September 2013 Issue 9

NIGHTLIFE&ENTERTAINMENT ARTS&CULTURE BEAUTY&FASHION NEWS&BUSINESS

Inside The New Library Of Birmingham By Jas Sansi Photography

CONTE.

NTSCREDITS.

News

Event Listings

New Killer Shoes

Brands We Love

Gallery

Capital FM

Helping Harry Help Others Ball

TheClubAndSpa

The Best Parties Are Always In The Kitchen

Cocktail Of The Month

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editorS

NOTE ..

Jess x Managing Director and Editor- Jessica Fitzpatrick Jessica@scenebirmingham.co.uk

Graphics - EVP Visuals Editors Assistant Contributing Writersellisonporter@gmail.com Talisha Johnson Shara Johnson, James Wootton and Contributing Photographers- Jas Sansi To request a media pack please email- sales@scenebirmingham.co.uk or call 07875547189

News

Event Listings

New Killer Shoes

Brands We Love

Gallery

Capital FM

Helping Harry Help Others Ball

TheClubAndSpa

The Best Parties Are Always In The Kitchen

Cocktail Of The Month

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They say time flies when you’re having fun, this summer has been no exception! We’ve been to Hideout Festival, Parklife Festival, Fusion Festival, Global Gathering, Ibiza and Bulgaria and now we’re bracing ourselves for a very exciting month ahead to say the least!

We’ve got the opening of the New Library and the Bullring turning 10 this week, The Harvey Nichols Fashion Show next week, The Youth 4 Excellence Awards Ceremony next Saturday and then Style Birmingham’s Fashion Show at the end of the month, and that’s not even including any nights out!

In this issue we speak to Birmingham born fashion designer Stephen Arthur about his new collection

and how his perfect party dress that sold in John Lewis stores all over the country helped him

kick start his career.

We also give you a run-down of all of the events to get you through

September and plenty of gallery pages to show you where

we’ve been in the last few weeks.

Next month sees one of the most

an t i c ipa ted events on

the social calendar in Birmingham- The Helping Harry Help Others Ball. I’ve known the guys who run the Ball for a while now and couldn’t wait to interview them so we could show those who don’t already know about the Charity and the Ball just how much hard work goes on behind the scenes to put on such a fantastic event for a fantastic charity! Talking about the charity, I’ve also signed up to ride the last leg of the 7inSeven Bike Ride Challenge at the end of this month so expect plenty of tweets and Facebook posts throughout the next few weeks from me trying to get you all to donate or join in! It’s only 27 miles from Coventry to Birmingham; so come on, you can do it!

I’ve also been down to Summerrow to check out Town & Country Inns’ latest venture- Fleet Street Kitchen and I’ve been busy sampling some of the cocktails down at one of my favourite hidden gems in town that is Spotlight in Digbeth. It’s a hard life but someone’s got to do it!

I hope you enjoy the issue and have a good month!

Don’t forget to vote for me too; I’ve been nominated for The People’s Choice Award at The Hot 500 Business Awards that take place in October. You can vote for me by simply clicking the link here and pressing VOTE!

Lots of love,

v

sectionbitesize news

from the city of birmingham

News

v

The New Library Is Now OpenHooray it’s time to celebrate as The New Library of Birmingham is now open! The weekend celebration is presented by Birmingham Arts Partnership, a collaboration between some of the leading arts organisations and venues in the city. The majority of performances will be staged outside, with free attractions also being held inside the Town Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art gallery, Ikon Gallery’s 72ft barge slow boat and, of course, the Library of Birmingham itself.

The Bullring Celebrates 10 YearsIt seems like 2 minutes ago since The Bullring opened its doors back in September 2003, now 10 years on its time to have a party! To celebrate their 10th birthday, Selfridges promises to surprise, amaze and amuse by delivering unique customer experiences with an array of party events and activities designed to create memorable moments for all. From September 4-8, customers can participate in brand activities and party in style with unique playlists from celebrity DJ Tinchy Stryder. As an added treat for shoppers, the beauty event of the year will take place on September 5 offering complimentary treatments, demonstrations and promotional gifts from beauty brands such as Armani, Illamasqua, NARS, Jo Malone and MAC.

4 Squares Weekender Kicks Off This FridayA weekend of outdoor arts events will take place across Birmingham’s main city squares to help celebrate the opening of the new £189m library. The 4 Squares Weekender runs from this Friday September 6th to the 8th across Oozells, Centenary, Chamberlain and Victoria Squares.

Highlights of the weekend will include two hire wire performances of As the World Tipped by Wired Aerial Theatre, while as well as more aerial acrobatics from NoFit State Circus. Renowned orchestra CBSO will stage a number of pop-up performances; while there will also be reggae from the team behind The Drum’s Simmer Down showcase, appearances by Birmingham Royal Ballet, street theatre, exhibitions and more.

The weekend celebration is presented by Birmingham Arts Partnership, a collaboration between some of the leading arts organisations and venues in the city. The majority of performances will be staged outside, with free attractions also being held inside the Town Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art gallery, Ikon Gallery’s 72ft barge slow boat and, of course, the Library of Birmingham itself. For further details visit www.4squareweekender.com

UB40 Release New AlbumWe’re pleased to announce that UB40 have released their new album ‘Getting Over The Storm’, the reggae stars’ 20th studio album, and their first since 2010’s ‘Labour of Love IV’.

Like many of UB40’s previous albums, the group’s original material is complimented by a smattering of cover versions and interpretations. Interestingly, amongst the five original UB40 songs, the covers recorded for ‘Getting Over The Storm’ were originally written and/or recorded by country music artists.

Knowing that country music is loved by Caribbean audiences, UB40’s sax player Brian Travers said, “We’ve all spent a lot of time in Jamaica, and country music is very much part of the fabric. It’s an honest music, just like reggae. The two genres really sit together well”.

Style Birmingham LiveBirmingham’s number one fashion show is back! ‘Style Birmingham Live’ will be taking place on the 28th of September in the Town Hall. This amazing day of fashion, fun and fabulousness will be presented by Big Brother winner and presenter Rylan Clarke and model/presenter Emma Willis. Tickets are on sale now at an astonishing price starting at £15! Don’t miss out on the wonderful fashion show, stylish goody bag and much more!

We’re Taking Part In The Helping Harry Help Other Bike ChallengeThat’s right, Jess (who hasn’t rode a bike in about 10 years!) has signed up to ride 27 miles from Coventry to Birmingham at the end of the month for the 7inSeven Bike Challenge. The event aims to inspire 7,000 people to collectively ride 77,777 miles (equivalent to three times round the world) by recording the miles they’ve pedalled on the 7-in-Seven website www.7inseven.co.uk.

The core event involves a 700-mile bike ride in 7 days, travelling from Zurich to Birmingham, starting on September 23rd. Then on the last day over 200 people will join in for the final 27 miles which ends in Centenary Square. The city council will be welcoming us back by holding a cycling festival entitled ‘Bringing the bike back to our City’. The public will be encouraged to greet the riders back into Centenary Square between 12 noon and 4pm.For more information visit www.7inseven.co.uk

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5th SeptemberDangerous Girls Reunited @ The Institute

6th SeptemberRoller Disco (Over 18’s) @ The Tower Night Club

7th SeptemberDirty Bird presents Claude Vonstroke and Justin Martin @ The Rainbow

Gatecrasher 20th Birthday Trance Warm up Party Pt 2Jam Hott presents DJ Format and Beta Test @ The Hare and Hounds

Pleasure Ladies Night @ The Hub93 The 1st Birthday Part @ The Institute

8th SeptemberStand Up with the Real McCoy @ Glee Club

The JCQ @ The Flapper

9th SeptemberLive Nation presents Fabolous plus special guests @ The Institute

10th SeptemberAmnesia @ Indi Bar

11th SeptemberSJM Concerts presents Lauren Aquilina @ The Institute

Eliza and the Bear + Eat Y’self Pretty @ The Sunflower LoungeThe Kate Gee Band @ Bulls Head

12th SeptemberOnly After Dark Showcase Gig @ Unplug Digbeth

14th SeptemberThe Janine Regan-Sinclair Tour @ Novotel Birmingham

16th SeptemberSJM Concerts Present The 1975 plus Special Guests @ The Institute

17th SeptemberMilkshake Freshers Ball @ Gatecrasher

Frat House @ Walkabout

19th SeptemberThe Ramona Flowers @ Hare & Hounds

20th SeptemberDavido Live @ Sence Bar & Club

Freestyle with Sophia Bastian / Steve Bignell / Sam Redmore @ Bulls HeadCrowns @ The Rainbow

Mauler Promotions – Fight Night @ E57 Social Club

21st SeptemberCamouflage @ The Institute

Soul Steppers Summer End Party @ The PenthouseThe Penguin Club Birmingham ft. The Dustaphonics @ Hare & Hounds

Only After Dark Club Night @ Apres

22nd SeptemberFACE @ The Rainbow

24th SeptemberJAWS + Laced + Babypink @ The Temple @ The Institute

25th SeptemberSaint Raymond @ Hare & Hounds

26th SeptemberCloud Control + Special Guests @ Hare & Hounds

27th SeptemberHot Club De Swing @ The Hare and Hounds

Live Nation presents Mac Miller plus Special Guests @ The Institute

28th SeptemberLOVE HOUSE (1990 – 1997) @ The InstituteMountain of Love @ The Sunflower LoungeThe Soul Togetherness @ The Cancal Club

#SafariNight2 @ Platinum Nightclub

29th September Danny and The Champions Of The World @ Hare & Hounds

30th SeptemberMama presents Madina Lake @ The Institute

1st OctoberNaughty Horse: Fresher Ibiza Zoo Party @ Risa

The Younger + Of Kings and Captains + Friday Club @ The Flapper

2nd OctoberMy Darling Clementine @ Hare & Hounds

3rd OctoberMean Fiddler by arrangement with WME Presents So Solid Crew plus Special Guests @ The

Library, The Institute

4th OctoberFierce Festival @ Various Birmingham venues

SJM Concerts present Miles Kane Plus The Family Rain @ The InstituteGlasswerk presents Sam Grey Plus Emma Stevens, Owen McGarry @ The Temple, The Institute

nks

New killer shoes

Birmingham band New Killer Shoes release their latest album 'I AIN'T EVEN PLUGGED IN'

Many of you will know the Birmingham band NEW KILLER SHOES who we interviewed last month on SceneBirmingham TV. Well, we’re pleased to announce that the lads have now released their follow up Album to ‘I Ain’t Even Lyin’, an unplugged version cleverly named “I Ain’t Even Plugged in”.

The acoustic album is a labour of love to reward loyal fans, who are affectionately referred to as the “Shoe Crew”. New Killer Shoes treated fans to acoustic versions of songs such as “Losing My Mind” and “Leave Me Alone” when they appeared as support on UK wide tour for 80‘s legend Adam Ant, and after a great positive reaction and demand to hear more, “I Ain’t Even Plugged In” was born.

The album also includes two brand new tracks, ‘Hypocrite’ and ‘I Ain’t Got A Chic.’ Whilst the 11 track album continues to distribute fresh husky sounds, the band have incorporated new influences by seamlessly intertwining Reggae and Blues sounds into the mix, whilst staying true to their rock edge.

The album oozes energy and delivers the vibe that the listener is attending one of their live performances. ‘I AIN’T EVEN PLUGGED IN’ is stripped back to basics with a more chilled out feel, as Jon Kings, lead vocalists explains,

“We’ve always wanted to make an acoustic album, we feel that it brings a new element to our sound, plus the fans seem to love it! We will never step away from our rock roots, but it means our music can be heard in a more chilled out way, and we hope people enjoy what we have done in this new album.”

With their talent being continuous in recognition, the band’s 2013 credentials include performing on one of the most famous stages at Download Festival - the Jagermeister Stage, and this month they also debuted at Leicestershire’s Strawberry Fields Festival on the main stage.

New Killer Shoes are proving that all the hard work is paying off, with an October tour alongside Happy Chichester, and featuring on Sanctuary Radio August podcast which is currently at number 10 in alternative music listings world wide, and showcases new single “Hypocrite.”

The band are now concentrating on a schedule of impressive live shows and single releases. To keep up to date with all New Killer Shoes’ information, live dates, or to order the album please visit www.newkillershoes.com

i ain'teven

plugged in

Brandswe loveAN interview WITH stephen arthurOWNER OF stephen arthur clothingAN interview WITH stephen arthurOWNER OF stephen arthur clothingAN interview WITH stephen arthurOWNER OF stephen arthur clothing22 year old Birmingham born Stephen Arthur is no ordinary designer. Having developed his creativity at a very young age designing clothes and accessories for women, he is already making a name for himself in the fashion world, capturing the hearts of women across the globe since he showcased his creations at Sweden Fashion Week in 2011 and then won a national TV Competition for John Lewis’ Perfect Party Dress in October 2012.

Aged just 22, he has already secured a deal with John Lewis to have his ‘Perfect Party Dress’ sold in their stores across England and online. Stephen has always had a clear and focused design philosophy about being unique, futuristic, sophisticated, clean and simplistic about his creative ideas. These principles all apply to his design aesthetics. Travelling internationally Stephen is currently working on his next collection to be showcased at London and Sweden Fashion Week 2013 whilst honing his skills at St Martin’s College of Art and Design.

SCENE’s Shara Johnson caught up with Stephen to talk about his journey so far…

BRANDSWE LOVE

How did you get into fashion? Was it something that you’ve always been interested in, or was it a passion that developed over time?My love for art got me into fashion. I always had a very keen interest in it, but I never pursued it. After winning the ITV competition, I knew this was a career that I was made to be in.

You attended the prestigious St Martins School of Art and Design where iconic fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and John Galliano attended. Do you feel that there is added pressure on you to follow in their footsteps?I’m still studying now, and the pressures are incredibly tremendous. People think that when you attend such a prestigious as St Martins, you are automatically up there with fashion icons like that, but the coursework and competition with fellow designer students are unreal!

What inspired your design for your winning, red, floor length party dress?I was inspired by Red Carpet Hollywood designs, but also the colour red which boldly represents Christmas. My aim was to create a design in which women had the opportunity to feel as if they were celebrities for a particular event. I felt that was greatly achieved.

What is your definition of the perfect party dress?A dress that can be worn by any woman regardless of body size or age, but also a dress that makes a woman feel sexy and confident.

How has your life and your design schedule changed since winning the ‘perfect party dress’ competition?I am now a full time fashion designer, running my own design label and working with retail companies throughout England. I barely get the time to rest, but that must mean I’m doing something right?

Previously you have said that there are a lot of talented creative people in Birmingham, but you don’t feel that they get as much recognition as they deserve, why do you think that is?

Because of the current economic climate within the West Midlands, it has made things really hard for young people, in regards of progression and promoting themselves as talented individuals. That barrier needs to be broken! We need to turn this negative into a positive, meaning to be more expressive and tactile on how we promote ourselves. We have the platform; we just need to use it to our advantage!

From watching the promo video, your A/W 13/14 collection contains leather and bold metal zips, which makes the woman wearing it look quite powerful. You said that you were inspired by luxury but that you wanted it to be accessible to women. How do you go about finding that middle ground between luxury and affordability?I looked very deep into my pattern designs and concentrated very carefully on which materials would complement each design best. I knew that there was a market out there for women who wanted unique clothes at an accessible price.

As your brand develops and grows what do you believe will be your signature style or silhouette that customers will immediately recognise as Stephen Arthur’s work?Fur, Smokey eye makeup, messy hair with strong poses!

What does the future hold for the ‘Stephen Arthur’ brand, will you be concentrating on building the brand or possibly showing at Birmingham and London Fashion Weeks?The future for Stephen Arthur is to build international relations, as my brand is currently working with Sweden and Hong Kong. Although these projects are huge, the brand will always keep intact with its Birmingham heritage and will continue grow here.

What is your advice to any aspiring or emerging fashion designers coming out of Birmingham?If you have studied or are currently studying fashion design, try to do a course in Business as lot of amazing designers are creative but don’t have the business acumen to back them. Always have your business cards ready, and attend as many Business and Fashion networking events as possible. In fashion, sometimes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know!

Interview by Shara Johnson

If you have studied or are currently studying fashion design, try to do a course in Business too as a lot of amazing designers are creative but don’t have the business acumen to back them

BRANDSWE LOVE

Xposure Brand FestivalStirlings BarPhotography by Get Known

If... U Want ItBushwackers

Photography by Laura Wragg

Launch of Air India Photos by Jas Sansi Photography@JasSansi

Secret Garden PartyLab 11

Photography by Wayne Parry

Hot Right Now in Brum!

2013 was without a doubt Capital’s biggest summer to date as we introduced Fusion Festival to Birmingham! The lineup saw the likes of Jessie J, Ne-Yo, The Wanted, JLS and The Saturdays take to the stage at Cofton Park while Capital was backstage interviewing the hottest artists and giving you the chance to see all the videos and photos first!

So if you’re now suffering from the post-festival blues or perhaps a you’re fresher who’s new to Brum, do not fear - the music scene in Birmingham is about to get even bigger as we welcome international mega-stars Jay-Z and Bruno Mars.

Jay-Z takes to the stage in the West Midlands on October 8th following in the footsteps of his very own Mrs. Carter who headlined this year’s V Festival in August. If his set is anything like his wife’s, it’s sure to amaze and have you jumping up from your seats. We’re a huge fan of his latest single ‘Holy Grail’ with vocals from our Summertime Ball host Justin Timberlake. Plus with collaborations across his career including Beyonce, Kanye West and Rihanna, we’re hoping that there might be a few surprise guests joining him on stage!

Just three days later, Capital will continue the party with Bruno Mars at the NIA. He’s one of the biggest male international superstars of the past few years with songs such as ‘Just the Way You Are’ and ‘Grenade’ among the best-selling singles of all time!

Or if Bruno’s not your guy that night, head over to the O2 Academy to see Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and catch them play their huge hit ‘Thift Shop’.

The party doesn’t stop in Birmingham!

Keep it Capital to win your way into the hottest gigs and see the world’s biggest artists! Tune in to 102.2 Capital FM or go online to capitalfm.com.

CAPITALFMtUNE IN WEEKDAYS

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8683-CBIRM Breakfast Ad 240x169mm.pdf 1 21/06/2013 14:55

INTERVIEW

The men behind the scenes at this year's most anticipated event…

The Helping Harry Help Others Ball

Whilst battling an inoperable brain tumour, Harry Moseley, the young lad from Birmingham who touched the heart of the nation, was inspired to make a difference to all people with brain cancer when a friend of his who also had a brain tumour became very ill. Within the space of just over two years Harry had organised and attended nearly 100 events to raise money for and awareness of Brain Cancer.

Sadly Harry’s health took a sudden turn for the worse following brain surgery in August 2011. On 8th October 2011, and after 14 weeks in a coma, Harry passed away peacefully at home in his Mom’s arms.

Like many of us, PJ Ellis a lawyer, businessman and ex big brother contestant from Sutton, had started following Harry’s story on twitter, intrigued as to who this young brummie chap with 100,000 followers was; he soon became

hooked with what he was doing and with his struggle. Although PJ had never met Harry, like many of us that followed Harry’s story, he felt like him knew him by the time that he had passed away. Tim Andrews, MD of Hollywood Monster also followed Harry on twitter after hearing about him on Tim Ross’ radio show. When the day came that Harry had passed away PJ and Tim, (both complete strangers at this point) each knew they wanted to do something to help. Together, in October last year with the help of some friends PJ and Tim put on a monster ball selling 125 tables and raising over £100,000 for the charity with no experience in putting on events! With this year’s ball just weeks away SCENE decided to speak to the men behind the scenes at what is set to be Birmingham’s most and glitzy and glamorous event of the year!

HHHO

How did you each get involved in HHHO and how did the idea for the Ball come about?PJ: I’d recently become a Dad around the time of Harry’s untimely passing and just felt an urge to do something. I’m not afraid to admit that when he died, I cried my eyes out. This young boy had inspired me to do so. I wanted to bring the city of Birmingham together under one roof to celebrate Harry and hopefully continue his work; I therefore decided to throw a Ball.

I soon realised that it had the potential to be huge. I soon after stumbled across Tim Andrews on Facebook - I’d always admired his company, Hollywood Monster, from afar given its connections with Birmingham City FC - and he seemed keen to meet. We met for lunch and the rest is history. I really could not have done what I did without Tim.

Tim: I remember the day his Mom announced he had fallen asleep in her arms. It was at that point, feeling the pain, (and let me point out I hadn’t met Harry), I felt I had to help.

Michael Johnson approached me to sponsor a celebrity bike ride to London. I agreed to be one of the main sponsors. It turned out there were no celebrities involved but 30 brummies (great ones though!).

I then helped out at a few other events for example Free radio’s ‘Walk For Harry’ where we supplied 2000 signs free of charge, we also arranged a Harry bracelet making day, the very first ‘selfless Saturday’ that Harry dreamt of organising.

After getting to know Georgie better, she asked me to help set up the charity HelpHarryHelpOthers. Obviously honoured I set to registering the charity with the commission, putting in the infrastructure services and of course the Harry HQ. 18 monthslater the charity is going from strength to strength all because what Harry put in place and the team Georgie assembled.

I saw a tweet asking for support at the ball. I responded saying I would donate my boat for the auction and that’s when I met with PJ. It was obvious after meeting PJ that we complemented each other and I accepted his invitation to help organise the ball. 125 table sales later the inauguralcharity ball was delivered on 19th October 2012!

With no background in putting on such a large event what has the experience been like and what has it taught each of you so far?PJ: It has taught me that you can do what you want if you put your mind to it, and work hard at meeting your goals. It also taught me that there are lots of amazing people and businesses in Birmingham that are so keen to support local events, initiatives and Charities. I also realised my passion for work in the Third Sector.

On the event side of things, I appreciate just how hard it is to put events on. Tim and I were working 7am - 7pm for ourselves in the day and then having to ‘work’ 9pm - 2am shifts on the Ball at night – every day for 10 months!

INTERVIEW

With the help of local organisations such as Big Cat and PSP, the assistance from individuals such as Ian Cooke and Kat Frost, and the support from the Charity and other local ‘faces’ and businesses, we got over the line and thankfully held one amazing evening.

Tim: Whilst I have been to many charity balls, I had never organised such an event. I certainly know what works and what doesn’t but with sheer grit and determination (and a few contacts) anything is possible. I think that was the biggest lesson to me.

What challenges did you face?PJ: Finding the time! Without the generosity of all those who got involved last year, I’m certain that it would have been too much of a challenge for me. I was also losing the balance between work and family. My commitment to the Ball put a huge strain on my marriage and I suppose with hindsight helped me realise what the most important things are in my life.That said, none of these challenges even came close to the challenge Harry faced and often overcome. He inspired me to do what I did; he still inspires me to do what I do, everyday!

Tim: I think the biggest challenge was selling the tables! At the time when we were selling the tables, the charity was unknown largely, and of course the evening being the inaugural event it had no track record, so selling the tables in this position was difficult. It came down to our personal relationships for 90% of the table sales. Birmingham needed an event like this on the social

calendar, an evening full of glitz and glamour and of course it was vital that we delivered. The formulae worked and I’m sure will stay in the social calendar for years to come.

What do you each bring to the table to make the ball what it is?PJ: We both know Birmingham. We are lucky to have some very good friends and contacts in Birmingham that helped us throw such a huge event. We also bring hard work. There is not a day that goes by that either Tim or I do not consider, or ‘work’ for this Charity. We are both proud Trustees and love helping make things happen; bringing love, support and care to children with cancer and all those around them. I owe about a thousand favours from last year’s Ball but it is well worth it!!

Tim: I think we complemented each other well. PJ with his detail and organisation, myself with the creativity we both have a lot of contacts in Birmingham from different sectors, and so between us it ‘just worked’.

How much did you raise and where was it spent?PJ: We raised over £100,000. We can’t go into detail but as a Charity we are just about to write a huge cheque to help an organisation in Birmingham. It will make a massive difference and we can’t wait to see things develop. As a charity we are also constantly giving away thousands of pounds under our Help Cope, Help Care and Help Cure initiatives.

Birmingham needed an event like this on the social calendar, an evening full of glitz and glamour and of course it was vital that we delivered.

Tim: The money has gone into lots of projects this year that fall under the three sections of the charity:

Help Cope - grants to families that are all travelling the cancer journey and have experienced financial hardship, and also supporting the siblingsHelp Care - end of life care or care support that the family or patient require. This is often in addition to social services and other charitable organisations that offer this serviceHelp Cure - funding brain cancer research projects

This year… what can we expect and what are you looking forward to the most?We are hoping to raise over £200,000 this year and to throw an even better event than last year, which will be tough. We have selected an amazing committee to help us (thank you Rob Spittle, Jon Till, Georgie Moseley, Tom Ross, Ian Cooke, Adam Rickitt, Chris O’Brien, Emma Larkin, Tara Tomes, Mike Colledge, Mark Meredith, Kat Frost and Andrew Riley) and all hands are on deck pushing this forward. We are doing it first and foremost for the Charity and then secondly for the city.

We are also about to launch a “Perform 4 Harry”

competition which will see two young acts get the chance to perform at the Ball - we are being helped massively by Kym Rowlingson and Lisa Smith on this - so watch this space.

How can people get involved?Tables are still available. They can be bought on www.harryscharityball.com. Sponsorship opportunities are also available with Hollywood Monster, Harvey Nichols and Hotel la Tour already showing massive support.

People can also donate raffle and auction lots and again all the details are on www.harryscharityball.com

Finally, can we just say a massive thanks to Scene, and I really do hope to see Birmingham come together again this year, to have a great night, and to raise thousands of pounds in support of such an amazing cause.

#HHHO

LAST DAYCELEBRATION RIDE... JOIN THE LAST LEG!

SUNDAY 29th SEPTEMBER 2013START TIME: 11.30am

Here’s your chance to take part in the West Midlands largest cycling event of 2013!

Entry fee is only £30 with a discretionary fund raising target of £200-£300.

Help raise raise thousands of pounds for the Help Harry Help Others charity.

Join the last day from the Ricoh Arena in Coventry to Broad Street in Birmingham.

Encourage your friends and family to greet your arrival in Centenary Square, Birmingham and enjoy the Bike Festival organised by Birmingham City Council.

You must be 18 years old or over and

miles.

JOIN ONLINE:Click Here: www.7inseven.co.uk/15/last-day-celebration-rideto register online.

www.7inseven.co.uk #Getinvolved #7in7 @7inSevenbigbike

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SupplierS of Signage and graphicSacroSS the uK to all SectorS

hollywood Monster ltd, redfern park Way, tyseley, Birmingham B11 2Bf

t: 0121 764 3222 www.hollywoodmonster.co.uk

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Good things come to those who wait. Greater things come to those

who workout...

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First 30 new members receive the first month free Call 0121 643 2200 to join. T&C’s apply.

Good things come to those who wait. Greater things come to those

who workout...

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First 30 new members receive the first month free Call 0121 643 2200 to join. T&C’s apply.

Now that summer is sadly coming to an end, and the dreaded * whispers * Christmas will be here before we know it, it’s time to pack up those bikinis and start working to shift that summer bulge left behind by too many all-inclusive holiday cakes and cocktails – and what better place to do it than in Birmingham’s exclusive fitness venue, theclubandspa?

HEALTH

Now that summer is sadly coming to an end, and the dreaded * whispers * Christmas will be here before we know it, it’s time to pack up those bikinis and start working to shift that summer bulge left behind by too many all-inclusive holiday cakes and cocktails – and what better place to do it than in Birmingham’s exclusive fitness venue, theclubandspa?

With its unrivalled facilities, this inspirational health club is the perfect place to start in order to get back into shape ready for the party season, and if it is a modern, vibrant and top-spec exercise environment that you are after, then look no further. theclubandspa doesn’t mess around when it comes to health and wellbeing – their state of the art gym boasts top of the range Technogym equipment, weights and free weights, an array of functional training zones including TRX as well as various other specialist pieces of equipment and areas to help ensure that you have the work-out of your life with each and every visit.

At theclubandspa, they understand that some people need a little more motivation in order to reach their goals and have a whole team of personal trainers on hand to help you to achieve your aims in the quickest and most effective ways possible. More than a series of one-to-one sessions, personal training at theclubandspa is a physical, psychological and emotional experience which is tailored to fit you r unique fitness profile, not only making you feel more powerful but also empowering you to do more – and be more. If personal training isn’t your thing, why not join one of their many group fitness classes and allow their enthusiastic and energetic instructors to take you to places that you would never dare to go on your own? From Freestyle Dance and Zumba to Yoga, Muay Thai Boxing to Body Balance and Body Pump to Spinning, there really is something for everyone. If the idea of being in an exercise studio fills you with dread, never fear - they also hold a weekly running club and outdoor Army Boot Camp class meaning that whatever your preference, you can jump, cycle, run, stretch, box or dance your way to a better body!

Alongside their top-notch gym and studio rooms, theclubandspa also offer a whole host of added benefits – from their Milon Suite, which is referred to as the Rolls Royce of training equipment and delivers a workout that is proven to be 30% more efficient than traditional training to their 8metre high climbing wall which helps to burn fat and tone muscle as well as developing core strength, co-ordination and balance – each addition has been carefully selected in order to maximize your workout experience. To compliment this, their Wellness System ensures that your progress is monitored with each session and offers feedback – helping you to keep motivated until your goals are achieved.

Once the hard work is finished, theclubandspa has the perfect way to help ease those tired muscles in their thermal area where you can choose to kick back in their vitality pool - complete with jets and waterfalls, take a break in their steamroom or simply relax in their Kelo sauna. For a further treat, choose from an extensive list of luxury and indulgent treatments designed to take you on a sensory journey to relax your mind, body and soul.

So whether it’s the treadmill that remembers your training program and your favourite TV channels, the text mate system that messages your gym buddy about that post-training drink, the 35 minute express Milon workout or the relaxation suite that inspires you, theclubandspa guarantee that with them, you will no longer dread working out. So what are you waiting for? Dig out those trainers and make a start on that dream body today.

For more information or to book a tour, please visit www.theclubandspabirmingham.co.uk or call 0121 643 2200.W

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More than just a

The BesT ParTies are always in The KiTchen

Back in Febuary Town and Country Inns Ltd who own the hugely successful Mechu and Apres bars opened their doors to their latest venture- Fleet Street Kitchen. Located on the Summerrow strip, just next door to their sister companies on the corner of Fleet Street (where the old Bluu bar used to be), Fleet Street Kitchen offers itself as a steakhouse restaurant and stylish bar spread over two floors, each with its own distinct character.

REVIEW

As I walked in and took in all of the décor of the restaurant area upstairs I couldn’t help but feel upbeat. The white brick walls and all of the funky metal lamp shades and mixtures of wood and marble tables instantly made me feel welcome.

As always I was having a late lunch and my eyes were bigger than my belly so I ordered the ‘Big’ Prawn Cocktail. It didn’t disappoint, the glass was nearly as big as my head! Okay, slight exaggeration but it was enough to share between two if needed. I couldn’t finish it all, I was too excited about the main course, the star of the show that I’d be waiting for- The 28 day aged Hereford Beef 8 oz. Fillet Steak.

I’d heard about these steaks from friends, and had also been told about the grill they use to cook them on- The first ‘Barbacoa’ grill of its kind to come into the UK. The unique barbeque cooking method is popular in Northern Spain using South American lumpwood charcoal, giving the meat cuts a mouth-watering flavour- something I can definitely vouch for!

Served with hand cut chips and peppercorn sauce, my main was just what I needed after a very stressful morning. The steak was just right for me, medium with no blood, thick and juicy. One thing I noticed too was the range of sauces; I went for the peppercorn because I was feeling boring but I’m intrigued to find out what coffee chipotle BBQ and tonkatsu, a Japanese condiment influenced by Worcestershire sauce tastes like!

One thing I will give FSK is their attention to detail in their presentation of their food too. I can’t lie and pretend that I wasn’t looking at the table next to me having a nose at the cute little metal trays filled with ‘Fleet Street Newspaper’ holding the very British Fish and Chips.

The British theme is apparent throughout the restaurant, as always the owners of Town and Country Inns always pay attention to the finer and most important details. All of the ingredients used are British and can be sourced back directly to the farmer.

Now it was time for dessert. There was only one thing on the menu that caught my eye, not because the other

options didn’t look good, they looked fine but because I think I’m actually obsessed with cheesecake! Passion fruit cheesecake was going to be the icing on the cake. Fluffy, lovely and just enough biscuit (I get really annoyed when there’s not enough); this cheesecake is a must. If I’m completely honest and this is quite embarrassing I’d never eaten passion fruit before! Of course I’ve drank it but I’d never eaten the seeds so for the first few mouthfuls I was screwing up my face like a little kid. To say the cheesecake isn’t completely and utterly moorish is an understatement. Big thumbs up for the desert, in fact I’d probably say it’s as good as the steak!

Now it was time for a drink or two, I’d already had a couple of glasses upstairs, a full bodied red of course. I went for the cheapest one on the menu (obviously!); at just £14.95 it’s amazing how the simple things in life can make you smile so much. I wasn’t tipsy… much. So, for afters, we had to have a look at the bar downstairs! That’s when my jaw dropped. Obviously those of you that know me know how much I like to party, so when I say I walked into ‘Downstairs at Fleet Street’ and instantly fell in love with my new hidden gem you’ll understand it’s something quite special. Immediately all I thought about was hiring it out for my birthday or my Dad’s birthday (I hope he doesn’t read this as I still want to throw him a surprise party!) or anyone’s birthday for that matter, I kind of just wanted the whole place to myself for the night!

The reason I love it so much is definitely because of its looks, it’s stylish, sophisticated and super cool a bit like Robin Thicke. You can see why the venue is being used for Friday Night Live sessions. It’s got a very relaxed, trendy vibe, fabulous fashion inspired illustrations all over the walls and an absolutely gorgeous chandelier centre piece as you walk in. Live acts, experimental DJ’s and cool laid back Jazz will bring a late night experience to life for Birmingham’s thriving over 25’s market.

I think Fleet Street Kitchen is a fantastic edition to Birmingham, somewhere you can impress a first date, have a sophisticated night out with mates or take your mother out for a stylish Sunday lunch. I’d wholeheartedly recommend this place and will definitely be returning soon.

Fleet Street Islington Gates, Summer Row, B3 1JH For reservations email: fleetstreet@summerrow.comTel: 0121-236-0100

f s K

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Garnish:Pineapple wedge,maraschino cherry.

METHOD:SHAKE all ingredients

with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.

ORIGIN:Named after the shape of a hurricane

lamp and served in a tall, shapely glass of thesame name, Thought to have originated in 1939 at

the Hurricane Bar, New York City, but made famous atPat O’Brien’s.

A strong, tangy, refreshing drinkpacked with fruit and laced with rum.

INGREDIENTS:1 1/2 shot Barcardi Superior Rum

1 shot Pusser's Navy Rum1 shot Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice1 shot Freshly Pressed Pineapple Juice1/2 shot Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

1/4 shot Passion Fruit Syrup3/4 shot Rose’s Lime Cordial

Cocktail of the month

Cocktail available from Spotlight in Digbeth. Check out Spotlight’s Cocktail Sessions every Friday in conjunction with Digbeth Dining Club. Unit 2 Lower Trinity Street, B9 4AG Birmingham, United Kingdom

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