JANUARY 2026 • ISSUE NO. 1974
WWW.VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK
26 FOR 26
Happy
Who will be the ones to watch this year? Read our predictions
New Yearr to all ou readers
WINDRUSH
MILLIONS
UNCLAIMED Melanie Clarke (left) with her sister Gillian and late father Hugo who bought Premium Bonds for her as a child
›› p32-33
MP anger over Lammy jury plans JUSTICE SECRETARY David Lammy faces an MP rebellion over plans to scrap jury trials, as critics warn the move will deepen racial injustice and destroy trust in a justice system already stacked against Black communities. Veteran MP Diane Abbott is among a group of leading Labour backbenchers who have written to prime minster Sir Keir Starmer urging him to scrap the proposals.
Families urged to check old paperwork as over £100 million remains in unpaid Premium Bonds prizes
(Photo credit: Melanie Clarke)
WINDRUSH GENERATION descendants are being advised to search old documents for misplaced Premium Bonds. Once a popular way that Black families saved for
their children in the 1960s and 70s, campaigners say many are unaware their bonds could now be worth huge sums of money.
Fancy a change in your career? Discover what’s possible at
BAE Systems SEE P7
£2.50
›› p8
David Lammy’s proposed jury trial reforms have prompted a backlash
›› p4
Inside THIS MONTH
The Voice says
ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER
News, views, stories & videos
THE 10 MOST POPULAR STORIES ON VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK
6
‘I just want to be near my daughters’: mother with complex mental health needs speaks out after council move
10
NOT THE SOLUTION: David Lammy’s proposal would deepen racial injustice in Britain’s broken court system
Rev Clive Foster: ‘I saw the Windrush Scandal unfold in my church and I couldn’t look away’
11
Breaking barriers: meet Sabah Zita Benson, Ghana’s first female High Commissioner to the UK
25
Sound system therapy: how bass, movement and community become medicine
30
The remarkable story of Hezekiah Moscow back for round two in ‘A Thousand Blows’
39
How a new AI tool is protecting athletes from online abuse
Scrapping jury trials would deepen racial injustice not fix Britain’s broken courts
P
LANS reportedly being driven by Justice Secretary David Lammy to drastically reduce the use of jury trials across England and Wales should alarm every person who cares about fairness, accountability and trust in the justice system. Presented as a solution to chronic court backlogs, the proposals would reserve jury trials for only the most serious offences, while expanding judge-only hearings for many other cases. But this reform risks dismantling one of the few remaining safeguards that Black communities still trust and replacing it with a system that history shows works against us. Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott has rightly warned that removing jury trials would abolish a fundamental right and worsen racial disparities already baked into the system. Ministry of Justice research itself acknowledges that juries, drawn from a cross-section of society, provide a modest counterweight to institutional bias. Remove them, and that bias is left unchecked. Judges, however conscientious, are part of the establishment. They work daily with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, institutions that multiple reviews, including the recent Casey review, have found to be affected by racism and homophobia.
This issue is 40 pages EDITOR Vic Motune E. vic.motune@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
CORPORATE AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS Paula Dyke E. paula@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paulette Simpson E. paulette.simpson@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Joel Campbell E. joel.campbell@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
At a time when confidence in policing is already dangerously low, concentrating even more power in the hands of an unrepresentative judiciary is completely unjustified. The statistics are stark. Racialised defendants tried before juries are convicted at similar rates to their White counterparts. In contrast, significant disparities exist in magistrates’ courts. Black women, for example, are 22 per cent more likely to be convicted than White women. Research from the 2017 Lammy Review warned that denying defendants the right to elect a jury trial would likely lead to higher conviction rates for Black and minority ethnic Britons. Nor would these proposals solve the backlog crisis. Court delays are the product of years of underfunding, reduced sitting days, staff shortages and crumbling infrastructure. Shifting cases away from juries simply moves pressure elsewhere particularly to magistrates’ courts, which are already overstretched. Juries may not be perfect, but their flaws stem from evidence and direction, not public judgment. They better reflect defendants than an overwhelmingly White judiciary does. If reducing racial inequality is the goal, which it should be, jury trials must be expanded, not cut, to protect fairness and public trust.
A JAMAICAN LEGEND: Jimmy Cliff’s funeral was held last month
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Racism in the NHS is costing billions — and Black lives
Official funeral for Jimmy Cliff to be held next week Too Black to be Indian and too Indian to be Black
‘He’d rather die than be in there’: Shocking family testimonies spur call for isolation room ban Guyana launches major push to supply fresh produce to Caribbean markets
Xavi Simons brings festive cheer to local neighbourhood Rapper Ghetts pleads guilty to causing death by dangerous driving
Kyle Murray and the community ‘Move4Jamaica’ Black women sound the alarm as fake hair products flood online marketplaces Black Greggs supervisor nicknamed ‘ganja man’ wins discrimination case
Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk SPORTS EDITOR Rodney Hinds E. rodney.hinds@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk ADVERTISING AND SALES E. advertising@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
NEWS DESK E. newsdesk@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS E. subscriptions@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
The Voice Newspaper Unit 1, Bricklayers Arms, Mandela Way, London, SE1 5SR T: 020 7510 0340 Web: www.voice-online.co.uk GV MEDIA GROUP LTD
JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 3
News
GREATEST DAY: KNIGHT’S LOTTERY FUND SURPRISE Soul star Beverley Knight delights her hometown by delivering huge £244k grant to Windrush project
S
OUL SINGER Beverley Knight delivered a £244,452 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to a Windrush heritage project in Wolverhampton, surprising a packed audience at Wolverhampton Arts Centre during a recent event. Knight, a National Lottery Ambassador and daughter of the Windrush Generation, appeared unannounced at the Together For Music community celebration to reveal the award to Diversity Music Community 1st, a grassroots group preserving the oral histories of Caribbean-born DJs, musicians and community leaders who helped shape the city’s cultural identity from the 1950s to the 1980s. The funding will support Windrush: The Music, The Sound, The Legacy, a project documenting the contribution of Caribbean migrants to Wolverhampton’s music and cultural landscape. The initiative forms part of The National Lottery’s Because of You campaign, fronted by Claudia Winkleman, which highlights people and projects whose work has been made possible by National Lottery players. Knight’s appearance drew emotional reactions from attendees and performers who had gathered for an evening of live music, DJ sets and intergenerational storytelling. The singer told the audience:
“As someone whose family is part of the Windrush Generation and a lifelong lover of music, it’s inspiring to see National Lottery funding supporting organisations like Diversity Community Music 1st. “This work is so close to my roots and heart, celebrating and preserving Caribbean culture and music. This success is all thanks to National Lottery players – because of you, this wouldn’t be possible!” Diversity Music Community 1st was founded to honour the histories of Caribbean community pioneers whose influence continues to resonate across British music. The group has been gathering testimonies, memories and recordings that risk being lost as members of the Windrush Generation grow older. Organisers say the new funding is vital to safeguarding stories that have shaped Wolverhampton for more than half a century. Chair director Wayne Blake said the project reflects both heritage and forward momentum within the Black community. “There’s a rich and vibrant
WITH OPEN ARMS: Beverley Knight with Wayne Blake of the Diversity Music Community 1st at Wolverhampton Arts Centre; left, the chart-topping star surprised members of the Diversity Music Community 1st during the recent event (photos: Getty Images)
heritage in our community, and this National Lottery funding helps us honour it: from the Windrush Generation who laid the foundations to the future generations shaping what comes next,” he said. “Having Beverley Knight surprise us with the announcement made it even more special. She’s a
Wolverhampton local, a hometown hero, and a proud daughter of the Windrush generation. “Her presence reminded us just how powerful our roots are, and how far they can reach. “For us, it all starts with music, but what truly grows is connection, the relationships, the sense of belonging, and the community we build together. “Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we can
continue to make our impact greater than ever and continue to celebrate our legacy.” Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the award recognises the need to preserve stories that have shaped communities nationwide. “This grant award is more than funding, it is an investment in people, in stories that deserve to be heard, and in the connections that hold communities together,”
she said. “It will help preserve voices and traditions that risk being lost to time and honours unsung heroes like Wayne Blake and the Windrush Generation whose contributions have shaped our nation.” National Lottery players raise more than £30 million each week for good causes across the UK. Since 1994, the Lottery has funded more than 650,000 projects, including over 53,000 heritage initiatives nationwide.
Awesome Equiano: Abolitionist is the star of new children’s book A NEW children’s book telling the life story of 18th-century abolitionist Olaudah Equiano has been published, four years after a Black History Month presentation in Southwark libraries first inspired its creation. The Awesome Equiano, written by journalist Hugh Closs and illustrated by award-winning British Nigerian artist Tayo Fatunla, presents the true story of the African boy who was kidnapped into slavery from the Igbo village of Essaka in southern Nigeria before becoming one of Britain’s most influential Black abolitionists. The book is aimed at readers aged eight to 12, though its creators say it will appeal to all ages. The
project began when Closs delivered a talk during Black History Month, which later developed into a full adaptation of Equiano’s remarkable autobiography. The book charts Equiano’s early life, enslavement and years at sea, during which he became an accomplished sailor and travelled across America, Europe, the West Indies and the Arctic. After purchasing his freedom, he became a prominent London citizen and a leading campaigner against slavery. His memoirs, first published in 1789, were supported by the then Prince of Wales and remain one of the most important first-person accounts of enslavement. Closs, a for-
ADVERSITY: Young readers to the extraordinary Olaudah Equiano mer BBC staffer and long-time journalist who volunteers at Peckham Library, adapted the narrative for younger readers. The story has been
brought to life by Fatunla, whose illustrations have previously appeared in the BBC, the British Museum and The Guardian, as well as The Voice, where his Our Roots series on Black history became widely known. Fatunla said the book’s publication marks the end of a long creative journey. “Hugh and I are thrilled that our book is finally published after working on it for several years,” he told The Voice. “The process has been a rollercoaster, and I’m pleased that my illustrations might encourage children to learn about the life of a slave abolitionist.” According to the noted illustrator the story’s power lies in its historical,
accuracy and relevance to young readers today. “Each aspect of the narrative is factual, highlighting the resilience and perseverance of a young boy in facing adversity. It is intended to motivate young readers by exemplifying courage and determination.” Fatunla added that illustrating Equiano’s journey has had a personal impact. “I created these Equiano story illustrations to encourage young people to share their own stories through art. The story intrigued me and inspired me to depict it visually.” l The Awesome Equiano – A True Story is published by Colne House Publishing