BRADFORD BASED MOFETOLUWA FASANY will be receiving an Africa4i Award at The City Hall in Bradford on Friday the 30th of October 2026 at 5PM

INFORMATION ABOUT MOFETOLUWA CAN BE FOUND BELOW

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Mofetoluwa Fasanya is a young Nigerian poet, spoken-word artist and youth leader based in the UK. She discovered a love for poetry through performing and writing, and has continued to use it as a way to share her thoughts, experiences and perspectives.

Proud of her Nigerian heritage, Mofetoluwa is particularly interested in identity, culture, young people and the experiences that shape us as we grow. Her work reflects the things she sees, feels and thinks about, while allowing her to connect with audiences in a way that feels honest and personal.

She has performed spoken word at events including the Yorkshire Black Business Awards , Bradford African Festival of Arts (BAFA), and has also been involved in a range of youth leadership and community projects.

Outside of poetry, Mofetoluwa is passionate about education, leadership and creating opportunities for young people. She is always looking for new spaces to learn, create, perform and meet people who share her love for creativity.

As she continues to develop her voice as a young writer and performer, Mofetoluwa hopes her work will encourage other young people to be confident in sharing their own stories too.

BRADFORD BASED Samuel Ogundapo (DAYO SAX) will be receiving an Africa4i Award at The City Hall in Bradford on Friday the 30th of October 2026 at 5PM

INFORMATION ABOUT SAMUEL OGUNDAPO (DAYO SAX)

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ABOUT DAYO SAX:

Samuel Ogundapo, widely known as Dayo Sax, is a UK-based saxophonist whose musical practice is shaped by both his Nigerian roots and life in the United Kingdom.

For Dayo, music is more than performance. It is a living and responsive tool that can create connection, calm agitation, hold attention, and support wellbeing.

MUSIC WITH PURPOSE:

Dayo has a particular interest in using music to support children, especially those with special needs. Through: Saxophone, Piano, Curated sound scapes, he creates intentional musical experiences designed to engage the senses, encourage connection, and create moments of calm.

Samuel Ogundapo is an alumni of Ladoke Akintola university of technology, Unilag and university of Bradford.

LEEDS BASED Valentina Hynes will be receiving an Africa4i Award at The City Hall in Bradford on Friday the 30th of October 2026 at 5PM

INFORMATION ABOUT VALENTINA CAN BE FOUND BELOW

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Valentina Hynes

Award-Winning Entrepreneur | Business Leader | Speaker | Mentor | Author

Valentina Hynes is a Nigerian-born, UK-based entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience building businesses, developing leaders and connecting communities across two continents.

Her entrepreneurial journey began in 2005 with a jewellery business. In 2010, she founded V14 Ventures in Lagos, specialising in experiential marketing and event staffing, and through Giving Back by V14 mobilised businesses and resources to support disadvantaged communities.

After moving to the UK in 2017, she founded SVH Inc. CIC, a social enterprise delivering workplace wellbeing, leadership development and community engagement for organisations including the NHS, NatWest, John Lewis and the University of Bradford.

A keynote speaker, DISC practitioner, Mental Health First Aid instructor, leadership and business mentor, she combines entrepreneurial experience with behavioural insight to challenge perspectives, strengthen communication, build confidence and support personal and professional growth.

She is the creator of Kakaki by V14™, an immersive cultural enterprise bringing traditions to life and connecting communities, creativity and commerce through intercultural experiences.

Valentina has also authored two books: Walls & Secrets, a collection of short stories and poems exploring femininity and life, and Crafting Your Wellbeing Awareness Calendar.

Her UK honours include Business Woman of the Year at the 2023 Yorkshire Choice Awards, recognition among the UK’s top 100 women in social enterprise on the WISE100 list in 2024 and 2025, two NatWest SE100 listings and an ITV News feature as “One to Salute”. Her international recognition includes an Associate Fellowship of the Royal Commonwealth Society and a Corporate Social Responsibility Award from the Lagos State Government. In 2024, she was invited to the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.

Valentina is an Ambassador for Investors in Community, a charity trustee and former Vice-Chair of Governors at Harrogate High School. Her work is driven by one belief: when people are strong, vibrant and happy, communities thrive.

Syma Khan — Purpose & Personal Development Practitioner | Founder of Heal • Connect • Grow

Syma Khan is a Purpose & Personal Development Practitioner, educator, community builder and mother of four, with over 15 years’ experience as a qualified Approved Driving Instructor and further training as an Adwam Life Coach.

Living with ME/CFS and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) has profoundly shaped her journey. At her lowest point, she began questioning her purpose and asking, “If I met my Creator today, would I feel I had fulfilled my purpose?” This became a turning point, deepening her faith and understanding of healing, purpose and intentional living.

Through Heal • Connect • Grow, Syma helps others reconnect with themselves, their faith and their purpose.

As a home-educating mother, she established a home-education co-op specifically to create a support system for mums, with learning rooted in faith, purpose and real life. She also developed the HCG Community Garden, creating a space for healing through nature, connection and community.

Sandra Chaka is a Zimbabwean-born, UK-based businesswoman, healthy-living advocate, philanthropist and mother of three. She is the founder of Strength 2 Strength Health Solutions Ltd and has spent 10 years educating and empowering families to make healthier choices through nutritious home cooking.

Sandra’s journey has been shaped by motherhood, business, faith, personal challenges and the loss of her husband. Through it all, she has discovered that strength is not about never falling—it is about finding the courage to rise again.

With warmth, honesty and vulnerability, Sandra shares her experiences of grief, resilience, personal growth and learning to reclaim her voice. Her message is rooted in gratitude, purpose and the belief that our pain does not have to be the end of our story. It can become the soil from which compassion, courage and a desire to help others grow.

Sandra’s heart is to encourage people—particularly women—to believe in themselves, embrace who they are becoming and keep moving forward, even when they have to do it scared.

KAREN OKRA , OUR AFRICA4U AMBASSADOR FOR HULL WILL BE GUEST SPEAKER AT OUR BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATIONS AT WILBERFORCE INSTITUTE FOR SLAVERY AND EMANCIPATION IN HULL ON MONDAY 26TH OF OCTOBER 2026

A BRIEF BIO ABOUT HER CAN BE FOUND BELOW

Karen Okra Community Activist, Cultural Leader, Equality Advocate.

Karen Okra is a community activist and cultural leader with extensive experience in arts, heritage, and community engagement. She played a key role in Hull’s successful bid for UK City of Culture 2017 as a candidate on the Derry~Londonderry Panel, and later served as a Director of both the Hull 2017 City of Culture Board and the Freedom Festival Arts Trust.

Her work focuses on promoting racial and gender equality, with a strong commitment to advancing awareness of Black History and Black achievement. Karen actively addresses challenges faced by Black and minority ethnic communities through education, advocacy, and inclusive programming.

She has a particular interest in the history of Trans Atlantic slave trade and Diaspora Studies and collaborates with the Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation (WISE), the University of Hull, and Hull Museums to support learning and community engagement initiatives.

Karen is an Honorary Fellow of the Wilberforce Institute and a member of the Wilberforce House Advisory Group. Her work is grounded in connecting people, places, and shared histories to create a more inclusive and accessible future

CECILE OXAAL FROM GUYANA WILL BE GUEST SPEAKER AT OUR BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATIONS AT WILBERFORCE INSTITUTE FOR SLAVERY AND EMANCIPATION IN HULL ON MONDAY 26TH OF OCTOBER 2026

A BRIEF BIO ABOUT HER CAN BE FOUND BELOW

Cecile Oxaal was born and grew up in British Guiana (now Guyana) but has lived in Hull for almost sixty years and is a British citizen. She is a Bachelor of Arts graduate of the University College of the West Indies (University of London) — now named the University of the West Indies, and a retired secondary school teacher of English, having taught in Hull for over thirty years. In 2003 she received an MBE, ‘for services to education in Hull’. Since her retirement she has been involved in campaigning in Hull for Amnesty International UK, written a history of her maternal forebears and continues to support local community projects with historical aspects.

Our Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) group recently enjoyed a fantastic visit to Pinderfields Hospital, part of Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.

The visit gave members the opportunity to hear about the wide range of clinical research and trials taking place across a number of specialities, including maternity, urology, acute care, respiratory care, stroke and neurology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and spinal services.

Members met research teams and nurses who spoke passionately about their work and explained how clinical trials have improved treatments, supported patients, and made a positive difference to many lives.

Touring the research facilities was particularly valuable, allowing members to see the site first-hand, understand how research is delivered in a clinical setting, and learn more about the patient journey — from being introduced to a trial through to receiving treatment and follow-up support.

Cordelia, a PPIE member who lives near the hospital, said:
“It was very interesting and informative to hear the clinical staff talk about their respective areas of clinical trials with such commitment and passion. For us as the ‘Voice of the Public’, it brought clinical trials research to life, as we had previously only assessed clinical trial documentation and learned about the CRDC in theory.

“The visit made it all seem real, and we could see how beneficial and necessary clinical trials are for the future. I was amazed by the number of clinical trials being run at Pinderfields. It was also amazing to hear the success story of the mother who participated in a clinical trial for morning-sickness medication and went on to give birth to a beautiful baby, thanks to the trial being successful for her.”

Another PPIE member, Zaheer, reflected:
“It was a wonderful opportunity to visit Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and meet the amazing staff involved in the CRDC. Much of the work is at the forefront of research in their respective fields, using innovative methods, tools and technologies to help improve health outcomes for patients in the local area and beyond.”

The experience brought clinical research to life and helped members connect and understand the processes.

A huge thank you to Laura Harrison and the entire Mid Yorkshire team for their warm welcome, wonderful hospitality and for sharing their knowledge and experiences so openly. It was an informative, inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable visit.

Shummel UddinCRDC UK NetworkProf Dinesh SaralayaMid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust

ABOUT DAYO SAX:

Samuel Ogundapo, widely known as Dayo Sax, is a UK-based saxophonist whose musical practice is shaped by both his Nigerian roots and life in the United Kingdom.

For Dayo, music is more than performance. It is a living and responsive tool that can create connection, calm agitation, hold attention, and support wellbeing.

MUSIC WITH PURPOSE:

Dayo has a particular interest in using music to support children, especially those with special needs. Through: Saxophone, Piano, Curated sound scapes, he creates intentional musical experiences designed to engage the senses, encourage connection, and create moments of calm.

Samuel Ogundapo is an alumni of Ladoke Akintola university of technology, Unilag and university of Bradford.

Once I feared the words inside,

And kept my truest voice to hide.

But life has taught me, year by year,

That purpose often speaks through fear.

Another year, another light,

Another chance to shine more bright.

To speak with courage, live with grace,

And leave more love in every place.

So here’s to dreams still coming true,

To finding strength in all we do.

To moments still waiting to unfold,

And stories of courage still to be told.

A gift for my loved ones on my birthday.