The proverbial saying ‘Best laid plans of mice and men’ and add to that women, which in this case refers to my intention to regularly write a blog has not happened due to a busy schedule.as evidenced here.
Apart from doing several diabetes awareness events in my home city Birmingham since the start of the year I have done others in Huntingdon, near Cambridge, Manchester and London. I continue to include in my everyday routine a lot of physical activity to burn up the calories and by so doing manage/control my type 2 diabetes.This in turn helps to keep the complications associated with diabetes at bay.
Proud as a non-swimmer up to a few years ago to have finally achieved my 25 metre swimming badge distance award which is a testament to my determination and resolve to dispel the myth often heard that ‘Black people cannot swim and will sink in the water.’ Readers ‘It is never too late for a shower of rain’ or put another way, learn a new skill. In jest I am too late to compete for the England swimming team for the summer Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
I recently received the brilliant news that Eleanor Hoverd who had put me forward for an honorary doctorate at Warwick University in 2025 and who I mentored and was part of a co-production group for her doctoral research at the same institution has been successful in her PhD which focused on the need for more in-depth health research targeting Black African-Caribbean communities in England. So proud of what she has accomplished and hope the findings will be not only be read but proposals and recommendations form part of everyday life in the health arena. The plethora of reports on marginalised, underserved, underrepresented ethnic groups that have over the years gathered dust on the shelves has got to change and I firmly believe this is a starting point. We can no longer maintain the status quo.
There is a well-known saying ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ so alongside the continued voluntary work in the health and well-being area of type 2 diabetes there have been other events that have been a joy to witness since the start of year.
1. The Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon: a musical of the true-life story of The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind.
2. The Bach Choir – St Matthew Passion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London.
3. The world premiere of I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical starring Alexandra Burke at London’s Hackney Empire Theatre.
4. Mozart’s The Magic Flute, seen twice at Birmingham Repertory Theatre with our classically trained daughter in the starring role as Queen of the Night. 300 children from state schools over its three-night run being exposed to opera to make it an acceptable genre of music for youngsters.
5. The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden – Verdi’s Rigoletto.
6. Book launch of Letters to Hillary – Kathy Owen, a Jamaican actress living in Spain, held at Brixton Theatre, London.
7. Attending all home games of the football team that I have been supporting for over 15 years.
8. Both mine and my wife’s birthday celebrations.
9. As a keen gardener, preparing our garden for spring and summer.
10. Helen Edmundson’s stage adaptation of Andrea Levy’s Small Island at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Specifically mention these as the work-life balance has to be right in order not to end up with burnout. One should never bite off more than one can chew and the ability to say ‘no’ and turn down offers of work engagements is of paramount importance.
Some people in Britain don’t take kindly to the cold weather and in some regards hibernate like some creatures. However, the clocks went forward recently heralding the season of spring with hopefully warmer temperatures and lighter evenings. Let me encourage everyone to get out in the fresh air and even do some brisk walking as a starting point to increase levels of physical activity as it can do ones healthy, body and mind the world of good. Sorry to have kept readers who were asking for articles since the website was launched in late December 2025 waiting a bit longer than I had anticipated but I will endeavour to do a monthly one as of now.
