've done with us this year. 'They were well looked after and well prepared and we're very fortunate to have them.'
Daily Maverick
13-05-2025
- General
- Daily Maverick
St James School nurtured a community of enquiry
The shuttered Joburg school anchored its philosophy in stillness, love and self-awareness. A year ago, St James School, which was housed in a beautiful heritage building in Belgravia, Johannesburg, closed its doors. The urban degradation and high crime rate in the neighbourhood had taken their toll. Last week, I met with John Curle, the inspiring principal who had run the school for several years and had the unenviable task, with the school board, of closing the school. I got to know Curle as an innovative school leader in the neighbourhood and beyond. Curle reminded me that at the heart of St James School was a profound vision: 'To nurture individuals who see themselves and the world through the lens of unity and boundless potential.' He explained that the school's ethos was rooted in the belief that all life shared in a universal essence, a consciousness described as love itself. St James cultivated an environment where character building was highly prized, facilitating the discovery of students' innate gifts while honouring the soul's call for truth in the unity of all existence. In our meeting, Curle explained: 'At our school, the understanding was that every child arrived into the world, whole – pure, perfect and complete – their nature carrying within them the light of truth, consciousness and bliss. What they needed was the right care to help that light to shine.' Curle explained that one of the core values, which is stillness, was sustained in an environment carefully crafted to reflect harmony, beauty and purpose. He also related that the parents and family were very important at the school, and they too were encouraged to create an environment where children thrived. Teachers at the school led through embodying kindness, integrity and respect, qualities that were reflected by students over time. He noted that 'teachers in classrooms balance warmth with structure, blending affection and clear boundaries to nurture both empathy and discipline, the emphasis being on speaking the truth'. Sanskrit's ancient wisdom The curriculum drew on accumulated human history, from sacred geometry to Shakespearean verse and students engaged with art, music and literature. According to Curle, the curriculum steered clear of passing educational fads and instead focused on lasting values, using poetry, prayer and philosophical insights to inspire understanding. 'Sanskrit is a bridge to timeless wisdom and a source of inner calm,' said Curle, a Sanskrit teacher. 'Even young students begin to sense its stillness and depth – it's not just a language, but a way to centre the mind and open the heart, giving them access to a realm of intelligence that befits the human being.' Typically, from Grade R, each day began with the gentle chant 'Śānti manasi astu' (let the mind be at peace), a soothing practice that quieted young hearts and minds, creating a space of calm, bringing them to rest and clarity of mind, before learning began. The language's pure vowels and precise consonants, unchanged since the fifth century BCE, were more than linguistic exercises; they were tools for mental and emotional clarity. I realised that philosophy and Sanskrit formed the heart of St James together, cultivating minds attuned to beauty, truth, love, service and resilience. Philosophy of children Inspired by Leon MacLaren's belief that 'philosophy is the love of wisdom, and wisdom is the true knowledge of the self', the school wove moral and ethical enquiry into every facet of learning. Recognising the vulnerability of young minds in a time of digital noise, St James prioritised nurturing a child's innate goodness. The Philosophy for Children programme transformed classrooms into 'communities of enquiry', where open dialogue and questioning became tools to explore truth. Students grappled with ethical dilemmas, honing their critical thinking, emotional resilience and spiritual awareness. Through stories and Socratic dialogue (dialectic), they learnt to discern choices over habits, fostering self-awareness and empathy. This practical philosophy shaped character and equipped students to contribute meaningfully to society with disciplined minds and compassion. 'Let me put it this way,' said Curle. 'As I see it, at St James we aimed to create a community grounded in purpose, always with the good of all in mind.' Curle emphasised that St James was more than just academics. 'We fostered thinkers who question deeply and care,' he explained. 'Our goal was to nurture students who excelled intellectually and engaged with the world around them with genuine compassion and curiosity.' Morning assemblies were vital to school life. This is where the students became quiet, fostering a still mind and a peaceful heart. Meditation and reflective practices deepened self-awareness and helped students navigate relationships with empathy. Closing the doors When the time came for St James to close its doors, the community chose to honour its founding principles. In difficult times, there was a sense of unity, gratitude and impermanence. In its final months, the school gathered the remaining students, staff and families in assemblies with the same quiet reverence that had always defined its meetings. Even the youngest students understood that endings, like autumn leaves, make space for new growth. On the final day, the parents, teachers and staff gathered one last time in the hall. This time, there were no words. Just a long, silent pause filled with quiet farewell. Since the closure, I have been fortunate to meet several students from St James, who joined my school, and they truly do reflect the peace, wisdom and curiosity they developed at the school. Curle believes that the closing of St James is not the end. What it offered, in all educational respects, was something enduring, timeless. 'The curriculum we nurtured, from academics to Sanskrit and philosophy, was rooted in unity, stillness and depth of being. It doesn't simply vanish,' he reflected. 'The seeds have been sown and … now [they] silently wait … for the right soil, the right moment, to take root and grow again.' Johannesburg became poorer with the closure of St James, which added much to the rich diversity of our city's educational landscape. I hope that this unique school will find a new location soon, and that enthusiastic and curious voices will once again fill the hallways. DM Dr Mark Potterton is the principal of Sacred Heart Primary School and director of the Three2Six Refugee Children's Education Project.
Forbes
31-03-2025
- Health
- Forbes
How I Created A Pair Of Underwear You Can Put On And Forget All About
Bad underwear can really define your day. And in a world of bold claims, social media ads that want to sell you the most comfortable, the latest trend, the never been done before - who can you put your trust in? Dani St James just wanted a pair of underwear she could put on in the morning and forget about the rest of the day. The catch? St James was sick of being directed to one track focused websites that had decided underwear for trans people meant fetish and sex gear. 'I found it so degrading. It comes from an issue in the broad consciousness that trans people are either on the picket line or prostitutes. But we exist outside of those misinformed tropes, so I started Zoah to be the antithesis'. For most people who are not trans, underwear is something they put it on as soon as they wake up, and face the day, never thinking about it again. But for trans people who want to tuck, which flattens the space between the legs, it's not as simple as that. Or at least it wasn't until brands like Zoah came along. The brand made its mission to build on the existing market in the area but with a focus on comfort. Zoah went on to launch a product for trans femme people looking for comfortable tucking products and sold thousands of units in just four years. When a UK government innovation grant round became available, St James seized the opportunity. She used it to expand comfort to trans people who wanted to use binders as a way to affirm their gender expression. 'You can literally feel like unbearable pain for your whole day if you are wearing the wrong tucking underwear, so when I was giving the opportunity to think about, well, what would you do if you could expand on that? You can be sure that binding is not a comfortable experience, so my question was: How can I make that comfortable?' Before making her tucking product, she had decades of experience and knowledge of what she would need from a product like that. But she wasn't trans masc, so the first piece of the puzzle for finding comfort in a binder product? Listening. She embarked on a research journey funded by Innovate UK, pulling together big focus groups of trans guys from all over the UK. The first challenge was the variety of bodies a single product line would need to cater for 'Some of them started off with an A cup, some of them started up with a double G cup, their experiences were so different - it was like learning Mandarin'. However, after three focus groups and a survey of over 400 trans masculine people, development began. St James told me the balance to be found was not only between the differing and often competing needs of those they spoke to, but also finding the proper comfort, and compelling Zoah fashion brand approach in the design too. The grant enabled UK companies to fund research and development projects to boost the economy with new innovative products and technology. Using it, Zoah not only developed a new product that has gone to have a strong set of initial sales - but also a unique insights piece. It was designed to contextualise the need for the product and inform a broader community conversation. It investigated the healthcare, education and workplace needs of trans masculine individuals in the UK, and paints a raw and detailed picture of their lives. It found alarming rates of poor well-being, bullying and discrimination for this community. It also found, that even with some of the well-recognised health challenges with poorly designed binders, their temporary reprieve for long waiting lists was evident. It ultimately concluded that if timely gender affirming care were available, there would be less of a market for them. Diversity In Advertisign Award CH4 / E45 Zoah isn't the only brand working in this space and innovating for transgender people either, so are big brands. Last year E45 won a Channel 4 Diversity In Advertising Award for its advert about the way trans people use their product. The moving advert was hailed for being informed at every stage by consultations with trans and non-binary people from various backgrounds. It, too, published the insights it developed to develop its approach. 'What was really exciting about that was the consumer insights piece that they did before they even did the advert,' St James tells mem who was on the panel that decided it would win the award. A big part of the reason she tells me it did was because behind it, like Zoah's new product, was an insights piece. It too was made publically available to enable a better and broader understanding of the needs of trans communities. The research identified several conditions that could be helped with skincare regimes during transition, including issues related to gender affirming surgery, social transitioning, testosterone therapy and oestrogen and anti-androgen therapy. All of this is now included on its website. 'The advert was about the idea that many people's transitions start in the bathroom. That you're looking in the mirror and trying to work out who you are,' and ultimately, that E45 can play a part of that both most vulnerable and empowering moments. Its impact was compounded by the positive way it portrayed the community in the background context of a much more divisive conversation about trans people and bathrooms. 'So it was just such a great way for a company to show up authentically' Zoah founder and CEO of Not A Phase, Dani St James Supplied So what do you need to do to tap into an exciting market in the way brands like Zoah and E45 have? While both brands invested in research and development in an authentic, nuanced and careful way - their approach also shared another crucial element: 'I get asked all the time by big corps have been better allies. And I always ask them in return to look around your decision-making table, and see who's informing these decisions? If it's eight men who all look the same, then it's probably time to bring in some new voices.' St James says the 'really horrible mistakes' made by brands and companies are the ones who try to appeal to marginalised communities without putting the work in to make their own teams reflective of the consumers they want to serve. 'So when it comes to specifically trying to profit from it has, it has to come from an authentic viewpoint'. If you can't hire someone, St James points to the many talented consultants who work in this space and will jump at the opportunity to get involved and collaborate. Either way, St James doesn't need to make bold claims with her brand because, thanks to listening, researching and developing a product with her consumer in min,d she's helped thousands of trans people find comfort every day and sold even more products along the way. Want to understand what the ever-changing LGBTQIA+ world means for your work or business? You're not alone. Join 7300+ people who skip the doomscrolling but keep across the latest queer headlines, content and perspectives with my free newsletter – try it now
