Social – Lignum Vitae Club

Keep On Moving: Sponsored Walk 2019

Angela — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 12:40:24 +0000

Bridges Crossed: Westminster, Waterloo, Blackfriars, Millennium, Southwark, London, Tower

That’s what we did on Sunday 26th May for our annual sponsored walk. This is one of our 50th Anniversary events this year.

We walked from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge, stopping for one break just before the millennium bridge. This walk covered both sides of the river Thames, crossing Waterloo, Blackfriars, Southwark and finally Tower Bridge. We met up with another member and her daughter at Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster for a well earned bring and share picnic. Proceeds going to Jamaica Moves UK, each Walker paid £10 which provided them with a t-shirt supplied by Jamaica Moves UK, Adopt a clinic and Ellen Pearl Outreach Children’s Charity.

We started at 11.45am from Westminster Tube Station and walked across our first bridge.

The walk organiser who has chosen route didn’t realise that this walk would actually involve us crossing several bridges. A few walkers were uncomfortable about walking across bridges especially the Millennium (previously the ‘wobbly’ bridge) it didn’t bode well on the day because several men were repairing one side of it. I told the organiser to focus on St Paul’s straight ahead and not look left or right but she got more and more anxious and sped across very quickly.

Several of us have never seen Tower Bridge open which it did as we approached it because a replica steam paddle type boat called the Dixie Queen was the reason it was opened and again the organiser wasn’t sure about crossing this last bridge. Walking across few of us were again anxious especially as the traffic driving across would make a thump noise as they approached and drove over the section of the bridge which opens! We completed the walk in 3 hours finishing at 3.00pm and took the tube from Tower Hill back to Westminster.

THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTED OUR SPONSORED WALK. WE RAISED OVER £500 FOR THE EVENT.

JAMMING at Jamaican High Commission

Angela — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 13:16:39 +0000

Bob Marley’s birthday is 6th February and each year the Jamaican High Commission holds Reggae Month. This year’s theme was “Women in Music”.

The evening began with the Jamaica National Anthem. Vivienne Siva introduced HE Seth George Ramocan who set the record straight about the events that happened on Monday 4th February. A Press Release was issued on 6th February and the work that the High Commission does for its people.

He talked about Jamaica, and Reggae. He recalled the One Love concert when Bob Marley got the two political leaders Edward Seaga and Michael Manley on stage and put their hands together in unity.

This year UNESCO has added Reggae to the Cultural Heritage List.

He talked about famous women in reggae e.g. Marcia Griffiths and Millie Small to name just two.

The evening then continued with a panel of Women in Music

Sista Culture, Radio Presenter aka Donna More whose mentor was Ranking Ms P.
DJ Cameo aka Melissa Sinclair
Carroll Thompson, Queen of Lovers Rock

Facilitated by Lynda Rosenior-Patten, Founder and CEO Maestro 7 CIC

Each panel member gave a short presentation about their career and this was followed by a question and answer session.

The panel have over the years been involved in radio, DJ, newspapers Black Echoes, and magazines Gargamel etc

Carroll suggested that young people who were interested in the music industry should learn to play a classic instrument, she herself plays the piano.

There was a Vote of Thanks to the Panel, HE and his wife, DHC, Grace Foods and Port Royal and the Jamaican High Commission Staff. The evening ended with Carroll Thompson singing three songs: Hopelessly in Love and two from Phyllis Dillon: Win or lose and Don’t stay away.

Light refreshments were available while people networked.

Reggae Month 2019

Kayleigh Oliver — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 16:21:26 +0000

It’s International Reggae Month!

How are you celebrating? Don’t know yet?

If you need a few options, take a look at the events that Rastaites.com has listed.

If you go to an event here or any other to celebrate Reggae month, let us know by tagging #reggaemonth on Instagram.

Windrush 70 Year Celebration at the Houses of Parliament

Kayleigh Oliver — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 16:34:11 +0000

Last night, we attended a reception at the Houses of Parliament to honour the Windrush Generation and their descendants. The occasion marked the 70^th anniversary year since the arrival of the Windrush Empire at Tilbury Docks in Essex on 22 June 1948, bringing approximately 500 Jamaicans to live and work in the UK.

This event was hosted by the Streatham Ethnic Minorities Forum organised by the chair Maxine James. The MP for Lambeth, Chuka Umunna gave a great keynote speech that you can view here.

There was only standing room remaining once the event began and a tasty selection of Caribbean refreshments were provided.

Chuka was slightly delayed so after Maxine gave a short introduction to the evening, we were lucky to have Marsha de Cordova, MP and former Lambeth Councillor, introduce herself and greet us all. Chuka arrived shortly after.

After the keynote speech, we enjoyed a poem by Maya Angelou read by Trevor Thomas, a trio of songs sung by a wonderful singer Mrs Philippa Bamgboye accompanied by Christopher Rose on the keyboard, and an original poem written and read by Harry James.

Thank you for a wonderful event Streatham EMF.

Come to our Autumn quiz with Shaun Wallace

Kayleigh Oliver — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 17:56:03 +0000

Our next quiz is going to be compèred by none other than Shaun Wallace.

As we are currently supporting Ellen Pearl Outreach Children’s Charity, Sean (being a patron of the charity) has kindly said he will host our next quiz night fundraiser.

Please come along and invite a friend. To get tickets please either email Angela Edwards or Valrie Stewart.

For more information please see the calendar event details.

AGM 2018

Kayleigh Oliver — Tue, 01 May 2018 12:00:07 +0000

Last week we had our Annual General Meeting.

We had a full house of guests that evening, including our new patron, Dr Lola Ramocan, and two speakers, Paulette Lewis MBE and Vivienne Siva, Community Relations Officer at the Jamaican High Commission.

The evening began with a prayer by one of our longstanding members Penny and the welcome by the current chair, Beverleigh Forbes.

Dr Ramocan began by giving a brief introduction of herself and her work within service throughout her life so far.

Vivienne Siva spoke about her role as the Community Relations Officer at the Jamaican High Commission.

She also recounted her day-to-day activities and even some of the more unusual requests that are made.

Paulette Lewis gave the final talk about how important it was for charities of the diaspora to come together and support each other but in more coordinated ways.

After the talks, we split into two groups to discuss the importance of service between ourselves and how we can better improve the status quo.

We need to improve our communication to build bigger things.

Nurse Association of Jamaica UK 40th Anniversary Concert

Angela — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 12:00:34 +0000

Over 400 people attended the 40th Anniversary celebration of the Nurses Association of Jamaica UK (NAJ UK) at Bishop Thomas Grant School on Saturday 14th April 2018.

The comperes for the evening were Mrs Del Cooper and their patron, Ms Paulette Simpson (Jamaica National Bank).

Sherill Gregory and the President, Paulette Lewis, introduced the show acknowledging one of the founding members Dorothy Turner.

Councillor Marcia Cameron, the Mayor of Lambeth thanked NAJ UK for their invite and said that it was appropriate that this event was being held in Lambeth as many of the nurses arrived on the Windrush and settled in Brixton, and that the NHS was celebrating its 70th birthday this year.

She talked about the Mayoral chain that is 165 years old with the words ‘by your actions you will be judged’.

Two civic badges were presented to Sherill and Paulette on the night. There were several dignitaries including Noel Holmes Hospital, George Ruddock, Galaxy Radio, and staff from The Jamaican High Commission.

The Jamaican High Commissioner was due to arrive later on in the evening from another event he was attending.

The show started with members of the NAJ doing a welcome dance and song in traditional costumes, one of the songs was Mango Time and the comperes said they were going to enjoy plenty of mangos tomorrow.

This was a showcase for young people including Ruth Brown from The Voice UK who sang songs including At Last, Valerie and I want to run to you. An artist named Ricky Dragon a rapping pathologist from Birmingham performed poems.

The NAJ performed a short play about what it was like to arrive in Britain as a nurse to serve in NHS and their experience.Young nurses thought (although trained to be a nurse), were told they had to empty and clean bed pans and sweep floors first before being allowed to look after patients. As many of us know finding accommodation was not easy in those days. Too many signs read ‘no blacks, no irish, no dogs’. Several families lived in a house working to send money back home. Pardnas enabled people to save and get a deposit to buy their homes. The dream of only staying for five years disappeared when they started their families.

The older generation are now experiencing health problems like dementia, mental issues and the NAJ are still providing them with friendship and support.

The highlight for me was Megumi Mesaku aka Miss Megoo a Japanese Reggae Saxophonist who has been playing reggae for many years with several famous reggae artists and bands. She played Bob Marley’s One Love and ended the first half of the show.

Quiz and Curry Night April 2018

Kayleigh Oliver — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 12:56:43 +0000

Last Saturday, we held our quiz and curry night at Sudbury Neighbourhood Centre in Wembley and it was packed! We had a number of prizes donated within our raffle and lovely handmade gifts available for purchase.

Guests travelled from all over London to the event and were greeted with a glass of rum punch or homemade fresh lemonade.

Geoff Schumann was the comperes for the evening and provided brilliant entertainment to all the guests and club members.

Before the night’s raffle was drawn and the winning team announced, Beverley Chung, founder and chair of EPOCC spoke about the work that EPOCC was doing and that she was grateful to everyone there and the club for supporting the event.

The winning team were crowned and presented with their prizes of a handmade, decorated bottle bag and a bottle of Appleton rum donated by the Jamaican High Commission.

We’d like to thank everyone who turned up to the event and supported it in any way especially the companies or individuals that donated products or their time. These were:

Lorna Green, Chairperson of Friends of The Heart Foundation of Jamaica UK Ltd
Grace foods
Wanis foods
Angela Edwards (Jamaican High Commission)
Guided Ultrasonics Limited
The Jamaican High Commission
Nurses Association of Jamaica
W12 Music

Again thank you for making this event such a brilliant success.

We’ll see you at the next quiz.

The Winning Team

Come to our Quiz night in April with Geoff Schumann!

Kayleigh Oliver — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 22:08:31 +0000

The Lignum Vitae Club presents a Gala Quiz and Curry Night on Saturday 7th April 2018 with Quiz Master, Geoff Schumann. We’re raising money for Ellen Pearl Outreach Children’s charity who provide a toll free national 24 hours child line to the children of Jamaica.

Tickets will be £20 per person and will be held at Sudbury Neighbourhood Centre.

Tables will hold 8 people and TICKETS ARE SELLING FAST SO BOOK NOW!

For more information, please see the event details on the Events Calendar.