Circus tutor teaches gangs in Colombia how to juggle

AN ACTOR who was a West End puppeteer has brought back the lessons he learnt from teaching circus skills in Colombia to London estates.

Greg Bartlett, 23, now a workshop leader with Albert and Friends in Hammersmith, began teaching at 16 and has worked a puppeteer in War Horse.

The performer said: “I love acting and teaching equally. War Horse was a great opportunity, and I loved it, but working with kids is amazing. But being there with the kids in Cali, Colombia was far more rewarding than any amount of great reviews or applause we got on stage.”

Greg decided after starring in the West End show to take the performing skills he learnt as a child to one of the roughest areas of Colombia, known for its gun crime and violence.

He said: “I love working with kids so I got in contact with the group who work out there with the kids and somehow persuaded them to let me join them.

“I had to raise £2000 to get out there and I managed to raise £3000 so I donated the extra money to charity and bought unicycles for the charity in Colombia.”

The young teacher ran lessons in el Distrito de Aguablanca, in Cali, Colombia one of the roughest areas. Nearly all of the children Greg taught had lost a family member to the violence.

He said: “One of my friends when I was out there got shot. It was a shocking reality that this was the life these kids would lead. A lot of the boys would carry knifes and gun crime was extremely high there.

“The problem was these gangs seemed like the only option. Education was very poor out there. They saw that it was easy to get money through gangs.

Greg joined what is seen as the world’s only professional circus school for street children allowing some to go on and earn a living, pay for a four year schooling programme and for them to move their whole family.

He said: “These kids had no love or support. The circus was the alternative to all that.  Some of the kids had not even spoken to each other as they were from different gangs. They were hostile as they came from different areas, but then at the lessons they suddenly were like a family as they came together.”

Greg worked with the Circo para Todos in the Agua Blanca slums providing English lessons, and circus skills workshops.

He said: “I ran workshops in some of the most vulnerable areas where the kids cannot afford to go to school, they run around in the streets carrying knives for protection because they feel like there is no other way.

“A lot of them were positive about learning new skills, they respected me because I could do something cool.”

The enthusiastic workshop leader says that the classes had a grander aim of instilling in the children self-confidence and the belief they could work their way of out slum life.

He said: “The classes gave them wider skills like time keeping and build their self-esteem. It was an outlet for creativity. They learnt that they didn’t have to be the big man in front of the other kids they could just be children.”

While out there Greg also worked with the Sio Way Orchestra, a group who teach children how to play an instrument.

Greg said: “It was amazing. They’d given them instruments to keep them off the streets. I’d never heard someone playing a violin that had just picked it up and learnt it from scratch like that. It was raw.”

Returning from Cali he joined Albert and Friends as workshop leader bringing his experiences from Colombia to London Estates and behavioural centres. Greg works on Wood Lane estate every Friday teaching children how to juggle, walk on stilts and general circus skills.

He said: “I suppose we face similar problems here with crime, knives and guns, but we have more options, it’s easier to find a way out.

“Children on the estates get involved but I’d say the kids in Cali had a respect for their teacher and a thirst for learning that maybe I don’t see as much of here. Kids wherever you are in the world don’t believe in themselves, I try and inspire them.”

Despite having just come home Greg says he misses the Cali children already and is grateful to them for teaching him so much.

He said: “They taught me more than I could ever teach them. They taught me not to be scared. A lot of the time you can be scared.

“There is no need. As long as you keep alert and alive there is nothing you cannot do. They made me see how important it is to inspire the young.”

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Posted in: albert and friends,circus,colombia,hammersmith,london,portfolio,war horse

Guestview: World Youth Day, from carnival atmosphere to silent prayer

WYD Opening Mass/Jo-Anne Rowney

World Youth Day has officially begun! It’s been a week since our group from London first arrived in Spain. Back then, hot and tired, I couldn’t even begin to comprehend the events that we’d experience and the amazing atmosphere we’re part of.

The WYD events began with an opening Mass on the Plaza de Cibeles on Wednesday. There was a carnival atmosphere when we arrived in the square. Each nationality had its own flag and everyone was waving them until the sky became a sea of colour. Pilgrims wearing brightly coloured shirts, rosaries, crucifixes and their WYD badges filled the square over the next two hours. The square itself became so crowded people were shoulder to shoulder. The sun was right overhead, beating down on us so for the Londoners used to the rain and cold it was a bit of a change!

I soon met Filipino pilgrims had just arrived after 12 hours flight.  Imelda, from Manila said: “It’s like a carnival. Everyone has so much energy and there’s this buzz that I can’t put into words.” In the underground after the Mass, Imelda’s carriage was still in the party spirit: “There were chants of Viva la Papa! and songs being sung in many languages. We even sang the old WYD songs!”

Then silence. Once Mass began, a hush fell over the square. It’s an amazing sight and sound. when nearly half a million young people fall into complete silence before God.  The only sound during the Mass was the choir. Even more beautiful and amazing weres the pilgrims queuing for confession around the edge of the crowds, where open-air confessionals were set up in the parks nearby for pilgrims.

While some pilgrims are staying in hotels, others are camping out or have been bundled into school halls. Catherine, from the English Faith Movement said: “There’s about 70 of us in a hall, sharing minimal facilities. It’s a pilgrim experience in the truest sense. Just having the basics while we’re here to grow in prayer and faith.”

“It’ll all be worth it when the Pope arrives,” she assures me. “All we’ve been hearing are pilgrims asking each other where they’re going to wait for the Pope to go past. Some are going hours beforehand just to catch a glimpse of him. I heard more than 50,000 people are expected to line the streets!”

The streets are filled with WYD pilgrims. A Scout group have set up a campsite outside my hotel window. A Canadian group that were sleeping on the street endured a tiring flight and no dinner to make the opening Mass because they “wanted to be here, together with all the youth. Showing youth are present in the Church. Together in Christ!”

One pilgrim from Canada told me she felt “an opening of the heart and mind in Madrid” that she had never felt before. “There’s an acceptance of who you are. All your faults your failings. Seeing everyone ready for confession drew me in, and I found myself queuing wondering how I got here. WYD makes you braver. I struggle with confession at home, but here it just seems right. There’s no judgement of who you are, or what you’ve done.”

Dean, from Detroit said: “The mix of silence and stillness against the craziness of the Mass is unbelievable. There’s just you and God – with thousands of others in prayer. It’s a powerful moment when the shouting and cheering, the pure adrenaline drops away leaving you tingling with the joy of being here.”

Natasha Purcell from London couldn’t make it to the square for the opening Mass and ended up watching it on a big screen in a side street with her group. She told me how Canadian, American and English prayed together during the Mass. “None of us have met before, but it doesn’t feel like we’re strangers. There’s an understanding that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. One in Unity and spirit.”

(Pilgrims pray in Ana Mogas Chapel in Madrid, 12 August 2011/Jo-Anne Rowney)

My own pilgrimage echoes these feelings of unity and togetherness. My defining moment came during Adoration, time spent in silence before the Blessed Sacrament – Jesus himself. There was a sense that everything was really beginning.

During a talk earlier in the week we’d been told by Sister Paula, from Verbum Dei, that we should spend time in silence. “To listen to God calling you. He’s knocking. Listen to him” she  said. “Fall in love with God again … open your heart and just say God what do you want with me?”

In the stillness of the Mass, I found myself looking at Jesus, really looking at the crucifix above the altar. In that moment, Sr Paula’s words made sense to me. I felt that love again. A greater love than Romeo and Juliet, Jack and Rose on the Titanic. More than any relationship or friendship. I felt a great peace. I turned and looked at my fellow pilgrims to see if they’d felt the same thing. I was surprised to see some deep in prayer, others crying.

This blog post appeared on FaithWorld on Reuters website - you can find it here. 

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Posted in: catholic,london,madrid,madrid11,plaza de cibeles,religion,spain,vigil,wyd

Interns in the City Day 2: Economic explanations with JP Morgan, and sharing stories with Ruth Kelly

Day two began with a brisk walk to JP Morgan in the City of London for a series of presentations. If the flavour of the previous day had been living your faith in the workplace, today was exploring and understanding how London works and learning about the economic crisis.

Malcolm Barr gave the first presentation which was about the UK following the Economic Crisis. I found this talk really helpful as we constantly are told what to think about the current economic climate by the media, but too often the facts are confusing and just make my head spin! Malcolm made the situation easy to understand, explaining the finer details for the 'economic novices' like myself. 

Then it was over to Guidhall, which houses the City of London Corporation to meet Tony, Head of Public Relations. With a huge map behind the meeting room table we were able to see the breadth of London, and all the jobs the authorities do to keep the city going, as well as learning the difference between the City - big C, with the city - small c! I've not been able to visit a park without checking who runs it since!

After an interesting talk on the history of London in a nutshell from Tony, it was back to JP Morgan for a presentation by Sam Panda on the relationship between the City and the Regulators. Sam works in the Government Relations department so he works closely with MPs informing them about how the City and banks work to inform their decision making. His job proved interesting to the interns placed in parliament as well as those interested in policy and influencing MPs' opinions.

To end the day it was a quick tube ride to St James' Street, stopping for a nice lunch with the gang before meeting Rt Hon. Ruth Kelly. Now Head of Client Experience, Wealth and External Wholesale for HSBC (say that more than once!) she spoke about her time in the Cabinet, the problem of conscience in parliament and how she made decisions when it posed a challenge to her career and faith. Ruth shared her experiences with us comparing her experiences of Tony Blair in comparison to Gordon Brown and how things are changing in parliament today.

After over-running on most of our talks we'd soon reached the end of day two in the City. Tomorrow we meet with Bill Moyes, the  former Executive Chairman of quango Monitor, the NHS regulator and Francis Campbell, former ambassador to the Holy See. Can't wait!

Until then!

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Posted in: city,economic,economy,hsbc,intern,internship,jp morgan,london,ruth kelly

Student Investigates...Competing with the City

Below is an article I wrote for NUS Spotlight. Full article online can be found here. 

Students’ union bars and pubs face increasing competition from local venues. This is particularly true of unions located in city centres, and nowhere is the competition more rife than in the capital. London student journalist Jo-Anne Rowney took a trip around the city’s venues to find out what unions are doing to keep up. Times have been difficult for the licensed trade sector. Last year, The University of Bristol Union closed its bar after losing £40,000 in a term, blaming competition from supermarkets and the thriving city club scene.

Unions are striving to fight back. St Mary’s University College Students’ Union has begun a ‘Use It or Lose It’ campaign to avoid the closure of its venues after making a loss, and other campuses have invested in refurbishments.

With millions of pounds of investment being ploughed into bringing venues up-to-date and driving down prices, the question is can union bars survive to compete with the city? In London the answer to a good time lies in the renewal of venues.

When students first arrive in London they’d be forgiven for thinking that their nights are going to be filled with partying and merriment. However, many students find it too expensive, with London clubs charging high entry fees and exorbitant prices for drinks. I took to the clubbing scene to investigate how students’ union venues compare to the local clubs in the capital.

London Metropolitan Students' Union (LMSU)

Recently refitted over the summer, hoards of LMSU students came back to find the Hub; a new ice-themed venue. Looking at the new event schedule, I was more than spoilt for choice. Did I want comedy or clubbing? An enticing selection of imaginatively themed nights greeted me, such as Bar Footsie, Big Fish and – cleverly punned – Ice Cream Fridae.

Ice Cream Fridae is the Friday night club scene. Some nice lads directed me to a corner of the venue where I discovered a Nintendo Wii, which appeared to be occupying several students. Stopping a very energetic couple amid trying to beat each other at an unidentifiable game, I asked whether they thought the new venue drew in the punters. “The ice theme was a fab idea; it makes everything seem slicker,” said the Londoner. “The Wii is a cool thing to have here, you don’t always have to mingle and dance … and there are three pool tables, cheap drinks … where can you go wrong, right?”

After a few drinks and some dancing I was coming around to his mindset. Everything was right on the entertainment front: popular music, a chilled, but exciting atmosphere and, to quote the Hub’s slogan, ‘in the heart of the city without the city prices’. Queuing up for a drink I realised that mine seemed to cost more than the other students’. There was an unfamiliar exchange of cards going on further down the bar, so I went to investigate. A girl informed me she was using a ‘Metcard’ – a free student discount card used for drinks and entry. Pressed a little more, the student asked if I’d been to the Rocket Complex, where it was £1.50 for certain drinks on Monday nights and – pointed out with great pride and excitement – a PS3 if the Wii wasn’t to my fancy. Feeling warm, fuzzy and quite satisfied with my discoveries, it was home time.

University of London Union (ULU)

After a few days’ recovery, I decided to see if ULU passed the test as well as LMSU had. The Duck & Dive promised cheap drinks every weeknight from 5pm, despite the West End location. The venue wasn’t as busy as the Hub, but on the plus side I could hold a conversation without shouting.

This time I stopped a cheerful looking guy and asked what he thought of the venue. “I come here quite a bit, it’s nice and chilled,” he replied. “They play my kind of music; I can play a bit of pool with my mates.” And would he still party in the city with such a great venue run by the union? “I still go clubbing, but the first stop for drinks is here. It’s not that expensive compared to the rest of the West End.”

Left with the impression that the students have a genuine feeling of loyalty for The Duck & Dive, and after purchasing a few drinks (although slightly more expensive that the Hub) I decided that it passed the test – another union victory over the city.

London School of Economics Students’ Union (LSESU)

LSESU’s venues have also had a makeover. The Three Tuns pub has been on campus for decades, but over the summer had a massive overhaul to bring it up to date. With comedy and pub quiz nights on the calendar, it offers a more relaxed setting for a student looking to chill out.

Nicely situated beneath The Three Tuns lies the underbelly of student entertainment, aptly named The Underground. The bar seems fairly spacious, without the usual tussling and queuing for drinks. The genius of the layout is in the ease with which students can pop upstairs to buy a drink, helping to reduce queues.

“I’d rather come here than walk in heels to Covent garden or some large London club, especially since the refurbishment – it feels fresher,” says a fellow high-heel sufferer. “Everyone’s really friendly and it’s so much cheaper. It’s a myth that London clubs are where it’s happening, it’s all about the students’ union clubs.”

Students’ unions vs London

After my exploration into the London students’ union licensed trade scene, it became clear that the success of union venues lies in their continued renewal. While they’re actively trying to offer a better experience and environment to students, unlike most city bars there isn’t a relentless drive for profit, with unnecessary additional charges.

After visiting some of the union venues I came away with a sense that students could enjoy themselves without suffering financially. More importantly, unions can offer students something London never can. They give students a voice – a chance to say what they want to get out of their venue.

This sense of ownership coupled with modern, refurbished settings and cheaper prices presents a night out every bit as attractive as the local city venues.

This article was featured in the February 2011 edition of Spotlight. If you do not currently receive Spotlight, email spotlight@nussl.co.uk 

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Posted in: bar,city,club,investigate,london,nus,student,student union