2021

A Christmas Miracle

In a seemingly bleak world with an overwhelming wave of bad news, it’s always good to remind ourselves that there are a lot of amazing and heart-warming stories out there to warm the cockles of your heart, especially at this time of year. Now, here is a real Christmas Story….

Any Black Man Will Do?

There is a very interesting conversation happening right now in Twitterland. It’s about a man. And a woman. The man is Black. The woman is white. The man, Anthony Broadwater, was jailed for 16 years accused and convicted of raping the woman. Author Alice Sebold. When the rape occurred in…

CherylGate: should a white woman present Black music?

A couple of Sundays ago I went to see Chineke! Chamber Ensemble. You know who I mean. The orchestra founded in 2015 by Chi-Chi Nwanoku OBE to provide career opportunities for established and yet to be established Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians in the UK and Europe. Chi-Chi’s mission?…

Shame and Scandal in the… Boneyard?

I am spitting feathers at the moment. Spitting feathers, I am. And all because? Hold your horses and let me tell you. We all know that racism exists in this life but how many of you know it extends beyond life and even operates in death? Well, it does. And…

Why Educated Women No Longer ‘Jump the Broom’

This is a turn-up for the books! The latest thing is that university-educated women are more likely to have their first child without the benefit of clergy. By that I mean, before getting married. No jumping the broom or plighting their troth for these bachelor’s or master’s degree-laden women. No…

Cycling While Black

That sporting festival of the great and good competing for medals of gold, silver and bronze has come to its glorious and dazzling end. And we congratulate all those who were competent enough to be selected to take part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. Good, good! However, amongst…

Gender Role Reversal

I once read an article in which a well-known female journalist admitted that women pilots make her nervous. She went on to say that, “Sometimes in life, it feels better to have a strong man in charge.” If you could see me now you would see fire coming out of…

Do Racists Need Educating – or Punishing?

Oh, what a night! The Euros. The Final. The Team. The Lions. This England. The Pens. The Misses. The Heartache. The Tears. The Usual. But that was only half the story. The other half? Racism. Just as painful. Yes, folks, that nasty insidious enemy of the people made its presence…

Death in Paradise – For Real?

One of my all-time favourite shows, which has graced our television screens over the past 10 years, is Death in Paradise, that British-French cosy crime caper set on the fictional Caribbean isle of Saint Marie (which is really filmed on a Caribbean Island: just so you know), where folks, some…

How Secure is Airport Security?

At first, I thought this was funny. And it made me giggle. A little old lady with her neat little white bob foxing the aviation giants by getting through airport security – intense airport security at that – with no travel documents and getting herself on a plane bound for…