Carbon Neutral , How easy is the journey? My story part 1 of 12 across 2020

We are all aware of the need to do more to save the planet and yes as small households many justly think big business and organisations do the most damage and therefore we in our own homes are just to small a fish to make a difference but are we?

We decided back in September that we would make a serious effort to do our bit and come December we had traded our car for bikes, this was no easy choice as my car has been a lifeblood of so many community projects and campaigns from collecting food for my food bank to carrying disabled and elderly activists around town and so much more, but hiring a car one day, I realised that I was spending almost £200 a month on insurance alone, add in parking permits, road tax, MOT, petrol and maintenance and running a car is not a cheap option, especially when you can hire a Car from £25 a day, so one month in, how is it doing? We have two smart foldaway bikes that have successfully discovered muscle areas we never knew we had, whilst getting back on the bus is a real joy for those of us who live in London and thanks to bus lanes can get from A-B in record time our next step is to find a basket we can carry the dogs around with us so we can all as a family unit get the most of the freedom no longer having a car brings, but it's not just about dumping the car, walking and taking the bus when the distance is greater than I think my legs could peddle, but its also about so much more. we have planted two new trees in pots a Cherry Tree and a Peartree which will be great for Wildlife our neighbours to enjoy and a step towards improving our air quality whilst also changing our diet which has inspired a new book I am working on that will be called The Love Diet for Mind. Body. Soul, and the Planet. a book I hope to finish by the Summer teaching people whatever your income how you can save money by eating well, lose weight and how to live well whilst cooking fresh local produce, not eating any other meat other than chicken if at all, and giving up ALL dairy products, as the damage the dairy animals cause the planet is one we can in our small way make a difference when we do have even at Aldi, Gluten-free and Dairy-free options that are not just great for our wellbeing, but also do matter when you think about how much you buy across a 12 month period and then think about it across your lifetime, what has been surprising is how much I have enjoyed the process, I thought I would miss the car, but we have not, I thought I would die without dairy, I have not, so next on my list is giving up Coffee, that is going to be tough, but we have so many awesome teas you can drink these days, I think I can do it, also the big shock was that by reviewing how and what we eat our weekly food bill dropped by a staggering 30%, and that was not about swapping a posh store for budget, but by carefully planning what we would eat each day has lead to zero waste and two much healther lifestyle 

Jamar Ngozi Broken English Review

Theatre London is far too often led by big-budget productions, packed with A-list celebrity casts that leave audiences more overwhelmed by the stage sets and costumes than the content and the cast.  New independent productions giving a break to new writers and new talent throughout, however, are costly and difficult to stage with no guarantee of an audience in these tough times. This is not helped by a too-small, elite mainstream media who far too often fail to interview, feature or give space to Britain’s rising talent pool.  As Oscars and #BaftaSowhite hashtag grips social media, I do wonder if every aspect of UK theatre is really addressing this issue and truly doing its best to feature Black talent, for if it did and there were any justice and equality in news coverage, Jamar Ngozi should be up there with fellow Lewisham resident Kate Tempest, and George the Poet as one of Britain’s finest.

On a cold Monday night, I headed out with a friend to follow the buzz about this bright star, Jahmar Ngozi, to see his Edinburgh Fringe success show Broken English, holding a limited stage run at The Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden. We had concerns that a Monday in January was not a great night to catch a show, but broadcaster and social commentator Robert Elms, who featured Jahmar for his award-winning BBC Radio London show, helped insure a rare almost sold- out theatre with an audience more diverse and as engaging as the performers. 

 Broken English, a story about one man’s life presented through the art of poetry, slamming, song, dance, music and a clear grasp of English language, ensured the audience was captivated and seduced from the very first words. Addressing the audience, Jamar asked: “Who in the audience knows what it's like to be broke?”  A play on the opening title of this production then took us all on a journey through Jamar’s life history, slavery, Windrush, war, inequality, rights, and respect for women, It explored not being great at school and yet becoming a playwright, a poet, a wordsmith and so much more using wit, dance and music. A more than able cast of Sam Burnard, the awesome Jake Bryan-Amaning and Rosie May -Jones was able equally to shine on this stripped-back set, making us rethink as an audience how we see and interpret everyday words and their power to enrage, engage, motivate and define us. Shakespeare and Wordsworth are recognized as English language at its most profound and yet I believe, in 20 years, the language of Kate Tempest, George the Poet and Jamar Ngozi will be up there, for Broken English is not just great theatre, it’s a rare piece of work that deserves a broader audience . 4 stars. Limited London stage Run so buy your tickets NOW. 

Tristan Bates Theatre, at The Actors Centre Covent Garden until 22 January 2020, but look out as certain to be staged at other theatres, festivals and events