TurningPoint: Your Lifestyle, Your Well-Being

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Equating singing to breathing is completely reasonable, when it's coming from Beth Griffith-Manley, singer, songwriter, actress and daughter of Johnny Griffith, the legendary and Multi-GrammyÂŽ Award-winning pianist/keyboardist. He was an original member of the Funk Brothers, Motown's in-house studio band that created the famous 'Motown Sound .'

https ://www.bethalwayssings.com/

Gifted International Intuitive Consultant Esther Austin

TELEPHONE/SKYPE CONSULTATIONS/FACE-TO-FACE An Intuitive Reading offers clarity and guidance supporting clients to recognise

and solve life problems in order to make empowering decisions.

VIP FACE TO FACE INTUITIVE DAYS OR HALF DAY SESSIONS ALSO AVAILABLE

For further information contact: Email: info@estheraustinglobal.com http://estheraustinglobal.com/intuitive-readings FREE 15 minute aftercare follow-up call on all 60 minute consultations.

CONTENT

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EXCLUSIVE

I 04

John Wilson of Sly, Slick and Wicked, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

ENTERTAINMENT

I 10

Gregg Austin Receives Lifetime Achievement Award for his Services to Music

Florence LaRue from The 5th Dimension: 50 Years on Still Performing Inaya Day Talks above Love, Her Latest Single and her take on Champions of Change

FINE DINING

I 29

Tony Jackson TurningPoint's Very Own Mr TopHat Reviews Tuttons Restaurant & Bar

COMMUNITY I 33 Carrie Brown, 'Queen of Las Vegas.'

Talks about Her Anti- Bullying Work

Mary Maycock, Fighting to be Viewed as a Vital and Valuable Person, Despite having Terminal Cancer Janie Bradford, Celebrated Songwriter and Motown Alumna talks about Purpose and the HAL Awards

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

A Fresh Approach to Education: A Vision of the Future Beyond Schooling

By David Mills

LIFESTYLE

I 62

Tony Jazz, A Man of Class and High Integrity talks 'Bespoke'

ART, ACCEPTANCE, DIVERSITY, CREATIVITY I 66 Randi Childs, Street Photographer Creates Magic

What Does it Take to be a Change Agent

by Dr Gwen Rose Karen Burke, An Intrepid Life Adventurer Talks Mind, Body and Soul

1 I OCTOBER 2018

I 56

PERSPECTIVE

I 71

Rebecca Weef-Smith

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

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IC

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{}-reetings to One and All Well , phew is all I can say. The past few months since the last issue have been incredible on so many different levels.

I've had the most amazing breakthroughs and experiences and also the most incredible challenges which in hindsight feeds into the theme of this issue 'Champions of Change.'

Recently, I've come across individuals who are driven to make changes in their lives, environments, their communities and in society as a whole . I wanted to understand what it takes to champion an idea. I wanted to understand what gives birth to the desire to make a stand sometimes at the detriment of ones well-being or being obstracised . What was it that made one person feel like a victor, to take responsibility and leadership of a situation, to keep going with hell-bent purpose, while someone else would approach the situation from the perspective of being a victim or sit back and blame yet take no action?

5:11

In August this year, something happened in my household in the UK. There were a series of incidents one which involved a fire being deliberately started at my front door. I was in the States at the time promoting my business and I must say I had the most amazing response and support out there . Doors really opened for me and I was on a roll. Often times you've just got to go where the opportunities are at. Even though my trip was incredibly productive it was also incredibly challenging at times . However, I love what I do and am passionate, so I approached the challenges as a Rottweiler, as I've been called . Just get things done .

So when I heard about the fire , I had just finished doing an energy healing session on someone, and a part of me was like 'What Now?' I was not going to cut my trip short for anything or anyone at that moment. Therefore , I remember going down on the floor and 'planked' for a few minutes. I needed to breathe deep and strong; I needed to come out of my head for one brief moment, so that I could assimilate what was going on with my family back in the UK.

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

We are all accountable for our actions. Cause and effect and there was a part of me that knew that what I was being told was part of a much deeper issue , which had somehow escalated. However, I found myself going into solution mode. What was it that I needed to do at this moment in time? After speaking to my boys, there transpired several stressful days talking to various agencies who had become involved in this situation predominantly about my family's safety. Yet, I remained in the US, because there was a part of me that knew I needed to remain . There were things that I needed to complete that would support me in the future and those opportunities would not come around again .

Therefore my boys would have to manage what they could in the interim . By now the publication of this magazine was running late, and I had to prioritise.

However, I did eventually cut my journey short by five days because but by then I was too mentally and physically tired to do anything more, however, my stay ended in a rather beautiful way. I had the opportunity to cover The HAL Awards at The Beverly Hills Hilton which is hosted by Janie Bradford , who you can read about this in the following pages. I got to meet even more great legends Mary Wilson and Susaye Green from The Supremes, Freda Payne , remember 'Band of Gold'? Bill Duke , big time actor from Predator etc.

However, the conversation around champions of change struck me as I went through my own process and continued to watch that of others.

What was it in me that kept me going, determined , un-relentless even in the midst of what was happening in my world? To say this situation created a lot of stress is an understatement. I could have lost my family that night, and I was glad my granddaughter was not staying at the flat at the time only my eldest son . Yet this situation also made me realise, that change was happening whether OCTOBER 201812

I liked it or not and sometimes dynamics are presented to us in a way we would never consider.

In spite of and despite of situations that may seem to want to thwart ones progress, there is that depth of human resilience , that part of us that recogises that we need to keep things moving and the challenges we are going through mean there is a bigger purpose or picture around the corner. I had to hone into my intuition and allow myself to be so deeply guided , because I knew ultimately that things would have to work themselves out, how that would happen I didn't know. In the midst of this all there were lessons to be learned or even wakeup calls . I'm still having to deal with the aftermath of this situation, along with life, yet as Dr Maya Angelou said in her infamous poem "Still I Rise ."

So today, I'd like to ask you? Is there something you feel so passionate about, is there injustice being played out even in your own world and life? Is there something you have put up with for so long that it has almost broken your soul? Is there something more you want to do with your life but you find it hard to summon the motivation and strength to keep going?

Then I hope you will find inspiration in the articles and stories in this issue of TurningPoint. As you know TurningPoint is all about supporting you if you are at the cross-roads of your life as you consider where to go and what to do with your life .

I've created a motto recently "It's not Easy, But It's Possible." I'd like to thank all those who have shared their stories in this magazine . I would like to thank my son Cameron for designing many of the flyers, to Patrica L Locche who has provided many of the images in the magazine , to Monty who keeps me inspired and supports me with his love, his integrity and authenticity. To all the artists who authentically gave me their time to interview them and to you the reader who continually inspires me to produce content to support YOU on your journey of change .

ESTHER AUSTIN EDITOR

@J @estheraustinglobal

@) @estheraustin

Š

EstherAustin1965

@) turningpoint@estheraustinglobal.com

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions about the magazine and any suggestions you may have . Please email to turningpoint@estheraustinglobal.com

31 OCTOBER 2018

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

EXCLUSIVE

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JOHN WILSON OF SLY, SLICK AND WICKED- ROCK NROLL .

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES I

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had the privilege of meeting John Wilson from Sly, Slick and Wicked in August this year. John kindly ~owed me to into his home where we spent a wonderful afternoon talking about so many things . John was certainly a connoisseur of historical facts especially around the music industry. He is a member of legendary group Sly, Slick and Wicked an American Rhythm and Blues band from Cleveland, Ohio. I came away knowing so much more than I did when I initially entered his home. By the time I left my head was full and I was still curious about so much more, however, for purposes of this interview I walked away with a potpourri of information that would make sure this interview was rich and meaningful.

John's place was spacious filled with memorabilia and I felt privileged to have been invited into his personal space. With John's easy going temperament it was not long before I was comfortable enough to start the interview.

Esther: John, you kindly showed me around your

home and shared your accolades. So in a nutshell who is Sly, Slick and Wicked?

John: We originally were the Mod Squad and a guy

named Kenny Brown , who went to school with us, he'd came out of a group called the Bell TelePhunk which became the Dazz Band.

We all went to school together and so he told Paramount records about us. They flew in and recorded a song and said we love the TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

sound , but we don't like your name. Then we were told 'you look Sly, you look Slick, and you look wicked' and that's how we got our name (John Wilson (Sly) , Charles Still (Slick) and Mark Saxton (Wicked) (was replaced by Terry Stubbs in 1972).

From there we signed with Paramount, then we went to James Brown's label and then to the O'Jays label for one single , then we went to Motown and then to Epic OCTOBER 201814

EXCLUSIVE

Esther: What was it like working with James Brown?

John:

He was a businessman. He was the hardest-working man in show business and he was very strict about the music. I'm was also very strict, as everything had to be perfect. That was our journey with him.

I think of all the people that we journeyed with who really had the biggest impression on us was the O'Jays.

Esther: Why was that?

John:

Getting back to the O'Jays, they never really left home even though they had all the success , they still called Cleveland their own vault. I understand Eddie still goes back and forth and even his sons (both who have gone to heaven) Gerald and Sean, I knew from the ages of three and five when I used to lift them up to the microphone. They produced half of our MoTown albums.

Well we're from the same neighborhood and me being the first tenor, Will Powm from the O'Jays, who was the original member, he's in heaven now, he taught me everything I know but Walter took us under their wing . They liked us and it was because we're similar.

Our shows are basically similar and they supported us and gave good advice.

When we were on the tour together in St. Louis in 1976 we didn't know that Will's life was coming to an end. He would put his arm around me and talk to me . All of us were from the same neighbourhood ; Edwin Starr whose real name is Charles Hatcher, he lived not too far from me.

51 OCTOBER 2018

Esther: There's something about relationship building amongst artists and the importance of supporting each other and having each other's backs. I know you've worked with loads of artists, John, but what other artists can you say have made a real impact on you not only from the perspective of being an inspiration to yourself but also in terms of supporting Sly, Slick and Wicked?

John:

Of the many hundreds of concerts we've done, the one that really sticks out in my mind was in 1975, where we did the Cool Jazz Festival in Kansas City in Missouri at the Kansas City Royals Baseball Stadium.

We were at that show along with Count Basie , Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The Isley Brothers, The Ohio Players,

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

EXCLUSIVE

Cannonball Adderley, Freddie Hubbard, BB King and Bobbi Humphrey and I remember walking into the dugout and there was the great Count Basie standing .

John:

Now I'm already freaked out and if you watch the movie The Sax Man, Maurice talks about how Count Basie complimented Maurice and the rest of the band, and then I'm sitting there with the great BB King . That gig with Cannonball Hadley I remember well because that was the last gig he did before he went to heaven the following week. There was also Bobbie Humphrey and Freddie Hubbard; these were great jazz artists.

We're not Jazz, we're RnB but these Jazz artists mixing a fusion at this gig and there were 80,000 people over two days, it was amazing. When you see the movie The Sax Man, you actually see footage of us on stage and 80,000 people there. That was the biggest gig that had the most effect on me and meeting Count Basie and BB King .

We were in different groups; Mark was in one group, Charles in another called The Jays, I was in a group called The Tambalas .

So when we graduated from high school, I saw Charles walking down the street one day and he said "what's happening?" I said "what's happening?" He said "I ain't doing nothing," I also said "I ain't doing nothing ."

He then suggested we form a group and then he asked "where are we going to get the third guy?" and then he said "what about Mark?" I was like wow!

So here we are 48 years later, Charles and I are still together and the new 'Wicked ,' well let's say not new, but the one you see in the movie, Leo Green, we've all known each other since we were 15 years old .

Leo was with The Imperial Wonders so we've all known each other over three-quarters of our lives, so we're like family. Of course we have arguments, but we also have each other's backs because we've known each other so long and there's an understanding there . I've know the O'Jays since I was 16 years old .

Esther: What's it like standing up in front of 80,000 people? Where do you go? Where do you take yourself? How did you manage it all?

John:

Well again, that was the first time we ever played in a stadium. I'm walking out and it's surreal. Here I am , and there's 80,000 people and they're getting ready to listen to me . I mean we've been playing in front of 20,000 in arenas but when you're in a stadium , that's a lot to take in . Then you go up on stage and they announce your name , of course you're used to listening to 20,000 people , but when you hear a stadium , I can't describe that feeling .

When we did that gig and finished the last note, 80 ,000 people stood up to give us a standing ovation . Before that you're on a golf cart going to the stage because it's a long ride and you're looking around you thinking ' are these people really here to see me?'

And as you're going back, people are clapping , giving you high fives; it's been a long time but I'm still having goose bumps thinking about that gig.

Esther: Can you now share what it's been like to perform with the other members of the group and what are the dynamics between all of you?

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

What's very interesting is that we are one of the very few groups who are still intact, all of us are still here on earth . We all went to the same school together. The original Sly, that would be myself, Charles 'Slick' Steel and Mark 'Wicked' Saxon , we were all in a choir together at John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland , Ohio.

Esther:

So what are you up to now? Are you guys still performing? What can we look forward to?

John:

Well, we're still working . We're hoping to come to England pretty soon , we're trying to work that out. We've just got through working with The Delfonics and Black Ivy here in Los Angeles . Prince had a club called Three Three Live and we performed there in August, which was originally called The Glam Slam . Recently in July, the uniforms we wore in the movie The Sax Man are now displayed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and so we're very proud of that and we got the proclamation from the city about four or five weeks ago.

So that's what we're doing and we're thinking about going back and recording a brand new album.

OCTOBER 201816

Esther:

What is the ethos of Sly, Slick and Wicked?

What do you feel you stand for or represent?

John:

Good solid, soul music. That's what we've always been . We each bring different dynamics. I'm a first tenor, Charles is a hard second-tenor and Leo has that growl.

So we all bring different dynamics to who we are .

Esther:

What is the legacy that you want to leave the world when you go?

John:

That we tried to give the world the best we can ; good solid honest soul music. I told my mother this before she went to heaven ; because we were talking about my career and she said I pray for you a lot on the road . One of the things I'm most proud of is that I never made a record that she can't listen to, and that's what I'm proud of.

So the legacy I want to leave is that Sly, Slick and Wicked made records that you could play to your five-year-old or your 85 year old mum; that we made good, clean, solid , soul music that hopefully will stand the test of time .

Esther: Earlier we were watching a video clip about reasons why a lot of people don't recognize original artists. This was because back in the day, especially with black artists, they weren't put on album covers because promoters didn't think that records would sell if they had a black face on the album cover is that correct John?

7 I OCTOBER 2018

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

EXCLUSIVE

John:

Yes , very correct. Another reason for viewers outside of America, even though we had let's just say other people of other races, who liked our music, we weren't allowed to play in their clubs and this wasn't only in the South , this was up North. I'm from Cleveland , Ohio and I never played on the west side of Cleveland. There were no clubs for African Americans on the west side of Cleveland .

One time we played a club in Tennessee , it was a mixed audience and after we got through playing , Charles and I saw all these police cars out there and he thought that maybe somebody broke into our rooms or something; maybe somebody got hurt or shot. So he said let's go and see what's happening .

So we went to the front desk and we asked the hotel manager what was going on, did anybody get hurt or robbed? He said no .

So Charles said what are the police doing out here? He said that's to keep you 'N ..... ' (The N word) away from our white women.

Yes , and then one time we'd been on the road about six months and were playing through Alabama and I was running out of deodorant and toothpaste. So I walked into this store and there was a white guy behind the counter and he said in a very southern accent, he says can I help you boy? and I said "I'm trying to find some toothpaste and some deodorant." He said "ha ha boy don't you know the blackest thing I serve in here is coffee?"

So going back to your question, they may have liked your music but as soon as they saw your picture on the album , and saw that you were black they didn't buy it.

Esther:

How did you manage experiences like that John?

John:

You had to because your life literally depended on it because if you started something, you ended up missing.

Absolutely. Touring the South up until the last 30 years, you might not come off so well. You might find your tires slashed or something .

Esther:

How were you able to not let those experiences impact on you to stop you from following through with your dreams?

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL-BEING

We had to keep going because first of all, we still worked down there. I don't know if you ever heard of the Chitlin Circuit. When black people were in slavery in America, the master would eat the good part of the pig, then the slaves would get the leftovers, the ears, the snout and the tail and also the intestines which is called chitlins. So in fact until this day a lot of African-Americans on New Year's eve eat chitlins for good luck. So they called it the Chitlin Circuit throughout the South and these were solely black clubs.

When you talk about the Apollo and you talk about The Uptown or The Howard, those were your top clubs. I've actually played clubs on the Chitlin Circuit where there was no electricity; they had to run electricity from down the street into the place. I have played places where they actually had to build a stage for you to play; that's the real Chitlin Circuit. All of us, from the O'Jays, the Temps , we've all played the real Chitlin Circuit.

You'd normally hear BB King talk about this and there was Z.Z Hill playing at one club or Clarence Carter playing at another club and that's the Chitlin Circuit.

It was very dangerous. The white patrons were allowed to come to our clubs but we couldn't go to their clubs. I'm from Cleveland Ohio, and had never been down South before. Our bass player was from down South and we were playing there and we decided one night to stay at his grand mother's place which was outside of Birmingham, Alabama. She had chicken steel upon her house. Her house was built out of wood because back then, and we're talking about in the ?O's, they were not allowed to build brick houses only the white people were.

So we had to play those clubs, as there was plenty of work down there, so we had to suck it up and make sure that we stayed in line. The Temps, the O'Jays, Kool and the Gang all of us can tell you the same stories. This is what you had to do, you had to suck it up and make sure that when you left town, that you left.

OCTOBER 201818

EXCLUSIVE

Esther:

John:

So how did those kind of experiences impact on you? As they could have had quite a traumatic impact on you and on you moving forward and on how you view wider society?

Even as we're doing this interview, Mrs Aretha Franklin's funeral is happening , and she could also tell you of the same type of experiences. However, I think it made you complete . We grew up faster, all of us were kids on the road . We were barely 20 , some of us were younger, so those experiences made me stronger but also opened my eyes.

I said there were two things I could do; I could take this and really start hating people or I could look at this and say listen, we're all on the same planet as a speck of dust maybe I can make a difference and try to bring people together.

So that's what I did . I carried those experiences overseas i.e Japan and China and other places because I've had people say to me about the artists I produce in other countries , that they never thought I was like that, meaning that they had a different perception of me as an African American .

Esther:

What do think they meant by that?

John:

Well, society portrays us as being violent, yelling and screaming all the time even though they appreciate our music and everything but they thought that we were always fighting . But I broke it down by saying that I was the first to take gospel to Japan . Then they started seeing that I was a human being . I have great friends from around the world in all types of countries and all different colors because I was determined to teach that we're all a speck of dust in this tiny corner of the Universe that God has made .

Therefore, it didn't make me a bitter man, it made me a better man to go out there and try to cure some of the madness. Hopefully before I leave here, I'll be successful with it.

Esther: Brilliant. John, what is it that you can leave people with that can inspire them further, motivate them , even galvanize them to maybe stop in their tracks to say Wow! maybe I can be somebody different, maybe I can be somebody better.

John:

Well, the way you can be better is this . I always say you can't know where you're going until you know where you've been.

Learn your history, because now with the internet, there's all things out there. So learn your history and bring that with you .

Also my father used to say when a man's word is no good, how good is the man? Always keep that with you, always keep your word.

November 2018 - Full interview with John Wilson will be found at The VIP Section of Esther Austin Global: http://estheraustinglobal.com/members/

91 OCTOBER 2018

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

ENTERTAINMENT

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TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL-BEING

OCTOBER 2018110

The first time I went along to see Gregg I was very impressed . Greg and his group cover a range of Motown tunes . WOW I thought. It was such a nostalgic night for me as I swayed , tapped my feet, nodded and smiled like a Cheshire cat. I love 'Old Skool' or should I say 'The Classics' as Gerald Alston from The Manhattans prefers.

The audience were predominantly 50 and upwards or downwards, depending on your sense of humour, but boy could they move. Some were stiff as a whistle and that two step looked as if they were side stepping pot holes, however they boogied on down more than I could find the courage to get up to dance. Not only was Gregg a brilliant singer, performer and entertainer, but also proved to be a funny man as well.

He knew how to engage with the audience on many different levels while also telling the silliest stories and poking fun at his group "Second Wind ." At one point I was laughing so hard , I thought I had swallowed my tonsils .

Presentation was everything . Style and Class are something you cannot buy nor find , you either got it or you don't and Gregg and 'Second Wind' certainly had it. The colour co-ordinated classy expensive suits, the smooth moves, the two step, the turns and twirls - girl if I was courageous enough to jump on stage, fluttering my eyelashes, just to be serenaded as they sang "My Girl" by The Temptations or as they put down an oochy smoochy track such as "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" a soul song written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed that was originally recorded by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics, I would've done . However, the thought of trying to leg it up the stairs to the stage and missing a step or two , or three , plummeting my British self back down the steps as the camera man clicked at my receding petticoat was deterrent enough for me to decide to stay put.

cJ

discovered Gregg Austin in August 2018. He had ~en recommended to me by Sonny Turner from The Original Platters. Gregg puts on a show called Gregg Austin's M Town & More performing every Tuesday at South Point Hotel and Casino and on a Friday evening at The Texas Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas along with long term group 'Second Wind .'

11

I OCTOBER 2018

The show was a potpourri of classic entertainment, and I knew that I was hooked . So after the show in true pit bull Esther style, I dashed backstage, and grabbed a picture with Gregg then rasped 'I'd like to interview you , can you do it NOW?' Gregg smiled at me with those soft twinkling eyes politely, which meant a definite NO, Not tonight Esther. However, he did offer to meet me the following day and to say I was chuffed and honored is an understatement because Gregg is a very busy man . So the next day we met and here is a product of that interview.

I asked Greg the mandatory question about who he was , in a nutshell, blah, blah, blah.

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

ENTERTAINMENT

The 'We' that I talk about is in 1986 I formed a group in Chicago which was called Second Wind. I told them we were only going to stay together for one year and we got invited to Las Vegas in November 1987. We came out here and had a meeting at The last Vegas Hilton. I met a wonderful lady called Barbara Kelly, and she was instrumental in getting us started and she gave me two weeks in May 1988 and told my wife I was going on a two week paid vacation then back to Chicago and I've been here ever since.

Greg: I'm just a country boy raised in Chicago, Illinois. My parents were two very grounded individuals and at the time I didn't realise how lucky I was . I tell people I grew up in a Southern home in the North . I learned early on in life about basic things such as being able to say please and thank you, having an appreciation for all things I'd been given . Especially after becoming a parent and being grateful for all the things I did not acknowledge at the time . I lead a very charmed life . I got a great education in Chicago, and I've had great luck in this business for over 30 years .

So if I have to say anything about my success in Las Vegas, it's that I'm not afraid to work. Lots of times people give you an opportunity to see if you will fail.

We are currently sitting in the Westgate , but when I first came to Las Vegas , it was the Las Vegas Hilton and I got an opportunity here in July 1988 that I was not supposed to succeed in.

I've never let show business govern who I am as a human being . When I started in this business I was 35 years old . Before that I sang in Church . I was blessed because our family was very grounded .

When I think about my life in a nutshell I have to say it was rooted in the Baptist Church. It's funny you get lessons as a kid that you don't even know you're getting . Then as an adult, you get to that line but you never cross it because of the things you learned as a kid .

Esther: And what would that failure look like? Why would you fail?

When I came to Las Vegas in May 1988, thirty years ago, I didn't know anybody and I've been successful here as long as I've been here . I don't think I'm anyone special. I've always tried to do the right thing by people , even if they didn't do the same by me.

The showroom in this hotel , we were the first act on stage and there was a guy called Foster Wilson , Entertainment Manager, who knew we weren't up to the challenge . After we played for two weeks , which were packed every night he promised to bring us

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

Ironically, even in those days, there was still a color barrier. So what people in certain places would do, is prevent us from working in nice rooms or, we would be given a nice room to work in to see you fail.

Gregg: There was the attempt to show that you were not a show room act. One of the first things I learned from my father was that not everybody can take what they see and apply it so it physically manifests. Therein lies the magic part of what I do.

I can look at something and see it and know how to do it where I can succeed.

OCTOBER 2018112

ENTERTAINMENT

I've played in over 15 foreign countries and on cruise ships and did a stint of six years in Reno, Nevada .

Then I came back to Las Vegas where I was offered to do a production show in Arizona. I went there for 7 weeks and was there for 10 years . Then I came back to what was a very dismal music atmosphere in Las Vegas because the casinos used 9/11 to cut back on all the entertainment in town. I've been so fortunate . I've worked with some legendary people.

Esther: Such as?

Gregg: Sonny Turner, Lamont Mclemore is one of my best friends in the world from The Fifth Dimension. These are great people. It's an honor to call Lamont a friend. Theirs was the type of music I grew up on and now to be somebody who embraced all that music then and now these guys are personal friends of mine.

I did a show with Joe Fraiser and it was through that show that I met a lady called Eileen Goldman who introduced me to the General Manager at the Southpoint Hotel because she said to me one night "Why is a guy with all your talent, who knows so much, why don't you have your own show?" and I said to her "How many people that look like me have their own show in Vegas?"

131 OCTOBER 2018

Gregg: Then she said "No" and I said "Yes" so she said I know the General Manager at Southpoint and I'm going to call him. This was on the Wednesday and on the Friday I was introduced to Ryan and see where it went. I met with Ryan who then set up a meeting with the Entertainment Director. I came back and on the day I was supposed to sign the contract Ryan said "Gregg I'm so sorry but if I hire you to do a show it's not going to give the Tech crew a day off as they'd been working 7 days a week and the night I would give you would be their off night.

What I didn't understand then, but understand now, was that he was not going to gamble on a show he knew nothing about. So I thanked him and walked out of his office and around the hotel and saw a small room with 170 seats. I went back to Ryan and said what's going on that room and he said, "We've never had any success in that room. I can't put a chance on that. I can't put so much money into that room." He went on and on and I then said 'Why don't we do a four week contract. You pay me what you are willing to invest in the room and we'll revist this, four weeks from now and he did. Two weeks in it was sold out and that was 6 years ago. This is not about me. Motown music is something that everybody loves. It has no gender and no color.

People love music and they love our presentation of it. I now have so many repeat customers and we are now in a 450 seat showroom and it's sold out every week.

Adrenaline is a wonderful thing.

I walk out on stage and I have so much fun. Interacting with people in the audience. The stage crew that we have and it's one night of great entertainment and people come back every week and the show sells out every week.

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Esther: Gregg can you tell me about a bit more about the group who perform with you.

Esther Austin: What were you doing before you became an entertainer?

Gregg: Second Wind consists of Arnold Parker, who is the first tenor with the high voice. Then there is Zelmon McBride a guy I started singing with in 1974, I've been married 40 years to my wife and I've known these guys longer. Ron Ransom is my ace bass singer, Zelmon and Ron started singing in a group in 1974 and we're still singing today.

Esther Austin: Gregg Austin:At the time I got this opportunity to come to Las Vegas, I was working worked at the U.S. Postal Service for 14 years. So I came out here on what I told my wife was going to be a two week paid vacation and then I would go back to the post office.

I got the idea about the show because I wanted to put on a musical presentation that featured music for my demographic. I wanted to go out somewhere but there was no-where for a guy my age to go? You go into places and there are people with drooping pants and I think you should dress up when you go out.

Even with me, my dad was a gospel singer, and he always said to me "You dress above your audience."

My dad died at 67 and I'm 69 but I still carry on that legacy to this day. I wanted to put on a musical presentation with all this great music that I grew up with and I knew there was a market for it because every time we performed we got standing ovations.

I was once performing in Japan at a huge stadium with over 10,000 people. Now they don't have the same electrical systems we have in America. So we were on stage and all of a sudden in the middle of our show all the lights went out except the lights those that were on the stage and our microphones.

The band went down. So we're looking at each other wondering what are we going to do? So we sang 'My Girl' accapella. You could only see us and hear us, there wasn't any instrumentation. Those people roared. The song was recorded in 1965. The temptations have always been my hero's. I got a chance to meet them and sing with them in 1992 so without knowing it and not giving it a second thought, I designed this group around my view of the Temptations and I know so many talented musicians and singers who don't get an opportunity in Vegas and I would give them a spotlight, the last hour of my three hour show.

Oddly enough my friend Sonny Turner was performing and I went and saw him and I was sitting there amazed. I couldn't believe this guy and as I was watching him I realized that I could do what he was doing. If he could do this for a living, so could I. The second week in May of 1988, I brought my wife out here and she was at every show. They made me an offer. They offered me a five year 42 week contract and I realized 'oh my God' they offered me a 42 week contract, there's only 52 weeks in a year.

How am I going to do it?

I had a full time job at the Post Office. I had a wife, a home, five children; everything was back home. I thought I was going to perform in Las Vegas then go back to my job. I actually didn't want to go back to my job, I wanted to stay and do this. So I spoke to my wife and she looked at me and said "if that's what you want to do, I support you."

I took a six month leave of absence from the Post Office. I had two ladies in my life at that time and I went to the other lady in my life, my mom and spoke to her. When I told my mom what I wanted to do, she looked down at first and then looked at me and said "well son , I know you and I know if you get into this, you're going to go all the way. So all I want you to do is go out there and make us all proud."

I came to Las Vegas with the wind beneath my wings because the two most important people in my life supported me. I came out here with one focus, to succeed . I had nothing else.

When I took that six month leave of absence from the Post Office, I can t tell you where I was on that day but I wasn t looking back, I was looking forward.

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You can't serve two masters and I decided I was going to do this and for the past 30 years, that's all I've done.

Gregg Austin recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the ROYAL VIP Anti-Bullying Awards organized by Carrie Brown on 29th September 2018 Further Details can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/GreggAustinsmag icofmotown/ Video interview with Gregg Austin will shortly be at: www.estheraustinglobal.com

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ENTERTAINMENT

FLORENCE LARUE FROM THE 5TH DIMENSION: 50 YEARS ON STILL PERFORMING

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':./ ~rence La Rue is an American actress, humanitarian, and Grammy Award award-winning singer.

The 5th Dimension combined the sounds of pop, jazz, gospel , and R&B for 1960s hits such as "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In ," and the Laura Nyro songs "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Stoned Soul Picnic." The group won four Grammys in 1968 for its recording of the Jimmy Webb tune "Up, Up and Away."

Ron Townson was the centerpiece singer for the Grammy-winning pop group and in 1965, he and his childhood friend, LaMonte Mclemore, formed a singing group called the Versatiles and they soon renamed it The 5th Dimension at the suggestion of Townson's wife . Other original members were Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, and Billy Davis.

Current Singers for The 5th Dimension include: Lead singer/original member Florence LaRue; Patrice Morris; Leonard Tucker; Floyd Smith; and Sidney Jacobs.

Once again , I had the privilege of talking to another stalwart artist. Florence is the remaining original member of the group The 5th Dimension.

Esther: I usually ask my guests in a nutshell or coconut shell who is Florence LaRue?

Esther: What is the ethos or mission statement of The 5th Dimension?

Florence: WOW, many times when people introduce me , they talk about what I do and what I want but who I am? Well, I'm a woman who loves the Lord. Who has made mistakes and learned from them and who is looking forward to all that God has in store for me .

Florence: To Entertain , to Encourage, to Teach .

Esther: Fabulous. Well my interest in interviewing artists is to find out about the person behind the artist so thank you. So Florence, how long have you been with The 5th Dimension?

Florence: I've been with The 5th Dimension for over 50 years and I've been blessed to continue The 5th Dimension tradition because as you know The 5th Dimension were only together for 10 years .

Esther: I've listen to your music time again and for me what it symbolises is a real spiritual movement of the awareness and consciousness of love, peace and integrity. All these wonderful attributes that make us wonderful human beings and I believe those attributes remain today as you continue the trend of The 5th Dimension. Can you share, therefore , some of those moments when you have performed and your music has changed someone's life or you've made an impact?

Florence: One thing I'm proud of is that The 5th Dimension's music brings hope. Obviously there are sad songs as well because that's life .

Esther: What does it feel like to be the original remaining member?

Florence: First of all it's an honour to continue The 5th Dimension tradition but I also feel a heavy responsibility to keep the essence of what the group is about. So for instance, when we sing our hits, we sing them as they were recorded , as people remember them and I cherish those memories. I want to give people what they are looking for and not some updated version of their favourite 5th Dimension song . We sing them in their entirety using the same arrangement

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I've had people tell me that they've listened to our music and that it's stopped them from committing suicide.

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ENTERTAINMENT

When I first heard this I thought that this person was exaggerating then I heard it from several people so it gives me pleasure to know we give people hope .

Esther: What was it like when the group first started? What did it feel like to be part of the group and did you realise that you would've been so successful?

Florence: When the group first formed I had just graduated from college after getting my degree in education . I thought we would be successful or I would not have joined the group. However, I had no idea how successful we would be and that I would be doing this 50 years later. But I enjoy what I do. It's interesting because I don't really listen to our music but when I sit back sometimes I am very proud to be a part of this group. Just as people go into the office to work we went to perform, doing something we totally enjoyed .

I didn't even want to be in the group at first because I wasn't a singer and I didn't want to be a singer. It was quite by divine destination that I am with the group because I won a talent in the Ms Bronze California contest by singing and Lamont Mclemore asked me to join the group. I told him that I wasn't a singer, that I was an actress and I wanted to be in movies and that I didn't know how to go about doing this. So some friends were entering me into beauty contests and I was blessed to win quite a few. So when Lamont asked me to join the group I said no because I was also working full-time and going to college so I didn't have time to go to rehearsals , however he talked me into doing it and the rest is history.

Esther: What keeps you motivated and inspired, as 50 years is a long time to continue to do what you do?

And on the days when you feel you don't want to get out of bed what keeps you going?

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Esther: That sounds good I might invite myself over one day. (Smile) . So, out of all the music that's been created by The 5th Dimension and songs you've sang is there one or two tracks that really stand out for you that are symbolic because of what they mean?

Florence: The one song I really enjoyed singing was 'One Last Bell.' The reason I enjoy singing this is because everyone has experience of loss and I have people come up to me after my show, even men, who say they cry because it's a release of sadness. It's even a release for me. It's a beautiful song . It's beautifully written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and I really enjoy singing it.

I also enjoy singing Aquarius because it speaks of harmony, understanding and hope for the future .

Esther: Aquarius is one of my favourite tracks as it's very light, bubbly and symbolic of a breath of fresh air, butterflies and all wonderful things . In winding down , Florence; you're still touring and blessing people's lives, what does the future hold for The 5th Dimension?

Florence: I hope that we will make new music. I also have a solo show. I actually have two shows; there's my one woman show and my cabaret show and I've just finished writing my book. So for The 5th Dimension we just look forward to continuing inspiring , encouraging and entertaining people.

Esther: Why do you feel we are so detached from understanding or embracing that aspect of loving ourselves? Or even knowing what it means?

Florence: I think part of it is because we have lost respect for each other and for ourselves and a lot of this happened when we took spirituality out of the schools and we've lost a lot of our spirituality. It doesn't matter how you praise the Lord you need that spiritual foundation .

We need more love. It may sound simple but we do need more love in the world.

Love of people and love of ourselves.

Esther: Well Florence that is a fabulous ending and I would like to say a big thank you for your time and sharing your wisdom .

For more information about The 5th Dimension visit: https://www.florencelarue.com/

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INAYA DAY TALKS ABOUT LOVE, HER LATEST SINGLE AND HER TAKE ON CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE

ENTERTAINMENT

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had the pleasure of interviewing lnaya Day who has been ~ning heads on the international scene for decades. lnaya released her brand new single 'Special Love' on 7th June 2018 . Below she talks about her journey creating the album giving us a brief insight into the theme of the track.

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Hailed an icon within the dance and progressive house scene, lnaya has teamed up with renowned producer Guy Scheiman for 'Special Love' a track about security, love and unrelenting assurance that has been put together despite both artists living in separate continents. lnaya's track is catchy, energetic and full of authentic sentiments.

Your latest track 'Special Love' has been described as a track about security, love and unrelenting assurance - I'm particularly interested about the mention of "unrelenting assurance" - can you explain about this in more depth?

I find that, at some time or another, we all need to be reassured that we're loved . We can "know it", but it's always wonderful to be told , and to be shown that we're loved without fear of it ever being taken back, changed, or lost. There's comfort in knowing that the ones whom we love will always assure us so there is no room for doubt.

What was it like working with Guy as the track is very poignant and energetic, therefore how were you able to combine both moods whilst still getting over the message about the theme of having a Special Love?

It's easy for me to work with Guy. I love that he creates around the songs that I've already written .

So many times, I'm given a ready-made track with which to write and that can be limiting . Guy's method leaves more room for me to express myself as a writer without having to operate within the confines of a static structure . Big ups to Guy for that!

Why did you choose renowned producer Guy to work with you on this project?

Actually, Guy chose me for this track. Ultra Nate and I had him do a remix for our Frankie Knuckles/Eric Kupper Director's Cut single, "OVER ME". So in the interest of reciprocity, I've done a song with Guy and now plan do more. I think we're a great combo .

I love your energy. It comes through in all your music, where do you go when you perform a track? What does it do to you as a person?

When I perform, it's like I go to another plane. It's hypnotic, therapeutic, exhilarating self-fulfilling; the same feeling that I used to get when I ran track back in the day. There was God , the wind , and me. With music, there is God , the air, and me.

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I wrote this song at a time when I needed to hear the words laid throughout the song. They remind me that I have a special love always looking after me and wanting the best for me.

Helping me, pushing me, encouraging me and guiding me.

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ENTERTAINMENT

□□□ This track is also a very personal track and you share the experience of it so passionately, however, can you expand further about this Special Love? Is it a physical or spiritual experience? Or both? What was it like writing this track? Was it a cathartic process?

The "Special Love" to which I refer is specifically, GOD; though others can and may apply it to the loves in their lives. It is totally a spiritual experience for me. I wrote this at a time when I was going through a fresh break-up so it was definitely a cathartic process and these lyrics express what I believe God says to us all. Good or bad , happy or sad ... you're never truly alone.

Share a bit about the experience you sing about?

Sometimes, when we lose a loved one because of loss-of-life or loss-of-relationship, we can feel very alone and dejected : hopeless and unloved or unloveable. At the time of my break-up I was simply, but deeply, sad and hurt. One day, during my routine Morning Prayer and meditation , I felt these words come from God to my heart. So I wrote about those things that I felt that morning.

Which artists have inspired and influenced you on your journey?

My vocal inspirations and influences are Ella Fitzgerald , Karen Clark Sheard , Chaka Khan , and Jocelyn Brown.

What is it about the genres of music you perform that called you in? Why Progressive House and dance?

I've loved House Music from the first day that I heard it as a kid in the 80's. Progressive House was added to my list of dance music sub-genres when my friend , rapper MC LYTE , suggested that our mutual friend, actress Tichina Arnold, and I join forces with producer DJ Mike Cruz to make what became my first Progressive House single , "MOVIN' UP" (Take My Problems to the Dancefloor). That song is now a major dance floor favourite and classic. So, in came the follow-ups and requests for more.

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

You are a huge industry name, even an icon within the dance and progressive house scene and it still feels as if you are still enjoying yourself, and on an adventure with your music. What are some of the attributes you have had to adopt that you feel have made you so successful?

I've been performing professionally since the age of 12 and was taught the old adage, "the show must go on ." This came first from my experiences in musical theatre . So, by the time I had to travel solo to promote my music, I knew that inclement weather, head colds , hayfever/allergies, pains, and feelings had nothing to do with my obligation to those hundreds,and many times thousands , of people who have come to be entertained and lifted. I learned early on that I have a job to do. Performers share the courier's motto; "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." I've gotta keep it poppin for the people.

How do you keep grounded in an industry such as this?

The people around me and God keep me grounded .

I think all good performers, (and some bad ones haha!), go through a period of "the big head"; thinking we're the best to ever do it. Luckily, my moment was brief and happened in my early teens .

Not everyone is so lucky. It's also very easy to get caught up in the so-called glamour of it all .. . ya know... sex, drugs, rock and roll. I cannot tell you how many times people have offered hard drugs to me and my dancers. Even some people I know have tried to put hard drugs in my hand as a "gift". Thank God , I kindly refused. It's important to have a firm foundation and a strong resolve .

What's the craziest thing you have ever done and what are some of your favourite comfort foods?

The craziest thing I've ever done is something that I keep between myself, some family, and some friends . But let's just say that I was a somewhat fearless teen who has faced death head-on more than once , 4 times actually.

Some of my favourite comfort foods are chocolate ice cream, sour cream and cheddar chips with French onion dip or cream cheese , popcorn , Pecan Turtles / caramel nut clusters , and popcorn .

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Was there a time in your life when you felt you needed to make a stand for something. What was that and how did you show up for that?

Yes . I was touring Europe with a gospel group and on the cover of the program , they had a picture of slaves picking cotton with the overseer wielding a whip. I showed this to the headlining artist and the producer. I told them to get rid of those programs and NEVER use them again, else I would silence my performances and encourage my fellow soloists and choir-mates to do the same. Needless to say, I never saw that program cover again.

The theme of this issue is Champions of Change. There are so many people championing various causes across the world what are some of the things that concern you about the world?

Poor health care, poor people, poor treatment of "People of colour," poor treatment of children, poor treatment of the elderly, poor handling of the earth, and the poor treatment of animals concerns me. So, basically, the lack of loving kindness to living beings concerns me and should concern us all.

Which individuals have inspired you throughout history, because of their stance in speaking up about something and about making change?

I'm inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ, the ladies who started the "Black Lives Matter" movement, young entrepreneurs, exemplary awesome parenting , and teachers of the world who genuinely care if their students excel , succeed and grow to be better people.

What would you personally like to see more of in the world?

Simply, LOVE . Just LOVE. It encompasses, covers and applies to everything .

If you could be anyone from history, who made a big difference in people's lives or who championed something which created global change - who would that be and why?

I would choose Dr Maya Angelou because she was a singer, dancer, actor, writer, activist, and all around beautiful person ( I know this because I've met her on several occasions as we have many mutual friends) , whose inspiring legacy continues to teach , grow, and inspire the WORLD .

TO BOOK INAYA CLICK LINK https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/inaya-day/ 251 OCTOBER 2018

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TUTTONS RESTAURANT fr BAR - BY TURNINGPOINT'S VERY OWN MR TOPHAT, TONY JACKSON

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

FINE DINING

{j)_. •ring our recent summer heat wave with ~;ratures reaching tropical record heights of nearly 32 degrees daily, one could almost forget one was visiting the City of London at this time of year.

The sun's rays have been beaming off the recent River Thames and skyline like diamonds in the rough . As with all gems they stand the test of time and become more valuable with ageing . The same can be said of this month's quarterly issue review of Tuttons Restaurant& Cocktail Bar situated on the edge of Convent Garden overlooking the Piazza.

Tuttons Brasserie serves a culinary delight of everything British but with Mediterranean dishes and wines to cater for all its many visitors' pallets. The Terrace seating is perfect for this kind of hot weather, to meet with friends or old acquaintances for a light pre theatre lunch on a lazy afternoon whilst sipping on one of their cocktails, watching shoppers go by.

The most basic difference between Old World and New World wines is geographic: "Old World" refers to the traditional winegrowing regions of Europe , while "New World" refers to everything else. These wines are often made in a more highly extracted and oak-influenced style The brasserie-style interior features red leather banquettes, mirrors and brass fittings - a smart match for the distinctive Portland stone and brick exterior that was designed for the Duke of Bedford's estate in 1886. This gives it the feel at times of a modern day country club with style to match its reputation and history.

The building itself has had an eventful history with its official re-launching in the early seventies carrying the surname of the owner. Then it changed hands several times until a major refurbishment back in 2012. During this time the restaurant went under a complete transformation by the famous interior designer, Russell Sage and head chef, Alan Southwell. Sage known for his work with Gordon Ramsay's restaurants , has reinvented the Tuttons interior, whilst Alan has complimented this theme with an exquisite more modern yet vibrant menu .

This coupled with the extensive range of (New world wines) and cocktail bar, adds for an appealing experience both by the many tourists who visit but also by local Londoners.

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The purpose of my visit apart from writing this review was to catch up with one of my old ex-Savoy colleagues and long time friend John who now works privately as a Butler for a Russian Billionaire in his Mayfair residence. On this occasion it was my turn to choose the venue so I had to find somewhere suitable, as my friend also has a keen eye for detail as well as customer service quality as you would imagine (no pressure on then). On making my booking , which I did online via their website, I was immediately impressed by the user friendly, simple layout of the site unlike many that I have visited in the past. We booked a pre-theatre slot just after 5pm on a Monday just to avoid waiting for a table or disappointment. On our arrival we were greeted by a charming friendly waiter who checked our reservation and directed us to our appropriate seats straight away. Drinks and water were offered and we chose a light but crisp wine purposely to accompany our meal. A bottle of the Araldica Gavi 'La Luciana', Piemonte, Italy at £28 for the Bottle. The Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a lovely pre-theatre lunch menu which starts at £16 .50 for two courses and £18:50 for three courses which we went for. The order was taken after much discussion, as we both got carried away, engrossed in our own conversation as is usual when we meet. Suffice to say with much patience the waiter waited politely and took our order as soon as we were ready. I ordered the Chicken pate, pink peppercorn butter quiche & red onion preserved, served with sourdough bread on the side. My Guest went straight for the main and ordered the Roasted Fillet of Salmon served with crushed new potatoes & green beans. The service was swift and friendly and top ups offered when needed . Dessert soon followed . My guest went for the Dark and White Chocolate Brownie served with Devonshire Clotted Cream while I settled for the Passion Fruit & Vanilla creme Brulee served with Shortbread biscuits WHICH ALL TASTED DIVNE!

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FINE DINING

After a few gin and tonics, just to keep us in good measure for the long journey home, we were invited by the manager to take a tour of the famous vaults located downstairs which is one of the golden secret gems of this restaurant. If you are thinking of having a sophisticated small private function then these vaults are a must to visit. The smallest vault can seat up to 18 guests for lunch/dinner whilst the largest has a capacity of seating up to 28 guests comfortably.

Each vault comes with its own bespoke menu packages and wine tasting arrangements. My guest and I thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience at this memorable restaurant and I have confidence in recommending it, especially for a pre-theatre Lunch as it famously sits right next to The Royal Opera House, but more so for its excellent cuisine, ambience and reasonable prices.

Tuttons Restaurant can be found at: 11/12 Russell Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2B SHZ 0207 632 2081 I tuttons@cgrestaurants.com

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COMMUNITY CARRIE BROWN, 'QUEEN OF LAS VEGAS.' TALKS ABOUT HER ANTI- BULLYING WORK

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ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD THE ANNUAL ANTI-BULLYING

AWARD SHOW

331 OCTOBER 2018

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL-BEING

COMMUNITY

What were the credentials or attributes required for individuals to receive awards at your Ceremony last Saturday in Vegas?

The credentials or attributes required for individuals to receive awards at the Ceremony are; Character, Integrity, Reputation, Community Service, Work Ethics etc.

fl1arrie Brown is known as "The Queen of Las Vegas, Entertainment Capital of the World." I wanted to know how she got the title?

I have held this regal royal title since 2015. I received a call in 2015 from Dawn Reese who was looking for a 'Queen' to represent the world title and that there was never a Queen who had held this title before. I was also told that a very high standard had been set in order to be given this title and that they had been watching me and my career for 4 years before making that decision . I just cried . I couldn't believe it. So while Dawn Reese was making plans to come to Vegas to openly bestow this prestigious honor on me, I was being harassed by a woman and had no clue as to why. I then asked Dawn Reese to postpone things at the time until the matter of bullying was addressed which went on for almost 4 years .

You recently held a VIP Award Ceremony. What was this in honor of?

I recently held a VIP Award Ceremony which was in honor of The Annual Anti-Bullying Awards Show. It was the second show and was designed to give awareness and education to those who are committing acts of bullying and those being bullied.

My goal is to someday have a Foundation that will help victims as well as those committing these terrible hate crimes on the lives of innocent people.

The awards are given to recipients in the category of their profession . The honors or awards reflect leaders and those people who are giving back to the community and helping those who have been affected by bullying . Leaders, heroes, philanthropists and humanitarians who are taking a stand for what is right but who never get a thank you or awarded for the scarifies they make .

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

Why is having an anti-bullying program important to you?

Having an anti-bullying program is important to me because of my life's experiences. It was one of the most despicable situations I personally have experienced in my life. My livelihood was affected and I found it hard getting or keeping a job . My reputation was affected and being slandered all over the Facebook, receiving text messages etc. I was harassed and stalked and my life was literally threatened . So I had to take a stand because if these people (high profile individuals) were doing this to me , I wondered how many people were suffering from the same thing . Therefore, it is very important to me when I think about the damage it caused me. I realise that not everyone could do what I have done as it took every bit of my faith in God and prayers to get me where I am today. I tried to commit suicide because I felt I had no hope especially because of who these people were.

What do you offer individuals who have experienced bullying?

I offer individuals who have experienced bullying a listening ear and counseling . I have my degree in counseling which enables me to better understand what others are experiencing or are going through. I therefore can offer advice about the right avenues to take when being bullied . For instance, if you have evidence about bullying of any kind it is a Federal Crime chargeable by law. Because of my own situation I found that everything is not for the Police to deal with . I am now able to listen to a case and better instruct the individual in the right direction, i.e employment, discrimination, retaliation , harassment, stalking , liable , slander, and to provide steps to take.

Hopefully as I move forward I will be able to help legislate and assist with people taking responsibility for their actions and help the judicial system see that crimes being committed are being taken out on victims .

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Can you share briefly an experience you had where you were being bullied and how did this impact on your health and well-being?

It has been almost three and a half years and when I have to revisit my experience it makes me very emotional but everyday I am fighting hard and I name this bullying "The I'll Factors." I was experiencing episodes of bullying while in a previous employment and it was a fricken nightmare.

I was being accused of things I was not doing or even being in places I personally did not go. I was slandered all over the Facebook and was working with an entertainer who contacted me on while at church to be told "Carrie Brown you are now being slandered all over the Facebook." At that time , I didn't see it because I was getting all kinds of phone calls, text messages and my family was concerned as to what was going on . That is one question that I have yet to answer "Why?" I have been harassed and stalked. People were contacted not to work with me or they would be caused harm . I am now on two blood pressure pills. I couldn 't sleep and I found out people were calling people trying to find out where I lived . It was hard for me to go out in public because people were pointing and turning up their heads.

These were the same people I used to speak to before who now treated me like I had a plague. My family and friends assisted me with food and shelter.

That was so embarrassing as I have always been self-sufficient working in high profile jobs in Corporate America.

Why do you feel people bully other people?

Talking to other people who have been bullied, one of the biggest is 'jealousy." I cannot personally relate to jealousy because I have never been jealous of anyone. Everyone has the right to be who they are and enjoy their precious God given life. On the other hand , it's a number of things and today we cannot assume as to why people are bullying others. It's adults as well as children. Lack of disciple, self control and respect as well as no regard for man-kind. People today are out of control and some say the Government is gravely at fault.

How hard is it to speak up about being bullied and how do you feel society stigmatizes people speaking up?

As for me not hard to speak up about bullying because I have lived it. My passion is to show others yes difficult but you can get through this with the love and help of the right people who know this exist. I do motivational speaking, Preaching , Teaching or whatever I have to do to help save or spare the life of another. I find society stigmatizes people speaking up and that is because they are guilty of bullying. If we all came to the realization and again educated ourselves and stop hiding what is 35 I OCTOBER 2018

true then everybody can get healed and be on the road to recovery and become the great Nation we all long to be.

Most definitely in looking at bullying it is also a form of mobbing. So again we have root causes that has been either allowed bullying or to push people around until a person takes a stand and realizes their constitutional rights and says "Who are you and what gives you the right to treat me like that?" is it always a fair fight? No. It's the negative things done behind ones back that causes more problems that in most case is never cleaned up. People who really don't know can only assume whether it's true or not and the ones who know you now have a negative message and are not clear if you did it or not. This is one big mess that is causing our young people to commit suicide and adults who cannot handle the pressure are killing themselves too because they have lost everything and have no hope or no one to turn to.

I happened to be at Gregg Austin's M-Town & More when I was informed someone needed to talk outside the venue, and it was important. I went and two women were there, one whose daughter was being bullied at school. We talked briefly and exchanged contact information then spoke on the phone the next day so I could be clear as to what was happening to her daughter at school. I was able to assist her offering the correct information she needed for her situation.

Again there are different situations that need to be addressed by the right judicial system or department to get the help that is needed. Today that matter has been addressed by the mother who sought my advice, and her daughter is alive and well.

M~MESSAGE IS, "[HERE IS HEUP. AND I AM HERE. P.UEASE UE] ME HEUP. YOU UIVE. ~OU ARE NOmAUONE BECAUSE IN M~EXP.ERIENCE ~OU CAN F.EEUVER~MUCH nUONE WHEN P.EOP.UEmHIN~ ~OU ARE LYING. II

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Can you share a story that did not llave sucll a llaP-P-Y. ending regarding someone being bullied, and llow this situation galvanized Y,OU and made you more determined to continue witll tile worl( you do!?

Recently on my birthday September 17th. I happened to be in a store down in North Las Vegas.

I told the Manager who I was and right away she said, "I wish you were here yesterday." She looked at me and I could see and feel her distress. The Manager told me one of her employee's was being bullied outside of work. On September 17th he came to work and was agitated, saying that he could not take anymore. The next thing he did, he went outside and walked in front of an 18 Wheeler Semi-Truck. I burst out crying thinking what gave people the right to say his life was not worth living. I embraced the manager and gave her my contact information and will certainly keep this company in my prayers.

We must take a stand against people who are doing these malicious acts. You must tell someone and if they don't believe you keep praying until the right person comes along who believes you. I told on those people the whole time they were harassing and bullying me and when it got real heated I started taking notes and leaving them with people so that if anything happened to me they knew exactly who to go after.

Also I'm here trying to make a difference I can be contacted at carriebrown785@gmail.com or you may inbox me a contact number and I will call you. My mission is to be a Leader to the nation to help make change in a situation that is killing people for no reason at all.

My Facebook: Carrie Brown The Queen Of Las Vegas Entertainment Of The World Ambassador To The Nation.

Carrie Brown is an Ordained Reverend, Elder and Counsellor.

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have been living with a stage 4 Breast Cancer ~gnosis for over 7 years . Statistically, I shouldn't really be here. But I am .

In my experience, our thoughts and focus seem to turn immediately to the "death day scenario" instead of focusing on living well for the time we have left.

The challenge is not to give up and to focus on keeping as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Treatments could be a campaign or an ongoing war, not a rear-guard action waiting for the inevitable to happen, so that patients have opportunities to take advantage of new treatments as they come along.

Cancer treatment has changed and survival rates are increasing, but the statistics used for prognoses are, by their very nature, out-of-date. When I received my terminal diagnosis, I found it hard to convince people that I had even a small chance of surviving.

It would be fabulous to see all medical professionals encouraging people to live longer with cancer, and to see everyone embracing the life they have left with a positive and vital attitude. I strongly believe that our lifestyles need attention and change in order to help prevent cancer developing.

JULY 2011 l'M SORRY TO HAVE TO TELL YOU MRS MAYCOCK THAT THE SCANS SHOW THAT YOU HAVE CANCER THROUGHOUT YOUR LUNGS AND LIVER AND THAT IT APPEARS TO HAVE SPREAD FROM APRIMARY TUMOUR IN YOUR BREAST." THESE WORDS WERE NOT MEANT FOR ME, THEY COULD NOT BE. I WAS TERMINALLY ILU THE WORDS "TERMINALLY ILL" STILL ECHO IN MY MIND, AND AS THE NUMBNESS WORE OFF, IT WAS REPLACED BY FEELINGS OF PAIN, HEARTACHE AND COMPLETE DEVASTATION.

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The f a ct t h.a t I m a y be here for only a short while is overwhelmingly sad and h a r d for me t o get t o grip s wit h.. But , over t he p ast seven yea rs, I h a ve lea r ned how t o live wit h. m y disease and I k now t h.a t n obody can p redict t he fut ure for anyone wit h. comp let e cert a inty.

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How did you manage to win the battle with yourself when deciding to completely change your lifestyle?

Immediately after diagnosis, as soon as I was allowed home , I sought out a book on coping with and fighting cancer. I found "Anti-cancer a New Way of Life" by Dr David Servan Schreiber and became engrossed in it. It appeared that there are many ways in which an individual might try to complement their cancer treatment and these are by exercise, diet meditation and changing one's life in order to eli~inate as many harmful things as possible. The book contained easy to understand tables of foods showing which foods to avoid and which foods to eat in abundance. I had my reservations because every time I had tried to diet previously I had felt run down and fluey within a week. Now that I had cancer I could not afford to make myself even more ill.

Thus , my fight began in earnest! The first thing I found to do, and probably the trickiest (or so I thought) was to eliminate refined sugars and refined white starch from my diet. I was reading about how large amounts of refined food , which we consume _in the West, may be contributing not only to the obesity problem , but to cancer occurrences. I didn't know if this was true, but I had nothing to loose and a lot to gain from giving it a shot!

I sourced the information I needed to begin my fight and began to make all my food with the most potent "anti-cancer" foods I could find . My aim was to complement my chemotherapy. I checked with ~~ doctors that I could eat these foods with the spec1f1c chemo that I was on (some foods block chemotherapy action or prevent it from working properly and I was most anxious not to do that!) . I was surprised to find that my specialists were not particularly interested in the diet. The doctors and nurses simply advised me to eat a "balanced diet" and to make sure I did not make myself ill with an "extreme" or "way out" diet which would starve me of appropriate nutrients. They showed a real concern that I was considering giving up dairy foods and they showed little curiosity at the idea of fighting cancer with food and exercise. I felt disheartened at their lack of interest, but decided to press on anyway, again, I felt I had nothing to lose .

The first few weeks went by and I stuck rigidly to the idea of supplying myself with good nutrients i.e fresh , wholesome foods which could have been obtained long before chemical fertilizers and pesticides had been invented . The main part of my weight loss (of 7 1/2 stone) came about when I eliminated commercially refined foods from my diet altogether. As the weeks went by I began to feel stronger and more in control. didn't feel as weakened by the chemotherapy and the disease as I had expected . The chemo itself left me feeling tired, but every day I felt myself wanting to do just a little more exercise and eat a little more of the delicious and wholesome food I had begun to prepare.

What advice would you give to others to win this fight against their own inertia?

Because I was fighting my war with cancer on so many different levels I had to be super organized . My will to live was so much stronger than my fear of death .

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One sunny day I had to dash to the cash point in town. As I was standing with my back to the road waiting for my balance to show up on the screen , I heard a young child running.

He'd come from the alleyway beside the bank; I could hear his little feet echo under the archway. Out he popped , and ran happily along the pavement in my direction . Suddenly he stopped and looked around him .

How do you bring yourself to wake up every day and achieve these goals? Was it just a struggle against fear?

My cancer diagnosis was a nightmare scenario come true . All my worst and greatest fears as a child confirmed . The nightmare character you run from but cannot escape, leading to exhausting nights of turmoil and questions.

I would keep myself awake, unwilling to go to sleep at night, because I desperately didn't want to re-experience the moments, initially after waking up, where my fears would kick in . Every day, immediately on waking , I was the same carefree and happy soul I had been in my life leading up to being diagnosed with cancer, then the truth would suddenly hit me . "No you're not allowed to be that person any more. You're different now.

Less worthwhile .

Temporary. You're terminally ill and you're going to die .. . Soon.

There is no hope for you anymore. Hope is dead ."

For many weeks after my diagnosis I stopped looking when I crnc::!=:ed the road; stopped being careful with my precious life, b.~~'"1~1se life seemed so futile . What was the point in carrying on as I was going to die soon anyway?

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I can remember it in such detail because time appeared to stand still for just a few moments. My instincts were suddenly on alert. I couldn't see his mother; she must have been some way behind and I figured the child had lost sight of her. At the same time , I heard the motor of a car heading towards us, its engine revving high as it exited the roundabout at the end of the street. It came whistling up the road behind me, towards us. I saw the child's face suddenly turn from being carefree to concern as he realized that his mother wasn't with him. As I looked at him I caught him glance fleeting across the road . I immediately saw that he thought she had crossed without him (when in fact she was in the alleyway following him; I could hear her now). Without a second glance, he dashed straight out between two parked cars into the path of the speeding car.

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He was lucky I was there! Being a mother I'm instinctively switched onto the sound of little feet and was aware of the speeding car.

As the child darted out, time stood still. My entire focus shifted in that split second to the thought that he was going to be run over.

I remember taking a dive for the child; not a pathetic shift in weight, but a proper goalkeeper's dive . On my way down, I grabbed the child just as he reached the edge of the car's bumper furtherest into the road and then the car sped past. I had never imagined that I could move so fast nor have such a long reach .

As far as I know, nobody else witnessed anything and before I knew it, his mother appeared from the alleyway and I had some explaining to do about how I was roughly holding her crying toddler.

I explained as best I could, retrieved my card from the cashpoint machine, and went home. The mother thanked me and left quickly. I think she must have been either embarrassed at her mistake (we all make mistakes) or grateful that I had grabbed her child when she wasn't there. I'll never know what her thoughts were and I was not interested.

However, it did make a difference in me because from that moment I knew I had saved a little life.

That little boy is alive and well today because of something I did! Then it really dawned on me that even if I do have cancer, I am STILL ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I went home in shock. However, alongside the shock came the realisation that life was absolutely worth living! If I'd given up, and stayed at home with my depression, that little boy may well be dead now.

So, life IS truly worth living! We can make a difference to others with everything we say and do.

Just a smile or a precious comment can make the difference to someone who is struggling .

With that realisation came hope and a promise for the future . My attitude had changed!

I shall live with uncertainty forever. Uncertainty of when the cancer will take hold , of what torture is just around the corner. But with uncertainty comes hope and clarity of existence.

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I now feel blessed every day. Before I had cancer, I was not even aware of the value of each moment, however I am now and I'm thankful for the opportunity to live my life this way.

Many others live their whole lives without this realisation and lose out on the fabulous appreciation cA wi1at living tui" tt1E: ,norneilt givc:s us.

Of course , I would rather not have cancer.

However, now that I have it I am living my life in the best way I can, which I couldn't do before, because my eyes weren't open.

A change in all our attitudes towards "terminal" cancer might help to create more survivors like myself. You never know, I may just be a tiny part of a huge and growing army of cancer warriors who are living WITH cancer, rather than dying FROM it.

There is so much more that I want to share with you so for further information visit:

Further information about my lifestyle and experiences can be found at: imnotdeadyet.today For further information about my day to day journey visit: /imnotdeadyettoday /Mary Maycock@notdeadyettoday /Mary Maycock

I ..,,~

Figure 7: Janie Bradford and Publicity Officer, Debra Burle I

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r Vearly thirty years ago, celebrated songwriter

~ "1~town alumna , Janie Bradford learned that

JANIE BRADFORD WAS RECENTLY DUBBED THE "QUEEN OF MOTOWN" AT THE 2018 HEROES AND LEGENDS AWARDS, BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL, LA

students pursuing degrees in music, art, theatre and other creative areas had few options in funding their dreams. Unlike sports and traditional academics, scholarships for performing arts students were scarce. She set out to meet that need .

On September 23 , 1990, the very first Tribute To Heroes And Legends Awards Dinner was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Miss Andrea Johnson was awarded the very first HAL Scholarship. Since that night, Janie Bradford's HAL Scholarship Fund has awarded over seventy scholarships to young people with tremendous talent and big dreams!

EXCERPT FROM THE HAL AWARDS WEBSITE HTTPS://HALAWARDS.CO M/WP/ ABOUT-US/ For almost 30 years , HAL has spotlighted positive role models and leaders in the fields of music, theatre, motion pictures and business at the Annual HAL Awards and Scholarship Dinner."

The 29th HAL Awards took place on Sunday 23rd September 2018 at The Beverly Hills Hilton, LA. The awards were to honor Suzanne dePasse , Undisputed Truth , Keith Washington , McKinley Jackson, Switch , Art Stewart and Deniece Williams.

The event also honored young people who were granted sponsorship and one young gentleman, Julien Jones, who attended with his parents (who I did not get time to talk to) stood tall , maybe a little nervous but tall and proud all the same . I sincerely wish him all the very very best. I could only imagine how his parents were feeling . In the midst of all the negativity that we are sometimes bombarded with about young people, Julien Jones was certainly someone to celebrate . This young man is an upcoming music producer and will be studying at the USC School of Music this year. It was a fabulous event and I felt so honored to be there taking pictures, flirting and talking to the likes of Deniece Williams , Keith Washington , Mary Wilson from the Supremes and more.

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However, I wanted to know more about the woman who has been instrumental in not only putting this fabulous event together but in her determination to make a change amidst sometimes, the most incredible challenges. I wanted to catch a glimpse of the person behind all of this and therefore my wishes were met and I've had the privilege of connecting with this formidable game changer, Janie Bradford.

Figure 10: Susaye Green and Scherrie Payne from The Supremes

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Figure 9: Undisputed Truth

Your passion to reach out and inspire into the lives of young people has happening for over 30 years now. What keeps your drive and passion going?

What keeps you inspired to continue the work that you do?

Being a creative person myself and so thankful to have been able to walk through the open doors of Motown. I realised that so many other young and upcoming people vested in the arts did not have that opportunity so in my small way I try to help however I can.

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You are surrounded by legends of an era.

People who greatly inspired and influenced the world through their music, by their journey and even their friendship to you and each other.

What attributes do you personally feel has sustained such respect amongst you all, especially in an industry such as yours?

You have to know that most of us started out together as starry eyed teenagers . We bonded like blood family and applauded each other's success.

Smokey Robinson , Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross were a part of that family, and for those that are still here , the bond is still unbreakable

I consider you to be a Champion of Change, what is your heart's ultimate desire or your dearest dream for humanity?

My dearest dream for humanity is that we can see and celebrate the good in each other and that we learn , as a people , to pay life forward . When God blesses us, no matter how small pass the blessings on.

As part of the work you do, what have been some of the challenges and even heartaches that you have experienced and how have you overcome these, to keep picking yourself up each time to keep on with your vision for the Scholarships and to host the Award Events?

The biggest challenge is to raise the money to produce the Heroes and Legends Awards event each year. However, we have managed to do just that for 29 consecutive years . We are determined that all of the scholarship funds remain separate and go directly to the students.

The biggest heartbreaker happened two years ago during the dress rehearsal the morning of our show: the show was scheduled to begin at 7pm that evening , our video director, Bill Ford, who was working at his desk had a massive heart attack, fell out of his chair and died. The paramedics couldn't save him. We cried , we prayed and comforted each other and went on to pull off a triumphant show that evening in his honour.

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If I were to ask you to give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to follow their dream but who is afraid to show up as themselves because they fear gossip or are scared of what people may say about them, what would that be?

My advice would be to let them know that someone else's opinion of you is none of your business.

Don't waste your energies with things that you cannot change.

Only change what you can and move on with your life. Remember that nothing succeeds like success.

Who for you is your inspiration? Your Champion or champions of change and what are the characteristics that define them as being Champions of Change in your eyes?

First and foremost God is my inspiration, running a close second is Berry Gordy. Without God working through Mr. Gordy I don't know what path my life would have taken. He changed the sound of music and through his leadership changed the lives of everyday people to become world-wide legends.

''

Janie Bradford was recently dubbed the "Queen of Motown" at the 2018 Heroes and Legends Awards, Beverly Hills Hotel, IA.

Artists on the Red Carpet at the 29th HAL Awards, Sunday 23rd September

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WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE ACHANGE AGENT

BY DR. GWEN ROSE

Following the death of my mother many years ago, I had a vision where my mother was telling me to let people know she was attending a family celebration.

I thought 'why don't you do it yourself mother?' then I realised she didn't know how to do this so I proceeded to show her how she could communicate with people in the spirit world. Someone who knew me well said 'she has been like this since she was a child.' I was quite upset as I thought people thought I was crazy but then realised that 'I'm not crazy I am special with special gifts.'

These gifts left me with no choice but to be a change agent. I was also given a prophetic word 'Do not be afraid to speak the words of Truth.' (Truth to my understanding.)

I have been in many professional roles and non-professional roles from working in factories to spending 50 years as a professional nurse, lecturer, trainer, minister. The main gifts that has been afforded me is teaching, mediating and praying.

These roles have taken me through these 50 years which have been achieved through belief in myself, others believing in me but most of all a strong belief in the realisation which has crystallised over the years, that there a calling on my life as a healing channel.

The first time I wrote and published a book it was on Relationships. The foreword by the Editor Rev Geoffery Finch reads:

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In this book Gwen Rose seeks to show the complex nature of damaged lives as seen through the eyes of a Counsellor. She uses a case history of a young woman where the root cause of this young woman's problems are unfolded in stages as we read through the various stages of counseling, prayer and the ultimate healing of trauma of her early life and subsequent relational problems. This book could be used with some effect by anyone interested in the Christian Healing ministry.

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18 years after this publication , I revisited the editor's comments and realised that the real process of developing a healing ministry started with my own spiritual healing back then. I have researched the topic spirituality and healing for my PHO and published an edited version of the thesis. I am now engaged in the process of developing and promoting a Healing Ministry.

The art of writing is automatically a way to bring about change. Being able to support writing with practical examples and lived experiences encourages people to recognise their potential to change.

Working as a black woman in professional and non- professional roles from factories to the NHS over 52 years without a break in service ie break of more than one year is quite a long term achievement.

In August 2018, I was nominated for an NHS Windrush Award. It was a surprise and an honour to be nominated as well as the realisation of such a long term achievement. The experience is quite humbling and has encouraged me to continue with the important work that I know needs to be accomplished.

The LOVE of God, The LOVE of people and the LOVE of life encourages me on a daily basis to embrace change and want to see people and circumstances change towards a better world.

- By Dr Gwen Rose

Without the capacity and the will to embrace the process of change in ones-self and others, it is likely that one stagnates mentally and physically. It then becomes a possibility to be arrested in a phase of one's development. Change and development is a human attribute, a human gift and should not be viewed lightly. Change comes about by a willingness to think outside the box that we place ourselves in and when we don't do this we allow others to place us in boxes. It is good to take the approach 'to feel the fear and do it anyway.' Feeling the fear is a definite way of overcoming fear and believe me I have had the experiences of many fears and phobias in my life; many of which has been healed through belief in the power of healing of the SPIRIT. - By Dr Gwen Rose

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cw;a

is Karen Burke?

A woman, a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter, an aunty, a friend, a life coach, a business woman but mostly contented .

I'm content but still pushing, still dreaming, still putting goals into action but enjoying the benefits and outcomes of previous thoughts and actions appearing in my life right now.

At peace with the past, present, future .

You are involved in the health and wellness/holistic industry what does this entail and why this particular industry?

Hard work and determination along with all the soft skills such as listening to clients (and therapists) ensuring that when they come into the centre, with the essential oil and incense scents, sounds, energy, that they immediately want to breathe out and feel safe enough to let go. Just for a moment we try to allow people to feel held, protected, to cry if they want to or just receive the physical treatment of massage or acupuncture or whatever treatment they've chosen.

On my journey to coaching and seeking to work for myself doing accounts, I met Devon, who already had his Mind Body Therapy business, so it was a catalyst for both of us to conceive the next step; incorporate and expand this business into a full complementary health centre . Besides, I had already put in my goal plan before I met him that I would like a massage once a week or at least once a month, so it had to come in somehow! Usually from the other therapists rather than Mr Busy Devon!

I really feel that the work you do, along with Devon and your team has been life changing for individuals, why have you dedicated yourself to supporting individuals into experiencing the best version of themselves?

I have always, sometimes without knowing, helped people to become the best they can be, starting from wherever they are at. Even in my corporate career, I was one to speak out for people, sometimes to my detriment! I have always wanted to give back and leave a legacy, not just a physical place for people to come to but to be an inspiration, even if, for that moment someone was able to change their thought process for the better. Just like the ripple in a lake effect, if I can affect one person positively then they can do the same with someone else as well. I love people to not just survive but to thrive in their lives, if they want to . I couldn't do it all without Devon, plus a great team of people, past and present as well as the support of family and friends .

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My family was brought up with a strict 'Church of God' style, so we were all supposed to get married off and live happily ever after. Pick a good boy from church , court, get engaged, then shortly afterwards get married for life. We were so green! We were 'in love' (beautiful feeling by the way) , we played together, prayed together, had a band together, we were creating history together. Seven years and a beautiful daughter later, it was over. He no longer wanted the white picket fence and two children .

I not only had a broken 'still beating together' heart but it broke everybody. This experience broke my trust in what I knew, broke my faith, created enough whispering and gossip for a lifetime. It broke both families , it broke other couples , it rocked everyone's world as we were 'meant to be.'

That's what I describe when I say 'the carpet being ripped from under your feet,' though on this occasion it was my heart being ripped out.

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So, I started all over again. I had to go back to live with Mum and Dad, child in tow, not admitting for years that I was a 'single mother' and taking years to uproot any love , energy, reminiscing from the whole 'what God has joined together ... ' However, I continued working , studying and moving forward , deciding to put bitterness to bed as soon as I could because I had to make a new life for myself and my daughter. I had to heal well.

I discovered more strength than I ever imagined I had, more courage to face everybody, more love and support from real family and friends than I had ever known. I learned that I am ultimately human and could not control all the events in my life . I learned that I am just a woman and can go through what other women go through as there is no protective bubble just around me , but that I am equipped to deal with it all, if I choose to. I also learned that, with the 'breath of Creator in me' , that I am powerful , strong, beautiful. I am a diamond and everyone else is too .

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What are some of the most fundamental tenants you feel humanity should be equipped with to deal with life?

Forgiveness, Love, Hope and Determination. This then can lead to peace, compromise , friendships, great relationships , great communities , great cities, great countries and hopefully a great world!

In order to transform, to heal our past, trauma, emotional and physical pain can you share a few tips, tools and guidance on how to even recognise initially where you are within yourself and then the initial steps on how to move forward from that place.

To recognise where you are within yourself, sit still enough, long enough , to be honest with yourself. Ask yourself (and write down as it's good to read afterwards) 'Where am I right now?' 'Am I happy with that?' 'Is there anything about me or my lifestyle I need to change right now?' Journey within yourself, with yourself or get help from a friend , a Counsellor, a coach , anyone you feel safe with , who will be honest with you .

Sit in that uncomfortable spot within yourself and forgive yourself and forgive others. Always easier said than done but fundamentally for your own energy to transform, this uncomfortable time needs to take place. Write it down. Burn it up. Release it, along with old hurts and pain . Memory doesn't just go but the energy surrounding the thought reduces as you release it every time it comes up and determine to move forward , free from your own restriction . It takes time but we CAN retrain ourselves.

What are the benefits someone can expect to find on the other side of dealing with their pain or challenges?

Liberation! In our mind, body and soul. Freedom from the power of the pain , hurt or someone else , plus the power to move forward and recreate your life.

You've written a book. Tell us more about it.

It's called 'Power Up for the Year - I Can Do It!' It's a tool book, full of practical exercises to help people move forward in their lives and stop procrastinating! It can help you to:

I CAN Do it!

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

IJ Examine where you are and tune into You (INTUITION) IJ Get clearer about your passions, goals and who you want to be (CLARITY) IJ What you can start doing to reach there (ACTION) IJ Make sure you follow through taking daily steps (NOW)

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What inspired you to write your book?

I've been writing poetry and coaching newsletters for years now but the time came to pull together all the words ; common experiences and questions from myself and people I met, with the view to answer or rather for people to answer their own question about their life, which is what coaching is all about.

However, I also wanted to provide a tool book to practically help people to move forward . It is an ebook and the idea is to add more ebooks at a later date and then maybe pull those together into one revised book version .

What does being a champion of change mean to you and what words of encouragement can you leave with others who may want to make a change in their life but who are fearful?

To me it means, being an influencer, being a person who impacts people's lives in a great way, to enable and empower them to live their best life and also impact and enable others.

Changing your life can take some people a day and others a decade, so it's okay to be afraid of change as it can mean all you know, no longer makes sense and you need to re-learn or it can mean people in your life begin to move away or great friendships and relationships change. Those feelings are real. However, to let it paralyse you to not move forward or do what you know you should be doing or being in life, means the world misses out on your energy, your power, the impact you could make to more people than you can imagine. It doesn't mean you throw everything or anyone out but it may mean you need to de-clutter your mind, your

I always ask people 'What is the worst that can happen?'. Once you answer that, it takes the power out of the fear.

Then look at how to move forward e.g .

Who do you need to contact? What do you need to study? Where do you need to be? Who do you need to be?

Then start working on it, one hour at a time , one day at a time . Start planting seeds and watch/experience the growth, so be patient within it all.

Sometimes it doesn't go how you imagined but use those experiences to learn fast, then move forward again with grace and power.

Contact Details: Karen's Ebook 'Powerup for the Year' can be purchased online on our complementary centre website for £2 .99. https ://therapy4I ife. net/ebook/

A few hard copies (more ££) can also be found in our shop, MindBody Therapy Centre, 120 Stanstead Road, Forest Hill , London. SE23 1BX 531 OCTOBER 2018

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ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

t-/J society's approach to education defines that ;o~ety. Its approach to education is determined by how it views its young . The prevailing school system views children as consumers of packages prepared by experts and supplied by teachers . It effectively prepares children for life as consumers within a consumer society. Is there a viable alternative? To answer this question , we must begin by identifying the assumptions that support the existence of school.

There are three core assumptions - or implicit teachings - underpinning the school system: (1) the experts know best (learning is the result of teaching); (2) you must fit in; and (3) failure is bad . These hidden messages are internalised by children such that they become unconscious beliefs that shape their future lives. All three teachings are detrimental to an individual's development, but by far the most difficult to break out of is the first, so conditioned are we to distrust our intuition (inner teacher) .

The belief that learning is the result of teaching is so indelibly entrenched in the minds of the majority that even now, with knowledge freely available on every internet-connected device , we are still unable to relinquish our steadfast attachment to curricula teaching and testing. We have been "schooled" to view learning as a linear, sequential process controlled by a teacher. But true learning is a personal activity, not a commodity. Learning is a function of personal interest, not the dictates of teachers. It happens anywhere , at any time , with anyone. It is often incidental , invisible and unconscious. In truth, every moment of our existence presents us with an opportunity to learn.

We cannot support the emergence of a conscious, connected and compassionate world with a distribution model of education. Such an approach is dis-empowering for the individual and can only lead to further social inequality and regression . We cannot secure a sustainable planet for future generations with a consumer mindset. The school system precludes self-inquiry, imagination and creativity, without which this goal remains an unattainable fantasy. Until we acknowledge and cater for the uniqueness of each child , and enable the drawing out of the latent gifts that he or she brings into the world , we can only continue further down the path to consumerist oblivion, and suffer the continued devastating effects to our planetary home that this choice brings with it.

It is time to stop focusing on how to do school better 57 I OCTOBER 2018

and to focus instead on how to do education differently It is time to shift from an "outside-in" approach to an "inside-out" approach. It is time to stop viewing children as passive recipients and dependent consumers, and to start viewing them as the creators, innovators, artists, visionaries, entrepreneurs, community builders and way showers that they truly are.

As stated at the beginning of this article, a society is defined by its approach to education. When we question school, we question the society that has been built around it. A fresh approach to education must therefore be viewed within the context of an emerging alternative society or counter-culture. It is important to note that an alternative infrastructure for learning and living is already emerging. Here in the UK, Link4Growth is a nationwide organisation that has been providing tools and services to facilitate and encourage the rebuilding of communities at a grass-roots level since 2011. In the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Every One Every Day empowers and supports local residents in turning their ideas for neighbourhood projects into reality, helping them to find suitable experimental spaces in which to test and refine their ideas and to reach plausibility. In Clophill, Bedfordshire, the Wild Roots Nature Connection Community has gained international recognition for the work it is doing with TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL-BEING

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

calls for an inside-out model of education that views children from an inside-out perspective. For clarification purposes, let's look at some definitions. inside-out: a world-view wherein a person seeks their answers internally and experiences their perception of the outside world as a projection of their inner world .

inside-out society: a society that supports each person in drawing forth from within their latent passion , purpose and potential ; a society wherein people are trusted to rely on their inner guidance over external sources of authority. eduspire: education infused with spirit; an approach to education that inspires people to go within and to create their lives from the inside out. paradigm: a philosophical framework or model ; a set of ideas; a world-view.

Eduspire Paradigm: an inside-out model of education designed to operate within the context of an inside-out society; a lightest possible framework of facilitation . children and adults in facilitating connection with self and others through deep nature connection. Looking further afield , there are inspiring community projects taking place in poverty-stricken areas of Detroit, Michigan, including the first organic, self-sustainable, urban "agrihood" in the U.S., which provides fresh, free produce to 2000 households, as well as supplying food to local markets and restaurants.

These are just a handful of examples, but all such projects point to the possibility of a simpler, kinder, more self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle for all.

From my perspective, what these inspirational yet isolated community efforts are currently lacking is a supportive model of education that can feed into and sustain them. It is for this reason that I've spent the past ten years formulating what I call the Eduspire Paradigm. I will share the rationale behind it now.

We are born hard-wired for an inside-out way of life.

We teach ourselves to walk and talk - as babies without coercion or formal instruction. The desire and motivation to imitate and master the behaviour of our adult role models comes from inside of us, as does our determination to persist in the face of setbacks. In other words, inside-out learning and living comes naturally to human beings. We can allow a child's education to continue to unfold in an equally natural and organic manner. However, this TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL-BEING

presupposition: something that is tacitly assumed to be true prior to pursuing a line of enquiry or course of action.

The Eduspire Presuppositions Sitting at the heart of the Eduspire Paradigm are twelve presuppositions: (1) Every child is unique.

(2) The simplicity and wonder of childhood is real life .

(3) Learning is as natural as breathing .

(4) Education is the pursuit of passion.

(5) The purpose of education (and life) is to be yourself.

(6) Every child has an inner teacher.

(7) We are all teachers and learners (irrespective of age).

(8) Nature is our greatest external teacher.

(9) Failure is feedback.

(10) Change is the only constant.

(11) Every child is a natural-born creator.

(12) Education is a collective responsibility of the whole community.

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The Eduspire Paradigm is a gift that has flowed through me rather than from me. I see myself as its messenger rather than its architect. I arrived at it intuitively - by looking inside myself - in response to my personal life experience and two decades of interactions with children of all ages as a teacher, coach , mentor, facilitator and uncle. It will speak to those whose minds are sufficiently quietened, whose hearts are sufficiently opened and whose intuitive senses are sufficiently awakened . It will speak to those who are ready to contribute to a conscious , connected, caring, compassionate, creativity-oriented and community-spirited world. If embraced and acted upon , the Eduspire Presuppositions have the power to liberate children from the chains of external conditioning and to unleash their innate curiosity, passion , imagination and creativity for the benefit of all.

I have a vision. I see a multitude of "creative learning spaces" appearing in local communities throughout the world in which young people of all ages work collaboratively on real-life projects of their own choosing, supported by adult facilitators who trust and follow their lead . Not tied to one physical location, project teams are free to move as needed , making use of community spaces such as coffee shops, libraries, museums, studio spaces, theatres, village halls, gardens, parks , farms and supportive school sites. The goal could be to organise a concert, create a play, publish a magazine, co-ordinate a litter-picking exercise, organise a fashion show, form a choir, shoot a documentary, create blankets for the homeless, or raise awareness about the plight of the honey bee . This is education through living; through meaningful participation and immersion in the local community. Under the banner Kids Create , I have facilitated several such projects with young people since 2013, including the creation of a thought-provoking short film entitled Beyond the Box (to be released later this year) and a moonlight-themed prom night for home educated teens . I am excited to be connecting with more and more parents, life coaches and open-minded educators who share my vision.

There are numerous child-led and creativity-aligned models of education in operation to which to turn for inspiration and reassurance , one particularly successful example being Room 13 International.

Since its original art studio was set up in a primary school in Scotland in 1994, Room 13 has grown to establish an international network of student-led arts studios, each one operating as a business and facilitating the work of young artists alongside a 591 OCTOBER 2018

adult artist in residence . By sharing creative and entrepreneurial skills, Room 13 is empowering a generation of active, creative citizens who are motivated, resourceful and engaged in the development of their communities.

The inside-out revolution is here. It is time for us those of us who feel called - to step into our personal power, to connect with other like-hearted individuals within our communities and to take the actions necessary to ensure that present and future generations of children inherit a sustainable Earth .

There is a world of infinite possibility waiting to be explored and energised beyond the limiting confines of the box of fear in which school monopolises the distribution of opportunity. Let's enable as many children as possible to be active participants in social transformation through disruptive innovation outside the school gates.

We can no longer rely on self-serving politicians , dinosaur institutions and inertia-laden governments to save us from ourselves. We must begin by going within and cleaning up the polluted landscapes of our unconscious awareness. We must find the courage to face and release the clouds of confusion that blind us from seeing, knowing and experiencing ourselves as the radiant balls of sunshine - the portals of unlimited creative potential - that we truly are . We can look to our babies and youngest children for inspiration and guidance in this process. Children are riding the crest of the wave of an unprecedented shift in human consciousness . They are the teachers now. Our job as adults is to observe them , listen to them, honour them , trust them and follow their lead. Through their inside-out example, they are pointing us to the Promised Land. Heaven on Earth is within our reach .

David Mills is a former school teacher, visionary, education innovator, self-empowerment coach, singer and actor. He is author of the forthcoming book, THE EDUSPIRE PARADIGM: Life and Education Outside the Box. He can be contacted via his website: www.SilentlifeCoach.com.

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

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BUTLERS OF MAYFAIR BESPOKE LONDON TOURS V I NTAG E

WHILST IN LONDON BE ESCORTED THROUGHOUT MAYFAIR AND BOND STREET WITH YOUR VERY OWN PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH BUTLER. LEARN THE HISTORIC STORIES OF BURLINGTON ARCADE THE OLDEST SHOPPING MALL IN THE WORLD INCLUSIVE OF LUNCH AT ATOP MAYFAIR HOTEL!

BESPOK E SHOPHISTICATED TOURS DESIGNED WITH YOU IN MIND! Prices from £65 per person to £ 120 per person 4 persons Max per tour.

Contact To ny Jackson C EO/ Founder tonyja zziam@gmail.com Tel : +447958445717 www.butlersofmayfa irevents.co.u k

~ y Jazz, Turning Point's very own Mr TopHat writes the Fine Dining Section of the magazine. A true gentleman who is an eclectic mix of eccentricity, poise and good old-fashioned standards. The words 'High-end, " 'Quality' and 'Luxury' come to mind when I think about this gentleman.

Tony is a very principled man. I love his standards and ethics which are strong from his Barbadian upbringing . He also has a fabulous sense of humour and a strong sense of who he is. A man who is articulate and strives for authenticity in everything he does. Therefore, it was a pleasure to have him on the other side of the table (excuse the pun) for this issue, to talk to him about his work, his craft and the Bespoke Services he provides. A man who knows what he wants and who knows how to inspire and transform lives because of his passion, pride and love for community and humanity. Never one to turn a blind eye to the needs of others, Tony is one of those people who is a diamond amongst thorns .

63 I OCTOBER 2018

Before I proceeded further with the tour, I wanted to find out a little more about who Tony was. After all I would be spending the best part of the afternoon with him and it was just courteous of me to ask this question. This rather eccentric human being with a passion for people and a love of everything Luxurious eloquently replied: "Thank you Esther, it's an honour to be here with you and to share my humble experiences with your readers . In a nutshell I AM THAT 1AM is the best way to say about myself. I am getting to know my uniqueness and part of my place and purpose. This may sound very straight but it took many years of pain , searching and going within to find it. I have been blessed with many talents but one is to serve people in many walks of life and I do it with a passion of empathy and a desire to strive for excellence ."

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL-BEING

LIFESTYLE

Tony is a professional Butler. A role which takes many years of training and dedication. It's a very varied one and calls for a multi skilled personality.

On an average day he could be getting the residence ready to greet, meet and escort a King, Prince or President and the next minute trying to source a particular private jet for a group of celebrities . This role is really for a person who loves to think on their feet. They never say "no" to their guests, (hmm I really must pay a visit to his place of work. You can imagine all the things I would be asking for Cheesecake from Switzerland daily a la Double) and must always find a solution .

The new position is demanding and so he was delighted to play a much needed role in the training of new Butlers attending their famous academy into this unique career.

Curious as to why he would even consider going into such a profession , I prompted Tony further about the reasons behind his choice and also where he got his love for all things Bespoke and Luxurious from .

"To be honest it seems like the profession choose me , it became a natural progression. I started in hospitality way back in 1990 in Manchester at the Four Seasons Hotel as a morning room service waiter. However, from a very young age my late farther Orville Holder along with my dear mum would take us to five star hotels such as the cafe Royale . They would be attending the annual Banquet of the Rosicrucian Order of which there were dedicated members at the time. These Banquets back in the early 70s were lavish affairs where guests wore evening gowns and bow ties .

It was only later in life that I realised that this had a lasting effect on me.

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

I was also raised rather well groomed and cultural although coming from humble backgrounds, we were schooled into the arts, classical music from an early age and my parents even got me a private tutor once when we lived in Barbados for a brief stint. This lady bless her, was an old West Indian Governess. Mrs Farnum was her name and she has since passed on but she was the first to school me in the areas of etiquette, table manners and correct pronunciation. All of which became a valuable asset to my present career. " On the day of my Tour of Burlington Arcade , Mayfair, I turned up armed with my new Samsung Notes 8 phone which takes incredible pictures and good quality videos, my backpack and with an enquiring mind about the pending tour. Rocking up with my Dr Martens, (I 'm known for wearing DM 's) I was ready to ..well. .. 'rock and roll '. Tony, of course , showed up looking someone out of a 1950's Classic Hollywood movie, Trilby hat and briefcase in tow. 'Stoosh ' is the word that came to mind .

OCTOBER 2018164

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On a last note, Tony has also organised a few charity workshops specifically aimed at inspiring young people. "One of these is my workshop "How to Dress for Success!" and Etiquette Training" says Tony. This workshop is designed to enhance their chances in today's corporate world and to prepare them not just on how to present themselves at interview stage but throughout their career and personal life. I also take much pleasure in training many of the new upcoming young Butlers coming through the various academies today."

Tony also offers Bespoke Chauffeur driven services.

You can read more about Tony's Burlington Arcade tour at: http://estheraustinglobal .com/events/bespo ke-tours-by-tony-jackson-butlers-of-mayfair/ A true font of knowledge and a true gentleman , Tony's knowledge , enthusiasm and great sense of humour was infectious enough for me to have had one of the most pleasant and fun-filled days in a very long time. A great tour executive with an impressionable character I learned so much about a history I initially was not even interested in.

As the day progressed we amassed sleek looking business cards , some scented with hues of expensive perfume or aftershave. We were also given plenty gifts and samples along with lots of firm handshakes - the building of potential business and a recognition of respect between each party. I had a thoroughly fabulous afternoon which ended with a sumptuous lunch at the prestigious Mayfair Hotel and where Tony presented me with a surprise gift.

Contact Details Book your TOUR NOW at: Butlers of Mayfair Consultancy & Bespoke Event Management.

@ @

tonyjazziam@gmail.com +44 7958445717

If you are is looking to do something different and want to explore London's great sites then sign up for a tour. You will not be disappointed.

651 OCTOBER 2018

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

EST.Yf.E, YOUR WELL-BEING

•

OCTOBER 2018 166

ART, ACCEPTANCE, DIVERSITY, CREATIVITY

RANDI CHILDS, STREET PHOTOGRAPHER CREATES MAGIC '/ ;;re are times in life when we come across someone "random"???? hmmmmm there are no such things as coincidences.

Let me start that sentence again.

There are times in life when the energy of synchronicity throws people and situations into each other's paths. Now the thing here is, understanding what each thing means to you at that moment in time. Why did you meet a certain person at that time? Why did you have that certain experience?

Often times it is to wake us up, or maybe support us in becoming aware of a message or something that would influence and impact on our lives.

A month ago as I was meandering through Times Square in Manhattan, USA I was stopped by Randi Childs. She commented on my unusual look and energy and wanted to photograph me, right there amidst the hustle and bustle.

WOW, I thought, so cool. Initially I became aware of how crowded Times Square was and fleeting ly thought...if I pose everyone's going to be looking at me. However, my childish daredevil self stopped that self talk instantly and in playful mode I adopted the 'pose' or rather a few 'poses.'

67 I OCTOBER 2018

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL-BEING

ART, ACCEPTANCE , DIVERSITY, CREATIVITY

For further information or to book a shoot visit:

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www. rand ich iIds.com

@rand ich iIds _photography

Randi is a Street Photographer. She captures different and difference. She captures creativity and expression. She has an incredible 'eye' and judgment for capturing people and their uniqueness. She took a few photos of me and I was like ... 'Is that really me?' She captures more than just the aesthetic externals of how people dress and express themselves . She captures their essence and embraces and draws out the creativity from their souls. With the theme 'Champions of Change' Randi provided some stunning pieces. I also recognise that Randi is connecting human beings , capturing them their form and essence and finding a universal language through her presentation and that is "Choose to be an individual" "Choose to be free" and celebrate it. There is a saying 'One Hand can't Clap' and in the essence of bringing humanity closer with an understanding of what humanity really means, I feel this is what Randi's work represents We all have unique skills and gifts.

Sometimes we are not aware of what those are , other times we are scared to show them .

The content provided in this magazine is to support you in stepping into who you truly are .

To explore the magic that lies within you and then ... BAM ... to express it.

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

ART, ACCEPTANCE, DIVERSITY, CREATIVITY

691 OCTOBER 2018

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

Butlers Of Mayfair Bespoke Events & Consultancy L. td Date: October 2018 Dear Esther, We will like to donate a private Bespoke tour " Burlington Arcade & Bond Street as a prize gift on behalf of Turning Point Magazine Celebration . The Tour is a personal tour of this historic area with narration from Mr Jackson who gives a small insight into exclusive history of the buildings area and characters of its period . The Tour will last up to two hours maximize and will conclude with a set menu late lunch of a restaurant of our choice which will be included .

The tour availability will commence from the date of notification of the winner to a period of not more than six consecutive months after that as to which it would be invalid . We would like to share the copyrights with Turning Point Magazine along with the consent of the prize winner to use his/her image in our own social media/ websites and promotional material. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for this unique collaboration and look forward to working on this exciting Project.

Kind Regards Tony Jackson

www.butlersofmayfairevents.co.uk Tony Jackson Mobile +447958445717 Email: tonyjazziam@gmail.com

~I -1-

HOW ILEARNT TO CHAMPION MY OWN CHANGE REBECCA WEEF SMITH

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f}will be forever grateful to V, an exceptionally clever therapist I had in my early twenties who taught me that I was good enough. Good enough to feel that it was okay for me to take up space. Good enough to be alive. Good enough to take on board her wisdom and hear her voice in my head when I needed reminding that I am indeed good enough.

In order to reach that place I have had to become my own champion of change as V wasn't going to always be available. So how did I achieve that?

The first thing that came to mind when I thought about what is involved in being a champion of change was that all change must begin with a decision. A decision which will require us to choose between one path and another.

When I reflect on the choices I have made in my life, I am reminded of one of my existential heroes, Jean Paul Sartre, who said that 'Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself.'

We are the choices we make; from simple decisions like whether to wear shoes or boots, to complex ones with far reaching consequences, such as whom to marry.

I can choose how to shape my future. I am not determined by my past. What motivates me is forward looking; I imagine how I want my day to be and my actions fit with this image. If I want my life to be fit, healthy and active I make choices about what to eat and how much to exercise. And because I 'own' that choice, it is exciting and encourages me without feeling like a chore. Likewise if I make the choice to write 1000 words rather than take a walk I don't feel I am denying myself. I have chosen where to direct my energies. I have learnt along the way what stimulates me most, what I value in life, and use that knowledge to influence the choices I make. I may not always take a route that others would choose but that's part of the fun. It's my way.

When I take full responsibility for my actions I am excited by all the possible paths available to me. Yes there will always be things I can't do but in focusing on the things I can, my life is filled with immense joy, passion and purpose.

TURNINGPOINT YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR WELL -BEING

I made a decision many years ago to be my own champion of change. I learnt how to do that from a very wise woman who was my therapist for a number of years. I had mental health struggles as a teenager and in my early twenties these problems recurred with intensity. V was a kind, patient and dogmatic woman who was insistent that I could change my life around and helped me to devise my own blueprint for doing so. She asked me who I wanted to be and then inspired me to make the most of every day in order to become that person. She made me engage with life, to value and cherish every moment, every encounter along the way. I am not saying that I have never had mental health problems later in my life - I have - but this particular woman taught me to champion for ME. I learnt from V that we are all well-whole-balanced beings; we don't need to be fixed. We have all the internal resources we will ever need but along the way they may have been mislaid or buried, we merely need to find a way to reconnect with them in order to be our most authentic, healthy, happy self.

This was in the 1980s and whilst routed in an essentially humanistic therapeutic ideology, V was also what we called back then New Age. She drank herb teas, had 'josh sticks' burning in the counselling room and used creative visualisation to take me back through childhood trauma and come out the otherside 'reborn'. She taught me to love myself in a way I hadn't been shown as a child, not that I wasn't loved but that love was complicated, conditional and, ultimately, unhealthy.

V was talking about choice in how we see our world and the responsibility we have for that position, how we can develop attributes to increase our happiness, and how when we focus on the admirable strengths we possess we can flourish. This was long before positive psychology came into being. She was a magician when it came to generating change.

Because of this remarkable woman I was able to: Change the way I myself and the Ii about world. Change the way I myself and the world. Change the way I about myself and the world. Change the way I

OCTOBER 2018 I 72

PERSPECTIVE

When I chose to become a counsellor myself I had an internal model of a good enough counsellor in my head . I wanted to be able to take my clients on the self-same journey of discovery I had been through; to become their own personal champions of change; to help them to make the decisions they needed to implement change . When I asked a new client "How can I help?" I wanted to add "How can I help you to believe in YOU?" "How can I support you in your quest to not need external validation?"

I have developed an internal structure for promoting the essence of 'who I am' ; a unique, distinctive woman proactively engaging with the world, who can choose to stand on the side-lines and cheer for myself, whilst also standing up and shouting for others who haven't quite got there yet. I no longer counsel individual clients , as a positive psychologist I choose to use my skills to advocate for change outside the therapy room .

Currently that is championing change in the way we view ageing. The questions I ask are much the same - "How can I help us to become our own champions of change at this stage in our lives?" I may have a wider audience but the manner of coming up with answers isn't very different; I still carry V in my mind and always listens to her sage advice.

Rebecca is Editor of a fabulous magazine called GOLDIE magazine "a magazine about the kind of people we encountered who are living their life to the fullest and not letting age get in the way of having a good time. Those contrarians who don't play by the normal rules, the deviants who thrive in messy, changeable times and welcome ambiguity without fear, and the curious anarchists who think and act differently.

People like us." Goldie Media Pack 2018

magazineÂŽ

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