Bonymaen Community Partnership held its AGM and Awards Evening on 9th May 2012 at Cefn Hengoed Comprehensive School in Swansea. As part of the event, The Deputy Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea Councillor Dennis James presented Community Champions Certificates to acknowledge the hard work and achievements by individuals and organisations for the benefit of the Bonymaen community. Swansea Bay Regional Equality Council was recognised for helping mainstream equality and diversity in Bonymaen. Chief Executive of Swansea Bay REC, Taha Idris, OBE, JP received the Equality & Diversity Award on behalf of the organisation.

There were a number of other dignitaries from School Governors to Community Group Leaders as well as key Community Volunteers present at the Ceremony. There were performances from the school Choir, Drummers, Soloists as well as Bonymaen’s very own ‘Only Women Aloud’ Ladies Choir.

Swansea Bay REC would like to extend its congratulations to two newly elected members of local authorities in our area. Councillor Saifur Rahman has been elected from Port Talbot Ward of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Councillor Pearleen Sangha was elected from Uplands Ward of City & County of Swansea.

Saifur Rahman has been on the Executive Committee of SBREC for a number of years, whilst Pearleen Sangha joined the Executive Committee last year.

We wish them well for the next 4 years (and beyond) whilst they endeavour to fulfil their electorates’ dreams about council services as well as representing their electorates in all spheres of life. We have every confidence that these two will do their utmost for their electorates in the years to come.

A recently started project is creating waves of colour wherever it goes. The Bigger Heart Project was recently started by a local businesswoman, Layla Yahya. The main aim of the project is to raise cash in order to buy educational support tools as well as toys, clothes and other similar items for the benefit of young people who are living in desperate situations in Zanzibar. A showcase event was held at the St Thomas Church Hall which attracted many artists who displayed their artefacts and sold them to raise the money for the project. The project expects to tackle many educational and health issues facing young people in Zanzibar. Mrs Yahya is no stranger to Zanzibar and she has herself witnessed the plight of young people there. This was the driving force which gave her the incentive to start the project. She has already taken some of these goods to the country in the past and expects that with the support of people from this area she will be able to enhance the project further.

We are proud to learn that one of the newest members of our communities has been selected as Mister Wales 2012. It is an honour and a matter of pride that Arnold Matsena, 22 of Swansea has received this coveted title. It was only two years ago that Arnold with his two younger brothers, originally from Zimbabwe but now permanently resident in Wales, impressed Britain’s Got Talent Judges when their act, called A3, stormed through to the final.

A3 are a well established group of street dancers who combine modern British music and dance with that from their Zimbabwean heritage. Arnold and his brothers have also appeared in Move Like Michael Jackson where they proved the brothers have individual talent which, when put together, forms a mesmerising act. They are not new to fame having won many competitions including medals at the 2009 World Street Dance championship.

Said Swansea Bay REC’s Chief Executive, Taha Idris ” I wish to congratulate Arnold on having received the Mister Wales Accolade in 2012. Arnold has worked with SBREC in delivering Schools’ Diversity Days where his performance has enthralled all the pupils. Arnold has a great heart as well as some oratory skills and it’s been interesting to hear him give his message of hope to the pupils during our Diversity Days”

Organisers of Mister Wales had this to say about the title:

“Mister Wales is an annual competition for young Welsh men aged between 18-29. The event runs annually alongside the Miss Wales competition to generate funds for our chosen charity The Joshua Foundation.

Each year, the new titleholder wins a trip to either Manhunt International or Mister World to represent Wales on this international stage. Arnold, having won the title will also get to judge the regional heats of Miss Wales title in 2013 and may receive a number of personal appearance opportunities. He will also receive (subject to fundraising) a series of overseas trips with The Joshua Foundation including three weeks in Australia.

It’s not a body building competition – but a good body helps of course!”

Congratulations Arnold. You have not just got the talent but also the grit to be Mister Wales 2012.

During the past few months our team has delivered a number of diversity days for years 7 & 8 pupils in a number of schools across Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.

The ‘Diversity Days’ have incorporated a mixture of classroom based activities coupled with hands-on workshops where the pupils got involved in diverse activities ranging from Chinese ‘T’ai chi chiuan’ led by Leigh Evan to Brazilian art form of Capoera facilitated by Maxwell Freitas. The sessions were arranged in such a manner that pupils from year groups 7 or 8 were able to participate in each of the five or six activities that had been designed for them. African dancing led by a very able Nancy Buka; Turkish Belly Dancing organised by ‘Habibi’ who are one of the oldest groups of their kind in the area; Bollywood dancing facilitated by an expert dance teacher Sarita Sood and ‘Self Defence’ classes put on by Mohammad Ali Akbor were all popular. One of the most popular workshop across all schools was ‘African Drumming’ which was facilitated by Fox Kamio. All of our Workshop Leaders are experts in their field and have worked with pupils at various schools over a number of years.

During lunch, pupils were exposed to the tastes and fragrance of foods from around the world, all part of the experience that the pupils gained.

One of the more serious and thought-provoking workshops was led by Swansea City of Sanctuary and its volunteers. These workshops dealt with issues surrounding refugees and asylum seekers. It was interesting to note the pupils reactions to live examples of people who had sought asylum in the UK. Indeed the amount of knowledge that the pupils had in respect of asylum seekers required some myth busting. Most pupils were udner the impression that the total number of people who sought asylum in the UK exceeded 20% of the world’s asylum seekers, the reality being that it is a small fraction of those who sought asylum came to the the UK.

Swansea Bay REC’s own expertise in all mandates of equality was passed on to pupils when they participated in a quiz dealing with equality matters. This sought to give them information about race, gender, religion/belief, age, disability and sexual orientation discrimination.

It was extremely tiring for staff from Swansea Bay REC, teachers from the schools as well as all workshop leaders who nevertheless enjoyed the experience but the amount of enthusiasm  that the pupils showed in being able to learn and enjoy at the same time made it all worthwhile.

In the academic year 2011-12, Swansea Schools which benefited from Diversity Days were: Bishop Vaughan, Cefn Hengoed, Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr and Pontarddulais Comprehensives. In Neath Port Talbot, Dwr y Felin, Glanafan, Cwmtawe and Dyffryn Comprehensives. SBREC is currently overwhelmed with requests from many other schools, as far afield as Bridgend to deliver the sessions. We are advising them to register their interest and as soon as we are able to secure funding for these sessions we intend to take our innovative approach to those schools.

Swansea Bay REC would like to extend its appreciation to Amina Malik who organised all of these sessions. We are also grateful to our caterers, Karen Hartnell for providing such a diverse range of cuisines for the pupils to taste. Most of all we would like to thank each one of the schools for the hard work that their staff put in to make the days so successful.

SBREC would like to remind our readers about the forthcoming elections for electing Councillors in local authorities in Wales. The election takes place on Thursday 3rd May 2012. In past years it has been found that members of disadvantaged communities particularly those living in areas where economic inactive is high but also including people from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities are under-represented in those who actually vote political elections.

In order to cast your vote, you have to be on the registered at your respective Council. Mr Steven Phillips, the Chief Executive of Neath Port Talbot’s Electoral Registration Officer has now sent out a request to all constituents of Neath Port Talbot in order to ensure that they register their names on the Voters’ Register. “Now’s the time to make sure you can have your say in the local elections,” said Mr. Phillips, “Make sure you are registered to vote, especially if you have moved house this year. And if you want to vote by post or proxy, rather than by going to the polling station, then this is the time to sort that out too”.

The deadline to return registration form and applications to vote by post is Thursday 18 April 2012.  Those wishing to apply to vote by proxy have until 5pm on Wednesday 25 April 2012. The application form can be obtained by calling your respective Council offices or by downloading it from http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are at the very heart of our communities. They tend to work with local people at a grassroots level with a remit to support operational policing. Their very presence in the neighbourhoods provides reassurance to members of the public and the communities at large.

South Wales Police (SWP) have recently announced that they intend to recruit some PCSOs to supplement policing in our neighbourhoods (PCSO Recruitment). It is pleasing to see that this recruitment drive is being supplemented by some  positive action by the South Wales Police’ Positive Action Officer, Mrs Uzo Iwobi, OBE. She has undertaken to provide support and guidance to members of our communities at a forthcoming event. In this respect she has organised a familiarisation session which is being held on Friday 27th January between 10:30am and 12:30pm at the Pontardawe Arts Centre, Herbert Street, Pontardawe SA8 4ED.

Spaces are limited so if you would like to reserve a space please contact Rhys Thomas on 07805 301532 in the first instance.

Chief Superintendent Mark Mathias, the Divisional Police Commander for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot has been awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the New Years Honours List 2012.

Mark Mathias started life in South Wales Police in 1980 as a Police Cadet enrolling to become a full Constable, working in the Swansea area, in 1982. He progressed on to become a Sergeant, Inspector and finally a Chief Inspector in 1997.  Mark then transferred to Police Headquarters on promotion as  a Superintendent in 2002.  He rose to the rank of Chief Superintendent and posted to Swansea Division, a role which was later expanded to cover the political boundaries of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot .

It was evident from his very early career that Mark was destined to bigger and better things within the Police Service. He spent most of this time as a detective responsible for investigating some of the key cases in the area. He also spent some of his career as the person responsible for change management at Police Headquarters whilst he was a Superintendent. During his time at Police Headquarters, he became responsible for changes that were brought about to streamline the communications set-up that South Wales Police currently use. Mark is very much noted for his no-nonsense practical attitude to some of the key crime and disorder  issues facing the Swansea Bay area.

Swansea Bay REC’s Chief Executive, Mr Taha Idris, OBE, JP, who has known Mark since his days as a Detective in Swansea complemented him for having been awarded the honours.  He said, “the QPM could not have gone to a more deserving serving Senior Police Officer than Mark. I am pleased for him as he has served our communities so well during his four years of being at the helm of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot Police under some of the most difficult circumstances faced by the Police Service”.

Stephen Lawrence’s killers, who were yesterday convicted of the racist murder, have been given life sentences. The pair will now serve a minimum of 15 and 14 years respectively.

Constrained by laws in this matter, Mr Justice Treacy, in announcing his judgement, clarified that he would have considered higher minimum sentences because of the nature of the vile murder, however the sentences reflect the fact that both defendants were juveniles when they committed the offence. Consequently, Dobson will now serve a minimum of 15 years and Norris will serve a minimum of 14 years.  Two previous failed attempts to convict the pair has now been righted because of new evidence made possible by advances in forensic science. It relates to blood stains found on Dobson’s jacket and a single piece of hair belonging to Stephen Lawrence which was found on Norris’ jeans.

The trial and subsequent conviction brings a closure to one of the most hotly debated racist murders of the twentieth century. Swansea Bay REC would like to pay respects to all who campaigned so hard to bring this result. Swansea Bay REC would also like to think that the unfortunate victim of such racial hatred has left a lasting legacy which has brought about sea-changes in the attitudes of UK public sector. Everyone now knows what Institutional Racism relates to.

The most well known racist murder of the last Century has finally seen closure for the family of  Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager, who was stabbed to death in 1993. There then followed a number of Police bungles which allowed the killers to remain free for the past 18 years. Stephen Lawrence’s parents, Doreen and Neville, who were both present when the verdict was delivered, wept in court as the verdict of the racist murder was delivered.

Today a jury at the Old Bailey finally delivered their verdict to find Gary Dobson and David Norris guilty of the racist murder. The retrial of the pair was supported this time by forensic evidence of tiny specks of blood found on the clothing recovered from them at the time, in 1993.

Stephen Lawrence’s murder created a sea change in the attitudes within public services after Sir William McPherson published a report into issues arising out of the Police investigation that followed the incident. In 2006,

Acting Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, ordered the cold case review that finally led to the convictions. After the verdict she said the case had been extremely important for the Lawrence family, the Metropolitan Police and society at large.

Chief Executive of Swansea Bay REC, Mr Taha Idris, OBE, JP expressed his satisfaction at the conclusion of a sad affair that lasted for 18 years before being finalised by the justice system. He felt that it was because of the hard work put in by the Lawrence family and others interested in justice being done that made this conclusion  possible.