February 9 / Business, BY ANY NAME

FFILM GYFFROUS ‘BY ANY NAME’ YN ENNILL DWY WOBR GAN YNG NGWYL FFILMIAU RHYNGWLADOL GOGLEDD CYMRU

Canolfan Dylan Thomas, Abertawe. Dydd Mawrth 9fed Chwefror 2016

Mae cwmni cynhyrchu Ffilmiau Tanabi wedi derbyn dwy wobr gan Ŵyl Ffilmiau Rhyngwladol Gogledd Cymru am y Ffilm Hir Orau a gynhyrchwyd yng Nghymru, gyda’u ffilm ‘By Any Name’.  Mae’r wedi ei seilio ar nofel boblogaidd  gan yr awdures enwog, Kathryn John. Dyfarnwyd hefyd gwobr yr Actores Orau i Samira Mohamed Ali, un o brif actorion y ffilm, allan o nifer o ymgeiswyr da.

Mae Samira Mohamed Ali’n chwarae rhan seicolegydd Dr. Elizabeth Santer, sy’n cael ei chymryd yn wystl gan John West a chwaraeir gan Cengiz Dervis – Actor ac arbenigwr gornestau ymladd. Bu rhaid i Samira, sy’n llysgennad yr elusen Cerebra, fynd drwy hyfforddiant personol dwys er mwyn medru ymdopi â gofynion corfforol caled y rôl hon. Mewn cyfweliad heddiw, dywedodd Samira “Rydw i wrth fy modd gyda’r wobr yma. Mae cael y cyfle i weithio yng Nghymru, yn enwedig yn Abertawe a Brycheiniog, wedi bod yn gyffrous dros ben, gan fod y rhan fwyaf o’m gwaith wedi bod dramor hyd yn hyn. Mi wnes i fwynhau chwarae gyferbyn â Cengiz gan ei fod yn actor mor dda ond roedd saethu’r ffilm mewn 16 diwrnod yn dipyn o gamp!”

Yn ddiweddar, cafodd  awdur y sgript, Kathryn John, ei henwi’n un o brif awduron penodol Amazon, ac mae ganddi hefyd broffil amlwg ar blatfformau ar-lein ar draws UDA , De America ac Ewrop. Mewn cyfweliad dywedodd “Rydw i wedi gwirioni’n lân bod ‘By Any Name’ wedi ennill y gwobrau hyn gan feirniaid rhyngwladol yn ei Gŵyl gyntaf un. Mae holl dîm Tanabi’n broffesiynol dros ben, ac yn benderfynol o gael popeth yn iawn. Dw i wedi sgwennu’r sgript gyda chymorth y cyfarwyddwr, ac roedd yn bleser cydweithio gydag Euros, yr actorion a’r criw i gyd. Dw i’n edrych ymlaen at weld y ffilm ar y sgrin fawr yn fuan”.

Meddai Euros Jones-Evans, Cyfarwyddwr ‘By Any Name’ – “Rydyn ni’n falch iawn bod ein ffilm hir gyntaf  wedi ennill y gwobrau hyn. Cawsom gefnogaeth anhygoel gan y tîm i gyd, yn cynnwys Coleg Gŵyr, Abertawe, Cyngor Abertawe a Heddlu De Cymru. Gyda’r ôl-gynhyrchu, cawsom y fraint o gyd-weithio gyda chyfansoddwyr enwog fel Crispin Merrell a Gordon Young i gwblhau’r gerddoriaeth a’r sain.  Mae’r ffaith ein bod wedi ein lleoli yng Nghanolfan Dylan Thomas yn bwysig wrth i ni baratoi ar gyfer ein ffilm hir nesaf o ran cael y gymuned leol i gymryd rhan yn ein prosiectau. Mae hyn yn rhan annatod o’n strategaeth 5-mlynedd  fel cwmni i ddod â buddsoddiadau i mewn i Gymru, a chreu swyddi sgiliau arbennig, cynaliadwy yn yr ardal ym myd y cyfryngau”.

Cafodd ein ffilm hir gyntaf ‘By Any Name’ ei derbyn gan Marie Adler, Prif Weithredwr cwmni yn Hollywood o’r enw Adler’s Adler & Associates Entertainment, Inc. Byddan nhw’n marchnata’r ffilm mewn Gwyliau Ffilm e.e. EFM Berlin, FILMART yn Hong Kong a Cannes. “Rydym yn gyffrous iawn ynglŷn â’r ffilm ‘By Any Name’ ac yn wirioneddol gredu yn Euros a Samira o Ffilmiau Tanabi. Bydd y ffilm hon yn gychwyn ar antur fawr iddyn nhw. Mae derbyn y gwobrau hyn yng Nghymru, gwlad sydd wedi ennill enw da drwy’r byd am ei hartistiaid gwych a’i sgriptwyr, yn gadarnhad gwych o hyn” meddai Adler.

Bydd ‘By Any Name’ yn cael ei dangos fel un o’r ffilmiau cyntaf ym mhumed Ŵyl Ffilmiau Bae Caerfyrddin yng Ngwesty Parc y Strade o’r 9fed i’r 13eg o Fai. Meddai Kelvin Guy, sylfaenydd yr Ŵyl “Mae Gŵyl Ffilmiau Bae Caerfyrddin wastad wedi bod yn awyddus iawn i gefnogi a hyrwyddo ffilmiau annibynnol, yn enwedig rhai sydd wedi eu cynhyrchu yma yng Nghymru. Dyna pam rydyn ni mor falch o ddangos ‘By Any Name’ yn un o’n digwyddiadau arbennig gyda’r nos.

January 3 / Business, Community

Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

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We would like to wish all our partners and friends a great new year that will be filled with happiness and success, thank you for your continued support across the group. We are excited to be launching #Tanabi2020, our 5 year plan which will hopefully make a big difference in Wales, details will be announced in the coming months.

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i’n partneriaid a ffrindiau, rydym yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr at lansio ein cynllun #Tanabi2020 dros y 5 mlynedd nesaf efo’r gobaith o wneud gwahaniaeth mawr yng Nghymru, bydd manylion pellach yn dros y misoedd nesaf.

November 4 / Uncategorized

UK Ambassador Samira Mohamed Ali attends Cerebra Reception at No 10

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On Tuesday 3rd November children’s charity Cerebra held a prestigious fundraising reception at 10 Downing Street that was hosted by Samantha Cameron.

As a national charity Cerebra supports children with brain related conditions and their families by funding ground-breaking research, supplying top quality advice and information and providing direct support services.

The reception at 10 Downing Street was an opportunity to celebrate the charity’s work while raising Cerebra’s profile and generating essential support.

Samira Mohamed Ali, UK Ambassador for Cerebra, said: “I am truly honoured and privileged to be at this event in such a distinguished venue with all the families and guests. The work of Cerebra is so important in research and supporting hundreds of families that have children with neurological conditions. The charity is growing from strength to strength and we at Tanabi Films will soon be hosting an UK Premiere for our latest feature film ‘By Any Name’ to raise money and awareness for Cerebra”.

Chris Jones, Chief Executive of Cerebra, said: “I am extremely grateful to both Mr and Mrs Cameron that we are able to be at No 10 Downing Street today. It is an honour shared by everyone present. Mr Cameron, as Leader of the Opposition, wrote to Cerebra with the following words: “’I am delighted to welcome the work of Cerebra, which has done so much to help support children, and their families, in cases where children are living with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy. I am sure the practical support and information you provide has been a lifeline to people – especially parents – in times of need, and that the ground breaking research you have sponsored will help future generations too. Many people have cause to be grateful for all you have done’. I am sure then that Mrs Cameron’s kind offer to host today’s event at this venue, steeped in history and of such gravitas is not without the depth of sincerity that I imagine. We are proud of what we do. We are proud of the people with whom we do it. Most of all we are proud of the families who we support. They are an inspiration and deserve all the recognition we can give. Today we are here at No 10 to do just that”.

Guests at the event were joined by several families that have received support from Cerebra, including David and Mary Jane Hoyle from Hull whose daughter Annie-May was born with massive brain damage. David and Mary Jane spoke movingly at the event telling guests that “when we were told about Annie-May’s problems we felt lost and alone with nowhere to turn. But Cerebra have been a true friend to us and have been with us on a journey from the start, giving us the support we needed”.

Laura and Brendon Jones explained that their eight year old daughter Violet has a very rare chromosome deletion. Her condition affects her in many ways – she is profoundly deaf and visually impaired, non-verbal and unable to walk or stand unaided. She has profound and multiple learning disabilities and has complex health needs. Despite all her difficulties Violet is a joy to all who know her. She has endured many operations, procedures, tests and hospital stays and is often poorly, however she is a happy, giggly girl who enjoys life to the full and loves to cuddle and be with her family. Cerebra have helped the family with a stay at their specially adapted holiday home, a grant for a specialist trike and sledge designed by the charity’s Innovation Centre. Mum Laura said “Life with Violet brings many challenges but Cerebra helps families like us enjoy the good times together, making special memories”

The charity’s fundraising group ‘London Minds’ were instrumental in ensuring the success of the evening. ‘London Minds’ was set up with the concept of forming a small group of individuals from various corporate backgrounds who identified strongly with Cerebra’s purpose and aims, and who were keen to promote the charity’s work to likeminded souls within the city, whether they be friends, colleagues or associates. For charities, opportunities to communicate their message to potential supporters in big business are few and far-between -arguably more so in London than anywhere else. The London Minds group aims to grow support for Cerebra organically, with members actively engaging friends, colleagues and associates who they feel will be genuinely interested in hearing about the charity’s work, and who might in-turn communicate this to others, via promotional and, in particular, fundraising events.

Cerebra is a national charity supporting children with neurological conditions and their families. To find out more about the work that Cerebra does, please visit www.cerebra.org.uk.

October 28 / Uncategorized

Celebrating 50 years of Excellence at Durham University Business School

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Celebrating 50 years of Excellence in 2015, Tanabi CEO and Founder Euros Jones-Evans co-teaches entrepreneurship with Dr Mathew Hughes.

Through lectures, courses taught in partnership with faculty, and a variety of other forums, Durham’s guest lecture and visiting speakers series provides invaluable real-world insight into critical entrepreneurial management issues.

On Tuesday 27th October 2015, an informative and interesting co-lecture on entrepreneurship was conducted by Durham University Business School’s (DUBS) Dr Mathew Hughes and Tanabi CEO and DUBS Entrepreneurial Fellow, Euros Jones-Evans, who followed the talk with a hands-on live business challenge workshop as part of the ‘The Entrepreneur’s Environment’ module of the School’s Masters in Management postgraduate degree programme.

Whilst Durham students benefit a great deal from hearing from leading business figures, the speakers themselves also benefit from the experience – speakers have the opportunity to hear the thoughts, reactions and ideas from an international group of highly motivated and talented individuals. This can lead to new initiatives being taken or a re-think of existing practices by the company.

“These talks can not only open your eyes to what’s going on across various sectors, but serve to ultimately support your professional development and help you build your network of contacts,” explained Jones-Evans.

“The Entrepreneurial Fellows are members of the School’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and are important to the work that we do in teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs and informing our research. The students thoroughly enjoyed the session with Mr Jones-Evans, gaining insight into what it’s like to create, run and grow a successful international business,” said Dr Hughes.

October 3 / Community

Ohana: Luau by the Sea debuts at Ft. Lauderdale’s world-famous Mai-Kai

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FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 02 October – Ohana: Luau by the Sea dubbed the, “biggest little event in tiki,” debuted this week at the World-Famous Mai-Kai Restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale; Ohana is a three-day charity event held in several locations in and around Fort Lauderdale from October 1st through 3rd, 2015.

In Hawaiian culture, ‘Ohana’ means ‘family’ in an extended sense of the term, including blood-related, adoptive or intentional. Ohana: Luau by the Sea is organized by the Fraternal Order of Moai (FOM), an organization that serves as the premier fraternal organization and social network for all men and women interested in tiki culture and the Polynesian pop era.

Famous for the annual “Ohana: Luau on the Lake” summer event at The Tiki Resort on Lake George in upstate New York, these tiki time travelers have finally set their sights on creating a spin-off event in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on the first weekend of October. Locations include Kreepy Tiki rum bar, World-Famous Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant, and the Grand Ohana Luau located at the Sheraton Ft. Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port Hotel.

Friday evening was host to a special dinner and Polynesian Islanders Review show (the world’s longest running show of its kind) at the World-Famous Mai-Kai Restaurant with a special happy hour for Ohana from 7 – 9 pm in both the Molokai Lounge and on the Lanai.

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(L to R) NYC super couple Nicole and Joe Desmond (proprietors of the secret Rhum Rhum Room) and Mai-Kai owner Dave Levy – pictured with the potent (and inexplicably smooth) Pina Passion (Source: © Tanabi Group)

The Mai-Kai, having last year been added to the National Register of Historic Places, has this year been officially crowned ‘the best tiki bar in the world’ by a recent poll.  The midcentury modern Mai-Kai, built in 1956, is not only a tiki mecca for fans of Polynesian pop, but is the longest-running tiki theme restaurant in America. Tanabi was happy to celebrate this much-anticipated event with Mai-Kai owner Dave Levy and friends.

While the accolades keep piling up, 2016 will see the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the annual Hukilau (another larger-scale and seminal tiki event for fans of the genre) in addition to the Mai-Kai celebrating it’s much-anticipated landmark 60th (yes, 60) Birthday.

Tiki is more a state of mind – an “escapist’s fantasia, if you like, an exotic place where the trapdoor to life is seemingly pulled out from beneath you,” explained one fez-adorned reveler. With widespread events like Ohana, The Hukilau, Tiki Oasis, Texas Tiki Week, and many other regional rum-soaked gatherings (for example, Miami’s annual Rum Renaissance Festival), so too have restaurants and bars been popping up all over the place (a notable example being The Golden Tiki in Las Vegas) in similar fashion.

However, while the tiki ‘revival’ has been in full swing for the last 5 years, at the center of it all is American craft cocktail culture itself, a renewed interest in rum as a spirit, and the banal trappings of everyday life which has sent people desperately searching for a more ‘immediate’ and romantic escapist fix.

August 7 / Uncategorized

SAMIRA MOHAMED ALI: BRINGING BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD PROJECTS TO WALES

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Actress and business woman Samira Mohamed Ali has just seen her latest TV series aired in America, and is hard at work selling Wales to the world’s film industry. MARK REES went to meet her.

Ever since taking a leap of faith and boarding a plane to fly into the unknown world of the Bollywood film industry, actress Samira Mohamed Ali has carved out a successful, jet-setting career for herself on the silver screen.

But for all her achievements, in such far-flung countries as India and America, the Neath-based lady of many hats has never lost her love for her hometown, and is working hard to develop the film industry in her own backyard.

When I catch up with Samira, who was raised in Dubai before relocating to Neath in her early teens, she has just had seen her latest show, two-part historical epic Egyptian Vice, broadcast across the United States on digital channel Spike TV.

But as she tells me, even this major production was firmly rooted in Wales.

“It was amazing,” she says of the drama documentary, which delves into the vice-filled lifestyles of the wealthiest rulers in ancient Egypt, and serves as a precursor to Sir Ben Kingsley’s new mini-series Tut which premieres on Channel 5 tonight.

“We filmed it in Wales, and the majority of them came from the US,” she says of the show, noting the blend of Welsh and American talent involved in the production

“It’s a documentary intended to educate the audience about Egypt leading up to Tut, which looks amazing.

“It has a dramatic feel to it. Very bloody, very gory, and very similar to Game of Thrones – but Egyptian.”

Now an in-demand actress, it wasn’t a career path that Samira initially set out to pursue. In fact, it was through entering ­— and winning — beauty pageants that led to an unexpected, and life changing, proposition from the booming Indian film industry.

“It happened overnight,” she recalls of her swift introduction to Bollywood.

“The brother of a friend of the family was a film director in India, and I’d been speaking to him for six months, but I didn’t really think anything was going to come of it.

“Then one Friday, I was asked to be in India for a role on Sunday. I thought, what, a week Sunday? But no – two days later!” she laughs.

It was a big call, heading out to an unfamiliar country on her own, but she plucked up the courage, picked up the airline ticket and flew out into the unknown.

“I just got on a plane and went,” she says of decision to accept what she believed to be the relatively minor role of a Bollywood beauty queen – but then things took an even bigger turn on arrival.

“I’d won some beauty pageants back home – Miss Europe, and Miss American Dream – and I was going there for a similar part,” she explains.

“But when I arrived, I ended up with a leading role in a franchise, and it changed my life. I’m so grateful.”

Since tasting success in India, Samira has juggled her acting with her dual roles as a business owner and producer of her own production company Tanabi, who are based in Swansea’s Dylan Thomas Centre, with a second office based in the equally glamorous city of… Miami.

“I’m in Swansea at the moment, and my partner is in Miami,” she explains of the company’s set-up, noting that she’s more than happy to be spending her time in Wales – in particular, in Neath – while her business partner soaks up the sun in The Magic City.

“It’s my home,” she says of the town.

“Even when I’m in India, I’m thinking of Neath – I love being home.”

So much so that Samira is now hoping that she can help to develop the movie industry locally by exposing India – and with the rest of the world – to the delights of South West Wales.

“We’ve been working in the business for quite a long time, and most of our commissions are from overseas. We get calls from LA, and they’re sending us scripts, which is crazy. I just think, how have you heard of us?” she jokes.

“They’re always looking for new locations, and I’m trying to convince them to come to Swansea, and how wonderful it is here,” she says of a potential team-up with Bollywood.

“We did a tour of the area with some executive producers recently, and they liked that look and feel of the place.

“They’d never normally come as far as Swansea – maybe Newport, maybe Cardiff, but not Swansea.”

But is there anything in particular about the area that they can’t get in India?

“The beaches,” she says of the area’s obvious big selling point.

“Our beaches are beautiful, especially on a good day. We took them to Oystermouth Castle, the city centre, and down to Margam Castle in Port Talbot.”

Looking to the future, Samira can see her love affair with the Indian film industry continuing side-by-side with her commitment to homegrown productions, which includes a locally sourced film later this year.

“50 percent of my job is acting ­— I do four to five films a year,” she says.

“I’ve been offered a lot of work in India, with two big Bollywood properties, which would be amazing.

“I’m also see myself getting more into production. A lot of my roles in the UK have involved a bit of producing as well, and I’m hands on with that side of things.”

All of which points to a successful future right here in Wales.

“We bought the rights to a best-selling book from Swansea author Katherine John called By Any Name, which will be out soon — definitely this year.

“We have such a lovely Welsh team, and there’s a passion and a love I have for Wales. I wouldn’t have half of that passion somewhere else.”

Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Samira-Mohamed-Ali-Bringing-Bollywood-Hollywood/story-27522027-detail/story.html#ixzz3i7xw3csP
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July 21 / Uncategorized

TITAN FC 34: THE WELSH WARRIOR’S QUEST FOR VICTORY CONTINUES

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Team Johns (L to R) Sam the Pad Man, Tanabi Founder and CEO Euros Jones-Evans, Ashley Johns, Brett “The Pikey” Johns, Coach Chris Rees, and Brian Evans, after Saturday’s spectacular victory.

 

Titan FC 34 took place this past Saturday night at the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, MO. This was the first Titan FC event streamed live on UFC Fight Pass in a newly signed deal which will allow its fighters to move up to the UFC and vice versa.

Unbeaten Welsh fighter Brett “The Pikey” Johns (12-0) defeated former TUF contestant Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez in what should’ve been Johns’ Bantamweight title defense, but he was stripped of the belt on Friday after he failed to make weight due to a sudden stomach bug, and the belt was only on the line for Gutierrez.

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Brett “The Pikey” Johns faces off with opponent Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez in Round 1 on Saturday night in Missouri.

 

Unfortunately for Brett Johns, coming to his defense against Anthomy Gutierrez over the Bantamweight limit cost him his belt on the scale, however, the ‘People’s Champ’ kept his perfect professional record intact by implementing ground and pound to take the first round and was literally fighting on one leg by the fifth, but his heart and his ability to keep his pace up earned him the better end of a Split Decision win, as well as another title shot. The official results were 47-48, 48-47, 49-46.

Johns has no qualms about a rematch for the vacant title against Gutierrez at Titan FC 35; the young fighter is fearless in his quest for UFC glory and will stop at nothing until he achieves his feat.

Titan FC CEO Jeff Aronson said after the fight, “I jumped out of my seat. Brett Johns is just an amazing figure. He is the toughest little guy I think I have ever met.”

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Titan FC CEO Jeff Aronson during the Johns Vs. Gutierrez weigh in on Friday night. While Johns didn’t make weight and was stripped of the title, he went on to win the bout opening up another title shot rematch in September.

 

The 23-year-old Swansea native is continuing his 2015 campaign firing on all cylinders and standing in the best position of his unbeaten career. Currently, he is ranked #20 in the top 50 prospects outside of the UFC according to MMALatestNews.com. The ‘Welsh Warrior’ stamped his place on the larger MMA radar in MArch by defeating former UFC veteran Walel Watson to capture the Bantamweight title at Titan FC 33, while Gutierrez rebounded from a loss to Watson with a third round TKO of Austin Lyons in his last outing.

The two fighters will face an immediate rematch in September at Titan FC 35 for the vacant belt in what will be another epic battle for glory, allowing unbeaten Johns another chance to be crowned Bantamweight World Champion.

July 16 / Community

SAMIRA MOHAMED ALI IN NEW SPIKE TV DOCU-DRAMA

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From Dubai to the ancient Egyptian elite, via Neath, actress Samira Mohamed Ali will wow audiences of new Spike TV drama documentary, Egyptian Vice, which will see experts recount the scandalous tales of the ancient Egyptian elite. The two-part special is set to premiere in the UK tonight (July 15) at 9pm on the digital channel.

South Wales-based Samira Mohamed Ali was born and raised in Dubai but moved to Neath when she was in her early teenage years. The model and presenter will star in the ancient Egyptian drama documentary after only discovering her acting talents and breaking into the industry a few years ago.

Her latest acting role will see Samira play the iconic Ptolemy, the king’s sister in the Egyptian Vice, which will be an educational preview for the highly anticipated mini-series ‘TUT’ that stars Sir Ben Kingsley and also premieres on Spike TV later this month in the USA and Canada.

“I was extremely honoured to be headhunted for a role in such a huge production,” said Samira.

“Receiving the script was so exciting and it’s been one of my most challenging yet fulfilling roles to date. I don’t want to give too much away but if you expect an ancient Egyptian version of Game of Thrones then you won’t be disappointed! ”

The first-part of Egyptian Vice will take an in-depth look at the sins of Egypt, where the drama documentary will touch upon the extravagant and vice filled lifestyles of the wealthiest rulers in ancient Egyptian history. The second installment of the two-part event delves into the rulers of Egypt and the darker side to those who shaped Egyptian civilisation into the icon it is today.

Since her first acting role in the horror film Spirital Phantoma (2012), Samira has also starred as an alcoholic mother in the award-winning horror Molly Crows (2013), and as Dr. Elizabeth Santer of this Autumn’s release of Tanabi Films’ screen adaption of best-selling novel By Any Name (2015). As well as her established acting career, Samira is also a successful businesswoman and is VP of Tanabi Group, which is based in Swansea, as well as Miami, USA.

The former model and presenter utilises her role as a producer at Tanabi to encourage big productions from overseas to come to the UK to support the UK film industry and economy.

Following her work the UK film industry, Samira has recently been invited to the House of Lords for a private meeting to discuss exciting plans for the near future.

June 17 / Community

REVIVED ‘HUKILAU’ DEBUTS WITH MAI-KAI OWNER’S 60TH BIRTHDAY

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In case you’ve not heard, the ‘Hukilau’​ is South Florida’s largest annual event for tiki-lovers and fans of midcentury Americana alike. For four days this past weekend, Fort Lauderdale was the top destination for an exodus of fun-loving, tropically-clothed tiki lovers. The Hukilau, billed as “The World’s Most Authentic Tiki Event,” not only brought people from all over the United States, but from far corners of the globe, as the event draws close to 1,200 visitors annually and in 2015 celebrated its 14th anniversary.

Originally, last year’s event was scheduled to be the last, however, the event had grown so popular that founder and owner Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White was contacted by Idle Hands Event Management, LLC’s Michael Zielinski and Richard Oneslager (themselves Hukilau attendees for years) who proposed a partnership deal in order to keep the celebration alive. A much needed shot in the arm, the Hukilau this year was effectively ‘revived’ and promptly proceeded with opening and closing festivities at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Hotel and the recently-appointed National Register of Historic Places, Mai-Kai restaurant located in Oakland Park (the “tiki mecca” for many fans.) Since 1956, the Mai-Kai has captivated people with its warmth and magical aura and remains one of the few grand Polynesian palaces of tiki still in operation today.

 

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This year’s Hukilau was unlike any other in terms of sheer Tiki-ness. It was over the top – a tiki lover’s dream come true. Over the course of the four-day event, the Hukilau featured several symposiums meant to educate, inform, and celebrate the tiki and Polynesian-pop lifestyle. Symposium presenters included Arthur Dong, who discussed the history of Chinese American nightclubs; Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily, who explored Disney’s original Polynesian Village Resort, and Jeff Chenault, who’s fantastic discussion centered on Ohio’s oft-remembered Kahiki Supper Club restaurant. Additionally, there was a milieu of tiki-related activities for attendees, including symposiums on drink culture, rum tastings, cocktail parties, tropical performance shows, and a grand tiki marketplace dedicated to selling midcentury Americana trinkets, Hawaiian shirts and dresses, beach-inspired jewelry, and original artwork. To top it all off, the Hukilau Finale coincided last Sunday night with Mai-Kai owner Dave Levy’s milestone 60th Birthday. Tanabi was honored to experience first hand the tiki craze revival and personally joined Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White and her cast of Polynesian-pop enthusiasts to celebrate it all.

With top tiki bars opening up in the United States (Smuggler’s Cove, Three Dots and a Dash, Lost Lake, Latitude 29, to name but a few) and all over the globe (London, Italy, Germany, Paris etc.), tiki’s last seven years have been a renaissance unlike many others, going from an incidental category to one of the largest collective growth trends in the tropical mixology bar scene.

The first tiki bar, Don the Beachcomber, opened in Los Angeles in 1934; it started a sensation as celebrities and debutantes alike were regularly spotted sipping mai-tais, eating pu pu platters, and enjoying an exotic environment unlike anything they had seen before. By the 1950’s Polynesian pop culture was in full swing. Fueled by the music of artists such as Les Baxter, Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, Robert Drasnin and Cal Tjader, the phenomenon was spreading to countries all over the world. This trend would continue well into the early 1970’s. The late 1970’s and early 80’s saw the decline of Polynesian pop and tiki culture and as popularity waned, many tiki restaurants and bars closed or went out of business.

Thankfully though, the glamour of retro travel and midcentury Americana is alive and well. Sure, there are plenty of factors that may have influenced the return from obscurity (not least because of the renewed global interest in rum as a spirit), but in this case we should give proper credit to pop culture, a gentleman by the name of Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, and a slew of other tiki practitioners – most notably, Martin Cate, Brian Miller, and the inimitable Paul McGee.

 

The 14th-annual Hukilau took place from June 10 through 14 at various locations including the Mai-Kai Restaurant (3599 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-563-3272; maikai.com) and the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Hotel (2301 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-525-6666; hyattregencypiersixty-six.com).

For more information and to sign up for next year’s epic Tiki extravaganza, please visit hukilau.com

Mahalo!

June 5 / Uncategorized

LAUNCH OF RESCUE 365 / LANSIAD ACHUB 365

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Cymraeg i’w ddilyn:

Today sees the official launch of ‘Rescue 365’, a community interest company that specialises in providing Health & Safety Training and Advice.

Based in Carmarthen in West Wales, Rescue 365 provides training and consultancy in many areas including health and safety, first aid, fire safety, working at height and water rescue, as well as bespoke solutions depending on the client’s needs.

As a community interest company, profits are reinvested back into MAWWFRS’s community safety initiatives, or the wider community.

In just its first few months, Rescue 365 has seen rapid growth with clients ranging from global companies such as TATA Steel and RWE in the private sector, as well as local authorities and education providers right across Wales and England.

At Rescue 365’s official launch today at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea, MAWWFRS Chief Fire Officer, Chris Davies said: “I am thrilled to be supporting this new venture. Rescue 365 is an excellent example of how an innovative business model can service industry demand while supplementing traditional Fire and Rescue Service funding streams in these challenging economic times. This new venture will not only ensure that the valuable community safety initiatives provided by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service are secured, but also allow their expert skills in risk management to benefit a wider industry audience.”

Rob Quin, Director of Rescue 365 said: “Seeing Rescue 365 expand so rapidly over the last eight months shows that there is a great demand for experienced and highly skilled training operators within the risk management sector. I look forward to seeing how the company develops over the next 12 months with the aim of expanding further throughout the UK and beyond.”

With the support of Tanabi Group, Rescue 365 will be expanding into new sectors over the next 3 months, which will include the Creative and Renewable sectors in Wales.

You can follow the progress via @Rescue_365 on twitter, on Facebook as well as their website: www.rescue365.co.uk

Heddiw, bydd lansio swyddogol ‘Rescue 365’, cwmni buddiannau cymunedol sy’n arbenigo mewn darparu Hyfforddiant a Chyngor mewn Iechyd a Diogelwch.

Lleolir canolfan Rescue 365 yng Nghaerfyrddin, Gorllewin Cymru, ac mae’n darparu hyfforddiant ac ymgynghoriad mewn nifer o feysydd, yn cynnwys iechyd a diogelwch, cymorth cyntaf, diogelwch tân, gweithio ar uchder ac achub yn y dŵr, yn ogystal â datrysiadau pwrpasol yn ôl anghenion y cleient.

Fel cwmni buddiannau cymunedol, mae unrhyw elw’n cael ei ail-fuddsoddi’n ôl i fentrau diogelwch cymunedol Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru (MAWWFRS), neu’r gymuned yn ehangach.

Ym misoedd cyntaf ei fodolaeth, mae Rescue 365 wedi gweld cynnydd mawr yn ei gleientiaid, o gwmnïau rhyngwladol yn y sector breifat e.e. TATA Steel a RWE, yn ogystal ag awdurdodau lleol a darparwyr addysg yng Nghymru a Lloegr.

Wrth lansio’r Rescue 365 yn swyddogol heddiw yng Nghanolfan Dylan Thomas, Abertawe, dywedodd Prif Swyddog Tân MAWWFRS, Chris Davies “Rydw i’n hynod o falch o gael cefnogi’r fenter newydd hon. Dyma enghraifft wych o sut y gall model busnes arloesol wasanaethu anghenion diwydiant, ac ar yr un pryd ychwanegu at lif arian y gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub yn y cyfnod heriol hwn. Bydd y fenter newydd hon, nid yn unig yn sicrhau bod mentrau gwerthfawr a ddarperir gan Wasanaeth Tân ac Achub Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn ddiogel, ond hefyd yn caniatáu i’w sgiliau arbenigol mewn rheoli risg fod o fudd i fwy o gwmnïau diwydiannol.”

Meddai Rob Quin, Cyfarwyddwr Rescue 365, “Mae gweld Rescue 365 yn ehangu mor gyflym dros yr wyth mis diwethaf yn dangos bod galw mawr am weithwyr profiadol sydd wedi eu hyfforddi mewn sgiliau tra arbenigol o fewn y sector rheoli risg. Rydw i’n edrych ymlaen at gael gweld sut bydd y cwmni’n datblygu dros y 12 mis nesaf, gyda’r nod o ehangu ymhellach drwy’r DU a thu hwnt.”

Gyda chefnogaeth Grŵp Tanabi, bydd Rescue 365 yn ehangu i sectorau newydd yn ystod y tri mis nesaf e.e. sectorau Creadigol ac Adnewyddadwy yng Nghymru.

Gallwch ddilyn ein datblygiad drwy @Rescue_365 ar Twitter neu Facebook yn ogystal â’n gwefan: www.rescue365.co.uk