Bournemouth introduces Muslim burial site

A dedicated Muslim burial site has been introduced in Kinson Cemetary to help meet the religious customs of the Muslim Community in Bournemouth.
Councillor David Smith and Mark Philips, of Faith Links, have created the site with the co-opreation of Majid Yasin, director of the Bournemouth Islamic Centre.

Mr Yasin said he was thrilled a Muslim burial was finally created :“It is important for us because there are 3000 Muslims in Bournemouth, and we didn’t know where to bury them.”
The new burial area means that Muslims will now only need a single grave facing the Mecca with a simple fence erected to mark the area in accordance with their religious custom.

Mr Yasin explains that before the project was introduced they needed two plots “Because our graves faced a different direction than the others, we needed two plots, and now we will only have one”.

That meant that Muslim families had to pay £700 for a plot, twice as much as Jewish or Christian families. Mr Yasin said he was pleased his community would now be provided with graves “like everyone else”.

Councillor David Smith added in a statement that “At a time which is difficult for families of loved ones to deal with, it is important that we meet the burial needs of all of our residents in the community irrespective of religion. I am very pleased that we now have this dedicated site in Kinson Cemetery.”

For further details, visit the Bournemouth Council website at http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/
Or call the Bournemouth Islamic Centre and Central Mosque at 01202 557072

From here to there

A recent exhibition at the Arts Institute of Bournemouth takes you through a fifty year journey of photography. From here to there brings together recent graduates as well as older, more established artists that came from the Institute, formerly known as the Bournemouth and Poole college of Art and design.

The many photographs, old and new, black or white, could not better show the diversity and difference between various artists, styles and cultures.

Famous artists such as Philip Townsend and Michael Birt, who graduated respectively in 59 and 75, like to represent “old school” England through black and white pictures ranging from Westminster to the swinging sixties to the Rolling Stones on stage.

These photos clash all the more beautifully with the colourful portraits of modern life set next to them, frozen in eternal action by recent grads Sarah Turton and Spiros Politis.
With an edgy modern music in the background, you walk through a gallery of diversity.

Portraits of Poole and Bournemouth factory workers stand alongside the looks of celebrities like Duffy, Alan Rickman and Lewis Hamilton. Poetic representations of Dorset coasts and countryside stand out against the hard outlines of the latest sports cars.

But the exhibition does not only mix old and new students, it also blends recent and old technology together. Whilst on one end you can find black and white pictures, at the other you can flick through cyber galleries of digital pictures on state of the art computers.
From here to there gives an insightful overview of diverse artists who come from the same place.

Fight crime from the comfort of your home

Bournemouth residents will be able to prevent crime from the safety of their homes by making suggestions to reduce crime at a virtual meeting.

The Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership is indeed organising for the first time a virtual crime reduction meeting. On the February 24, from 5.30 to 7.30, residents will access the meeting via the Bournemouth Echo website, and will be able to make suggestions to help reduce crime.

Sian Jenkins, from the Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership, says it is an opportunity for people who have difficult timetables to be involved.

“some get stuck at home with the children and it makes it easier for them. Some residents are also reticent to go to council meetings as they have a stuffy old image, this way they don’t need to go”.

Residents will be able to virtually ask questions and make suggestions to representatives from Dorset Police and Dorset Fire and Rescue as well as with members from the Council and the NHS.

The annual meeting will aim at finding solutions to reduce crime in five priority areas, which are social behaviour, domestic violence, violent crimes, community cohesion and quisitive crimes such as theft or robbery.

Sian Jenkins is confident the meeting will help Borough : “there has already been a 28% reduction in crimes over the last three years because of our policies”.
A meeting will however be held at 3 at the Wessex Hotel that day for those who wish to interact in person.

You may make suggestions straight away at paula.roberts@bournemouthecho.co.uk.
Or call the Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership at 01202 454797.

No toughening of policies in Dorset

A new set of EU policies against employers of illegal workers is unlikely to change the law in the UK. Graham Watson, South West MEP, says there is already a tough approach to workers who employ illegal immigrants, therefore the new rules “may not require a change in law”.

The proposal, which was approved by the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, would introduce stricter sanctions to employers. They would vary from administrative fines to criminal sanctions to a ban from public contracts for up to five years depending on the gravity, scale and persistence of illegal employment practices.

The directive is part of a broader package to prevent illegal immigration. “ We are trying to reduce effort into illegal immigration, whilst opening the door slightly to legal migration” Mr Graham says.

There are no definite numbers for illegal workers in Dorset, but Mr Graham says there is evidence that many migrants from Asia are trafficked in the UK.

He adds that migration laws are particularly important in the South West, with an economy dependent on legal migrants “The South West is a region which has the need for temporary seasonal workers in industries such as agriculture. Reports have shown how very hard pressed we would be here in the South West without a pool of immigrant labour”.

But Mr Graham is quick to add that we shouldn’t forget there are also many legal workers in the UK, and that while illegal migration should be fought, “ we must not turn Europe into a fortress”.

Giles Chichester, local MEP, was also adamant the UK would not adopt the new “sanctions directive”, which he feels is not necessary “there are already pretty onerous requirements on UK employers to satisfy themselves and the authorities that they are only employing people legitimately available for work”.


For further information visit www.europa.net
www.grahamwatsonmep.org

News bulletin Tuesday 5pm

Tuesday 5pm bulletin from Mammj on Vimeo.

Christmas tree report

Penelope TV assignment from Mammj on Vimeo.

Bournemouth under the snow

Bournemouth hasn't seen a snowfall like this for nearly twenty years, and while more snow is expected over the next few days, the whole country is at a standstill. Schools and roads have been shut, and businnesses say the bad weather could not have come at a worse time. Dorset has registered a loss of 20 million pounds, whereas the whole of the UK has an estimated 3,5 billion pounds loss of costs.

Bournemouth Oakmedians 34-0 Blandford

The Bournemouth Oakmedians third XV proved they were players who “practiced their skills” according to their motto as they easily beat Blanford’s second team on Saturday.

A try from Jason Kier opened the score just minutes after kick off, with a successful conversion from captain Rhys Parker. The Bournemouth team were clearly on a roll as Jason Kier scored another try moments later, but this time Parker failed to convert on the 22 yards touchline.

Blandford got an opportunity to score when they were given a penalty at a scrum, but Jim Mathieson failed the kick drop. The Oakmedians had to be warned several times during the game about their scrum, their coach Alf Changchao yelling for a “tidier scrum”.

The Blandford team showed a lack of technique as they missed another try when Adam Yates was tackled shortly before the touchline and the ball diverted by the Oakmedians’ defence. Another Oakmedian try ensued, with Rob Hunter successfully scoring, while Parker again missed the 22 yard conversion.

Meanwhile the game had to be stopped as Oakmedian Yusei Shimoda kneeled down after an eye injury, but quickly stood up and resumed the match. Not the same could be said however for Blandford Henry Wates, who was applauded off the pitch after a leg injury. Moments before half time, another try is scored for the Oakmedians, this time successfully converted by Parker.

Both teams were asking for more as they were back in the game after just five minutes’ break.
Dan Willis was replaced by Tony Holthom who wasted no time in scoring another try for the Oakmedians. Parker narrowly missed the conversion, the ball hitting the bar.

It wasn’t a lucky game for Blandford number seven Henry Wates, who had to leave the pitch a second time, crying over his leg injury. A few exchanges took place on the Bournemouth side with notably Oakmedian coach Alf Changhao taking over James Norris in the last fifteen minutes.

The game ended with the Oakmedians scoring one last try without converting, leading them to victory with a comfortable 34-0 score. The Blandford team didn’t however seem too sour as they were clapped in the tunnel as they left the pitch.