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In-depth interviews, first person opinion articles and investigative features I have written throughout my career. 

CYP Now •

Partnership campaigns for better lives for young care-experienced Londoners

Care-experienced young people have worked with the council to create the Pan London Care Leavers Compact, a better offer for young care leavers.

Provider: Partnership for Young London, Children in Care Council and London Councils

Summary: Care-experienced young people have worked with the council to create the Pan London Care Leavers Compact, a better offer for young care leavers.

Charity Partnership for Young London has led a city-wide project to create the Pan London Care Leavers Compact, s
Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews •

Next Wave #1169: Dylan Gossett | Next Wave

Dylan Gossett has played a part in using social media to re-introduce the world to folk and country music… and gotten Noah Kahan’s seal of approval in doing so. CLASH writer Amrit Virdi spoke to the Texas-born singer-songwriter across timezones on Zoom about finding your feet in the industry and bring country music to life on stage.

“I was definitely brought up around music – my parents loved it. Listening to the Eagles, Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson laid a foundation for me and my brother Bla
CYP Now •

Early SEND support needs going unmet

A shortage of special needs support in the early years is increasing pressure on childcare providers and schools, new reports reveal.

Latest analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) reveals the benefits of Sure Start children’s centres to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Researchers concluded that children’s centres – a central plank of New Labour’s childcare policy – were found to have increased the amount of SEND support available for pre-school age
The Rodeo Magazine •

English Teacher captivates listeners with theatrical debut

Leeds-based four piece English Teacher make a theatrical and unique mark on the British-indie scene with their strong debut, This Could Be Texas, which emphasises the band’s lyrical talent alongside their stellar experimental sound.

The highly anticipated album follows the band’s 2022 debut EP Polyawkward – and pre-released singles from the LP, such as ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’, have already amassed over one million (well-deserved) listens.

What has always made English Teacher unique a
CYP Now •

Merseyside young people develop career skills through literary self-expression

Marginalised young people are empowered to express themselves by writing books about their lived experiences.

Comics Youth CIC, an organisation helping young people to publish comics, launched the Marginal Publishing House in Merseyside to give young people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity a chance to share their stories.

The youth-led organisation publishes solely marginalised authors under the age of 25. Originally funded by the National Lottery and set up as a coaching and mentor
The Rodeo Magazine •

Blossom Caldarone on her London influences and Fair Play

Blossom Caldarone is set to bring her fun and expressive music to Manchester for Fair Play Festival 2024 on 6 April. I spoke to Blossom ahead of the festival to find out more about her musical journey… and her love for Manchester.

[AV]: Where did your love for music begin?

[BC]: Probably with the Annie soundtrack as a very small child – I loved the theatrics and storytelling. And then playing in orchestras, as I loved being part of something. Music always makes you feel like a part of somethin
CYP Now •

Tackling decline in London pupil numbers

A fall in children attending London schools is putting pressure on budgets and experts warn it could impact wider community support.

Latest analysis of school capacity data by London Councils has highlighted a drop in demand for secondary school places in London, which children’s services leaders fear could have a devastating impact on wider support services.

Analysis by the umbrella body for the capital’s 32 boroughs, projects there will be a 4.4 per cent decline in reception pupils and 4.3 p
The Rodeo Magazine •

Lauran Hibberd creatively tackles grief and heartbreak

Lauran Hibberd showed the world her emphatic pop-punk sound on her debut album, Garageband Superstar. Her stellar sophomore release, girlfriend material, continues to do just that while adding an extra layer of maturity to her sound.

In the time between her album releases, Hibberd unfortunately lost her father, and as a result this album is a carefully crafted cathartic release for her heartbreak. Opening track ‘I suck at grieving’ deals with the topic head-on while sticking to her light-hearte
Music Teacher •

Sally Daunt interview: star of the show

Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Music & Drama Education Awards, Sally Daunt has played a pivotal role in shaping our understanding and policies around music and neurodiversity. MT's Amrit Virdi meets her to find out more.

AV: How does it feel to have won the award?

SD: Absolutely extraordinary. My colleague from the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) Music Committee was the person who nominated me and I knew nothing about it. It was an enormous surprise.

AV: What inspired
Music Teacher •

Readipop: the charity bringing participant-led music into schools

MT's Amrit Virdi reports on Readipop, the independent charity engaging students with music in the Thames Valley.

To most observers, music is an underfunded subject, often resulting in students missing out on experimentation to broaden their interests. Readipop, established in 1998, offers young people – from primary age up to university – in the Reading and Thames Valley area the chance to engage interactively with music.

Youth clubs, community bands, festivals, a record label and outreach are
CYP Now •

Mermaids’ chief Lauren Stoner on the future of the charity and LGBTQ+ inclusivity

LGBTQ+ charity Mermaids is moving forward after an "unprecedentedly difficult time", its new chief executive Lauren Stoner tells CYP Now.

Mermaids has been supporting LGBTQ+ young people since 1995, and most recently found itself in the centre of controversy after the Charity Commission launched a statutory inquiry into the organisation. The charity also hit headlines after it appealed a decision by the Charity Commission to register LGB Alliance (LGBA) as a charity.

Mermaids is looking to mov
CYP Now •

Resources for professionals to promote LGBT+ inclusivity

As part of LGBT History Month, CYP Now looks at some of the resources available to support professionals in embedding inclusivity into their practice.

Pop’n’Olly provides LGBT+ educational resources for primary-aged children and their parents, carers and teachers. Providing a series of original videos and books, it aims to ensure that teachers are equipped to deliver LGBT+ education.

Its most recent resource, LGBT+ Education in Primary School: Discussions with Parents is designed to help prima
Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews •

Next Wave #1154: Overpass | Next Wave

overpass are well and truly putting the West Midlands back on the music map – and they had to overcome a pandemic in the process. “We got to be a band for two months and then we were sent into lockdown. We didn’t even play our first gig for nearly a year and a half.”

After the pandemic made the band’s beginnings unconventional to say the least, vocalist Max Newey shares, from his childhood bedroom, the journey the band has been on to get to the point where they’re set to embark on a headline to
Music Teacher •

Q&A: Christina Lydon

Music therapist Christina Lydon works with Early Years pupils to ensure they have the best start in life, developing their confidence, communication and social skills. MT’s Amrit Virdi finds out more.

AV: What was your route into music therapy?

CL: I had always studied music growing up, and I worked in different, related areas until I qualified in 2007. At that point, you had to be 25 to start the music therapy course, so that you had gained life experience and done clinical training, though t
CYP Now •

Care-experienced children in Reading share their views to break down barriers

Brighter Futures for Children’s Care2Listen group has won the participation prize at the A National Voice Awards after encouraging looked-after children to share their views.

Engaging young people and putting their views at the heart of its work was a key factor in Reading’s children in care council (CIC), run by Brighter Futures for Children, the trust that runs children’s services in the borough, winning the participation category at the recent A National Voice Awards.

Reading’s CIC was firs
Music Teacher •

Getting in the mix: becoming a studio assistant

Former music tech student Tom Coath is finding his way in the recording industry at British Grove Studios. MT's Amrit Virdi meets him to find out more.

Music is a varied subject which can open doors to many careers. Numerous specialist courses have emerged in recent years, particularly when it comes to music tech and vocational pathways. One of the more established courses at university – specialising in sound recording and combining science and music – is the Tonmeister course at the Universit
Music Teacher •

Beats Bus Hull: the mobile recording studio bringing hope to young people

Amrit Virdi reports on the not-for-profit music bus that is changing young lives.

Youth crime in England and Wales is declining, according to government statistics. There was a 79% fall in the number of children receiving a caution or sentence between 2012 and 2022. But with 13,800 children still cautioned or sentenced during this period, it's clear there's still some way to go.

Beats Bus Hull is meeting part of the challenge by using a mobile recording studio to divert the city's most vulnera
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