Community News

It's Children In Need's 40th anniversary and the appeal show is stilling going ahead live and it will be hosted as usual by lots of your favourite celebrities.

Mel Giedroyc will be returning to host the annual appeal show alongside Alex Scott MBE, Chris Ramsey and Stephen Mangan who will all be hosting BBC Children in Need for the first time.

However just like lots of other shows, social distancing will be in place and there will be a virtual audience too. There's going to be exclusives from Eastenders, Strictly and even Doctor Who. Musical performances will come from Cinderella: The Musical, and Shawn Mendes!

On November 9 there was a 'big bubble sing-a-long' where McFly teamed up with BBC Children in Need and local BBC radio to get everyone singing. The aim - to have as many people singing 'Happiness' by McFly in a covid-secure manner. This meant people were together but apart singing the same song and raising lots of money for Children In Need.

The clips of everyone singing will be uploaded today and shown on BBC One on appeal night.

The Rickshaw Challenge celebrates its 10th year of fundraising this year as it returns, but with a difference!

Usually the Rickshaw team will ride in a straight line from one part of the UK to another, but this year, because of the restrictions that come with coronavirus, the team are still riding 332 miles but doing it around Goodwood racetrack in West Sussex. This year's team is made up of Eoin, Jim, Lauren, Lewis, Sarah and Rosie, all of whom have been supported by Children In Need projects.

The 'Act Your Age' campaign has been bringing people from all over and all ages together.

Virtually, in social bubbles and socially distanced, people have been taking their ages and turning them into a fundraiser.

People have also been filming and uploading their challenges for a chance to be featured. Earlier in the year Children In Need revealed that 94% of children and young people have had cause to feel worried, sad or anxious during the pandemic.

When asked which one world issue they would most like to see improve or get better, 22% of children and young people selected climate change/global warming, followed by coronavirus (13%). This lead to the 'Together We Can Change Young Lives' campaign being launched for 2020.

Lots of famous faces and everyday people have been making 'pledges' or promises on what they aim to do to change young lives here in the UK.

The promises have been shared far and wide and have been helping to raise money for charities and organisations to be able to help young people overcome the fears, worries and hardships that coronavirus has brought.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Croix is taking its Crucian Christmas Festival online this year.

Given the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands' moratorium on large crowds, and in an effort to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, the popular annual event will take place virtually from December 11, 2020 to January 6, 2021, with a robust lineup of music, entertainment and online group events.

"2020 has been a year full of surprises," said Ian Turnbull, Director of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism's Division of Festivals. "But we have to adapt. We know how much joy the Crucian Christmas Festival brings to Virgin Islanders and our visitors, so even though we can't dance and revel in person this year, we can still enjoy the festival virtually and be together in spirit."

The month-long celebration, organized by the Division of Festivals in collaboration with the Crucian Cultural Group, will showcase St. Croix's culture and heritage with events such as a dialogue about the history of masquerade and mocko jumbies (Virgin Islands stilt-walkers) presented by renowned stilt-dancer Willard John, and Chalana Brown, Director of the Division of Virgin Islands Cultural Education, on December 18. On December 29, a virtual Crucian Culinary Showcase will bring a taste of St. Croix to online viewers.

Music is also an integral part of the Crucian Christmas Festival, and this year is no exception. Highlights include performances by the island's legendary quelbe band Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights on December 23 and 24, and three virtual Village Nights - Cultural (December 25), Reggae (January 1) and Calypso (January 2).

For early-bird revelers, there will be a virtual version of J'ouvert, the traditional dawn parade, dubbed "Jou'Virtual", on December 30. Viewers can also catch reruns of both the adults' and children's parades from last year's pre-pandemic festival on WTJX Channel 12 on January 1 and 2.

Adding more fun and fitness to the mix, trainer Simone Ware will livestream her Capri Curves exercise boot camp on New Year's Eve as part of the Festival activities. The St. Croix native, who has held her boot camps on various national platforms and boasts nearly 500,000 followers on Instagram, will help Virgin Islanders head into 2021 on a healthy and active note.

To help encourage and support Virgin Islanders living abroad to return home, the Department of Tourism will offer opportunities to win trips to the USVI to attend future Carnival and Festival events.

As lockdowns return and Europe confronts the second wave of Covid-19, some of Birmingham's biggest and most respected artists come together to release a music track which raises awareness of the disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 on Black and Asian communities.

The ‘Hidden Hands’ track features a number of leading singers and stellar musicians; from Grammy-award winning Selwyn Brown (Steel Pulse), to chart-topping Errol Reed (China Black), and one of the most prominent Bhangra vocalists in the UK, Shin (DCS), to young up-and-coming Janel Antoneshia.

Conceived and directed by Mukhtar Dar on behalf of the Simmer Down Festival, Hidden Hands is part of a music project funded by the Arts Council England, Emergency Fund. 

Mukhtar said:“This project came out of a traumatic set of personal circumstances which have been echoed by many others in our communities. Within a week of the UK national lock-down, my father lost his sight and his hearing; he couldn’t walk and was rushed into hospital. We couldn’t visit him, he couldn’t call us and we lost all contact with him. At the same time, my sister in-law’s father died in the back of an ambulance, she is a doctor and her father was a doctor – he died from Covid-19.” 

Selwyn Brown from Steel Pulse said:“During the lock-down my family members put their own personal safety at risk, working in challenging circumstances to support all of us and so for me this was an opportunity to highlight their sacrifice and say thank you to all the key workers and to the NHS frontline staff”

Councillor Paulette Hamilton, who part of The West Midlands Enquiry into COVID-19 Fatalities in the Black and Asian Community said:“It speaks truthfully to power without compromise and has the potential to reach people that we as politicians can’t.”

Hidden Hands’ official release is on November 13 for download.

A six-year-old boy who paid for another person's meal at a McDonald's drive-thru sparked a chain of kindness when everyone in the queue followed suit.

Blake Durham was ordering breakfast at the fast food chain in Stockton-on-Tees, in County Durham, when he told his mum he wanted to "do something kind".

He told his server he would buy food for the man in the car behind.

The youngster's act of kindness then spread - with car after car paying for the meal of those next in line.

Blake said he had wanted to make the first recipient "happy and let them have a good day."

Amy Durham said her son's "main focus is making other people happy, that's all he ever wants to do".

She added: "I could see the man behind and the smile on his face and I said, 'look how happy you've made that man,' he was beaming.

"It's amazing just a little boy's positivity like that can just cause a reaction like that.

"It was just so lovely, such a lovely feeling."

A special Armistice Day service was held at Westminster Abbey, in London, to mark the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior as the UK fell silent to remember the war dead.

Armistice Day marks the day World War One ended in 1918 and the grave of the Unknown Warrior represents those who died in the war and whose place of death is not known or whose remains are unidentified.

Members of the Royal family joined figures from the UK government and the armed forces as the congregation - and millions around Britain - commemorated those who died with a two-minute silence at 11:00.

The scaled-back service included an address from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who paid tribute to the many millions who had died "unnamed and unclaimed, except by God".

He went on to refer to the thousands, even millions, who were making sacrifices today, whose names may never be known.

He told the socially distanced seared congregation "They may be anonymous but their actions are glorious”.

Highlights there included heart-felt words from Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, who read his poem ‘The Bed’ about a fallen soldier transported from being "broken and sleeping rough in a dirt grave" to being buried "among drowsing poets and dozing saints" in Westminster Abbey, former Catatonia singer now BBC radio presenter, Cerys Matthews, read the words of a World War One widow convinced the Unknown Warrior was her own husband and soul star Ruby Turner was accompanied by Jools Holland, as she sang the hymn Abide with Me, which was sung at the burial 100 years ago.

Commemorations were also held around the nation - including at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The concept of the grave of the Unknown Warrior was inspired by Rev David Railton, who had served as a chaplain on the Western Front during World War One.

After the conflict he wrote to the then-Dean of Westminster, Herbert Ryle, about his proposal which was later supported by King George V and Prime Minister David Lloyd George. The body was chosen from four unknown British servicemen - exhumed from four battle areas - by Brig Gen Louis Wyatt, commander of British forces in France and Flanders, and transported back to Britain.

On 11 November 1920, the coffin was draped with a union jack and taken on a gun carriage to the Cenotaph, where the Queen's grandfather George V placed a wreath upon it.

The King - and nearly 1,000 widows and mothers of men killed in World War One - were present as the warrior was buried at the Abbey. A handful of earth from France was then dropped by the king onto his coffin during the service.

With no chance of celebrating its two full, productive years in operation, renowned Caribbean restaurant Jam N Vibez decided to let people know exactly what they are really all about by ‘giving back’, quite literally, for the huge support they have had since opening-shop back in 2018.

And, with the coronavirus pandemic taking such a massive and lasting hold on businesses, lives and lifestyles throughout the world, the fast-influential food outlet in Birmingham is not resting on its laurels.

They are ‘GIVING BACK’ – literally – by setting up a free take-away food hub for homeless people in and around their Slade Road, Erdington base.

Under the auspice of its leading partners – Don James and Horace McLeod - international guest celebrity chef Chef Kano and with support from neighbouring businesses, the local constabulary, and other charitable organisations, they are giving away free food to the most needy in their area – so that they “can eat” and have a chance of some sort of a ‘tomorrow’.

“Because of the relentless plight of this pandemic,” Don says, “you have to realise that there are people without a roof over their head and no idea of where their next meal is coming from.

“So, with the fantastic help of neighbouring businesses and other organisations, we decided to give people the chance to, probably, have their first full meal for a long time.

“Under the circumstances it seemed the ‘obvious’ thing to do.”

It’s a gesture that speaks volumes of the ethos of Don and Horace individually and Jam N Vibez in particularly.

With the help given by the likes of Family Butcher, City Supermarket, Warma Heating and Plumbing Suppliers, plus the Stockland Green Community Police Unit and for Jam N Vibez to continue this amazing gesture during these unprecedented dire times, James says: “We are determined to continue providing a food haven for the homeless, and locally-based homeless shelters.

“So, the one thing we are looking for…is more help, from more businesses and organisations, so that the too often ‘forgotten’ members of our society have an equal chance during these tragic times”.

Sandwell Council Deputy Leader Councillor Maria Crompton has joined with the Safer Sandwell Partnership in signing up to an anti-hate crime pledge to 'Say No To Hate' as part of the annual Safer 6 campaign.

Speaking about the pledge Councillor Crompton said: “There’s no excuse whatsoever for being violent towards someone just because they are perceived to be ‘different’. That’s why I’m backing the Hate Crime Pledge.

“It’s important that if someone feels they have been the victim of a hate crime, that there are proper ways to report that and tackle it in an appropriate manner, quickly and effectively, as well as giving them the support they need.

“There is strength in unity and we should be coming together to celebrate our differences, and not tolerate those that use them as an excuse for violence and hate.”

What is hate crime?

A hate crime is hostility against a person or a group of people where they have been targeted because of or their perceived:

• Race
• Faith
• Sexual Orientation
• Gender
• Disability
• Any other characteristic that is different to that of the perpetrator's or that which the perpetrator thinks is different

The council’s dedicated Hate Crime webpage at www.sandwell.gov.uk/hatecrime provides more information on what kind of crimes are hate crimes and what you can do to help victims of hate.

There are many ways for victims and witnesses to report a hate crime, for further information visit the council's Hate Crime webpage at: www.sandwell.gov.uk/hatecrime

In an emergency whereby you believe you or someone else in in immediate danger or at risk of harm, call the police on 999.

In a non-emergency, you can report a hate crime by calling the police on 101.

A University of Wolverhampton academic has used research gained from his doctorate to write a book of poetry about the post-industrial Black Country landscape.

R.M.Francis, a lecturer in Creative and Professional Writing in the University’s School of Humanities, will see his poetry collection, Subsidence, published on 1st December 2020 with Smokestack Books.

Rob is the author of five poetry pamphlet collections and his novel, Bella, was published by Wild Pressed Books. In 2019 he was the David Bradshaw Writer in Residence at the University of Oxford and is currently Poet in Residence for the Black Country Geological Society.

Subsidence takes its name from the Black Country's history of homes and buildings sinking into old mines standing as a metaphor for the often overlooked and neglected environs of Dudley. Written one year prior to and one year after the 2016 Brexit referendum, these poems use the landscape, dialect and culture of the Black Country to examine post-industrial, working-class communities.

Rob said: “My new collection of poetry has been described as a love song to the post-industrial Black Country landscape, where houses sink into old mines and the present collapses into the past beneath our feet. In a way, these poems are odes to working-class communities, and laments for the unwanted, the strange and the off-kilter.

“The collection has been informed by my research conducted during my PhD here at the University as well as research projects I’ve been involved in like Snidge Scrumpin' and Black Country Unscene undertaken on behalf of the Being Human Festival.”

Roy McFarlane, the Tipton based and nationally celebrated poet, said: “Subsidence is a love letter spoken in Rob’s mother tongue, refusing to be a second language, a vernacular ripe with the heart and soul of everyday people. From the past to the present there’s a constant shift in the foundation of space and geography but still the poet evokes a passion and a spirit of place. This is an observation of both strangers an’ kin, sometimes smashed glass of people’s lives reflecting a beautiful constellation under a Black Country sky.”

Rob will be involved in a number of online readings in the coming months, including the forthcoming Wolverhampton Literature Festival (Feb 12-14^th) and Gloucester Poetry Festival (Dec 12^th) and his collection will be available via Smokestack Books - https://smokestack-books.co.uk/

Santa will be visiting children virtually this year, as grottos close and Christmas events are cancelled because of coronavirus.

Businesses have switched from planning physical meetings to arranging video calls "to the North Pole" with Mr Claus.

Socially distanced events have also been planned but those in England will have to wait until lockdown is lifted. And in the meantime, Santa will be available online.

One children's events company is hosting a virtual Santa experience through Facebook, rather than at its normal physical venue.

Santa will interact with people on the video chat and children can also book to complete reindeer training, a virtual sleigh-ride or an elf-themed treasure hunt.

"We didn't want to take the risk of planning our usual live Christmas events, in case of a second lockdown, and we were right," said Helen Nurse, who runs Wonder Adventures with her husband, Brett (who coincidentally, looks a lot like Santa).

"It will be safe and personalised - you don't have to queue, you can dress up, with a hot chocolate in the comfort of your own home. There's always been a pressure on parents at Christmas but it's even bigger this year."

When actor James Bartlett lost work in the pandemic, he saw a gap in the market for unemployed Santas and set up Santascallingyou.co.uk.

"Nearly 400 applied for acting roles and we are still looking for more Santas," he said. The website sells Zoom calls with Santa, Mrs Claus and elves.

And it has seen an uptick in bookings since news of the second English lockdown broke.

"People aren't optimistic about the restrictions ending on December 2, so this is a guaranteed personalised experience for your children," Mr Bartlett added.

Planning online sessions allows parents to give personal details to Santa in advance - such as pet names, favourite colours and whether a present will be revealed during the call.

'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants' Psalm 116:15

It is with a profound sense of both sadness and thankfulness that we announce the passing of Bishop Dr Joshua E. Brooks Presiding Bishop of Mount Peniel Apostolic Church.

He died peacefully at home on the morning of Thursday 29 October 2020, after a short illness. Our Father transitioned into Glory, in the presence of his wife of 62 years Mother Catherine Brooks and one of his daughters.

As he looked back over his life as a Father and Pastor, his last words to so many were, “I am making up my Jewels.”

During his Ministerial life he served in church leadership within several Apostolic Ministries including First United Church of Jesus Christ, Church of God In Christ Jesus Apostolic (Beulah), Rehoboth Bethel Church Apostolic and finally Mount Peniel Apostolic Church which he founded in 1986.

We cannot begin to express how grateful we are to God for all that he meant to us; He has left with us a great legacy, he also instilled discipline, respect for family and a passion for God, His people and His work. He was a deeply loved husband, father, granddad, great granddad to us. His death leaves a great chasm in our lives but we are deeply comforted by the reality that he is now free from the restrictions of his physical body and that he is alive in the presence of His Saviour The Lord Jesus Christ for whom he lived passionately.

We take great comfort from one of his favourite Psalms 46;7 `The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge` and our shared Christian hope knowing that it is only a matter of time; before we will be united again. Of his fourteen children, he has several who have followed him into the Ministry of which there are Bishops, Pastors, Missionaries, Authors , Poets and other children and grandchildren that are Community Leaders, Builders, Entrepreneurs, Professional Sportsmen and Musicians. We would like to thank all who have prayed for us and supported us.

We are so grateful to the Mount Peniel Apostolic Church family for their love, support and prayers through this testing time. It has been moving in these past days, to receive letters and testimonials that speak of the place our father and Bishop holds in the lives of so many people. In this, we wonderfully glimpse how our Father was and remains a source of inspiration and strength. Being in ministry over half a century, a countless number of people will today picture Bishop Joshua E. Brooks preaching in the pulpit; they will recall the powerful witness of his healing prayers, his teaching, his wise counsel, humour, love for singing and music.

Due to Covid restrictions, a private burial attended by immediate family only, will take place in the next few weeks and will be broadcast internationally. We warmly invite all who would like to celebrate our Father’s life to join with us on social media for this special occasion (further details will be circulated shortly).

In the coming months, should The Lord tarry, we will be announcing a number of legacy initiatives in memory of Bishop Joshua E. Brooks` life and service in Ministry, as well as hosting a `Service of Thanksgiving`.

The countdown is on to #GivingTuesday 2020 - the global day of generosity is happening on 1 December

For this extraordinary year, #GivingTuesday is encouraging people to #GiveBack2020 – be it through a charity donation, a continued commitment to a cause close to their hearts, volunteering time or simply helping a friend, neighbour or family member.

#GivingTuesday and #GiveBack2020 offers all of us a chance to head towards the end of this most challenging of years by taking a positive step and knowing that we’ve once again come together to make a difference.

The global pandemic’s repercussions are being felt by charities around the world. Research by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), the organisation leading #GivingTuesday in the UK, found that charities face a significant increase in demand for their services while more than half (53%) have suffered a drop in donations. 

It is estimated that charities face a £10bn funding gap and CAF’s latest research found that without help, a quarter of charities in the UK said they would not survive a year.

The call to #GiveBack2020 is supported by JustGiving, Virgin Money Giving, PayPal and many more.  It encourages people to do what they can to support good causes. It could be donating the cost of your normal commute, giving spare change while you are Christmas shopping, rounding up your purchases and donating those extra pennies or even turning what would have been money spent on a work Christmas night out into a much-needed donation instead.

Gráinne Mathews, #GivingTuesday UK Lead at CAF said: "In this unprecedented year, we have all seen the amazing things that charities have done in the hardest and darkest of times.  They have been there for us, our families, and our communities and have come up with new ways to help the people most in need.  At CAF, we have been inspired to see so many charities striving to do more with less after fundraisers were cancelled and charity shops closed.

"This #GivingTuesday, the charities that have been there for us need us to be there for them. It is time to #GiveBack2020.”

To find out more about #GivingTuesday, and how you can get involved, visit: http://www.givingtuesday.org.uk/

The 1^st Assembly on Women, Faith and Diplomacy: Keeping the Faith and Transforming Tomorrow, will provide a unique platform to diverse stakeholders from media, diplomatic corps, civil society, academia, and international development sectors.

The convening will equip faith-inspired women and men, youth cohorts, and multi-religious communities, with knowledge and analysis, connectivity and narratives, linking religions to peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights.

The Assembly will identify challenges, nuance responsibilities, and showcase successes in peacebuilding, international relations, as well as sustainable development. Diplomacy in this context will shed light on informal structures and multiple strategies of negotiation and mediation, in which many women of faith often play essential roles to build peace, advance human development and uphold and protect human rights.

From 11-13 November 2020, several hundred international religious leaders, diplomats and representatives from civil society, governments, and academic institutions will come together.

Due to the ongoing global pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19, the organisers plan this conference format using cutting-edge and digitally savvy means. While the delegates will participate virtually ,a core group will conduct the conference from Lindau. Global members of the press are invited to participate virtually through live-streamed events, press conferences, and interviews.

The Assembly organisers are guided by an international Advisory Council and a Planning Committee of global, high-level religious and institutional leaders. The Programme will focus on key themes related to peace and security (including mediation and reconciliation), human rights (including gender-based violence and human trafficking), and development (including climate change and inter religious education).The program will feature regional spotlights, prominent faith, political and media leaders, interactive interviews, and audio-visual panels.

Lindau: Tripoint on Lake Constance

Lindau on Lake Constance will play host to the 1^st Assembly on Women, Faith and Diplomacy. Located at the tripoint of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the location as the geographical centre of Europe offers a certain “neutral ground”. The exchange of cultures in Lindau and the Lake Constance region is deeply rooted in history. Even today, this tradition achieves global reach for example by promoting generational dialog and assuming responsibility for the future in the organization of the Nobel Laureate Meetings. The Inselhalle from which the Assembly is held, affords the opportunity to carry out a conference with multiple simultaneous workshops and discussions virtually as well, due to its many convention rooms and workspaces.

Birmingham City centre based, Pan-Asian noodle bar chain, Chop and Wok, have struck a successful partnership with local charity Let’s Feed Brum, donating 30 freshly cooked meals on a weekly basis.

Chop and Wok, located on Suffolk Street have been assisting Let’s Feed Brum since its conception in 2015. The Charity provides food, drink, essential supplies & friendship to those living on the streets of Birmingham. With 10 million tonnes of food being thrown away every year in the UK, Let’s Feed Brum brings Birmingham’s cafés, bars and restaurants together to help feed people in these unfortunate circumstances.

Every Saturday evening for the past 5 years Chop and Wok have been preparing, cooking and delivering 30 meals to the Charity. These actions have been particularly meaningful for the team at Chop and Wok as the owners of the branch are themselves, Birmingham born and bred.

Ben Rafiqi – Let’s Feed Brum – ‘We are truly grateful for Chop and Wok’s donations. These hot meals on cold nights gives a person on the streets hope and reassurance that they have not been forgotten about by society.

Chop and Wok is one of Birmingham’s most exciting eateries. It is a Pan-Asian wok-based takeaway and restaurant set in a modern and conceptual environment, with an Asian fusion menu, cooked in a live 'food theatre' where all is visible, served in a striking electric-coloured customer area. It appeals to both lunchtime and evening diners, and encompasses Chinese, Thai, Malay, Japanese and Indian flavours.

Andy Dulay – Chop and Wok – ‘We've worked on and off with LFB for some years now and it was by chance during lockdown that Ben and I reconnected. It's been an absolute pleasure providing the meals knowing that someone, somewhere is getting a hot meal for the night. I hope and look forward to being able to provide more hands-on help in the months to come. Keep up the humble work Ben and the LFB team!'

A West Midlands Police officer was charged on Friday with three assaults which allegedly took place during separate incidents in Birmingham over a four-day period.

The charges are in connection with a series of ongoing investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into allegations of excessive use of force by police officers in the city earlier this year.

Police constable Declan Jones, aged 29, has been charged with common assaults in relation to the detention of a youth at Newtown on 21 April; the stop and search of a man at Aston on 20 April; and the stop and search of another man at Handsworth on 23 April.

We began an independent investigation into the circumstances of the incident at Newtown following a voluntary referral from West Midlands Police on 30 April. Our investigations in respect of the incidents at Aston and Handsworth followed complaints referred to us in May.  

We passed files of evidence from our enquiries to the Crown Prosecution Service which has now authorised the charges.

PC Jones, who is based in Birmingham, will make his first appearance before Coventry Magistrates Court on 18 November this year. We understand he is currently suspended from duties.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has said that it is his "fervent hope" that England's new lockdown will end on 2 December - but that ministers will be "guided by the facts".

He said: "We do need to get the R rate below 1."

The strict measures are due to come into force from Thursday.

Pubs, restaurants, gyms, non-essential shops and places of worship will close, but schools, colleges and universities can stay open.

The prime minister is expected to deliver a statement in the Commons on Monday before a vote on the latest restrictions on Wednesday. Labour has said it will back the lockdown.

Boris Johnson said he expects the lockdown to last until 2 December, after which England's regional tiered system will be reintroduced. But Mr Gove said decisions would "obviously be guided by the facts".

He said ministers believe "on the basis of the evidence that we have that we will be able to lift restrictions" by December 2.

But he stressed that "we do need to get the R rate [the number of people that one infected person will infect] below 1".

He said earlier that the lockdown could be extended beyond the December deadline.

Are you in loaf with baking?

Could you be in the class of 2021?

Applications for THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF are NOW open!

​

Who’s the best baker you know?

We’re looking for Britain’s best home bakers to enter the tent!

If you or someone you know is a smart cookie in the kitchen maybe it’s time to take a whisk and apply!

If you or someone you know is a talented home baker then apply now at www.applyforbakeoff.co.uk or call 0207 067 4837 for an application form.

Closing date for applications is 23.59 on Sunday 6th December 2020.

GOOD LUCK!

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding Covid-19 and we are following the advice of Public Health England. As a result, we may adjust how or when we carry out auditions. The safety and welfare of everyone involved in our productions is always paramount.​