Latest news with #communityevents
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Live art, Eid festival, and club night make for triple weekend fun
A trio of community events - an Eid festival, a live art event, and a club night harking back to a musical "golden era" - took place last weekend. The events were delivered by The Leap, the community-led arts and culture programme covering the Bradford district. One of the events was the Bradford Eid Festival. Held in Peel Park, the festival attracted more than 35,000 people and featured food, music, and dance, as well as craft stalls, Nasheed singers, henna artists, and storytelling areas. The Leap's UK-Pakistan Truck Art Project, an art installation blending traditional Pakistani truck art with contemporary, local designs, also featured. At the Bradford Eid Festival in Peel Park, visitors were able to engage with The Leap's UK-Pakistan Truck Art Project, which sees traditional Pakistani truck art blended with contemporary designs (Image: Supplied) The project was developed by artists from both the UK and Pakistan, working with young people and families in BD3. Another event that took place was Statuesque, hosted at The Beacon in Bowling Park. The live art event saw Naomi Parker and her troupe, known as Chicks on Sticks, perform as living statues. The event, which was created in collaboration with local schools and emerging artists, also included craft workshops and a carnival parade. A Bhangra Legacy Daytimers event, organised by Moss Sheikh and Mick Chandsoor, also took place during the weekend. Daytimers DJs from the 1980s and 1990s were present at a Bhangra Legacy Daytimers event, organised by Moss Sheikh and Mick Chandsoor, which mixed archival footage, live performances, and DJ sets (Image: Supplied) It celebrated the "golden era" of Bradford's South Asian club scene with DJ sets, archive footage, and live performances. Daytimers DJs from the 1980s and 1990s were present. Zulfiqar Ahmed, director of The Leap, said: "This weekend was Bradford at its best – creative, bold, and connected. "Every event, from the beats of Daytimers to the stunning Pakistani truck art, showed what's possible when culture is led by the people who live it every day. The Bhangra Legacy Daytimers event commemorated the 'golden era' of Bradford's South Asian club scene (Image: Supplied) "The Truck Art project, in particular, was a proud moment – blending heritage and innovation in a way that only Bradford can." Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, said: "It was a great weekend. "Wonderful to see so many local people out enjoying cultural activities on their doorstep. "It's exactly what we wanted the Creative People and Places programme to do through The Leap - bringing opportunities to enjoy arts and culture to the people, rather than expecting them to search it out. "The council is pleased to support the investment in The Leap, which has enabled the Arts Council to invest significantly in the organisation since its foundation." The Leap is funded by Arts Council England and Bradford Council as part of the Creative People and Places network.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Wheelersburg begins seeing impact of new nonprofit
Last year, a group of dedicated Wheelersburg residents banded together to form a non-profit. After going to Township Trustees with suggestions and wanting to see more opportunities for events and beautification, they were immediately supported by their elected officials and communities, hosting several events, one of which being the Porter Township bicentennial. According to Co-Chair Karen Mershon, the group didn't hesitate to take on the challenge. They pulled together one massive celebration in only three months that wasn't only in the Porter Township Park, but outgrew to fill the flea market area, Pioneer Village and Litteral House. Since then, the group has had planning sessions and community events, but they made their first visible improvement to the community in May, followed by a second over the past week. The project that has gotten the most attention was the launch of a military recognition program that saw the installation of 66 banners throughout Wheelersburg. 'The Hometown Hero Project has never been done in Wheelersburg, and we have 20 banners in the park and 46 throughout the community. It's been a very successful project, and we've had several people contact us about additional banners,' Mershon said. 'We've launched our first round, and we are not sure if we are able to put more up until next year, but we do have an application process in place.' The banners are colorful tributes to recognize not only veterans, but currently enlisted members of the military. 'One of the special ones is Jonathan Etterling, which is on the Jonathan E. Etterling Memorial Highway,' Mershon explained. 'We have his as you come off 52 and it is the first one your see. All of them are important, though. These heroes have given so much, and we want to recognize the military men and women who have protected us. We all need to recognize the sacrifices they and their families have made. This has been such an honor.' According to Mershon, not only has the group been getting requests for additional banners from friends and family of service men and women, but the community at large has been grateful for the project. 'People have loved it. We've had so many people, families and veterans, thanking us for doing this,' Mershon said. 'One of the biggest joys we can get is when someone takes their photo next to their banner; you can see so much in those pictures.' The banners, which can be expensive to produce in good quality that survives the elements were mostly sponsored by family members of the military members recognized. In some cases, Mershon said veterans were sponsored by community members and businesses. One recent improvement was the removal of what was formerly the Staker's Drugs sign at the intersection of Ohio River Road and Center Street. When the property was razed, the sign remained close to the road and had fallen into disrepair over time, becoming an eyesore at the entrance of Wheelersburg. 'This is a project our group has had in the works for some time,' Mershon explained. 'We wanted to clear things with anyone who leased or owned the property in the past, had many discussions with Engineer LeBrun, and it is so nice to finally see it removed. We will now be landscaping that area that welcome people as soon as they enter our community.' Mershon said that the nonprofit is paying for the sign removal and the landscaping. They still owe for the removal and haven't begun the landscaping yet. Current cost estimates have the total project cost at $7,500. Tax-deductible donations may be made to see the project through to completion and Mershon says all donations will be earmarked for that project. Those interested in donating may call (740) 464-8349 or message Wheelersburg Community Partnership on Facebook for more information. 'I think we have done a lot. Our Main goal is to have a positive impact on our community through events and beautification opportunities. We held three events last year, we initiated the Hometown Hero program and now the beautification projects are launched,' Mershon said. 'We have other ideas in the works and will continue bringing life back to our community.'
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Be The Most Loved In Your Community
About a dozen years ago, I interviewed an Ace Hardware owner who was forced to make big changes in how he did business to survive a new competitor that was moving in next door. His small store of about 12,000 square feet, packed with merchandise, had been thriving for years. All of that was about to potentially change when a Home Depot chose to build out a 150,000-square-foot store—more than 10 times his size—directly next door. In addition, once the store was built, Home Depot spent more than 30 times what Ace spent on advertising. This savvy Ace Hardware owner realized that to survive, he had to make some changes. He couldn't compete on size. He couldn't compete on selection—a store more than 10 times larger obviously had more merchandise for customers to choose from. And even though his store had competitive prices, 'big box' stores had a reputation for lower prices. So, what did he choose to do? He set out to become the most loved business in his community. He started by eliminating most of the store's traditional advertising. With his competition spending 30 times more, he recognized that his ads might go unnoticed. He shifted those dollars to the community. He started sponsoring local programs such as school dances, church functions and kids' sports teams. While he was already established and known in the community, he took it to the next level with participation in his customers' important events. The strategy for becoming the most loved business in the community isn't just a feel-good or ego-driven approach to name recognition. It's smart business. When the Ace Hardware owner shifted his resources from traditional advertising to community involvement, he created something powerful and special: genuine local relationships and goodwill. This strategy can work for any business (B2C and B2B), not just Ace Hardware. Ten years ago, I had the honor of being a keynote speaker for the United Franchise Group. Back then, they had four franchise concepts. Today, they have 10, plus a consulting company that helps entrepreneurs become franchisors. Their concepts vary from marketing companies to business consulting practices to restaurants. I recently spoke with Ray Titus, UFG's CEO, and he shared one of his favorite marketing strategies: to be the most loved person in your community. It turns out that this strategy was akin to the one used by the Ace Hardware owner. There are many similarities between Ace Hardware and UFG's franchise concepts. While UFG may be an international brand, they are still local businesses. Depending on the message, traditional advertising and marketing can create awareness and even some emotional connection. However, according to Titus, nothing beats the connection you can make by becoming beloved by the community where you work. Even large companies like Home Depot (a direct competitor to Ace Hardware) have recognized the value of community engagement. Many national and international companies have community programs, foundations and local store partnerships that allow them to connect meaningfully with the communities they serve. The key is to be authentic. Simply throwing money at a cause as a donation is nice, but active community involvement is another level. The idea of 'giving back' to the community is important to customers. My annual CX research found that 62% of customers in the U.S. said they prefer to do business with a company or brand that has a social cause that is important to them, and a local/community cause may not only be important, it's also 'close to home.' Furthermore, 51% of customers are willing to pay more if the company or brand supports a cause that is important to them. For businesses large and small, the lesson Ace Hardware and United Franchise Group have embraced is clear: community engagement isn't just a corporate social responsibility, it's a strategic advantage. Companies that authentically connect with the communities in which they reside create a competitive edge that transcends size, price and selection. The most successful organizations recognize that becoming loved and appreciated in their communities is good for business.
RNZ News
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Fight to save Western Springs Speedway continues
Photo: James Selwyn Operators of the Western Springs Speedway in Auckland are confident they have managed to change some minds at the city council after making their case to stay open. Public submissions on the stadium's future opened this week, with the Western Springs Speedway Association taking the opportunity to submit its own proposal to maintain the status quo. It opposes two other proposals - one for a private stadium and the other for a ratepayer-funded overhaul. The association is seeking a 30-year lease to keep the speedway running, arguing the space is flexible enough to be used for a variety of purposes including concerts, rugby, football and basketball. "A lot of people aren't aware the pit gate can be removed for concerts, so it's actually very easy to set a concert up there," spokesperson Jason Jones said "There's a lot of space that's under-utilized, like the upper carpark where we feel if they did want to build basketball courts that's the most appropriate place." He argued it was the most sensible option, avoiding costly renovations or privatisation. "In the meeting we had a local basketball club and Western Springs Football, we [think] if all these groups got together that we could utilise the stadium a lot better without it being privatised," he said. "In the past we've had the speedway, concerts, and rugby coexist and it's worked pretty well. You can build on that with other community groups." Gina Harris, a driver at Western Springs Speedway, presented the proposal alongside Jones. She said councillors were receptive. "After actually having our say there was a lot of them mumbling that they wished they had known all of this when they were forced to make a decision last October... They would have voted differently," she said. Harris said it was a shame it had taken so long for the council to hear them out. "For this to be the first opportunity for Aucklanders to actually have their say about one of their biggest assets so far down the track, it's not a good look for the council." Jones agreed. "Having councillors make decisions without key facts and information is just not appropriate, so we've got submissions until the 16th for the general public and we'd like them to put it back on the table and revisit it." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bizarre moment Queen Camilla meets people dressed as bushes
The Queen was 'ambushed' by two people dressed as bushes during a visit to Canary Wharf. The Eden Project and Canary Wharf Group have partnered to transform Middle Dock into 'Eden Dock', a biodiverse space to host community events. Camilla attended a Big Lunch on Wednesday to celebrate the new venture and was welcomed by two people dressed as bushes. Cracking a smile, Queen Camilla asked if they could see out of the costume and quipped they were 'wonderful'. Camilla went on to meet a group of children, aged six, from the local Mulberry Wood Wharf primary school who helped decorate the bunting for the event and showed the Queen some of their drawings.
