the magazine that looks after you

Issue 4 - Summer - 2008

THE MAGAZINE

GANGLAND
Is Preston going to same way

as Manchester and London?

We go from the Chief of Police
to the City Streets to find out.

BARBERSHOPCUP

Barbershop launches Prestons biggest

ever football tournament. And it was
bloody brilliant.

COMIC STRIP Junior steps out of hospital and into the heart of gangland
ON THE EDGE Every day the media tells us that a knife crime epidemic is sweeping

the country. But what is the truth behind the headlines?

editorial

Barbershop the Magazine

www.colourmind.co.uk
Published by:

The FreeRange collective

Soundskills
7-9 Lancliffe Rd
Brookfield, Preston
www.thefreerangecollective.com

Editor:

Tyrone King

Creative Director:

Chris Mason

Chrismason.ocd@live.com

Project Manager:

Tony Roberts

Sub Editor:
Chris Davis

Contributors:

Chris Davis, Tony Roberts,

Tyrone King, Jamie OConnor, Chris
Mason, Lawrence Taylor, Adam Bully,
Trevlyn Goldboune, Junior Archer,
Adrian Murrell, Zainab Dhukai, Hajra
Sardar,Pearly Gupta, Richard Lace,
Shaun Noteman

Photography:

Chris Davis, Chris Mason, Junior

Archer, Tony Roberts, Hajra Sardar,
Zainab Dhukai, Pearly Gupta,
Tyrone King Additional stock photos
courtesy of www.sxc.hu

With Thanks to:

Lancashire Police, Richard Bayly,

Nicky Evans, Mr Pond, Mr and Mrs
Hill, Dell Coke, Mrs King, Omar
Khan, Arif Patel, Gulab Singh,
Ashlie Richie, Theo Webber, Mark
Anderson, PlayFootball.net and, of
course, all the Barbershops

Special Thanks to

Davina Brown & Stephen Poleon for

their continued support with the
rewind project

The Barbershop Magazine

welcomes all information on

mens health, well being and
community activity, email us at
any1@colourmind.co.uk, or fill in
a comments sheet in your local
barbers
(c) Barbershop Magazine 2008.
All rights reserved

This magazine may not be reproduced, in whole or in part,

without written permission from Barbershop Magazine.
The views and opinions of individual contributors do not
necessarily reflect the views of Barbershop Magazine.
Although we endeavor to ensure that details are correct at
the time of going to press, details may vary or be subject
to change. Images and text within the magazine are the
property of their original creators and are used under
license.

contents
feature articles

Gangland ......................................................... 14

s the gang scene in Preston going the same way as Manchester

and London? And if so, what can be done about it? We go from
the Chief of Police to the City Streets in search of the answer.

Untold Stories ................................................ 20

Its 60 years since the Windrush docked in England, bringing
people from the Caribbean to these freezing shores. What made
people leave their tropical homes and settle on a small island in the
North Atlantic?

Impossible Decisions .................................. 18

Youre on the 100th floor of the WTC on 9/11. Flames are all around
you. You have no hope of rescue. Would you jump to certain
death? Or would you stay? We take a provocative look at suicide
and ask: why is no-one talking about it?

Barbershop Cup ............................................................................................... 44

Barbershop Magazine launches Prestons biggest ever football tournament.
And it was bloody brilliant.

Comic Strip

............................................................................................... 24

Junior steps out of hospital and into the heart of gangland, where the lure of
a beautiful woman ends in a kick-ass fight.

Something for the Weekend ........................................................................ 40

Barbershops have been around for over 6000 years. In the first of three
articles celebrating Barbershops, we look at their history and how theyve
become gossip central for men. ................................................................................. 10

Biggest Gang in Town

With their foot soldiers, uniforms and fast cars, what are the police
doing to reduce fear of crime? Read our exclusive interview with Chief
Superintendent Richard Bayly.
............................................................................................... 34

Rivers of Blood

Its 40 years since Enoch Powell made his explosive speech about
immigration. We take a look at the man, the speech and the legacy he left
behind.

Editors Rant

............................................................................................... 04

Masterclass

................................................................................................ 42

Tyrone King reckons he could have been the next Pele. Whatever.
How a Preston school has turned to the street to tackle exclusion.

Preston FM goes on air, 24/7 ....................................................................... 48

And this time, its full time.

NHS Baftas

................................................................................................ 08

Its official. Barbershop is the dogs bollocks

On the Edge

................................................................................................ 06

Behind the headlines of knife crime

Celebrity Breakdown ..................................................................................... 39

Why Amy Winehouse needs a good wash.

Prison Break

................................................................................................ 36

Kutting Krew

................................................................................................ 13

What happens to reduce re-offending when prisoners are released ? Not

bloody much, it seems. Except...
Zainab Dhukai spends the afternoon at the barbers.

Whats Going On? .......................................................................................... 32

Adrian Murrell investigates why young people are turning to gangs.

Editors Rant

editors
rant

Tyrone King
speaks out
about the
Barbershop
Cup and has
other stuff on
his mind.

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04

Editors Rant

Welcome to the 4th edition of the

Award Winning Barbershop. I will start
my rant by apologizing for the delay in
getting the magazine out. The reason
for the delay was due to the fact that
we have been listening to you, our
trusted readers, about the magazine
and we have taken those suggestions
on board. I hope that you like the
changes we have made in this issue.
Since the launch of the prison
edition of Barbershop, we have been
inundated with requests from other
areas who want Barbershop Magazine
in their towns and cities. We are now
working with Angela Simmonds and
David George from Birmingham to
launch Barbershop Birmingham in
September.
We have also been busy organising
the Barbershop football tournament
(more about that later!), and several
other projects. However, we hope that
our efforts will compensate for the
delay.
If youre still annoyed by the delay then
remember: Its free. So shut up and get
a life. Or better still contact me and get
involved! Only having a small editorial
team is a challenge for all involved in
producing Barbershop, so if you want
it delivering on time, then get in touch.
Cos although Barbershop is about well
being, its not a black magazine, or an
Asian magazine or a white magazine.

Any one can get into it. Its rather like

Chinese food, everyone eats it. So
thats the apology done and dusted.
Now back to editors thought or should
that be editors rant!
On the 8th June 2008, I came to realise
how the footballing gods of the calibre
of Pele, George Best, Thierry Henry
and Maradona feel while playing the
beautiful game. Naturally, I do not
process the speed, the first, second
or third touch of theses guys, but this
did not stop our opposition in the
Barbershop Cup targeting my good
self.
There is no video evidence with which
to sue, and I am sure that the ref was
being bribed. But believe me when I
say that I was kicked. Yes! KICKED.
Not tackled, but KICKED. I know that
this is so hard for you to believe. After
only 4 minutes of the second game I
had to retire injured.
I also have to say that I did not get
one ounce of sympathy, I can only
guess that my quality, skills, and goal
scoring celebrations were seen as a
major threat in the first game, where
Old Skool - Touch of Class won 4-0.
So those who did not have a chance
to watch true quality on the day will
have to wait till next years tournament.
Which will be even better. And which
we will win. By miles.
In the mean time I am in discussion
with one of the world biggest sports
distributors about my planned football
training DVD, entitled What You
Missed a Football Genius: Tyrone King
the Modern Day Pele. We are aiming
for a Christmas release date so you
had better get your orders in early as
it is bound to get sold out.
So what have we got install for you

in this issue? Well, first up - they

have been described by many in the
community as the biggest gang in
Preston, wearing their unique colours,
having armed foot soldiers and fast
cars with flashing blue lights. We were
given access to their main man Richard
Bayly and his Chief Inspector Nicky
Evans from Lancashire Constabulary
to discuss the issues of policing the
community, fear of crime, gang crime
and much more.
Also, as we celebrate the 60th
Anniversary of the NHS by winning
its top awards, we also celebrate the
untold stories of those first migrants
who came to this country, many of
them to work in the NHS, in the 40s
50s and 60s. The stories of people
who travelled to the mother country in
search of a better life.
I hope that you enjoy this issue and I
only ask that if youve got anything to
say, or want to get involved then PUT
UP or SHUT UP.
Tyrone King
Editor

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05

On the edge

on the edge

page

06

on the edge

Every day the

media tells
us that an
epidemic of
knife crime is
sweeping the
country. But

what is the
truth behind the
headlines?

It seems like everyone, from the media

and politicians, to the bloke in the pub,
thinks that Britain is on the edge of a
gun and knife crime epidemic. But
what is really going on? In this issue
of Barbershop, we go from the Chief
of Police to the city streets in search
of some answers. But first, lets have
a look behind the headlines.
In May this year, the Sun ran a frontpage headline about carnage on the
streets of London, and went on to list
the 14 fatal stabbings that had taken
place to date in the capital. Then, on
the 29th June, Ben Kinsella,
half-brother of East Ender actress

Brooke Kinsella, was killed on the

streets of Islington, sparking a public
outcry.
Politicians immediately jumped on
the bandwagon and started talking
tough. David Cameron spoke of a
broken society and of compulsory
prison sentences for anyone carrying
a knife. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith
unveiled new plans to teach young
people about what impact stabbing
has on its victims. Doctors called for
kitchen knives to have blunted tips.
A new multi-million pound media
campaign was launched, featuring
graphic photos of stab wounds.

In Preston, since february 2006 to

august 2008 their have been 18
discharges of firearms in preston.
In December, police woman Katie
Johnson was shot in the leg during an
armed raid on a pub. Two young men
were injured in a shooting on the Callon
estate in January and, in February,
David Cornall died after being stabbed
in the back in Ribbleton. A man was
shot in Deepdale in April and, in July,
another young man brought a small
army of police down on Ribbleton
whilst he ran around with a handgun.
A recent study found that one in five
teenagers carry a knife. Does all this
mean that we need to cower behind
our curtains in fear? Are we more at
risk now than ever before?
Official crime statistics, if you believe
such things, say that violent crime
is actually coming down both
nationally and locally. Both gun and
knife crime has gone down 14%, with
youth violence down by 7.7%. You
could argue that these figures are
massaged, or that crime is underreported. But murder is also down
15%, and its hard to see how those
figures can be manipulated.
However, the fact is that we dont
believe these numbers. The British
Crime Survey, which interviews
thousands of people nationally about
their perception of crime, shows that
fear of crime is going up. This leads
to a vicious cycle, where we are more
afraid of violent crime, so were more
likely to want to protect ourselves with
a knife. This means that were more
likely to be involved in a knife attack
because were the ones carrying the
damn things.
There was an incident in Nottingham
last year where a young lad called
Rickell Corey Patterson was carrying
a knife because he was scared out of
his wits by some other lads who were
threatening him. One day, Timothy
Smith, a 40 year old man, was riding
home on his bike from the library
when he accidentally bumped into
Patterson who, terrified, thought he

was being attacked. Instinctively, he

whipped out his knife and stabbed
the Timothy Smith in the chest, killing
him. Patterson was sent to prison for
14 years. This kind of nonsense has
to stop.
The problem is perception.
That
one in five teenagers study actually
found that only 1 in 100 teenagers
had carried a knife for the purpose for
an attack. The rest carried one for a
hobby or for self-defense. Four out of
five teenagers never carried a knife
at all. Put another way, the research
showed that 99% of teenagers have
no intention of stabbing anyone.
But that doesnt make for good
headlines. Death and carnage sells
newspapers. Thats a fact. But the
media has a responsibility to reflect
the world around us without distorting
it for commercial gain.
Do we think there is an epidemic
because there is one, or because the
media and politicians tell us there is
one. And since when did we trust the
media and politicians to tell us the
truth?
Because if violent crime is going
down, where have the media and our
politicians been for the past 15 years?
The answer lies not in the numbers of
people being attacked, but in the type
of people being attacked.
Black teenager Stephen Lawrence
was murdered at a bus stop in 1993.
A 1997 inquest ruled he had been
unlawfully killed in a completely
unprovoked racist attack by five white
youths. But despite an extensive
reinvestigation, his killers have never
been convicted.
The media only report things that are
out of the ordinary. The truth is that
Black on Black crime has been so
common across the country, that the
media has paid no attention to it. Its
only now that gun and knife crime has
seeped out of the Black communities
and the inner cities and into the
suburbs that the media is showing any
interest. And their lapdog politicians
are following suit, afraid that middle

England will have to suffer the kinds

of violence that has plagued the
ghettos for decades. This, in itself, is
criminal.
Also, its the capital. Is what happens
in the capital a problem because
thats where the media and politicians
are? Stuff has been going on in
Manchester and Liverpool for years,
but never captured media attention or
led to parliamentary debates.
But the real issue is not the knives
or the guns, but the reasons why
people feel the need to carry them.
Its no coincidence that violent crime
is highest in our more deprived areas
Deepdale, Ribbleton, Avenham,
Callon.
Knife and gun crime is a symptom of
poverty and deprivation. Politicians
should be be looking at providing
people in these areas with real
opportunities and hope, rather
than punishment and the threat of
imprisonment.

Its no
coincidence
that violent
crime is
highest in
our more
deprived
areas
Deepdale,
Ribbleton,
Avenham,
Callon.
page

07

NHS - The Awards

NHS - The awards

NHS Baftas
Barbershop wins the
Regional Winner

Inspiring

Earlier this year, over 2500 teams from

10 regions across England entered the
awards. In April, we won the North West
Regional award for Mental Health and
Wellbeing.
Tyrone King, who has been the driving
force behind the magazine, congratulated
everyone who has been involved.
Barbershops are cornerstones in
society, he said. We couldnt have
done this without the involvement of all
the barbers, the artists and community
groups who have supported the
magazine.
This award is for them, they are the
heart of the community and it is a delight
to work with them.

Local songwriter Theo Webber, whose

personal story featured in the first
issue, also joined the Barbershop
team at the awards ceremony. Its
great that the magazine is getting the
message out there, he said.
Barbershop inspired me to write
a song about mental health called
Any1, which is now on YouTube. Im
really glad to have been involved in its
success.
Tony Roberts has managed the
development of the magazine. He
said, Winning the NHS award is great
news for the community of Preston.
Barbershop has gone from strength
to strength over the last year. It has
been inspired and driven by the
community.

National Finalist

Its official. Barbershop is the dogs bollocks.

And you dont have to take our word for it.
Weve got two count em, two - certificates
to prove it. In July, the Department of Health selected

Barbershop Magazine to be a National Finalist in the

prestigious NHS Health and Social Care Awards.
The Health and Social Care Awards are the flagship awards of the Department of
Health. And with 2008 being the 60th anniversary of the NHS, this years awards
were particularly special.

page

08

All 10 regional winners were then

considered for the National finals, with
only the best 3 being selected to go
to the Finals at Wembley Stadium on
July 2nd.
As youll know, the cornerstone of
Barbershop magazine is our regular
comic-strip about real life problems.
Trevlyn Goulborne, whose comic
artwork inspired the first magazine,
said Working on the magazine is
brilliant. It gives me a chance to
develop my artwork and to learn about
issues of mental health. Ive learned a
load of new skills, which I can now
pass on to others so they can get
involved as well. Going to Wembley
Stadium was excellent and its great
to have been part of it.
Mark Anderson, who did the comic-art
for the second issue, was delighted to
join the team at the awards ceremony.
He said this award is great. Im really
proud to have been involved in the
magazine. Its made me more aware
of the mental health problems that
people face on a daily basis. Everyone
is really pleased.

Local Talent

Barbershop beat professors and

specialist treatment services to get
to Wembley. Were delighted that
the NHS has recognised the value of
working together with local people,
who are the most talented and
committed people Ive ever worked
with. This just shows what you can do
when you really engage with the local
community.
The North West Director of Public
Health Dr Ruth Hussey told us
that she was extremely proud that
Barbershop had won the NW award
and been selected for the National
Finals. Barbershop is an amazing
piece of work, she said. You deserve
the recognition. I was really proud to
see you representing the North West
at Wembley.
Now others are asking us to replicate
Barbershops success across the
country. Teams in Birmingham, Stoke,
Teesside, Wirrel and many other places
have contacted us, all wanting us to
do Barbershop in their communities.

page

09

the biggest gang in town

the
biggest gang
in town
When it comes to gangs, the
police are often thought of as
the biggest gang in Preston.
What are they doing to
engage with local communities
to change this perception?
Barbershop magazine was given an
exclusive interview with Chief
Superintendent Richard Bayly and
Chief Inspector Nicky Evans to find out.

What have been the major changes

to policing over the years?

Richard Bayly: Where do I start?

Obviously there has been lots of
changes in legislation over the years,
some problems have changed some
problems have intensified. 24 years
ago, when I started in Rawtenstall, we
only had a couple of drug dealers and
maybe ten, fifteen people who took
drugs. We didnt have the problem
with knives, offensive weapons or gun
crime that we have today.
Back then, we didnt engage with the
community the same as we do now. We
only had community meetings when
things had gone horribly wrong. We
had community beat mangers of a sort
but it wasnt the same commitment as
it is now. Things have moved on and
we have better resources and more
commitment now.
As a constabulary, we have really
come along. Look at the last 10 years
and we have really driven forward. Its
about reassurance and about reducing

the fear of crime. However we are not

naive enough to think that we have
cracked it and all the problems are
solved.
Nicky Evans: I think for me the main
changes have been around technology.
All our logs and phone calls are
recorded and its more ethical. It has
enabled officers to research areas
before they go out and it helps them
to find out whats gone on.

What are the main issues of

concern facing the community
today?

Richard Bayly: Issues that concern

the communities are around social

behaviour, quality of life issues and
minor disorders, such as kids kicking
footballs, dogs fouling footpaths and
people speeding.
All of these issues affect the quality
of life of the communities. We are
rarely given negative feedback around
murders, rapes or serious violent
crimes. Most complaints are around
low level anti-social behaviour.

What do you mean by a fear of

crime?

Richard Bayly: Our research shows

that people of 35 and upwards say
that they fear coming into Preston on
a Saturday night because they think
they will be attacked, robbed or there

the biggest gang in town

will be a lot of drunken disorder. Our

statistics show that they are actually
the safest group of people.
If you question people between 18 to
24, they say its alright, that there is
no fighting and that its a great place.
They dont feel threatened, but our
statistics show that they are more
likely to get into trouble or end up
being a victim.
So what I mean by fear of crime is
about people thinking that they cant
go down town because they have a
perception about it from what they
have read in a newspaper or heard on
the news.
We do accept that the fear of crime
is a very real issue, and we do
need to work on that through our
engagement with people in the wider
areas of Preston. Papers are there to
provide information, but a lot of the
misconceptions are about the way in
which crime is reported.

How do you think you are perceived

in the community?

Richard Bayly: I think there is still a lot of

distrust, a lot of suspicion and a lot of
anecdotal perceptions going around
that the police pick on people. We
do have our African Caribbean issues,
and we know there are perceptions
about how we approach people and
how we conduct our pace ones (stop
and search).
When something happens in London,
we are all tarred with the same
brush. However, we havent had a
complaint from a black member of the
community for over six months. But
we dont know if that is because they
dont trust us or if we are providing a
good service. Thats why we need to
engage more and more and hopefully
get some feedback.
There is a genuine commitment to
improve our service and engage
better with our communities. Our
recognition of our faults has improved,
around community engagement and
our approach to diversity. I think those
are the things we have shifted our
attentions to, to improve our service.
Continue>

page

10

page

11

the biggest gang in town

We are putting vast amounts resources

into it, but we are still a long way from
where we need to be.

How does the ethos you have get

through to your foot soldiers on the
ground?

Nicky Evans: It is all very well providing

a principle for officers to work by but if

thats not getting across to the people
they work with, then we need to work
on that. Again, thats where we need
the feedback from the community.

How are the new emerging

communities affecting
the way you police?

Richard Bayly: We havent had any

significant changes as such. The

difficulties are sometimes practical,
such as not understanding each others
language, and some cultural issues.
The largest community we have had
here recently is the Polish community,
but we have had a Polish community
in Preston for over 50 years.
Nicky Evans: Its about mapping where
they are and working with them. We
need to provide the information they
need in their own language, not only
for the services and help they need,
but also for the legislations we have
here. We now have Polish-speaking
members of staff. We need to make
the Polish community realise that we
are not against them and we are here
to help.

How many of your 324 officers are

from the Black and Minority Ethnic
communities?

Richard Bayly: In Preston, we have 11

PCs, no sergeants and two inspectors.

Across Lancashire, we have 88
officers at the rank of constable, 13 of
sergeant and above, 5 inspectors, and
one chief inspector who is BME.
Nicky Evans: We are running a pilot,
which is looking at training some of
our community managers to identify
potentials recruits for the future. We
mentor these recruits and explain to
them about the organisation and try to
get them join the police force.

page

12

I think there is
still a lot of distrust, a
lot of suspicion and
a lot of anecdotal
perceptions going
around that the police
pick on people.

Chief Superintendent Richard Bayly Lancashire Constabulary

a special thanks to
Chief Superintendent
Richard Bayly
and
Chief Inspector Nicky
Evans
for making this interview
happen

Kutting
Krew
Barbers
shops are a
bit of a mans
world. So

after a deep breath,

Barbershop
magazines Zainab
Dhukai went to
spend some time
chatting to Khalid,
Salim and the
customers at
Kutting Krew to find
out what makes
them special
When did you start up?
Khalid: 27th July 1998

What kind of ethnicity/background

are your customers from?
Khalid: Everyone. All colours Anyone.
They all come here. I have got an age
range from newborn babies to 80+
years old.

What do you think is meant by

mental health?

Richard (82 years old customer)

Mental health is something that tells

me I am still ok at 82 years old. Or at
least I think I am

Do your customers chat and

banter when they are here?

a barbershop profile - Kutting Krew

What do you think stresses men

out?
Salim: Well, you find a lot of foreign
immigrants who come here to get
married and soon as they get here they
are burdened with big responsibilities
like a massive mortgage. A lot is to do
with marriage problems and interfering
in-laws! I think the biggest cause for
mens problems is financial stress.
Especially nowadays everything is too
expensive and we just cant live that
lifestyle.

So what is the solution?

Khalid: Well, a lot of customers talk and

Salim: Compromise I guess.

some just dont want to talk at all and

will sit here and the only thing they say
to me is short back and sides!
But I think when they are on their own
they talk more.

Khalid: I think men need more of a

social life. Many boys nowadays just
sit at home playing computer games
and watching T.V they need to get out
meet their friends and do activities
that will allow them to talk. We all
need a bit of stress I think it keeps you
healthy or you do go pagal (mad).
Men are not as emotional as women
they dont talk and there is nothing
wrong with that.

What kind of issues do your

customers talk to you about?
Khalid: There are different issues for
different people and it depends why
they are here. Some come to get their
hair done before a funeral and some
come to get it done before a wedding
and that will tell me what kind of mood
they will be in!

Why do you think men do not

access health services?
Khalid: Well I dont go myself because I
have to wait so long for an appointment
and when I do go to the doctor they
dont talk to me and just give me a
prescription and send me away.
Salim: The doctors just dont listen,
they are just good at giving you
panadol! And you get no answers to
your problems so whats the point?
Richard: Men dont go to doctors
because they think they dont need
it.

So what makes Barbershops

different?
Khalid: Because its the right place.
Its not like a grocery shop where you
pay your money and leave. Some
customers sit here for an hour and
it does them good to pick up the
magazine and read and learn about
mental health. Barbershops are places
where men will wait and they can talk if
they want to or just sit here and relax.

How was the response for the

Barbershop Cup 2008?
Khalid: We entered 8 teams from here
and they were still asking for more
forms. It got too much for me so I had
to take the poster down!

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13

Gangland

Part 1: The Police

GANGLAND

Gangland

page

14

Gun crime, drug dealing and

gangs have previously been
big city problems. But is
Preston becoming the new
Manchester, Liverpool or
London? Is this what it
means to be the Third City of
the North West?

Barbershop magazine goes from the

Chief of Police to the City Streets to
find out the size of the problem, whats
causing it and most importantly, what
can be done to stop it.
The Chief of Police

Wannabes

Not all groups of young people are

gangs. The police often get reports
from the public about gangs of
youths hanging around on the corner,
but its generally just a group of youths
spending time together, not a gang.
According to Chief Superintendent
Richard Bayly, there are about 14 real
gangs in Preston. These guys are
involved in car crime, drug dealing
and violence. These are gangs with a
real hierarchy. They are organised and
they have purpose.

But that doesnt mean the police

shouldnt try to nail them, as Mr Bayly
explained.
Although some have
now been replaced, there are quite
a number that havent. If we have
stopped a house that was having 50
cars a night pulling up outside and
being used as a drugs den, then we
have done a good thing. We are not
saying that we have stopped the
drugs completely. We are not saying
it will never come back. But we have
shown the community that we will not
accept this behaviour anymore.

At the top of the gang hierarchy are

the Players. These are the guys who
organise their members, getting other
people to do their deals. One of the
problems with policing these Players
is that for every one that gets sent
down, three or four are lined up to
replace him.

A major concern in the community is

that people think suspected criminals
will be quickly banged up. The public
get frustrated that the police dont
seem to be doing anything.
Chief Inspector Nicky Evans shares
their concerns. When a problem
is reported, people think it will be

Players

solved straight away. But when an

investigation is going on, it takes
a long time to get the evidence we
need to put somebody away. We cant
always share the information we find
with the general public, and I think
that is why sometimes they think that
we are doing nothing.
There is also a difference between
information and hard evidence, which
isnt always understood. Sometimes
information is very important from an
intelligence point of view. It gives us
clear pictures of peoples behaviour,
which can assist us in our operations.
But in order to remove them from the
streets, we need hard evidence. We
need people to say they saw the crime
and to provide a statement.
This is where the police and the local
communities need to work together,
to build up trust. If people in the
community stand up to these people,
said Mr Bayly, it will be possible
to get rid of them. We have had
specific assaults in Preston where an
entire street has refused to give us
evidence.

Sending People Down

Some gang members are at the heart

of criminal activity, whereas others
spend their time hanging around the
edges, impressed by the lifestyles of
those at the top.
There are young people on the verge
of criminality, Mr Bayly said. A lot of
the youths are wannabes. They see
what the hierarchy in these gangs
have and want the power. Theyre
impressionable and they want the
very nice life style that some of these
people enjoy.
These wannabes may not be a danger
now, but they are certainly a threat to
the future. Its important to get in early
to divert them from involvement with
gangs.
These are the kids we want to work
with and to try and show them that
this is not the way. We want to show
them they need to go back to school
and that crime doesnt pay. But its

hard for us to divert young people

from gangs when they see an X5 or a
Mercedes driving down the street.

Two Pronged Approach

Tackling gangs in Preston requires

a two pronged approach as Nicky
Evans explains There are two sides.
One side is dealing with the actual
drug dealers and stopping them. And
the other side is concentrating on the
young 8 to 10 year olds who are the
future, and teaching them that there
is another way. This will hopefully
in five years cause less dealing and
criminality.
So is Preston heading in the same
direction as Manchester and other
major cities? Richard Bayly doesnt
think so. We are not a London or a
Birmingham, because of the work we
do. We have reacted quickly and we
are working with our partners. All of
those cities made the mistake of not
working with their partners quickly
enough. We believe and hope we
have got in early enough, and all signs
indicate that we have. Its about the
community work and working with
other groups to get through to these
young people.
Continue to the streets>

Its hard to divert young

people from gangs when
they see an X5 or a Mercedes
driving down the street
he - Chief of Police

page

15

Gangland

Part 2: The Streets

GANGLAND

Gangland

page

16

Turf Wars

The effect of drug dealing,

gangs and gun crime is felt
most in the communities
themselves. This year, there
has been a number of
shootings, stabbings and
violent assaults in Preston.
We talked to people working in these
communities about what needs to
change.
A Major City Problem
We need to bring back hope, says
Omar Khan, who has been working
with young people in Preston for
over 10 years. He sees first hand
the impact that unemployment and
deprivation has on young people,
and he is concerned that if things
dont change soon, the situation
will get worse. Preston is heading
towards Manchester, Liverpool and
London, he said. Is that what we
want? Change takes time, money and
hope.
No police authority wants to have a
gun problem, Preston now has more
and is beyond the tipping point. In the
first 6 months of 2008 we have had 18
instances of gun discharge. That is a
major City problem
As with other cities, the rise of gang
related incidents is clearly related to

drug dealing, which Arif Patel knows

all too well. He served time for dealing
and is now working to prevent other
people from following in his footsteps.
In the old days we used to go to
somebodys house to buy the drugs,
he said. Drugs used to be controlled
by a few families and you knew not to
mess with them. But now it is possible
to buy them from a sixteen-year-old
kid on the street corner. Nowadays
the kids just dont care.
Getting drugs off the streets isnt just a
priority for the police, its a priority for
the communities as well. We want
drugs off the street just as much as the
police do, Omar told us. They need
to get into the schools and get into the
communities and youth groups and
start to educate the kids. They need
to understand who is responsible for
selling the drugs in our communities.

Gangs in Preston have developed

around specific areas of the city.
This means that many young people
are wary of moving around Preston.
Adrian Murrell has been working with
young people in areas like Avenham
and Frenchwood to overcome this.
Young people from one area of
Preston wont mix with those from
another. Some of them are afraid to
cross Manchester Road because
it means theyre in someone elses
patch. They get nervous and go
quiet.
I know several young people who
wont even go to Preston College
because its too far out of their
comfort zone. Theyre not getting the
opportunities that are there for them,
because theyre too scared to move
around the city
The recent merger of Tulketh and
Fulwood schools could bring issues
that the authorities hadnt thought of,
according to Omar Now the gangs
from Tanterton and Ingol are mixing
with gangs from Fishwick, Callon and
Deepdale. Its a time bomb waiting to
go off. That wasnt considered when it
was decided to close them down.

Getting to the Cause

Gangs and drug dealing are

concentrated most in the deprived
areas of the city, which have more than
their fair share of problems already.
Dealers are not going to white
affluent middle class areas and selling
it, said Arif. Places like Deepdale
and Avenham have always been on
the fringes of high unemployment,
bad education and bad health. What
choice do the kids have? What can we
do?
Although millions of pounds have
been spent on regeneration in recent
years, Arif isnt convinced its had
a major impact on the real issues.
Making the houses look nice on the
outside doesnt make a difference
inside. 2.3 million young people in this
country live under the poverty line,

and we are the fifth richest nation in

the world. Nobody is talking about
the mental health issues and drugs
and education. We dont need new
double-glazing, that doesnt help the
unemployment, drugs and underlining
issues.

Hope and Passion

Most kids want to do something with

their life, Arif said. They dont want
to be a drug dealer. We need to bring
back apprenticeships, bring back role
models, bring back hope, and watch
how the community grows.
The key to change, said Omar, is in
starting early and getting into the heart
of the community. There is hope in
our community, he said, and not all
young people are anti-social, but they
are being stigmatised as hoodies and
yobs. We start football at age five, and
then when they get to teenagers we
start to talk to them about guns and
drugs and try to make them aware.
A lot of young people are involved in
petty things and we try to nip it in the
bud before they go down that road.
It is the services that the city council
have provided that are hard to reach,
not our kids.
Arif believes that the authorities need

to stop assuming that they know what

is best for local communities and work
closer with local people. Luckily
the new chief superintendent has
acknowledged that we have an issue
and that something needs to be done.
However, at the moment Preston City
Council has not a clue of the issues
young people face. They used to
look at the young Asian population
and think, they go to school, go to
mosque, open a business. They do
well. They are all right they will look
after themselves
The council, they just sit there and
celebrate
multi-culturalism
and
diversity in Preston, but they dont
realise what is brewing at the bottom.
They still think that anti-social
behaviour is caused by a lack of things
to do, boredom and hanging around.
They are sending outreach workers
who are from university and middle
class. They cannot reach these kids
on their level.
We need people from the street
who have come from the same
environment and know the issues
theyre facing. We dont need youth
workers, we need people who are
passionate about making a change in
our communities.

Change takes time, money

and hope.

page

17

Impossible Dicisions

Impossible Dicisions

Suicide is a topic
surrounded by
stigma and
shame. Everyone
knows about it
but nobody talks
about it.
So we thought wed
ask Tony Roberts, the
Suicide Prevention lead
for Central Lancashire
PCT to start an
argument.

impo
s
decis sible
ions

page

18

Picture the scene. Youre on the 100th

floor of the World Trade Centre on 9/11.
The building is burning around you.
The heat is intense. There is no way
out and no hope of rescue. You know
with certainty that today is your last
day. But you have a choice. Do you
stay in the building to be consumed
by the fire and smoke, or do you take
action and jump from the window?
I put this question to some colleagues
and they all said they would stay in
the building. Interestingly, each of
them had a different reason their
religion, a refusal to give up hope, and
the thought that if they stayed, then
someone else would be to blame for
their death.
I was the only one who would have
jumped. More on that later.
After 9/11, the New York coroner said
no-one jumped from the World Trade
Centre. People were blown out, or
forced out. But no-one jumped. We
dont say that people jumped.
Like many people, I watched the events
of 9/11unfold on live TV. That people
deliberately jumped to certain death
is beyond doubt. The picture of the
Falling Man appeared in newspapers
across the world the day after 9/11,
but has not been seen since.
Why do we deny it? Is it because we
are ashamed? Or is it because the
picture and the thought of jumping
forces us to ask the very question
that I put to my colleagues? It forces
us to confront our own worst fears.
If we had a choice between a life of
insufferable pain or a quick and early
death, what would we choose?
Though the Falling Man has never
been formally identified, he is believed
to be Jonathan Briley, a sound
engineer from the Windows on the
World resaurant. Years afterwards,
his sister spoke of his deep religious
beliefs and how his faith might have
been the reason he jumped. Did he
believe, so strongly in his heart, she
said, that if he jumped, he knew that
God would catch him
But not all suicides happen on live TV.

Most are very private, desperate and

lonely acts. But it still seems strange
to me that, we are quite able to talk
openly about violence and murder, but
not suicide.
On average, about 600 people are
murdered every year in England. Yet
each year, over 5000 people take their
own lives. Suicide is the biggest single
cause of death for men under the
age of 35. And for every completed
suicide, over 100 more people make
a serous attempt. Thats half a million
people every year. And yet we dont
talk about it in anything other than
hushed tones or sensational media
headlines.
A few years ago, the local media in
Preston covered a suicide on the
railway in Preston. The story ran
details of the incident, along with
location and news of a broken fence.
Within a couple of weeks, two more
identical suicides had taken place on

each year, in
england, over
5000 people
take their own
lives.
the same section of track.
A recent episode of Casualty featured a
suicide attempt involving paracetamol
and alcohol. In the following week
A&E departments across the country
reported a 17% increase in similar
attempts.
In Bridgend, Wales, there has been a
string of suicides by young people in
the last 12 months. The media has
been all over the town, looking for
links. A local businessman even put
up a 5000 reward for evidence of
a suicide chat-room connecting the
deaths.
What role do media play in promoting
or preventing suicide? Well, if were

incapable of talking about it, then the

media is our only way of finding out
about it. Has the media affected the
suicides in Bridgend? Or is it more
to do with the fact that Bridgend is
a deprived area where young people
have little hope or opportunity?
Suicide, for many people, is an escape
from an insufferable situation. There
is a short line of railway in Southall,
West London, which accounts for one
third of all suicides on the railways
in England and Wales. What makes
this unique is that the people taking
their lives on this track are nearly
all south Asian women who have
suffered years of domestic abuse. To
them, the prospect of confronting the
abuser or leaving the household is
more unimaginable than the prospect
of being dead. Surely, there has to be
an alternative.
But we are only ever going to find
those alternatives by confronting
the issue and discussing it head on.
Which brings me back to the question
of 9/11. Why would I have jumped?
It is my view that it is everyones right
to determine the manner of our own
demise. Personally, I would prefer to die
flying through clean air, than burning in
agony. However, many people believe
that our deaths should be passive something that happens to us, rather
than something we control. Some
people believe that only God can
decide when our time is up, whereas
others are incurably optimistic, and
see hope in everything.
I do not say I am right, only what I
believe. Feel free to disagree. Because
it is only by talking and arguing and
disagreeing that we can understand.
And only by understanding can we
make sure that suicide is no longer
kept under wraps.
Because I also believe that we can do
more much much more to support
and protect our friends, family and
comrades, so that they never have to
be in a situation where they have to
face such impossible decisions.

page

19

Rewind - A look back in town

Rewind - A look back in time

Untold
Stories

Its 60 years
since the
Windrush
docked in
England,
bringing
people from the
Caribbean to
these freezing
shores. What

made people leave

their tropical homes
and settle on a small
island in the North
Atlantic?

rewind

In 1948, an advert appeared in

a Jamaican newspaper offering
cheap transport on the Empire
Windrush for anybody who
wanted to come and work in the
UK.
At that time, there were no
restrictions on immigration for
citizens of the British Empire
moving around the colonies.
This prompted many people to
move from the West Indies and
the colonies to England.
On 22 June 1948, the Windrush
docked at Tilbury, near London,
carrying 492 passengers from
Jamaica wishing to start a new
life in the United Kingdom.
Since the Windrush, over three
quarters of a million people
from the Caribbean have either
settled or been born in England.
Yet very little is known about
their stories.
Rewind is a reminiscence
project working with the older
Caribbean
community
in
Preston. The project aims to
produce a collection of books
detailing the lives of people who
migrated to England from the
West Indies. The books explore
why they made the long journey
to a place they had been told
was the Mother Country, what
made them stay and how things
have changed?

Coming to England
Mr Pond arrived from Montserrat in
1959 to join his family, who had settled
in Preston. Like many others, he said
hed only intended to stay for a couple
of years, I can guarantee that 95%
of people my age, that came from the
Caribbean, would say that they never
intended to stay here for more than 2
years.
Over the next 20 years, thousands
of people made the journey, some to
find work, others to be with family.
For some, coming to England was an
exciting time, as Mr Hill found on his
three week long sea voyage in 1963.
It was a good crack on the boat,
he said. Everybody was happy to
be coming over to England. There
was always something going on, like
a party or music. Everybody got on
really well and there was never any
trouble. I just joined in and I had a
really good time
Mr Pond, also came over by boat. I
came on a ship called the SS Ascania,
he explained. We thought that these
were huge liners in those days. We
now know that they were just barges.
But it was an enjoyable experience,
at age 18, sailing across the Ocean,
being fed every day and having a good
laugh with your friends at night.
When Mrs King left Jamaica in 1962,
it was a party occasion. The big day
came for me to leave Jamaica,. My
friends and family came to see me off.
Some were crying, but I was happy
because I thought I was going to a
land of paradise. Like others, she
wasnt expecting to stay. I thought
to myself I wouldnt be there for long,
only for five years. Five years would
be more than enough for me.

No Choice

For others, the journey was not such

fun and games. Dell Coke was told
that she would be leaving her family

in Jamaica to start a new life with

her auntie in England. I didnt have
a choice. she said. It was decided
without consultation with me. My aunt
was living in England and she didnt
have any children. In those days they
wouldnt consult with children. You
just did what you where told.
Dells family thought that they were
doing the right thing It was thought
that it would be better for me because
England was seen as the mother
country back then. However, far
from being excited at moving to
England, Dell was distraught, I was
devastated she said. I didnt want to
leave. The morning I left I cried my
eyes out.
The journey for Dell was just as
distressing. She was sick on the
boat for three weeks and her Auntie
wouldnt allow her to mingle or party
with the other passengers. However,
she did get to sit and have dinner with
the captain each night.

Freezing Cold

Arriving in England proved to be a

big shock for most people. The first
thing that hit them was, of course, the
weather.
Mrs King arrived in the middle of
November, dressed for the Caribbean
weather. I never thought of winter or
how cold it would be, she recalled.
I arrived in England on the 13th
November and landed at Gatwick
airport. I was wearing a lovely linen
dress but I nearly froze to death as it
was very cold and I was not prepared
for that type of weather.
Dell arrived later the same winter. It
was the 10th of February 1963, she
explained. It was really dark and it
was snowing. I remember asking my
auntie what it was. It was so cold. I
really dont remember much else,
apart from the small lights in peoples
houses. I dont even remember who

picked us up. My thoughts were all

mixed up. I had left home, all of my
family and everything I knew. And I
was just confused.
Working in such cold weather was
an alien experience for Mr Hill. I
remember when I was working
picking up the timber, even though I
had gloves on I could still feel the cold
through them. Thats when I used to
wish I was back home.
I remember how cold it was, said
Mrs Hill. I used to look outside the
window and be shocked that we had
to scrap the ice from the window
panes outside.

Everybody
was happy
to be coming
over to
England

Mr Hill

a look back in time

page

20

page

21

Rewind - A look back in town

Rewind - A look back in time

Digging Deep

morning after 7 hours on the train. It

was dark and you could feel the smog,
you could taste it; it was gloomy. I was
not happy. I could not imagine that
people lived in a climate like this.

As well as the cold, it was also a

frightening experience, as Mr Pond
explained. When I first arrived at
Southampton, I felt frightened and
isolated. In my own Island, I was big
man. Finding myself in this country,
with no one to help me and no one I
knew, I had to dig deep to get myself
through it.
Even getting around on public transport
was bewildering. I had been told in a
letter what I had to do, he said. I had
to get on the train, but because trains
are non-existent in the Caribbean, I
just watched everybody else and saw
what everybody else was doing. It was
not a pleasant feeling.
Mr Ponds first impression of Preston
was even more gloomy. I arrived in
Preston at about 4a.m. on a Saturday

Settling In

Settling in to a new life in England

brought new challenges.
Dell
explained that, whist she got on well
with others at school, there were
cultural differences that made things
awkward. I enjoyed school, she
said. But I found it difficult when
people would say one thing to your
face then another behind your back,
because in Jamaica people tell you
what they think of you to your face.
However, things changed when she
moved from London to Preston to
take up a career in nursing. I came
here in 1967, just four years after I
had left Jamaica. I never had any
racism until I came to Preston. At the
school in London we mixed very well.
When I got to Preston and I went to
work at the hospital I suffered a lot of
racism. People who started after me
would get promoted and be taught

new things where I wouldnt. Some

patients wouldnt let me treat them at
all. Preston was lonely and slow and I
really wanted to go back to London.
Mr Pond started work at Tulketh
Cotton factory. Basically, I was just
cleaning up. I just wanted a job and I
just cleaned around the looms. There
were no other black workers there, I
was the only one. The young ladies
were quite inquisitive, and they more
or less adopted me. They all brought
me lunch, and I enjoyed it, I enjoyed
their company, but the foreman did
not think it appropriate. I was there for
one month, and then I was given my
marching orders simply because I was
too friendly with the young girls.
I then joined the regular army in
1961 to excel myself. I was a rocket
technician, and worked on the
American Honest John rocket, which
is a 762mm ground to air missile. In
the whole of the British Army, I was
number two on the list and yet I was
a gunner, and they never promoted
me. They never gave me the chance.
I only served for 3 years because of
the racial nonsense.

I could not imagine that people

lived in a climate like this

page

22

40 years on
Its now over 40 years since many of
them arrived in the city. Determined
that they would one day return home,
some, like Mr Hill, only threw out their
original suitcases recently. England is
our home, he told us. Even though
we were born in the West Indies, all
of our children were born here and we
have lived here more than half of our
lives. We wouldnt say we were English
though, because we were born in the
West Indies and we wouldnt change
our heritage. We are half and half.
So, with everything theyve been
through over the years, do they have
any regrets? Dell explained how she
had mixed feelings. When I look back
at my life, I regret leaving my brothers

and sisters and the life I had. I have

achieved things here but I still regret
coming. I think sometimes my sisters
have done much better than me, but
we have done well here. I think if I had
stayed at home I would have done
more.
Having been forced to leave her family
back in Jamaica 45 years ago, Dell has
vowed she will not be parted from her
family in England. I would go home if
it wasnt for my children. Now there is
no way I could go home and leave my
children. I want to be here if they get ill
or they needed me.
Mr Pond said he would do things
differently if he knew then what he
knows now. My intention was to
earn some money and then to go

back home, he explained. However,

he says things change and people
settle down, even though they never
intended. I met this young lady
and people change, people get into
societies, no matter how bad it is
either way, to settle down. I am no
different to the thousands or millions
who, when they first arrive here felt
sad, but after a while they blended
into what was going on.

We wouldnt say we were English

we are half and half
Mr Hil

Mr Pond

23

page

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24
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25

Juniors back

page

26

page

27

page

28

page

29

page

30

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31

Whats going on?

by Adrian Murrel

whats going on?

Whats going on?

page

32

For the last four years Ive

been researching about the
Guns and Gang Culture, it
was after I asked a young
boy of seven What do you
want to be when you grow
up?, and he replied A
Gangsta . He then made
a sign of a gun and started
running off shouting blap
blap blap. I thought to
myself Whats Going On?
Which then reminded me of Marvin
Gayes 1970s hit. When you listen to
the lyrics or read them 38 years on,
they are still so very powerful and can
relate with whats going on in today
society.
Mother, mother
Theres too many of you crying

Brother, brother, brother

Theres far to many of you dying

You know weve got to find a way

To bring some love here to day
- marvin gaye

Whose to blame for it all?

Parents? Teachers? Youth
Workers?
Music?
Films?
America? Society? What we
need to find out is whats
happened to these young
people thats made them so
angry? Why are they so ready
to use weapons?
In my research Ive watched hours,
and hours of dvds, Ross Kemp on
Gangs, Scarface, Menace 2 Society,
Goodfellows, Kidadulthood just to
name a few. When I sat down with
a group of black teenagers, and
watched Menace 2 Society, the
character O-Dog came on, he was
described as the craziest nigga alive,
Americas nightmare, young, black,
and dont give a fuck . I remember
the group smiling with admiration for

the character, and I thought shit they

like him. 20 years earlier I watched
Scarface also with a black group, I
remember everyone laughing when
he said the now infamous lines say
ello to my little friend. We laughed
way back then too, but it didnt seem
as sinister as it did when we watched
Menace 2 Society. Maybe because
Tony Montana was a little guy from
Cuba, you couldnt really relate to
him the same way as the group could
relate with O-dog.
I asked a group of black young people
aged 17-24 What do you want out of
life? They gave the answer most young
people give me. They dont know.
When I dug a little deeper I found out
that this group had all left school with
no qualifications. They didnt believe
in themselves. They dont believe that
anybody believes in them.They didnt
expect anymore than they have now,
and that they dont believe they have
a choice.
If young people feel like this so early

in life no wonder theyre angry. So I

ask the question again, Whats going
on? When I asked them what would
they do now if they could, they said
go on a progamme that will help build
some confidence, a second chance
in education, and meeting black men
who are successful. Now to me thats
not alot to ask for, so for me if we dont
act on this now, were going to have a
generation of O-Dogs on
our hands.

page

33

rivers of blood

Enoch Powel

rivers of blood

rivers of blood

page

34

high in many cities and politicians

didnt seem to know what to do about
it. Into the breach stepped Enoch
Powell.

and who had actively encouraged

immigration. Why was he now saying
that these same people should go
home?

Depending on your views, Enoch

Powell was either a brilliant statesman
or a racist bastard. Either way, there
is no doubt that he was an educated
man. He was a poet and a scholar,
with a top class degree in Latin and
Greek from Cambridge. He was also
a firm believer of the British Empire,
which over the previous 200 years had
spanned the globe. But was he really
racist?
Powell had spent several years in India
and spoke fluent Urdu. He would ask
his Asian constituents if they preferred
to talk to him in English or their mother
tongue.
Powell also believed in fair treatment
and high standards of behaviour. In
1959, he spoke out against atrocities
committed by British forces in Africa,
saying We cannot say We will have
African standards in Africa, Asian
standards in Asia and perhaps British
standards here at home. We must be
consistent with ourselves everywhere.
We cannot, we dare not, in Africa of
all places, fall below our own highest
standards in the acceptance of
responsibility.
In 1960, as Health Secretary, he had
been out to the West Indies and
South Asia, encouraging people
to come to England to work in the
understaffed NHS. He also called for
better treatment of people with mental
illness and started developing more
humane, community-based mental
health services.
Throughout the 60s, he supported
the West Indians and Asians in his
Wolverhampton constituency. In fact,
in 1964, he said, I have set and
always will set my face like flint against
making any difference between one
citizen of this country and another on
grounds of his origin.
So here was a man who seemed
opposed to racial discrimination,
promoted equal and fair treatment

The words Rivers of Blood were

never actually used by Powell in the
speech. He said, quoting the Roman
poet Virgil, As I look ahead, I am filled
with foreboding; like the Roman, I
seem to see the River Tiber foaming
with much blood.
Powell
said
that
unchecked
immigration was insane and that
bringing in the new Race Relations
Act, which would have outlawed racial
discrimination in employment and
housing, would be to risk throwing a
match on to gunpowder.
What made him change his tune? One
theory is that it was done simply for his
own political gain. Three years earlier,
he had lost the race to become leader
of the Conservative party, and lost
badly. After the speech, he became a
public figure with huge support. But
he was also out of a job, as the very
next day Tory leader Edward Heath
removed him as shadow defense
secretary.
Another theory is that Powell only
supported immigration for as long as
it was useful to Britain and the empire.
He was quite happy for people from
across the empire to come and work
in Britain. However, when those same
citizens began to arrive in Britain and
claim citizenship, the ideal was less
appealing.
Powell concluded his speech at the
Midland Hotel by declaring: To see,
and not to speak, would be the great
betrayal. But who was being betrayed?
Britain? The Empire? Or the doctors,
nurses, labourers and workers he had
invited to come to Britain from across
the Commonwealth.
He was betraying everyone, of every
colour, who believed that diversity
could enrich as well as threaten a
nation. Because Powells beloved
England now relied on the very men
and women he was selling out for his
own political gain.

The Man

In April 1968, Enoch Powell

made his famous Rivers of
Blood speech possibly the
most explosive speech of all
time. It has been used ever since
to justify racial discrimination
and calls for non-whites to go
home40 years on, Barbershop takes a

look back at the man, the speech and the

legacy he left behind.
Explosive Timing
For maximum impact, Powell couldnt
have timed his speech better. Just 16
days earlier, Martin Luther King had
been assassinated in Memphis. Race
riots were flaring up across the USA
and US President Johnson had just
signed the Civil Rights Act, aimed at
eliminating racial discrimination.
Back in England, thousands of AsianKenyan refugees were arriving in the
UK, fleeing persecution in Africa.
They came because the Government

had always said that Commonwealth

citizens were welcome in Britain. But
they arrived in a country that didnt
want them and didnt know what to
do with them.
People were also arriving from the
Caribbean and south Asia, encouraged
over by the promise of work in health
care, industry and public services.
This caused concern amongst some
of the white working class that foreign
workers coming over here to steal
their jobs. Racial tension was running

The Speech

Powell was
either a brilliant
statesman or a
racist bastard

The Legacy

Even 40 years on, the words Enoch

was right still poison any sensible
attempt to discuss immigration and
race. They can also spell political
suicide. When Conservative candidate
Nigel Hastilow used the words in
a Wolverhampton newspaper last
year, he was instantly sacked no
discussion, no debate.
Nowadays, it is impossible to talk about
race, migration and religion without
risking fury and outrage. It doesnt
matter what the issue is - restricting
immigration, detention centres for
asylum seekers, combating terrorism
or calling for British jobs for British
people everyone tiptoes around the
issue, making vague politically correct
statements and sitting on the fence.
Whilst Powells speech didnt exactly
foster peace and harmony, at least
he had the bottle to say something
however unhelpful it might have been.
Its hard for us to believe now, but
40 years ago, most people actually
looked up to politicians. In contrast,
todays leaders are a bunch of
spineless idiots.
However, there is one thing in politics
that hasnt changed in 40 years. It is
the willingness of MPs to victimise the
poorest and most disadvantaged in
society for their own political gain.
Weve seen it with people living in
poverty, with Sikhs, Blacks, Muslims
and Asylum Seekers. Weve seen
it with young people and the
unemployed, with drug users and with
single mothers. The most vulnerable
people in society are always blamed
for the failings of society. Scapegoats
for the failings of government.

Powells real legacy..?

Plus a change, plus cest la mme

chose - The more things change, the
more they stay the same.

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35

prison break

Prison Break

Omar Khan

Arif Patel

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36

In the last
issue we
found out
about what
happens in
Preston
Prison to
rehabilitate
and
re-educate
prisoners.
But what
actually
happens
when they
are
released?
Not bloody
much, it seems.
Except...
According to government data, 55% of
ex-prisoners reoffend in the year after
release. What these statistics dont tell
you is that all too often, they re-offend
because they dont get the support they
need.
In the last issue, we heard about how
Preston Prison train, educate and
rehabilitate prisoners so that they are

Prison Break
less likely to offend when they are
released. But what actually happens
when they walk out of the prison
gates?
Community worker Omar Khan set up
Prison Break, a new initiative to help
ex-prisoners to find their feet. Prison
strips you of your freedom, he
explained, and the longer somebody
stays in prison, the longer it takes to
get them functioning in society. They
lose their skills and it takes time to
readjust.
Tony Ellis is a classic example. When
Tony was released after 16 years, he
met with his probation officer in town.
He showed Tony where the dole
office and the bank were and then
left him in the middle of town to deal
with it. Omar explained. Tony went
into a shop and had a panic attack
because he couldnt communicate
with other people. The whole system
of resettling needs to be looked at to
stop re-offending.
Another problem is unemployment.
Danny Grant has been to half a dozen
interviews and has had to lie on his
application just to get a foot in the
door. The other forms I filled in and
been honest on, they havent bothered
getting back to me, he told us. How
can we stop re-offending if we cant
get a job?
The stigma attached to ex-offenders
and what theyve done puts a mental
stress on them as well as their loved
ones. They cant get a bank account,
accommodation or a job, said Omar.
They understand and accept that
what they did was wrong and theyve
paid their penalty, but they are still
paying.
Arif Patel came out of prison a few
months ago, after being convicted of
drugs offences. He isnt convinced
that prison is the best way of preventing
re-offending.
Prison doesnt work, he said. I
know people who are 19 years old and
have been in prison 9 times already.
Being in prison, you actually learn how
to be better criminal, other prisoners
teach you new skills. People end up

Its about rewarding

good
behaviour. Drug
dealers do the same
thing

not fearing it.

Arif believes that more needs to be
done to give people like him the chance
to go clean. Ive done every kind of
crime you can imagine. In the end, I
had come clean and I stopped what I
was doing. I actually tried to get into
the police force, but my application
was rejected because obviously they
wanted to arrest me.
Working in the police or the prison
service would, says Arif, give exoffenders an opportunity to prevent
others from taking the same path.
We understand what they are going
through and we can help. I have done
my time and I can help these people.
But I am not allowed to because of the
CRB check.
Even accessing education and training
can throw up barriers. I also tried to
get into University, he explained. There
was a question on the application form
about drug related offences. Nothing

about theft or robbery, just drug

related offences. They said that they
would have to take any drug related
offences into consideration when
reviewing the application. That means
that murderers can go to university;
thiefs can go to university but for
some reason ex drug users cant.
Prison break started two and a half
years ago, due to an increase in young
people with gang related issues.
They had lack of role model and a
lack of things to do, Omar said. They
were making easy money from drugs.
Having youth workers lecturing them
about it wasnt working. We needed to
find another way.
It was an ex drug dealer, wanting to
volunteer, who inspired the project,
as Omar explained. One day, after a
session with a group we realised that
we just hadnt got through to them. He
offered to sit down and talk to them
and he got through to them more than

any of us ever had.

Since then, Prison Break has worked
with a wide range of offenders on
high profile projects, such as cleaning
the cemetery, mosques and schools
during the day. And in the evening,
the offenders become youth workers,
sitting down with groups of young
people and talking to them about what
prison was really like.
The purpose is two fold. One is to
make amends for what theyve done
to their community. The other is to
discourage others from taking the
same path.
We need to make them realise,
Omar said, that part of repairing the
damage they have done is to make
other young kids understand what
damage they are doing to their own
community, the hurt they cause to the
mother the father and the family. And
the loss people feel. Prison is failing we
need to look for other alternatives.
Continue>

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37

Celebrity Breakdown

Prison Break

Its all about taking responsibility when

we see somebody is a bad one, the
community needs to step in and talk to
them and address their issues before
its too late.
Its about rewarding good behaviour.
Drug dealers do the same thing - you
go and get rid of this for me and I will
reward you with a bag. We are doing
the same thing except we are using
things they are interested in, We are
not rewarding bad behaviour we are
giving these kids hope, and giving them
opportunity. The 10 to 12 hours they are
doing the activity is 10 to 12 hours they
are off the streets and out of criminal
activity.
Prison Break runs a number of initiatives
to provide young people with meaningful
opportunities to develop their skills and
contribute to the community.
We have 2 hour slots on Preston FM,
where the lads get the material ready and
they are loving it, the lads are teaching
the younger ones for summer.
We also have a photography project,
the kids are going to go out on the

page

38

street and take photos of things they

find interesting, and put a gallery up
and talk to them about why they have
taken that particular photo. They are
going to be writing story boards and
music
Prison break also goes back into
the prisons and talks to the men in
there in their own language. As Omar
explained, its all about valuing the
skills that people have, rather than
focusing solely on their criminal past.
We have the people, we have the
resources, we have the skills out there
in our own community. They just have
a tinted past. But thats what we want.
They understand these kids. They
can be real role models. That is their
GCSE; their past is the qualification
they bring. We hire ex drug dealers,
ex gang members. They can sit down
and talk to these kids and appeal to
them on their level.
However, providing such a service
is not without its problems, like a
lack of funding and support from
the authorities. Small time projects

like this are supported by voluntarily

community groups. Nobody from the
City Council or Connexions help us to
it. The work Arif does is worth three
or four officers, and if I can get him a
salary, it is money well spent.
The council spends money on a
newsletter called One Voice and its not
good enough. Thats why Barbershop
appeals to us, It is from our community
and thats why it works.
Arif explained how one barrier is
the language we use to describe
people. What we need to do with the
prisoners is firstly stop calling them
prisoners, he said. Because they
have done their time. What they are
now is part of a team who want to help
our community.
If they get the support, surely the risk
factor of re-offending will go down. If
there is no opportunity to break the
cycle, you end up sticking to what
you know and going back into a life of
crime. Although they have paid their
price they are still in jail.

Breakdown

Omar Khan

breakdowns are
like a car crash.
Unpleasant, but
unmissable.

Celebrity

Having youth workers

lecturing them wasnt
working. We needed
to find another way

What is this
obsession
with Amy
Winehouses
latest freakout? Celebrity

Another week and another string

of celebrity breakdowns hit the
headlines. Already this year weve
watched Gazza, Heather Mills, Amy
Winehouse, Britney Spears, Kerry
Katona and Lindsey Lohan all fall apart
before our unbelieving eyes.
Theres
something
almost
pornographic about watching public
figures disintegrate in public. Were
drawn to watch, even though we
know its a bit wrong. We cant help it.
Its like slowing down at the scene of a
car crash. Part of us hopes the victim
will be safe and well, but another part
of us secretly wants to see mangled
torsos.
Celebrity breakdowns have become a
spectator sport. Everyone talks about
it, making predictions about which
Pointless Celebrity X is going to be
next to end up in rehab.
So it is with Amy Winehouses latest
freak out. Now, there are a lot of
people who think the girls got talent,
but Im not one of them. I think shes
shit. But no matter. Cos whether she
deserves to be or not, she is incredibly
famous. Which is why she fascinates
us. Shes larger than life and yet at
the same time, shes a bit pathetic and

fragile. As a result, she doesnt seem

to know how to act anymore.
So when she turns up to Nelson
Mandelas birthday gig and starts
shouting Free Blakey my fella, a
sizable portion of the human race
hang their heads in despair and think
No, no, and thrice no. The thing
is, famous or not, shes got no class.
And she needs a good wash. With a
hosepipe.
We could argue that Amy is a victim
of the media and publicity. We could
argue that she is just a troubled young
woman who believes her own PR
companys hype. We could go on and
on, unpicking the details, pretending
that we know her and that we have a
right to watch her fall apart. Thing is,
we expect famous people to be better
than us. And were constantly amazed
to find out that theyre not.
Fact is, shes more famous now than
she was before she hit the clinics. I
cant shake the nagging thought that
this is all some kind of cynical PR
stunt.
That might be uncharitable, but, for
the vast majority of us, a breakdown
isnt a media event. We dont have the
luxury of having minders to punch and
therapists to ignore and private clinics
to check out of. For most people, its
a lonely and distressing experience for
which its hard to get help.
For all her flaws, I do hope Amy pulls
through. But truthfully, I find it hard
to care. Maybe if the support that is
lavished on her was available to the
rest of us, then I might have a bit more
sympathy.

the media is
idolising a
smack head,
is this good
for our
children?
page

39

A lot of people
have asked us
why we chose
Barbershops as
the focus for the
magazine.
So, we thought wed
explain ourselves.

Barbershops have a long tradition of

being more than just a place to get your
hair cut. In this first of three articles
celebrating Barbershops, we look at
their history and find that some things
havent changed

A Biblical Profession

Barbershops have been around for

over 6,000 years. Even the Egyptian
pharaohs had barbers. Their priests
had their entire body shaved every
third day, which probably wouldnt go
down too well with todays barbers:
How would you like your pubes,

something
for the
weekend,
Sir?

Something for the weekend, Sir?

Something for the weekend, Sir?

vicar? Cant see it happening.

In the Bronze Age (3500BC) barbers
were seen as the most important men
of the tribe, as they believed that bad
spirits could only be driven out by
cutting the hair.
Barbering is even mentioned by
Ezekiel in the Bible who said: And
Thou, son of man, take thee a barbers
razor and cause it to pass upon thine
head and upon thine beard.
The word barber actually comes from
the Latin word barba, meaning beard.
Barbarians, those scruffy warriors

who kept annoying the Romans, were

given the name because of their wild
beards.

Gossip Central

Barbers have always occupied an

important place in society. In ancient
Greece, barbershops were the
headquarters for social, political, and
sporting news, with customers coming
in to discuss the news of the day.
Barbers prided themselves on knowing
every possible bit of gossip or rumour.
Just like today, anybody was welcome
to hang around indefinitely, listening to

the barbers endless flow of talk.

The first Roman barbershop opened
in 296 B.C. when a guy called Ticinius
Mena came over from Sicily, bringing
with him the art of shaving.
These Roman barbershops continued
the Greek trend of being Gossip
Central.
The Roman barbershop
really was the place to be seen. A
morning visit to the barber became as
important a part of the daily routine as
the visit to the public baths.
One of the worlds oldest jokes, dating
back over 2000 years, takes a pop at

the barbers well known love of gossip

- Asked by the court barber how he
wanted his hair cut, the king replied:
In silence.
Barbers were so highly prized by the
Romans that they even erected a
statue in the memory of Ticinius Mena,
The First Barber of Rome.

teeth.
In 1308, the Worshipful Company of
Barbers was found. It is the worlds
oldest surviving barber organisation,
celebrating its 700th anniversary this
year. These days, though, they are
now more interested in the surgical
bit, than hairstyles. Splitters.

Early barbers didnt just cut hair, they

were also surgeons and dentists. So,
as well as haircutting and shaving,
barbers performed surgery, bloodletting, leeching, enemas and pulling

During the Henry VIIIs reign, men

were banned from having a beard
unless they paid certain penalties.
But Queen Elizabeth went one better.
She passed a law demanding that the

Barber Surgeons

Beard Tax

Continue>

page

40

page

41

Something for the weekend, Sir?

Something for the weekend, Sir?

Demonic barber Sweeny Todd

is thought to have killed 160
people in 17 years

The Worshipful Barbers have been around for 700 years.

Just not in Preston

wearer of a beard should be taxed

according to his station in life.
A man on a low income was taxed to
the tune of 3shillings and 4pence a
year, just for his beard roughly 400
a year in todays money. Peter the
Great was so impressed with this tax
that he introduced it into Russia.

Shady Hangouts

where women didnt dare enter.

Stories about the demonic barber
Sweeny Todd started in the late 1700s
in London and Paris. He is thought to
have killed 160 people over 17 years.
It looked like the end of the barbering
as a profession.

In 1745 surgeons and barbers were

separated by acts of parliament. By
the end of the century, most barbers
had given up their rights to perform
surgery and barbering went into a bit
of a decline.
During the British Empire, many of the
rich men wore wigs and barbers lost
their status, becoming servants and
labourers.
Barbershops became shady hangouts,
where dodgy characters swapped
dirty stories and malicious scandal.
A barbershop was a place where
men showed their lower instincts and

In 1805, William Francis Truefitt

opened the Gentlemens Barber
Shop in London. It is now the oldest
barbershop in the world. Although, at
36 quid for a trim, it must also be one
of the most expensive.
Over the next 60 years, barbershops
re-established themselves as an
accepted institution, a place where
gentlemen could once again gather
and pass the time gossiping.
Typical shops at the time measured
only ten by twelve feet smaller than
a standard living room. They had a

page

42

The Barbers Pole

the public from disease.

These stringent inspections brought
an end to the so-called barbers
itch, a contagious fungal infection
that caused the face to swell and
crust. Not the best way to impress
the ladies.

A Return to Respectability

The history of the barber

pole is connected to
their bloodletting past.
Patients would grasp
a rod so tight that their
veins would show, and
the barbers would cut
open their arms and
bleed them until they
fainted.
The wound would then
be dressed in bandages,
which were washed and
then hung outside on a
pole to dry. Flapping in
the wind, the long strips
of bandages would twist
around the pole to make
the spiral pattern that is
so familiar.

Changing Styles

Barbers Itch - not a very nice look

single straight-backed chair with a

head piece resembling a crutch.
There was a basin of water, one piece
of soap, a brush and enough towels to
last a week. One towel would be used
for every ten to twelve customers.
In 1893, A. B. Moler established the
worlds first school for barbers in
Chicago. Four years later, the US
State of Minnesota passed legislation
for barbers to be licensed.

Barbers Itch

Over the next forty years, other states

and countries followed suit, passing
laws which required barbers to be
inspected for sterilization to protect

World War II brought about short hair

as barbers were called into national
service. The flat top, butch, crew cut
and the Princeton cut became popular.
In 1959 Edmond O. Roffler developed
the Roffler Sculptur-Kut technique, a
method whereby barbers could earn
big money and capitalize on long hair.
The Beatles really set the stage for long
hair and many barbers who refused to
learn how to cut long hair were soon
out of business.
Today, although styles come and go,
the barbershop remains as popular
as ever. Barbershops still hold that
unique place in society that theyve
enjoyed since the days of ancient
Greece a social club, a therapists
couch, a comedy club tryout venue
and an information booth. They are
a hotbed of gossip at the heart of the
community.

Next Issue
Barbershop vs Salon

The modern day barbershop pole.

In the second instalment of Something for

the Weekend, well be
looking the barbershop
and its modern rival the salon - and well be
deciding, once and for
all, which is best.

page

43

Masterclass

masterclass

Masterclass

page

44

How a
Preston school
has turned to
the street to
tackle exclusion
The Master Class Centre teamed
up with Barbershop to develop a
unique leadership project that uses
kickboxing as a tool to engage
problematic teenagers at City of
Preston High School.

Project leader Shaun Noteman of the

Master Class Centre, explained that
this project was something different
from the usual kinds of sessions run
with teenagers. Rather than following
the same format and replicating
similar projects, he said, our
leadership project focuses on choice
and responsibility. All the participants
have a choice regarding being on the
project, and staying on it, developing
their own rules and discipline.
The pilot project was initially designed
to run over three days per week but was
reduced to fit into their normal class
curriculum. An important milestone
is that, although the sessions were
reduced for the pilot, all the students
are now keen to continue participation
in the project on the next round and
pass on their newly developed skills to
the new comers.

Coming Off Report

Shaun explained how the project had
made a real difference to those taking
part. They have shown a remarkable
change in their psychological well
being in such a short space of time,
he explained. The end result from
the pilot was that students developed
a better understanding of themselves,
which was developed during the
classroom segment of the project.
This was reflected in 2/3 completely
coming off their report cards and off
the at risk of exclusion register.

Perks of Participation

Participants were given a number of

incentives for positive engagement
whilst participating in the project.
These included an exclusive trip to train
at the Master Class Centre; using the
schools brand new fitness suite and
becoming eligible to become part of
the schools very own future Academy
committee. Selected graduates from
the project are also offered exclusive
scholarships to train at the Master
Class Centre. These activities serve
to develop a sense of achievement
and reward and leadership in the
students.

Positive Leadership

Feedback comments during the

project included how much fun it
was but also educational as to what
a positive leader is and is not. All of
the students initially joined because
of fact it was an exciting alternative
to their normal class or being in the
segregation unit. They all started
with an already pre-conceived idea
that they would only be learning how
to fight. said Shaun. It came as a
shock to them to realise that there
was, in fact, a classroom element they
would have to also tackle.
Those that managed to stay on
the project did so because of their
natural determination and spirit, the
very same qualities that normally
would get them into trouble with
their educators. They were allowed

to express their personalities as

opposed to modify. The project has
helped them understand responsibility,
consequences, communication issues
and working as a team.
One student explained how they were
proud they were to finish the course.
My dad is proud of me because I
stuck with it and was impressed with
my award at the end, he said. Another
pupil, who has used the project to get
more involved in school, echoed this
view. My mum is glad I am doing
better in school, he explained and
is taking an interest in the project
activity,
And the pupils parents shared these
views. One father said his mum
and myself have already noticed
the difference, he can be very quick
tempered. Since starting the project
these instances are much rarer

Doing Things Differently

Head teacher Chris Meldrum has
been very impressed with the
projects success. The project has
been fantastic and has indicated how
alternative measures of communicating
with some children is necessary
in todays climate, he explained.
This project has also become the
stepping-stone to our goal of opening
the school facilities access to the local
community.

Turning the Tables

The project ended with the pupils

getting to turn the tables and teach
the teachers about martial arts. This
really helped them to understand the
importance of taking responsibility
for others. And the pupils werent
the only ones who benefitted. I really
enjoyed the end of project activity
when we got to trained by the pupils,
said one teacher. Can I be picked to
take part next time?
In general the leadership approach has
benefitted the school because it allows
disruptive children to understand and
develop communication skills that
where lacking making integration back
in normal classes much easier. This
reduces the workload on already over
stretched teachers, has more pupils
engaging in physical activities and
starts the transition from child hold to
adult hold in a positive safe and fun
manner. As one teacher told us, they
really are not bad kids. They just need
extra work committed to them.

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45

The Barbershop Cup

The Barbershop Cup

On June 8th, over 500 people lapped up the

sunny weather at Prestons newest and
biggest football tournament the first
annual Barbershop Cup.

44 teams from across Preston took part, competing in 4

different age ranges, from under 12s to adults.

The
Barbershop
Cup
Barbershops editor Tyrone King,
organised the event to repay the
barbers for all their support with the
magazine over the last 12 months.
We did the Barbershop Cup to give
something back to the community, he

page

46

said. It was a fantastic day, with men

and children from all walks of life and
all sections of the community getting
together to enjoy the football.
Barbershop Magazines own team

Old Skool A Touch of Class

started the day as underdogs and
we ended the day being predictably
thrashed in three of our four games.
Tyrone put this down to the fact that
he was injured and therefore unable to
play in the three games that we lost.
Hmmm.

The Man from the Telly

Even Granada TVs Tony Morris came

along to support the day and to
give out trophies to the winners. He
said the day was proof that different
sections of the community can get
together and unite. This is brilliant,
he said. Its great to see people
from all sorts of backgrounds getting
together like this.
He was also impressed with the talent
on show. Id love to see some of these
lads take up football as a career. Its

a shame that so many talented young

people dont make the most of what
theyve got and go professional.

Quality Football

Local barber Stocksy was delighted

to see his All Stars team win the Over
16s competition. But it was no push
over, with the quality of the teams
being far better than anyone expected.
Some of my team were playing in
a tournament in Manchester, where
the winners got to play at Wembley.
The opposition that we played was
nowhere near as good as some of the
teams today. And the organization of
that event was nothing as good as the
Barbershop tournament. Everyone I
spoke to on the day and after have
said what a brilliant event. Cant wait
for next year.
The inclusion of Preston Police on

the over 16s team list had grabbed

everyones attention. Unfortunately
the Police were unable to field a
team because of a serious incident
that had taken place earlier in the
day. However, Chief Superintendant
Richard Bayly, who we interviewed for
this magazine, did make time to come
down and enjoy the day. He too, was
impressed by the quality of football
on display Im quite glad our team
couldnt make it, he admitted. Wed
have got thrashed.

Next Year

Many people have asked us when the next

tournament is on. Well, weve news for you.
Next summer, well be doing it all again. Only
itll be even bigger and even better. In the
meantime, you can go down to PlayFootball
and sign up for the mini-tournaments they
run each month.

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47

On
Air:

on air - Preston FM

on air - Preston FM

Preston

FM

After a
number of
short term
broadcasts,
Preston FM
is going live
on air, full
time, 24/7.

Richard Lace
from Prescap
talks to
Barbershop
about the new
license and how
you can get
involved.
page

48

You might have listened in to Preston

FM during one of its six successful
month-long broadcasts so far
which have included a huge variety of
programmes from Bhangra to Blues
and covered topics including health,
domestic violence and climate change.
But now, month-long broadcasts
are a thing of the past. This autumn,
the station is set to launch full-time,
broadcasting 24 hours a day thanks
to a community radio license awarded
by Ofcom the governments radio
regulator.
All of the stations presenters,
producers, technicians and journalists
are volunteers from the local area
who give up their time to help create
interesting and original radio for the
city. There are already hundreds
involved and the project is always on
the look-out for new talent individual
volunteers as well as representatives
of community groups who want to get
their voices on the air. No experience
is necessary, as the project provides
guidance and support in radio skills to
all new volunteers.
Volunteers come from all walks of life
and from across the city, including
Oliver one of Preston FMs longest
standing volunteers. I enjoy it because
you get to learn new stuff, like using
the studio equipment. I think its good
being on the radio and having people
listen to you, he says. The skills
Ive learnt have been good it sort
of builds your confidence up. When
youre on the radio, youre speaking
to quite a lot of people but Im not as
nervous as when I do things in front of
a small group. Now Prestons a city, it
needs its own radio station so lets
get other people involved its not
about just professional radio people.
A six-week training course prepares
all of Preston FMs new volunteers
for their on-air debut as well as
providing a Level 2 unit award in
Radio Production. For those that have
completed the initial training, there are
lots of opportunities to improve skills
further in areas including journalism,
audio production, music recording

Broadcasts will
be on 87.9FM
- Richard Lace

and studio management.

As well as the training and volunteering
opportunities available, the station
is currently running a series of both
week-long and one-off workshops
specifically for those aged 16-25.
These workshops cover areas such
as DJing and MCing as well as radio
journalism and jingle-making, and
are a great way to get a taste of what
volunteering for Preston FM is like.
Another special project within the
station helps and encourages groups
to create radio programmes about
global issues including HIV/AIDS,
climate change, poverty and hunger.
So theres a lot to get involved in,
whatever your interest is.
Courses and volunteering at Preston
FM are completely free, and the
project can provide support with
travel and childcare costs. More
information about the project and the
opportunities on offer is available on
the internet at www.preston.fm or by
calling 01772 880791. Broadcasts will
be on 87.9FM
Preston FM is led by Prescap (Preston
Community Arts Project) and is
funded by the European Regional
Development
Fund
alongside
numerous other organisations who

support the station.

page

49

game
review

game review

Jamie

OConnor

takes a
look at GTA:4

Grand Theft Auto IV (XBox 360, PS3, PC 39.99)

the biggest
game of this year

page

50

Queues snaked for miles out of the

doors of every retailer lucky enough
to acquire stocks large enough for the
obvious demand of GTA:4. So, whats
all the fuss about then and is this game
really worth the hype.
Well, the series cheered (and criticized)
for glorifying violence has taken an
unexpected turn: its gone legit - to
some degree. Were back in Liberty
City (visited in GTA III) and our central
role, Niko Bellic, has arrived from wartorn Bosnia at the request of his cousin,
Roman, to live the American Dream
Roman has somewhat embellished his
success and as a result Niko has to earn
a living as a killer and enforcer for some
of the darker characters in Liberty City.
Interestingly, as the game progresses
we see and more human side to our
Niko. Disturbed by his own antics, Niko
becomes very self-aware and trys to
escape the person he once was. Dont

get me wrong, you can still go around the

city stealing cars, banging prostitutes,
assisting drug dealers, blowing up police
cars - however, Niko may not approve.
This becomes more apparent later in the
story where, for the first time, you get
to decide his fate - do they live or die,
do you choose good or bad, right or
wrong. GTA IV gives us characters and
a world with a level of depth previously
unseen in gaming and elevates its story
from a mere shoot-em-up to an Oscarcaliber drama. A masterpiece worthy of
applause.
Gameplay
At first we found that the game play
appeared to be a little slower than the
previous titles. However, this issue was
quickly forgotten when we realised that
realism was Rockstars obvious focus
and that many aspects previously
considered arcade have grown up and
are now quietly skilled. For example,
the driving used to be a very basic
and arcade-like with simple cornering
and exaggerated hand braking. Now it
feels like you are actually driving the
chosen vehicle. If its a big old wagon
it will accelerate slower and turning is
like driving through mud, whereas the
super-cars handle like a dream. The
motorbikes are much harder to control
on this version and you will often find
yourself having nasty accidents until you
learn to ride them properly. Aircraft! What aircraft? For realism reasons, I can
only presume, there are no aeroplanes,
jet packs or stunt planes - you do,
however get to fly the choppers, albeit
from a selection of two. Shooting feels

RANDOM
CRAP!

Random Crap!

very much the same, if a little smoother

and the purchasing of weapons, is much
quicker than in the previous title. The
citizens of Liberty City are excellent,
diverse, funny and fascinating. If you
ever get bored just drive around the
city and watch or listen to some of the
general public - youll see and hear
some wonderful things. The new multiplayer section for you and your mates
to experience online where you can play
a variety of mini-games such as cops
n robbers, death-matches and road
races.
Overall
Disappointed,
unfortunately.
The
graphics are great, the story is enjoyable,
the natural feel of the city and its
inhabitants are excellent and the driving
is definitely more realistic... However... I
didnt order a driving game or a realistic
Sim City type either. I ordered Grand
Theft Auto IV a game, which I thought
I would never put down. A game where
if I got stuck at a particular point or just
fancied a break I could tool up, hop on
an NRG900, drive at breakneck speeds,
weaving through busy traffic, fire a few
bursts at passers-by, hurtle towards a
ramp, launch into the air and land on
some distant rooftop where I would
merely practice my sniping on the poor,
unwitting citizens of the city or merely
lob a few grenades into the bustling
traffic. Now, dont get me wrong, this is
still achievable but you need to learn the
game. You need to know exactly where
youre going, be a demon on the bikes
and be lucky enough not to be taken
out by another driver on your route to
the super-jump. I may be wrong, and to
a certain degree I hope I am, but it just
doesnt feel very GTA. GTA was always a
pick up and play game. You didnt need
to know the map, the tricks or anything
about the story... you just picked up the
control pad and hey presto, youre a
gun-toting maniac with God-like control
over the minions walking the streets.
Now it feels you need to learn the map,
find the hotspots and practice, practice,
practice. Graphically fantastic, intimately
real but hey Rockstar, If it aint broke...
dont fix it!

Some people collect stamps, football stickers or

plastic pigs. Here at Barbershop HQ, we collect
hoards of random crap. Here is a selection of the
things that waste our time Random Joke
Random Websites

People Bucket is, apparently, an adventure

game based on the laws of physics. And, as
youd expect, its crap. Really, properly crap.
www.pplbucket.com

To escape from an EU summit,

British prime minister Gordon
Brown takes the French president
Nicolas Sarkozy to an oldfashioned
barbershop.
After
finishing their haircut and shaves,
the barber asks them if they
would like to try his powerful
new aftershave. Sarkozy takes
a sniff and says Non monsieur.
My wife will think that I have been
to a brothel. Leaning over to
the barber, Gordon Brown says
with a wink, Go right ahead. My
wife doesnt know what a brothel
smells like.

Random Stats

Random US Barbers Laws

The average British boyfriend is, on

average, aged 25, 5ft 10in, with dark brown
hair and blue eyes. He rarely buys his girlfriend
flowers, but will stretch to a dinner out once
a month. And he lives with his mum. Who
gives a shit?

In Omaha, Nebraska:
barbers are forbidden by law from
shaving a mans
chest.
In Denver, Colorado:
It is illegal for barbers to give
massages to nude customers
unless it is for instructional
purposes.
In Elkhart, Indiana:
It is unlawful for barbers to threaten
to cut kids ears off.
In Alaska:
Kangaroos are not allowed in
barber shops at any time.

Mullet Junky has everything you need to

celebrate the Mullet hairstyle, including
t-shirts, photos and detailed analysis. How
bored would you have to be..?
www.mulletjunky.com
Halide is a disturbingly pointless interactive
plaything. But its strangely addictive when
youre bored out of your tits.
www.halide.org

Random Games

Random Email
Our website, www.colourmind.co.uk, gets
loads of emails. Most of them, however,
are complete garbage. Like this one. And
united with arjuna, slay all on my side! Lo,
i am an obedient servant of yudhishthira,
moved over to plaisance with great regret.
He is righteous in his acts. He is a giver.

You can keep us amused by sending jokes, stories, games, websites and other random
crap at any1@colourmind.co.uk. But no porn please. Were not that bored.

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51

Oh wot a beatifull day, well for some of us, and for everyone else I would

like to thank you for making the babershop cup happen, but this is were we pay
homage to the winners.......

and the winner is...

the magazine that looks after you

Under 12s winners are......

Inter-Fulwood Juniors

Under 16s winners are......

Real Mahad A

Under 14s winners are......

Real Mahad B

Over 18s winners are......

Stoxies AllStars