Held at the West Indian Centre in Chapeltown, Leeds on March 31st 2008, this event was put together to raise awareness and to start a conversation with the community of Leeds about a permanent memorial to David Oluwale. Amongst the speakers were author Caryl Phillips, writers and performers from the ‘F Words’ Project and Leeds Young Authors.

ELFM were there to support the event.

David Oluwale arrived in Hull as a stowaway from his native Nigeria in September 1949. he served 28 days in Leeds Prison for his crime. Twenty years later, in May 1969, he was pulled out of the River Aire, at Knostrop in Leeds, where he had drowned.

For more information on the David Oluwale Memorial Appeal click here.

To listen to more ELFM podcasts about David Oluwale click here.

 

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East Leeds FM and pupils from Brigshaw High School attended the Huddersfield Literature Festival on Saturday the 15th of March at the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

We had the unique opportunity to listen to Doreen Lawrence recount the impact of the murder of her son Stephen. She was joined by Kester Aspden, who discussed his powerful study of the persecution and death of David Oluwale in Leeds in 1969 (see separate interview).

At the end of the two hour intimate session with Doreen and Kester, pupils from Brigshaw High Schools Stephen Lawrence Project group had the chance to interview Doreen. Robyn Scargill, Bronte Plenderleith and Aisha Aslam were on hand for ELFM with some searching questions. They were accompanied by Mr Mir and Miss Marsh who had a dab at interviewing too…

 

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You may want to find out more about the Stephen Lawrence Centre Education Leeds also co-ordinates the Stephen Lawrence Education Award

Doreen’s book – And Still I Rise is available from all good bookshops and at Amazon

Thanks to Huddersfield Literature Festival for arranging the interview for us and Brian Cross for the photos.

David Oluwale arrived in Hull as a stowaway from his native Nigeria in September 1949. He served 28 days in Leeds Prison for his crime. Twenty years later, in May 1969, he was pulled out of the River Aire, at Knostrop in Leeds, where he had drowned.

At the Huddersfield Literature Festival, on March 15th, Kester Aspden spoke alongside Doreen Lawrence about his book - Nationality: Wog – The Hounding of David Oluwale

Students from Brigshaw High School interviewed Festival Director Rommi Smith about David Oluwale and about the campaign to create an appropriate memorial in Leeds:

 

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For more information about the Memorial Appeal have a look at the david oluwale leaflet

Author Caryl Phillips will be speaking about the meaning of David’s life and death in Leeds at the West Indian Centre on the evening of Monday 31st March. ELFM plan to be there…

Again, I start on a food related topic - Al and Matt have just gone to order themselves a take-away while I slave over a hot computer screen.

Today’s show was called ‘Media Madness’ and, as you can guess, was about all things media! We also had Counsillor Brian Selby on talking to us about his roles and also his favourite films and books.

We also had a phone in from my 7th cousin and author Benjamin Nicholls. For Benjamin’s books, visit http://www.whyteboarpublications.co.uk or search him on facebook. He has written two books in a series and is writing the third at the moment.

We talked about upcoming films, Amy Winehouse, the Grammys, the Baftas and much more. It was a fun show to do and I hope it was just as fun to listen to.

Also, here are some of the bands we mentioned in the show…
Hella Cholla - www.myspace.com/hellacholla
Josh Flowers - www.myspace.com/joshflowersmusic
David Henshaw - www.myspace.com/davidhenshaw
Elias Diamantis - www.myspace.com/elimoose
Nathan Burch - www.myspace.com/nathandsticks

Enjoy them, they are all absolutley amazing!

Thanks for listening today guys!

Will

xxx

Gareth Evans tells ELFM why he is such a massive fan of the American author and how James Patterson’s books where an inspiration for his own writing.

 

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