Latest news with #UWE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Zulu children's choir performs across the West
A South African children's choir has been performing across the west of England as it takes part in a cultural exchange tour. Made up of 20 school children from the Madadeni Township in South Africa, the choir is visiting the UK as part of Project Zulu, an initiative by the University of the West of England (UWE). Raising funds for their schools back home, they have showcased their traditional Zulu song in a number of West Country locations, including a Bristol Bears game and in Bath and Bristol city centres. Project leader, Ben Knight, said their final performance would take place at the Bristol Beacon on 5 June. Project Zulu arranges for choirs from South African townships to tour the UK every two years. Mr Knight said UWE students studying professions such as teaching, engineering and occupational therapy were sent out to the township in South Africa annually to "spend a few weeks making valuable contributions to the educational life of schools in the township". Then every two years a choir, made up of children from two partnership schools, are brought over to Bristol to spend three weeks performing and sharing their talent and culture. "They've been busking, they've put on concerts," he said. Mr Knight explained the tour aimed to raise money for the two schools involved. "They are over here sharing their extraordinary talents and culture but also earning money to develop their educational opportunities back home," he said. He said this year, one school planned to use the money to develop solar energy and the other hoped to buy IT equipment. "Every penny that is made goes directly back to their schools," he said. "A little bit of your money goes a really long way in South Africa," he added. Mr Knight said "right at the heart of the project" was a "desire to bring people who live a long way apart, and lead very different lives, together". Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Volunteer families sought to host Zulu choir Zulu children's choir performance delights crowds Choir earns £970 in 90-minute busk Project Zulu
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Zulu children's choir performs across the West
A South African children's choir has been performing across the west of England as it takes part in a cultural exchange tour. Made up of 20 school children from the Madadeni Township in South Africa, the choir is visiting the UK as part of Project Zulu, an initiative by the University of the West of England (UWE). Raising funds for their schools back home, they have showcased their traditional Zulu song in a number of West Country locations, including a Bristol Bears game and in Bath and Bristol city centres. Project leader, Ben Knight, said their final performance would take place at the Bristol Beacon on 5 June. Project Zulu arranges for choirs from South African townships to tour the UK every two years. Mr Knight said UWE students studying professions such as teaching, engineering and occupational therapy were sent out to the township in South Africa annually to "spend a few weeks making valuable contributions to the educational life of schools in the township". Then every two years a choir, made up of children from two partnership schools, are brought over to Bristol to spend three weeks performing and sharing their talent and culture. "They've been busking, they've put on concerts," he said. Mr Knight explained the tour aimed to raise money for the two schools involved. "They are over here sharing their extraordinary talents and culture but also earning money to develop their educational opportunities back home," he said. He said this year, one school planned to use the money to develop solar energy and the other hoped to buy IT equipment. "Every penny that is made goes directly back to their schools," he said. "A little bit of your money goes a really long way in South Africa," he added. Mr Knight said "right at the heart of the project" was a "desire to bring people who live a long way apart, and lead very different lives, together". Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Volunteer families sought to host Zulu choir Zulu children's choir performance delights crowds Choir earns £970 in 90-minute busk Project Zulu
BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Zulu children's choir showcases music and culture across the West
A South African children's choir has been performing across the west of England as it takes part in a cultural exchange up of 20 school children from the Madadeni Township in South Africa, the choir is visiting the UK as part of Project Zulu, an initiative by the University of the West of England (UWE).Raising funds for their schools back home, they have showcased their traditional Zulu song in a number of West Country locations, including a Bristol Bears game and in Bath and Bristol city leader, Ben Knight, said their final performance would take place at the Bristol Beacon on 5 June. Project Zulu arranges for choirs from South African townships to tour the UK every two Knight said UWE students studying professions such as teaching, engineering and occupational therapy were sent out to the township in South Africa annually to "spend a few weeks making valuable contributions to the educational life of schools in the township".Then every two years a choir, made up of children from two partnership schools, are brought over to Bristol to spend three weeks performing and sharing their talent and culture. "They've been busking, they've put on concerts," he said. Mr Knight explained the tour aimed to raise money for the two schools involved."They are over here sharing their extraordinary talents and culture but also earning money to develop their educational opportunities back home," he said. He said this year, one school planned to use the money to develop solar energy and the other hoped to buy IT equipment."Every penny that is made goes directly back to their schools," he said."A little bit of your money goes a really long way in South Africa," he Knight said "right at the heart of the project" was a "desire to bring people who live a long way apart, and lead very different lives, together".
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Photo library aims to reduce misdiagnoses for minorities
The creators of a library of medical photographs featuring people from different backgrounds hope the resource will continue to project, led by a team from the University of the West of England (UWE), aims to increase the visual representation of minority groups in healthcare images to reduce the number of 150 volunteers in the South West have been photographed and the results will be freely available to all healthcare professionals. "We really want this image library to grow and to be a centralised resource," said Debbie Hubbard, associate director at UWE and project lead. Medical conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and jaundice often appear differently based on skin tone. However, many healthcare images primarily feature lighter skin tones, leading to misdiagnoses for those with darker skin. Vinithra Giridharan volunteered to be photographed after she spent two years trying to get her eczema correctly diagnosed and treated."I did not have a really great experience in the diagnosis process and then I had a really bad two years and had to go through a lot in order to get a place in the NHS system," she said."The project is actually answering a really big challenge in the NHS right now."I volunteered to give my images so that it's useful for medical professionals to identify early stages of eczema, and for when it worsens."She said having eczema had taken a toll on her life and she now wanted to help create more awareness about the condition. Six photoshoots took place in Bristol while two GP surgeries, Lawrence Hill Health Centre and Horfield Health Centre, also conducted photo sessions to contribute to the growing collection of medical images. Since its launch two years ago, the project, called Reframe – Diversifying Images, has already made "substantial strides" towards its aims, according to Ms include creating a comprehensive catalogue of a wide range of medical conditions on diverse skin tones, particularly from under-represented communities including Black, Asian, LGBTQIA+ and people with disabilities. "We want it to be available nationally and, ideally, globally, if possible," said Ms Hubbard."We're now in the process, once we get it launched, of encouraging medical illustration departments across the UK to continue contributing."So we're looking at collaboration with departments in London, Birmingham and all over the country."A second strand of the project will involve photographing people who work in healthcare, to provide more diverse images of healthcare professionals. The final phase of the project – a digital catalogue of all 3,000 images collected so far – is being launched on Monday. "It will be widely available and it is going to be free, open-access," said Ms Hubbard."The point of this project was that there are no restrictions and we want everybody to be using these images. That is our hope."
BBC News
12-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bristol's 'Burmese python' fighting for equality in the ring
A British woman who made history as a leading competitor in Burmese Bareknuckle Boxing is calling for equal opportunities for women in combat Barke, 31, who studied at the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol, is ranked number two in the world in Lethwei - an intense form of Burmese martial the ring, she is known as the "Burmese Python," a name that nods to both her mother's heritage and her fearless fighting Barke has carved out a place at the top of one of the world's most brutal sports - a discipline that allows headbutts, punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and no gloves. "Lethwei has taught me to manage my mindset," said Ms Barke. "Instead of feeling like the underdog and seeing the male-dominated environment as a negative, I flipped it on its head."I thought, 'I've got an opportunity to represent lots of other women who are going to be coming through.'" Ms Barke's journey into martial arts began at university, a far cry from her childhood training in ballet. Her nickname, the "Burmese Python," was coined early on - a symbol of both her cultural roots and her coiled, aggressive energy in the 2020, she was invited to compete in Myanmar - the birthplace of Lethwei. Arriving in her mother's ancestral home, she was stunned to see her face on billboards around the country."Competing in Myanmar was surreal," she said. "I look back and think, wow, I'm really proud to have done that."People don't realise how much courage it takes to step into the ring - especially in a sport as brutal as this," she explained. Ms Barke juggles professional boxing with her demanding career in banking, where she oversees a team of a respected name in boxing, Ms Barke is using her platform to call for gender equality in combat sports."Whether it's about getting the same opportunities or even just equal pay as a female athlete - we're still not there," she said. "I speak to male fighters who've never had to negotiate or fight for fair salaries."Her path has not been without struggle. Born with narcolepsy, Ms Barke has survived a near-fatal car crash, battled post-traumatic stress disorder, and in 2023 was diagnosed with a brain tumour. However, she was told the tumour was benign, and she has continued to train and alongside fighting, she's turned to coaching, with a focus on helping women realise their potential - both in sport and in the workplace."In my job, I see women who want to progress but don't feel like they have a valued voice or an authentic path forward," she said. "That's why I'm so passionate about coaching. We need more inspiring, authentic leaders fighting for change."
