VIEWFINDER TO SHOW FRESH PERSPECTIVES ON SOUTH ASIAN PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE

Greenwich's Viewfinder Photography Gallery announces a vibrant and eclectic exhibition that illustrates journeys to and from the Indian subcontinent – as well as showing the journeys that Asian culture has taken from its traditional homelands to contemporary, urban and multicultural contexts.

DestinAsian: Viewfinder is a group show featuring submissions from both professional and non-professional photographers of various ethnicities, from around the world. Some these include pictures taken from 'Indian Women: The Roles Revised', an expo organised by the Drik agency. Displaying a wide range of images including portraiture, landscapes and documentary-style photos – the show also reveals fascinating personal narratives around themes of identity and migration.

The exhibition, which runs from 6 to 16 November 2008, seeks to avoid clichéd representations of life in the Indian subcontinent and present images with a particularly original or different perspective. These pictures – many of which will be for sale -- also aim to address issues that matter to contemporary audiences, but in way that is honest, unpretentious and accessible.

The show is being guest-curated by Bombay Mix, which stages various events of contemporary Asian culture -- particularly for new audiences and venues. It is being held alongside other events at the Greenwich Picturehouse cinema and The National Maritime Museum, as part of Bombay Mix's annual DestinAsians festival. In keeping with the museum's remit, many of the images depict travel, transport and journeys -- in both literal and metaphorical senses.

For further details see www.bombaymix.org. DestinAsian is part of Photomonth, the largest photography festival in the UK: www.photomonth.org

Launch of DLR media campaign signals the countdown

October 2008: Docklands Light Railway (DLR) launches its exciting new media campaign this week to promote the new state-of-the-art station currently being built at Woolwich Arsenal.

The £180 million extension to the DLR network, due to open early 2009, will link with North Woolwich, providing easy access to the City and Central London. The new high-spec station will be an architectural first for the DLR and will house an exciting piece of specially commissioned public art, by a well renowned artist, soon to be revealed.

The advertising campaign, based on the theme of ‘ways to cross the Thames’, builds upon the direct link that the new DLR station will provide from Woolwich to north of the river. The campaign kicks off with newspaper ads and will expand to include station posters, direct mail, billboards, telephone boxes, bus supersides, town centre banners and online promotions. There will also be new dedicated pages on the DLR website – www.dlr.co.uk/woolwicharsenal .

In conjunction with the launch of its media campaign, DLR is recruiting 20 Station Staff from the local area and hosting recruitment days in Woolwich, in partnership with Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLaB).

It is expected that the new link will bring to Woolwich as much prosperity as was achieved in North Woolwich when the DLR opened there in December 2005. A new report out this month has revealed that almost 90 per cent of North Woolwich residents believe the DLR has improved access to jobs, shopping and central London; and has attracted new people to move into the area in the three years since it opened.

Cllr Peter Brooks, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: "The arrival of the DLR in Woolwich is eagerly anticipated. As well as significantly contributing to the overall regeneration of the area, the DLR connection will benefit local residents by bringing new job opportunities, greater access to leisure facilities and easier connections to family and friends across the city."

In addition, DLR will be working with the local community to launch a primary schools art project, a photography competition and a ‘hunt for Woolwich champions’ campaign.

The new station will provide a direct link for Woolwich residents to London City airport in five minutes, Canary Wharf in 19 minutes, Canning Town in 12 minutes, Stratford in 20 minutes and Bank in 27 minutes.

Pickwick at Bob Hope Theatre this October

Eldorado Musical Productions (Amateur) is putting on “PICKWICK” a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’s The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club better known as The Pickwick Papers.

This was the first novel by Charles Dickens written for publication as a serial between March and November 1836. After the introduction of the character Sam Weller in chapter 10 the book became a publishing phenomenon with bootleg copies, theatrical performances, Sam Weller joke books and other merchandise.

With extraordinary characters such as Augustus Hillary Snodgrass, Tracey Pyramus Tupman, Nethaniel Herbert Winkle, the comic villain Mr. Jingle and of course the kind and wealthy old gentleman Samuel Pickwick, the story develops from the activities of The Pickwick Club and its bachelor members and includes many uplifting, feel-good songs including the well known ‘If I Ruled the World’.

Originally presented at the Saville Theatre, London by Bernard Delfont and Tom Arnold in July 1963 with Sir Harry Secombe playing Pickwick and Roy Castle playing Sam Weller, it re-opened 30 years later with Sir Harry repeating his performance and Roy Castle playing Sam’s dad Tony Weller.

Eldorado’s show runs from Wednesday 8th October to Saturday 11th October 2008 at The Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road, Eltham London SE9. Curtain up at 7.45 pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.45pm

Box Office 020 8690 2305

www.eldoradomusicalproduction.com

Eldorado-os@supanet.com

Humorous Speaking Competition in Greenwich

Do you want to get better at public speaking or improve your communication skills? Then come along and meet the members of the Meridian Speakers public speaking club for our annual humorous speaking competition.

As well as getting to know us (we're a friendly crowd), it promises to be a fun evening as various of our members will be entertaining us as they compete to give the best and funniest speech of the evening. Guests are very welcome. There's no need to book; just come along on the night. Entry is free.

When:18:45 - 21:00, 23rd September 2008

Where:Upstairs function room. Spanish Galleon 48, Greenwich Church St, Greenwich SE10 9BL Price:FREE

Club website:http://meridianspeakers.org/

P.S. If you can't make it on the 23rd, feel free to join us for any of regular meetings which are held at the same time and place on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Tuesdays of every month. You can find more details at http://meridianspeakers.org/