The 5-a-side team from Focus E15 Foyer won the London regional event of a BBC competition called Your Game. The team beat 16 other teams from around the Capital, to earn their place at the final being staged at St James’ Park, home of premiership team Newcastle United FC!

“The final was a real nail-biter when it went to penalties. The competition was very professionally organised and great fun for the young people who took part. They now have a once in a lifetime opportunity to play on the same pitch as premier league players. I’m really delighted for them‘, said Helen Marshall, Head of Foyers at East Potential.

The regional final was filmed by the BBC and commentators included Radio 5 Live’s Darrin Fletcher and Garth Crooks. Now the team will be coached by professional coaches in the weeks leading up to the final to prepare the team to run out at St James’ Park.

Gerald Nkrumah had volunteered with coaching the team Gerald used to live at Focus E15 Foyer, and said , an East Potential sessional worker and former resident of Focus E15 Foyer, volunteered to help coach the focus team. “Having progressed through the Foyer programme, I came to a decision that my experiences can be best used by sharing and encouraging young people from comparable situations and backgrounds to make the best of the opportunities available to them. I was overjoyed when Dede, the midfielder, stylishly sliced the ball into the back of the net to give them victory.’

Saturday night has reached my eyes, the British weather is typically cold and alcohol is gonna fulfill my little dream during this peccable night. The first thing I did was to glance at the bottle of red wine. I never hesitated to drink, because the night without alcohol seemed to be meaningless as alcohol has always been an asset in the nights, as far as I could remember. Since the age of five I understood that drink had wedded music and, that reality had in fact a profound affect on me. Even though my beloved mum got cancer due to alcohol related illnesses, I never had the plan or the intention of quitting. There I was, grabbing my bottle of red wine very high indeed, talking all night with all sorts of people. .. Eventually there was nothing that could make me stop drinking. ’ Don’t blame me, blame mum’ that was my philosophical thought, I suppose. After a hectic night, I woke up asking myself whether the question of drinking was an ethical one. ..Perhaps not! I guess alcohol is just like water; drink is made to be drunk. In less than a second I thought ‘why did God make water? Whatever the reason… everyday I see politicians showing fake concern about public health. If they are genuinely worried about the health of its citizen, why can’t they ban cigarettes…ban the drink industry, simple as that. Why not use the power they have to benefit people, instead of just to kill innocent people on the streets of Iraq? Never mind…mum’s strong infatuation for profit is killing us all.

As Saturday hits the streets, after dawn the sun hasn’t got any impact at all, binge drinking is taking over the streets. People are losing control, married women pissing on the streets. I stopped for a moment to reflect about the drinking culture…oh my god, is that all because of the effect of alcohol? Who should we blame? The government? or the police? …don’t even bother searching for someone to throw the blame, alcohol is here for profitable reason and I deeply think, we are being treated as human resource. Fake politicians, telling us that drink is bad for our health, but everyday who knows how many bottles of champagne are being made. The police is saying drink but do not exceed your limit, to me it seems like they giving us authorization to kill a specific number of people. It doesn’t matter how much you drink. Alcohol is alcohol and killing is killing, now is the time for me to stop poisoning myself, but the bottom line is I can’t because I am completely hooked on alcohol. The night that once was a child, is now a pensioner, waiting for me to leave the pub. Champagne, caviar and the famous British pint in my hand is all the night can offer, and then I was forced to set off toward my house, but before I crawled into my bed, I realized then that Politicians are winning the war of alcohol. More and more people are getting hooked on, and the number of alcohol related illness is not decreasing in the wards of hospitals.

Now I’m a free man because alcohol is not longer allowed to my body, the control that drink once had on me, is paradoxically out of question, as now I am in control of alcohol. Drinking should be banned forever, that is an illegal substance, but Politicians will never be able to something about because they’re hooked on telling people how to live their lives. It’s up to us to start making changes and give up alcohol once and forever...killuminati.

Saturday night has reached my eyes, the British weather is typically cold and alcohol is gonna fulfil my little dream during this peccable night. The first thing I did was to glance at the bottle of red wine.

I never hesitated to drink, because the night without alcohol seemed to be meaningless as alcohol has always been an asset in the nights, as far as I could remember. Since the age of five I understood that drink had wedded music and, that reality had in fact a profound affect on me. Even though my beloved mum got cancer due to alcohol related illnesses, I never had the intention of quitting. There I was, grabbing my bottle of red wine very high indeed, talking all night with all sorts of people. Eventually there was nothing that could make me stop drinking. ’

Don’t blame me, blame mum’ that was my philosophical thought, I suppose. After a hectic night, I woke up asking myself whether the question of drinking was an ethical one. Perhaps not! I guess alcohol is just like water; drink is made to be drunk!

As Saturday hits the streets binge drinking is taking over the streets. People are losing control, married women pissing on the streets. I stopped for a moment to reflect about the drinking culture… is all this mess because of the effect of alcohol? I know that now is the time for me to stop poisoning myself, but the bottom line is that I can’t because I am completely hooked on alcohol.

The night that once was a child, is now a pensioner, waiting for me to leave the pub. Champagne, caviar and the famous British pint in my hand is all the night can offer, and then I was forced to set off toward my house, and I crawled into my bed.

Eventually I have managed to stop drinking. Now I’m a free man because alcohol is not longer allowed in my body, the control that drink once had on me is gone and now I am in control of alcohol. Alcohol should be banned forever, but that will never happen so it’s up to us individually to start making changes and give up alcohol once and forever.

Whatever the reason, all I see is politicians showing fake concern about public health. If they are genuinely worried about the health of its citizen, why can’t they ban cigarettes, ban the drink industry, simple as that. Why not use the power they have to benefit people, instead of just to kill innocent people on the streets of Iraq?

Domingos Costas, Focus E15 Foyer

Last night, the next morning seemed a long way off, but now the loud drum roll echoes louder throughout your head urging you to one way or another drag yourself from out of bed and open up the door to an unwelcome hangover that has been knocking on your door for ages.

The banging against your skull reminds you that the mission ‘Get Drunk’ was accomplished – and you even managed your escape from reality without vomiting out last night’s dinner! Great result?

Alcohol can affect people in different ways, like a Russian roulette. It’s like watching a football match: sometimes your team wins and you have a great social night. Other times it turns out to be a complete disaster and your team loses, leaving you high and dry (or in some cases wet in your own urine!).

Undeniably, the escape from reality that alcohol gives can have real-life devastating effects; this can depend on the amount taken, the mood the person is in and their surroundings. Stick to low-strength brands would be a smart choice, but is easy to forget, and some people suffer some serious bad reactions and have a high risk of intoxication.

We all know that it’s not very wise to be under the influence of alcohol whilst driving, but alcohol does seem to provide you a false sense of confidence, doesn’t it?

Leon Young

E15 Focus

Wednesday, 01 November 2006

Press Release

For immediate publication

Focus E15 Foyer – ten years of achievement in Stratford, E15

When East Potential officially opened Focus E15 in LB Newham on 26 November, 1996, it was the largest foyer in the UK – and it still is! Since then, more than 1,000 young people from one of the most deprived areas of the country have benefited from the accommodation and services Focus E15 provides. Others living in the area have been able to use its training and other services.

Our 10^th anniversary celebrations will emphasise the work of the foyer and the achievements of the young people who have passed through it. Residents at Focus E15 and East Potential’s other foyers in Redbridge, Harlow and Tower Hamlets have been working on a number of projects to illustrate the achievements of residents, both past and present. Their activities include:

· a dance project in partnership with the Victoria & Albert museum to celebrate Islamic culture inspired by the newly refurbished Jameel Gallery at the museum;

· a fashion project with residents and professional fashion designers working towards a catwalk show of residents’ work; and

· a major art piece which residents will perform in November.

The anniversary has also been marked in more mundane ways. Refurbishments to the building have included redecoration of communal areas and replacement of floorings, water heaters and room heaters in residents’ flats.