Great-granddaughter of suffrage leader Emmeline Pankhurst, Dr Helen Pankhurst CBE, will deliver the keynote speech at a free to attend West Midlands Women’s Voice event that will take place on Wednesday 6 March from 10am to 4pm at The Custard Factory.
The ‘In Conversation…’ event is being hosted by West Midlands Women’s Voice – an organisation made up of influential women working together to support the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in setting an agenda for economic growth and better social welfare – and will put the spotlight on the role of women in arts, culture, sport and business within the region at a time when the region will be in the headlines ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Coventry being named as the UK City of Culture.
During the day, attendees will hear from high profile speakers from the world of sport, the armed forces and emergency services, music and the arts – followed by the keynote from Dr Pankhurst at 12.30pm and a panel debate hosted by West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street featuring Sam Smethers from the Fawcett Society and a number of local politicians.
The event will feature four panel debates: Challenging role for women in uniform services – delivering better outcomes featuring speakers from the Army, Royal Navy, RAF and West Midlands Police; Sport – Shifting the Culture including Wasps CEO Nick Eastwood, young elite sportswomen and representatives from University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WanderersFoundation, CWG and British Athletics; Music & Arts – Changing Communities with participants from Coventry City of Culture, Little Bird, University of Wolverhampton and Women in Jazz; before the closing panel chaired by Andy Street.
During the event, there will also be live performances from Women in Jazz and the University of Wolverhampton’s UN programme, #hearhersong. After lunch, there will be the opportunity to contribute to a number of workshops including Exploring Your Political Pathway – a session hosted by The Parliament Project, which will encourage participants with an interest in politics but who are unsure where to start through discussion and information sharing.
The ‘In Conversation With Dr Helen Pankhurst’ event will take place on 6 March from 10am to 4pm at The Custard Factory and is open to all and free to attend. Visitors are welcome to attend all day or drop in throughout. To find out more and to register for your place, please visit http://wmwv.co.uk/ .
I’ve not met a food type that isn’t better between two slices of bread. Chicken: obviously. Beef and mustard: without question. Roast potatoes? Yep, preferably with leftover gravy. I’ve been known to sandwich peas when there’s only too few fishfingers for a reasonable hangover cure (always salad cream with fishfingers, of course). While our eighteenth century eponymous Earl of Sandwich may have sent his name around the world so everyone can enjoy wrapping stuff in leavened bread, the Chinese have been similarly filling bao – steamed buns – for a couple of thousand years prior so I feel they somewhat beat him to it.
filling them with flavours delicious and fresh. Carnivore, veggie, or vegan there’s something for each of you, and despite its high craftmanship it’s a relatively cheap dinner – a drink and a couple of Bao (£4.50 – £5.50) will cost you less than £15, or a delicious looking rice bowl will cost you just £8.
the braised beef shin with cured gelatinous egg yolk which offered heady umami punch with the rich beef shin.
Carruthers is sipping a clear cocktail from a stylish coupe as I seat myself on the blue leather and velvet benching and I am suddenly seized by a wave of anxiety over what drink to choose which lessens only when the bar manager James Bowker in a possibly Marc Jacobs printed shirt explains that I only have to pick a fruit and a style from the menu and he’ll make a perfect concoction. I opt for a Sharp Pink Grapefruit, enjoying this new concept, and my drink arrives balanced perfectly with flavours of peach and rose. Carruthers orders a Short Mango cocktail which I try before he does and while the flavours are also fantastic I am relieved that I have ordered the better drink.
observe the other tipsy clientele enjoying Huey Lewis and the News, Genesis (I’ve been a big fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke), Whitney, Erasure, and a song from Dirty Dancing which I can’t remember the name of, overlooked by staff standing on an industrial looking walkway above the bar containing shelves of exotic liquors all of which I will drink.
not worn off before these aperitifs kick in. Later I will put the ice face pack in the freezer to deal with the inevitable hangover. Walking through the corridor to the restaurant glorifies us in searing white light and I wish I had my polaroid camera which is still on its bedroom tripod. I see at a table in the corner that Tim Price is eating dinner with Courtney and that her Bottega Veneta scarf is an accidental match to the red blue white triangular flooring. He will be mortified when I tell him this and I am totally thrilled.
Our table has a good view of the restaurant and the orderly open kitchen. The chairs are comfortable and the cutlery is fine. Carruthers chooses an orange pinot grigio which is all honey and cream and will match the tasting menu perfectly and I am outraged that he has picked so well. I note various scene luminaries at tables including Tara, Jess, and Sherwin; everyone wants to see what this hubbub is about.
succulent. Last week the nouveau cuisine I ate at Dorsia consisted of a big white plate with nothing on it, I am happy to see that the interpretation here is tasty and filling.
noodles on a psychedelic plate. Our final and meatiest savoury dish is a quail katsu which reminds me to drop two Quaalude with my wine which is now bottle two and I am starting to slur. The breaded fried ballotine is excellent as is the aromatic spring role, vibrant green pak choi, and fruity katsu sauce.
flooring. The chocolate mousse is glossy and rich and I could eat another as it is delicious. Finally we have a super sharp yuzu petit four.
Moving from the rough and ready location on Dudley Street opposite a rather seedy sex shop, to a hideaway in the Jewellery Quarter, has had a refining effect not only on The Wilderness’s interior but also on the menu. Chef proprietor Alex Claridge’s food, which we’ve eaten at half a dozen venues over the past six years, matches that of the city’s other best restaurants, and still retains his rather quirky style. Teaming up now with cocktail savant James Bowker, an evening at The Wilderness is full of surprising food and drink, served by competent and friendly waiting staff.
and long drinks pairings. Note the emphasis on “drinks pairing” rather than “wine”, because the interesting pairings including a couple of cocktails. We opted for the long dinner menu (£80) with the full drinks pairing (£40).
perfumed elderflower granita, and Thai basil. Alpngside, a “Herb Garden Spritz” cocktail with Absentroux, a French ingredient new to me, a wine with absinthe flavours, great with the fresh flavours of the dish.
With another seven courses to go, you can see that this was quite an evening, and it’s worth noting at this point, before we go on to the final push, that we really like the restaurant interior. It’s modern but cosy, with low lighting and music that is more than just background but that adds to the experience. It certainly wasn’t loud (unlike an unruly table the waiting staff did a great job of managing) but it was enough so that intimate conversations could be had over the strains of The Cure, Guns N’ Roses, and The Cranberries.
So. Onwards, the next plate was NAFB, the B stands for Balti and I’ll leave you to guess the rest of the initialism. The quail samosa was crisp and the inside succulent. The tamarind, crunchy puffed rice, and cucumber foam and powder was a great combination and perfect with the liquorice tinted Carmenère. Next came the BBQ plaice with Manteca pig fat. Then on to the rose veal with mushroom ketchup, basil puree, and tempura courgette, while I liked the components this was the only dish that didn’t float my boat, with the presence of anchovy at odds with the overall effect.
and style, and one you should not miss.
stores and developed by Brummie entrepreneur Ian Bush at Innovation Birmingham at Aston University Science Park. It’s also available on their website 
new developments are built, so get out to view these now! Ian went on to say “it’s such a shame so much of the graffiti art gets destroyed, but fortunately new works come along to replace them so I’ll be keeping my eyes open to alter and update the tour where necessary!”
OUT IN BRUM 