Billboards celebrate heroes
EYE-CATCHING billboards celebrating Newcastle’s diverse spirit have started appearing across the city.
If you’re out and about on Northumberland Street, among other city centre locations, you’re likely to come face to face with these nine ‘local heroes’.
The posters are part of Newcastle’s Together We Are Stronger campaign, which aims to tackle extreme and divisive views by celebrating the city’s diversity and the things that bring us together.
They direct people to a page on the council website where they can watch videos of our nine local heroes talking about what it means to be from Newcastle, their pride in the city and their efforts to help their communities.
The campaign, which is a collaboration between Safe Newcastle and the UK Government’s Building a Stronger Britain Together programme, aims to “stand against extremism in all its forms”.
The nine people described on the right are featured in the campaign.
Ally moved to Newcastle from Somalia in 2012. Initially unable to speak English, he approached a group of young people playing football nearby to get involved. This led to him joining the Newcastle United Foundation Kicks programme. Now, aged just 19, Ally is a coach at the foundation and a flag-bearer at St James’ Park.
Elizabeth has lived in Newcastle all her life. Her efforts to help bring members of the community together, particularly the older generations and those who are isolated or lonely, has led to her becoming chair of the Shieldfield Community Forum Cafe; at the very centre of the neighbourhood in which she lives.
In 2015, Gill, who has lived in Newcastle all her life, started a campaign to help care for homeless and vulnerable women in the North East. The community project specialises in ensuring the women get sanitary products and hygiene essentials. Gill now has more than 70 volunteers across the North East.
A well-known figure in the North East, Dr Shukla was recently awarded a CBE for his services to interfaith relationships and the community in Tyne and Wear. Described as the ‘glue’ between religions in the area, Dr Shukla says Newcastle has the best race relations in the country.
Born and raised in Newcastle’s West End, Johurun works at the West End Women and Girl’s Centre, a charity which has been working with women in the city since 1981. The centre provides support through group work giving members the opportunity to meet, have fun, learn skills, look at issues relevant their lives and generally build confidence in a safe and supportive environment.
Rahul Kohli is the selfproclaimed ‘Newcastle Brown Male’. A critically acclaimed comedian, his unique brand of storytelling and nuanced political satire has gained him quite a profile in a few short years. He’s appeared on BBC radio and TV, prime time radio and TV, impressed critics with Edinburgh Fringe shows, and has toured extensively, with an upcoming tour in India.
Stuart teaches dance classes in a family-run dance school in South Shields. Stuart says winning Mr Gay World i 2014 gave him the impetus to have a positively impact on the LGBTI community worldwide, and is now a presenter for Pride radio station. Stuart’s So What? anti-bullying campaign was about embracing diversity of sexuality and eliminating the stigma around it.
Veteran Tommy struggled with post-traumatic stress following his time in the military, even coming close to suicide. Tommy made the decision to incorporate sport in his recovery and founded Sporting Force; a charity which helps veterans adapt to civilian life.