Blog Style - Asian Sunday & Style

Be vigilant, be aware this Christmas

News

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December 4, 2014

Residents are being warned that burglars know the price of everything and the value of nothing, and will be on the lookout for rich pickings this Christmas time.

With Christmas shopping now in full swing and Christmas trees being put up across the county, people living in West Yorkshire are being reminded to not forget their home security this festive season.

Force Crime Prevention Officer Chris Joyce said: “We want this to be a very merry Christmas for members of the public across West Yorkshire, but I really want to take the opportunity to remind people how important it is to keep their home secure.

“Burglars on the whole look for opportunities when they are out and about – an open window, an unlocked door, a house in complete darkness and attractive items on view through windows. At this time of year people may be out at work dos, late night shopping, carol concerts and other events, and it’s vital that homes are left looking occupied during such absences.

“The festive season also sees people spending a lot of hard earned money on Christmas presents for family and friends. I would encourage people not to put presents under the tree before it is absolutely necessary – items that have taken a lot of saving up for may be very attractive to a burglar and could net them a few quid. Coming home to find that presents for or from your family and friends have been stolen would be absolutely heart breaking, and something that nobody should have to go through.

“We are urging residents to consider what the true cost of burglary would be to them and take some simple steps to reduce their chances of a burglar ruining their Christmas. Crime prevention doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, it could be a change of habit that assists in reducing the opportunity of burglary happening at your property – crime prevention is everyone’s business.”

Always keep doors and windows locked, remove the keys from the lock and don’t leave them on view.
Use timer switches on lights to keep your home looking occupied when you are out.
Don’t put Christmas presents under the tree before you need to.
Ensure valuables are not left on show – i.e. laptops, tablets, phones and put the charger/power cables out of view.
Take packaging from Christmas gifts to be recycled, don’t advertise what you’ve got to burglars

Further advice is available via the West Yorkshire Police website athttp://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/burglary or by contacting your local Crime Prevention Officer on 101.

Tour de France Grand Départ benefits Yorkshire

News

Aalia Khan

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December 4, 2014

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Bradford Council has welcomed an extensive report which researches the economic and social impact of the Tour de France Grand Départ

The report demonstrates the enormous impact it had on the whole region in terms of raising the profile of Yorkshire and in boosting business during that weekend and in following weeks.

Coun David Green, Leader of the Council said: “The Tour de France Grand Départ went through our district on both the Saturday and the Sunday which gave people plenty of opportunity both to participate and benefit from this massively successful event.

“Residents, visitors and businesses embraced the event with huge enthusiasm and the pictures broadcast on television all over the world demonstrated how stunning our countryside around Ilkley, Keighley and Haworth is. The Tour de France certainly raised Bradford district’s profile and will entice people to visit in future years, bringing lasting economic benefits.

“We congratulate local people, businesses and organisations for their hard work in contributing to this event, which had such a major positive impact on our district.”

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Employment, Skills and Culture said: “Bradford Council and local businesses worked hard to ensure that the benefits of the event were spread right across the district, both economically and culturally.”

The research has been thorough and extensive, including over 4,000 interviews with attendees over the three days, and over 700 interviews with businesses. Over 200 case studies have been gathered and the impact of the Cultural Festival has also been assessed.

Time to tackle dementia in diverse communities

Health

Aalia Khan

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December 4, 2014

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Time to tackle dementia in diverse communities

The University of Salford’s Institute for Dementia has found that more needs to be done to support people from diverse communities living with dementia, including Black Minority Ethnic (BME) and deaf people.

It is estimated there are currently 25,000 people with dementia from BME communities in England and Wales and this figure is expected to grow to 50,000 by 2026 and 172,000 by 2051. Certain types of dementia may be more prevalent among BME communities since risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, may be more common.

Professor Maggie Pearson, Pro Vice Chancellor (Public Benefit) and Dean of the College of Health and Social Care, said: “Although colleagues from the black and minority ethnic communities have been crucial to the establishment and survival of the NHS, since its inception in 1948, the service has been ironically slow to acknowledge, understand and respond to their needs.

“The Salford Institute for Dementia will take this work forward to develop a more robust evidence base about the needs and preferences of people in BME communities who are affected by dementia, but the clear message from our work is that we must develop an agenda for health and social care services, no matter whether in the public, private or third sector.”

A listening event, led by Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Dr Anya Ahmed, held earlier this year with healthcare professionals, Social Services, caregivers, volunteers, academics, service providers and people living with dementia, explored how services can respond to the diverse needs of BME communities while promoting inclusiveness.

The findings and topics points raised at the Listening Event were:

* BME and less heard communities may not recognise the term dementia;

* Participants suggested diverse communities are not hard to reach, instead they are easy to ignore;

* It is important to acknowledge that many of the barriers affecting people from BME and deaf communities also affect the wider population;

* Communication is an issue: people do not know who to contact to get help;

* There are issues around trust and fear of approaching GPs and other professionals;

* People may feel overwhelmed by the number of agencies that need to be dealt with;

* People may not always recognise that they are a carer and many people are not registered as carers by their GP;

* Services are Eurocentric and there is often a lack of knowledge among professionals of different cultures;

* There may be greater reluctance to come forward in some cultures, but we should not make stereotypical assumptions about BME groups always caring for family members;

* There is a stigma surrounding diagnosis. Many people were worried about getting negative perceptions from professionals;

* People from diverse backgrounds are not represented in local authorities and services;

* There is limited dialogue between minority communities and service;

* It was also widely accepted that cuts to spending on services has made this situation worse.

Quoted in the report, Professor Lord Patel of Bradford OBE, Vice President of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: “There is little known about diverse communities and dementia and the work of the Institute for Dementia at the University of Salford is playing a key part in beginning to fill some of the some of these important gaps in knowledge.”

Dr Ahmed is also working in partnership with the Somali Cultural Centre on the Somali Dementia Aware Project in Camden in London, as well as projects looking exploring the needs of diverse communities in Salford and life history in Greater Manchester.

An entertaining innings of 58 from just 40 balls helped England get back into the five match series against Sri Lanka

Sports

Aalia Khan

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December 4, 2014

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An entertaining innings of 58 from just 40 balls helped England get back into the five match series against Sri Lanka

By Ayyaz Malik

England went into this third one day international with Sri Lanka knowing nothing else than a win was satisfactory. The Three Lions were trailing 2-0 in the five match series, and knew that if they were to lose this game against Sri Lanka, they would in turn lose the series.

The match itself belatedly got underway after a delay due to rain, consequently meaning that the Duckingowrth Lewis method came into play. The Duckingowrth Lewis method calculated that this match would be 35 overs a side.

The England side included Alex Hales, who comes in for Ian Bell, and Chris Jordan who comes in for Harry Gurney, as for Sri Lanka they included specialist middle order batsmen Thilina Kandamby in place of Mahela Jaywawardena, who was unavailable for this match.

The hosts Sri Lanka got their run chase off to a terrible start, England managed to reduce their opponents to 31-3 at one stage, Kusal Perrera and Kandamby fell for ducks. A fourth wicket stand of 77 however allowed the Sri Lankan’s to regroup after the loss of the three early wickets – but captain Angelo Matthews was dismissed for 37 off the bowling of Chris Jordan who had the Sri Lankan captain caught behind by Joss Buttler.

That left Sri Lanka on 118-4 , the Sri Lankan’s were in need of another good partnership at that point- but the fifth wicket pairing of Kumar Sangakarra and vice captain Lahiru Thirimanne only managed to put on 32. Sanagakarra would be the next man out, the veteran wicket keeper was caught by Moeen Ali off the bowling of Chris Jordan for 63, which took the former Sri Lanka captain past 13,000 one day international runs. Sangakarra was only the fourth player to pass such a milestone.

At 150-5 and most of Sri Lanka’s more household named batsmen back in the pavilion, the Sri Lankan’s looked like they were going to get bowled out for a cheap score. Sri Lanka though however showed great resolve and thanks to a battling 62 from vice captain Thrimanne and a crucial cameo by Dhammika Prassad, that meant Sri Lanka were able post 242-8, which was a daunting score for England to chase in 35 overs. Due to the Duckingworth Lewis method however The Three Lions needed 236 to get back into this 5 match series.

England with the opening combination of Moeen Ali and Alistair Cook, went about the run chase in a very positive manner. Ali in particular hit two 4’s and launched 5 6’s over the boundary in a very entertaining 40 ball knock.

At the other end captain Alistair Cook wasn’t quite as ‘cavalier’ in his stroke play- but was looking solid. Cook who had been in disappointing form with the bat in one day internationals was looking for a well overdue half century- but sadly it wasn’t to come in this match, the England captain would be the first wicket to fall caught behind by Sangakarra off the bowling of Prassad. Sangakarra with that catch broke Adam Gilchrist’s record of 472 dismissals which Gilchrist and Sangakarra shared.

Moeen Ali who seemed to be taking quite a liking to Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, fell 19 runs later after a horrible mix up with Alex Hales, leading to Ali being run out. England after Ali’s dismissal were 103-2 and were in need of a good partnership to consolidate the good start that was given to them by Cook and Ali.

An old fashioned middle order collapse followed and England were in danger of losing this game. At 152-5 and with ‘finishers’ Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara back in the pavilion after both fell cheaply, things looked very bleak for England.

At the tenth hour Joe Root, who has been England’s saviour many times alone this year, was accompanied by Joss Buttler. The England pair put on a brilliant partnership of 84 for the sixth wicket.

Buttler finished unbeaten on 55 from just 45 balls while at the other end Joe Root scored a composed run a ball 48. England are back in this series and trail 2-1, The three Lions will be looking to carry on the momentum for the rest of this series and into the world cup which starts in February.

NHS must not be used as a ‘political football’

Aalia Khan

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December 3, 2014

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NHS must not be used as a ‘political football’

Doctors’ leaders have said that extra funding announced in the Autumn Statement for the NHS is a step in the right direction, but urged politicians not to use the NHS as a political football in the run up to next year’s General Election and to ensure it is not subject to another unwanted top-down reorganisation.

Following the Chancellor’s announcement of an extra £2bn annually for the NHS and an investment of £1.2bn in GP services, BMA council chair Dr Mark Porter warned that, while additional funding is desperately needed, the NHS has suffered years of under-investment and that turning things around will take time.

He warned that the NHS continues to face a number of challenges including a recruitment and retention crisis in areas such as emergency care and general practice. He also highlighted the importance of investing in GP surgeries to ensure they are fit for purpose and equipped to deal with rising patient numbers and more services being moved into the community.

A BMA survey of 4,000 GP practices earlier this year found that just over half of practices had seen no investment or refurbishment in the past ten years, four out of ten felt their current facilities were not adequate to deliver services to patients and almost seven out of ten felt their facilities are too small to deliver extra or additional services to patients.

Commenting following the Autumn Statement BMA council chair, Dr Mark Porter said: “While this extra funding is desperately needed, the situation will not be turned around overnight. The NHS is going through its tightest funding period in half a century– rising demand and years of underinvestment have left services dangerously overstretched, compromising patient care. The NHS also faces other challenges including staff shortages, especially in emergency care and general practice.”

He went on “A quarter of hospitals are in the red and many GP facilities have been starved of investment for decades, leaving them struggling to cope with record numbers of patients coming through the surgery door. With more services moving into the community it’s vital that additional funding for general practice is invested in premises, so they can be made fit for purpose.

Crucially, the NHS must not be used as a political football before the general election, or subjected to another unwanted top-down reorganisation afterwards. We need a long-term plan to deal with rising demand rather than short-term promises designed more for winning votes than truly saving the health service. Without this, the future of an NHS which remains true to its founding principles – open to all and free at the point of delivery – will be under threat.”

Witness appeal for City Centre assault

News

Aalia Khan

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December 3, 2014

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Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to trace in connection with a serious assault in the city centre.

The victim, a 26-year-old man, was on a night out with work colleagues when he became involved in an argument with a group of men near the junction of Cookridge Street and Great George Street.

He was punched by one of the men and fought back before a second man punched him knocking him to the ground.

He received an injury to his neck and the incident is being treated as grievous bodily harm.

Detective Constable Lee Thimm, of Leeds District CID, said: “The suspect is quite recognisable from the images and I would like to hear from anyone who knows who he is.”

The incident happened at about 1.30am on Friday, October 17.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact DC Thimm at Elland Road via 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Bradford’s work to tackle major risk factor for stroke has Europe-wide profile

Health
News

Aalia Khan

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December 3, 2014

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A pioneering Bradford district project to help prevent strokes in people with a common heart rhythm disorder has been showcased in a high-profile European health report.

Local GPs’ successful work with patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) – a heart rhythm disorder which can increase their risk of stroke – has led to it being featured as an example of best practice from around Europe in tackling this important public health problem.

The Bradford case study is included in the Route map for change and the European atlas on the prevention of AF-related stroke – a landmark report which aims to raise awareness of the need to improve the prevention of AF-related stroke across Europe.

Dr Matt Fay, a member of NHS Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and an AF clinical specialist, has led the local project across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven to make sure people with AF are offered the right treatments to reduce their chance of dying from strokes.

The project has been rolled out by more than 60 GP practices across the district and has had dramatic results.

Across the three CCGs there are more than 6,000 patients living with AF. Of those, 5,000 are deemed moderate to high risk of stroke. However, before the project only 2,300 were being prescribed anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin, as a precautionary measure.

Thanks to the project – believed to be the first of its kind in the UK – hundreds more patients are being targeted and are now being prescribed anticoagulants. Ultimately this will result in 200 fewer strokes each year in the Bradford district.

New guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) also backs Bradford’s work by advising GPs throughout the country that blood-thinning drugs like warfarin are better for patients with AF.

“AF is the second most important risk factor for stroke after blood pressure and causes at least one in every five strokes,” said Dr Fay. “AF strokes are the most debilitating and lead to more permanent disability – so it’s vital that as many GPs and other health professionals are aware of best practice to help prevent them.

“The good news is that we know when prescribed anticoagulant drugs, these strokes can be avoided. This is really important as AF is on the rise with an ageing population.

“I’m delighted that Bradford’s work is included in this report. We know that we are making a big difference locally and I’m sure that many other countries would also benefit from following our lead, just as we’re constantly learning from colleagues who are finding new ways to tackle AF-related strokes.”

AF is a major cause of stroke because it often leads to the formation of blood clots and increases the risk of strokes by up to five times. It is estimated that the condition causes around 12,500 strokes nationally each year.

New evidence shows that aspirin is not as effective as anticoagulants at preventing stroke in people with AF who are at increased risk of stroke, and is also not as safe in terms of causing bleeding. Although the risks of anticoagulation also increase with age, the evidence also shows that its benefits outweigh the risks in the vast majority of people with AF.

The UK’s Hidden Ethnic Minority Health Crisis

Aalia Khan

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December 3, 2014

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The UK’s Hidden Ethnic Minority Health Crisis

The UK is facing a health crisis which most of us are simply unaware of. GOLD (Gift of Living Donation) has been established to raise awareness of the fact that in the UK, less than 3% of registered organ donors are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups ( BAME).

This has devastating consequences for black and ethnic minority patients who now make up almost a third of the UK’s transplant waiting list, (in London, this proportion rises to two-thirds). This is because organ matches are far more likely if the ethnicity of the donor and recipient are close. People from BAME communities are at higher risk of particular illnesses which lead to organ failure, including diabetes, hypertension and certain forms of hepatitis.

Dela Idowu established GOLD following firsthand experience of being a potential living donor to her brother Tayo, after seeing him battle renal failure and suffering on dialysis and no suitable kidney donations materialised. Following her experiences, Dela became a member of a number of NHS and national statutory bodies with the aim of increasing awareness of the importance of genetically-diverse organ donors.

Her family’s experiences inspired her to write a book; More Than A Match, which documents the highs and lows of a living donor’s journey as well as a self-funded DVD; We Are Family, which together with the NHS hopes to raise awareness of living organ donation. Through these educational resources, GOLD aims to make more people aware of the urgent need for racially-diverse organ donors and to show people that registering to become an organ donor needn’t be something to fear. Her courage, dedication and tenacity have helped her brother Tayo during his years of illness and inspired him to make a full recovery following his recent kidney transplant operation in October 2014.

While NHS targets and hospital waiting times persistently and perpetually make the news, the lack of diversity among organ donors is a serious issue which is not yet in the Public’s collective conscious. Yet GOLD’s targets of tripling the number of registered organ donors and doubling the number of people coming forward as living organ donors from ethnic minority backgrounds over the next 12 months would not only significantly improve waiting times for life-saving operations but also save lives.

Proposals to transform former Odeon building into live music venue welcomed by the Council

News

Aalia Khan

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December 2, 2014

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Proposals to transform former Odeon building into live music venue welcomed by the Council

Bradford Council bosses have backed Bradford Live’s proposals to transform the city’s former Odeon building into a live music venue.

Lee Craven - Bradford Live — Lee Craven – Bradford Live

The Council’s Executive today endorsed Bradford Live’s plan to bring the iconic building back into use and bring Bradford back on the touring circuit for major music acts.

Lee Craven, Project Director for Bradford Live, gave a presentation showing how the main auditorium would hold audiences of up to 4,500 for a range of live music events.

He explained that live gigs were what most people wanted but the building could also be possibly be used for conferences, academic and community uses.

Lee said: “This site is the bridge between the city centre and the Learning Quarter so it is a vital location.

“The Odeon building will complete that area and will look superb overlooking City Park.

“Revamping the Odeon building and making it a going concern will bring jobs and also more visitors to the city centre. We estimate it could bring in 400,000 extra visitors into the city centre each year and as much as £14m spend.

“This building is critical to Bradford’s regeneration. This Council is really making things happen and we need to work in close partnership with the Council to succeed.”

Bradford Council Leader, Councillor David Green, said: “This is the culmination of a lot of hard work but we still have a lot to sort out in terms of planning and finance. However, I really believe this is a massive leap forward.

“We can’t contribute financially but we will be as supportive as possible so it has the greatest chance of success.

“We made a commitment to do our best to deliver a future for the Odeon building and we are delighted that we have been able to do so.”

Bradford Live’s business plan involves keeping the exterior largely the same whilst transforming the interior.

They want to return the auditorium to the original 1930s design, ripping out all the 1960s inserts made by the Rank Group.

They want to hold about 150 events a year in the main auditorium with possibly up to 200 events a year in a former restaurant and ballroom in the building.

Bradford Live’s consultants, AECOM, have estimated the project will cost £18.248m including a contingency of 10%, but excluding VAT and inflation. If the ballroom wing was developed later, the costs would fall to £16.443m.

The project can only be delivered by securing a mixture of private and public sector funding over the coming months.

The Community Hearts Awards nominations go live

News

Aalia Khan

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December 2, 2014

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The Community Hearts Awards nominations go live

The Community Hearts Awards are now open for nominations.

The Community Hearts Awards have been designed to meet the local people’s aspirations and will award the talented and diverse individuals in the area, in the hope of inspiring many others to follow suit.

Cllr Nazam who is a working member of the committee and the city ward Councillor praised the awards, “City ward has so much to offer with some of Bradford’s best known entrepreneurs, sports groups and voluntary organisations, these awards will really showcase the talents and diversity that exists here.”

In order to nominate you can visit the website www.communityhearts.co.uk. You can nominate someone or an organisation who meets the criteria. There is lots to celebrate in the city ward and lots of good role models who can inspire others. Nomination Forms can be downloaded from the website alongside the Criteria.

Lets celebrate City Ward!