2022 - It's Been A Blast!

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2022 - It's Been A Blast!

Kashmire Hawker • 31 December 2022

A few thoughts, as this most EXTRAORDINARY year concludes

Despite now 3 months Unemployment - of which I aim to put right as soon as possible in 2023, my 2022 ends with deeply filled gratitude and pride at the 365 days which has come to a close, as stated below here and through this Instagram video.

Starting the year with the deepest sorrow possible after Kieran's loss, made me wonder how I would try and both concentrate and enjoy the challenges and opportunities ahead.

A challenge it certainly was and to be blunt: still very much is, in grief and personal change; not least through moving address after nearly 9 1/2 years on top of losing a loved one and the huge strain both things have placed on me and my Mother financially - an aspect which will sadly continue until a new Wage Packet is drawn.

Those three things have certainly affect my mindset right throughout this year and has naturally made many days feel long and upsetting. I wish for this not to be the case, knowing three months out of work has both bored me and made me a saddened man. Those post-Games blues have certainly struck.

Having said all that: the amount of positives one has banked and look upon throughout is enourmous, not least through the growth, the opportunities and friendship right throughout.

Without question, being part of Birmingham 2022, which included meeting His Royal Highness Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, speaking in front of 1,200 people at Symphony Hall in launching the B2022 Festival, achieving an Apprenticeship alongside the role, play my part in a truly groundbreaking project in Critical Mass 2022, working with and becoming life-long friends with the most extraordinary set of people and at one point wearing three bits of accreditation during the barminess of Games Time: is my ultimate memory I can shout about with the greatest pleasure of everything done this year.

Birmingham and the West Midlands won't ever see anything like it for a generation and it thus makes me gleam seeing 5 former OC colleagues and 2 Board members be recognised in the 2023 New Year Honour's List, including the Director for Ceremonies, Culture and Queen's Baton Relay Phil Batty whose awarded an OBE for Services to Culture and Sport and fellow younger OC staff member in Bethan Stimpson, whose awarded a British Empire Medal for her stellar work on the Gen22 programme! It couldn't be more deserved and fitting accolades.

On top of the Euphoria of the Games, I took the next step on the road to serving Wulfrunians, with me giving the Conservatives AN ALMIGHTY SCARE in Tettenhall Regis on May 5th and ending my 3 year spell on the Young Combined Authority, which has been a mega important stepping stone in that journey. 2023's campaign in Penn is about to get into gear and I'm truly excited at it's possibilities for me and my Wolverhampton Labour colleagues, not least through West Midlands Young Labour's return in October and my involvement as Co-Black Country Representative.

Also on the list of things of shouting about was the Changing Our Lives book in Colour Between The Lines, being the 3rd publication I've been part of in 6 years and knowing this one is forever archived at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton, indebts me with an awesomeness which will never go away.

Of course, my love and involvement at Wolverhampton Wanderers cannot be under estimated nether, with me having the honour of serving on the club's EDI Advisory Group. Lots of exciting stuff is on the horizon and representating the club at Birmingham Pride on September 24th, gave me both real comfort of who I am and the work in enshrining Equlity and Equality across Wolves will be longlasting.

Alongside all that, becoming a regular at Wolverhampton Parkrun - which included getting my first Volunteering Credit just this morning, making 4 trips to Silverstone in combining the joy of Voluntary Service and Motorsport as a Race Maker as in the above linked TikTok video, Volunteer at Her Late Majesty's Platinum Jubilee Pageant with NCS, raise £415 for the Molineux Sleepout and Cancer Research UK's Race For Life, be a Solutions for the Planet Big Ideas Judge for a 3rd straight year, attend West Midlands Train's annual Stakeholder Conference and be part of Health Education England's annual UK Disability History Month event: perfectly confirms just how much I've packed into these 365 days.

And I have no doubt, that all this could be a small reason why I was Highly Commended in this year's Wolverhampton Young Citizen of the Year, 7 years after being Joint-Runner Up in 2015! I most certainly didn't expect such a certificate to come through the letterbox on December 6th and I will treasure it with the greatest humility, with some across my city seeing me as a both a Role Model and Good Citizen - a thought which I cannot adequately repay in words.

I could say even more and some of the personal fun one has got up to, but this post would go one for hours and therefore I simply want to say THANK YOU to everyone whose been a small part, of this truly breathtaking Calendar Year and has given me guidance, support and kindness. Life IS A Rollercoaster and it certainly remains that way, but I feel blessed by the hundreds I know, of whose arms have been around the shoulders whether in person or interactively.

On that, I give you and your families all my wishes for a Very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful beginning to 2023 and in stating I will state my ambitions for the coming 12 months once it's begun next week: I sum up this year through the Lyrics of Midlands Child by SANITY, which formed part of the B2022 Festival album of On Record by Birmingham Music Archive - "Believe in the future, manifest, recieve it, Midlands Child, Dream BIG, Believe IT!"

And in the last full year of my Youth: I think I did that - and then some.

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Happy New Year! 2024 Review Part 2 and 2025 Look Ahead

by Kashmire Hawker • 31 December 2024

A Very Happy New Year! A few more Reflections on 2024 and a 2025 Preview

Season's Greetings and some 2024 Reflections

by Kashmire Hawker • 23 December 2024

As 2024 comes toward an end, I can say that this year for me has been one of change, one of further development and one of opening my eyes in many ways. In typing this reflection, I feel immensely satisfied and proud to have made this year my first in a full-time job without a fixed end date, in an organisation of the West Midlands Combined Authority, which has plenty of opportunities for me to consider in the coming months and years and working within in an outstanding team. I also feel hugely delighted at continuing to give my time in voluntary service, not least through Parkrun, Silverstone and in the perhaps once in a generation Champions League Final at Wembley in the Summer, as well as raise £405, in two events of the Great Birmingham Run of £130 for Cure Leukemia and £275 at the Molineux Sleepout for Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation and The Good Shepherd. On top, to have again sought office to serve my home city for a fourth year running and garnered 1,656 votes (even if not a winning total!), as well as contributed to successful wider political campaigning for my party’s and substantially expanded on my engagement in them gave me a privilege and deeper fire in the belly than ever before, in giving back to Wulfrunians. Finally, many more runs, seeing Taylor Swift, Kaiser Chiefs and The Darkness in concert, plus a sublime Musical about the pop heroes in Steps, marching at two Pride events, continuing engagement with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Solutions for the Planet and Changing Our Lives and completing a fantastic personal development programme on getting younger folk as Trustees in Arts and Cultural organisations, have all formed part of another busy 12 months. Naturally however, losing an Election and your best furry friend in my house’s dog Harley, alongside needing to help move my Mum to a safer place, all in the space of 7 weeks stung greatly in May and June. The death of a beloved dog and family member and Mum’s house move were not easy financially to deal with, but I managed it as has been the case with previous years. This year has also meant some greatly more honest and blunt conversations, which have burnt a few bridges with once seen trustworthy allies and pals. Being straight and upfront however is sometimes the best course and I don’t regret that for one moment, not least when the mind is burdened enough with day-to-day activity. Those things have definitely made me really realised that the world is a big and lonely place, and that sense of loneliness continues to affect my thoughts. This no doubt feels true and always will do at Christmas, with December 25th being the anniversary of Kieran’s passing in 2021 aged just 25 and I frankly will never know how to truly feel on the day itself. Knowing he is not here to share Christmas lunch will always put a size 9 boot dent in my heart. Having said that, I have good people around me and I give my wholehearted thanks to all for your continued support and good wishes, at what will forever be a sensitive and mournful point of the year, in my family’s life. In whatever way which you and your family mark this festive and new year period, I hope it is as enjoyable and peaceful as it possibly can be and that it gives a chance to rest and be with those closest to you, as well as embrace it being the season of giving, whether gifts or love. A further blog post, or two, on reflecting 2024 and looking ahead to 2025 shall come before the clock hits midnight next Wednesday.

Co-operative Party Youth Network Election 2024 - Candidate Statement

by Kashmire Hawker • 16 December 2024

The Co-operative Party has been a natural home for me for towards five years and gives me a brilliant platform to shout about and run on critical issues. As Chair of the Walsall, Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire, Branch and as a Labour and Co-operative candidate in Local Elections in my home City of Wolverhampton since 2021, I’m proud to make an impact and with the party’s immense expansion over the years, I would be honoured to play a bigger part. And as someone with experience in Youth Representation – most recently with the West Midlands Young Combined Authority and Labour Party wise as the current Policy and Political Education Officer for the Wolverhampton West CLP, I feel ready to use that skill set to the full. Thus, if Elected as a Youth Committee Member, I will: Help to establish a WM Young Co-operative Youth Network spread right across my region, which is not just stuck within the Metropolitan centre; Work with Labour groups across my region, for them to Elect a Co-operative Rep on to their committee s; Engage with our friends In Trade Unions, Fabians Society and The Labour Party to run joint events; whether campaigning, educational or socially; Work with colleagues to ensure events are accessible as possible, not least for Neurodiverse people ; Join Young Co-operators up and down the nation in campaignin g; And be Accountable and Transparent in my work as per the Nolan Principles, so fellow Members can question me at any moment . We have a wonderful opportunity to shape the Party’s future and with a Labour and Co-operative Government now in place, it would be a huge privilege for myself to play a part. Please vote Kashmire Hawker for Youth Committee. Thank You!