September Newsletter

What's going on?

Click here to go to the Arcade

Happy Birthday!

Anna McIntosh 12th September

Sean Dall 2nd September

Josie Woodfine 18th September

Juli Chadwick 19th September

Introducing the Academy Hub

Good to Know

September Newsletter

Donna's Dream House

“Every August bank holiday Monday I volunteer to be the support driver for my brother, and several of our friends, when they do a charity bike ride from Leeds to Blackpool. It’s all in aid of a little charity called Donna’s Dream House. No its not a dream house for me, what it is, is a little Charity in Blackpool which provides free holiday experiences and support for children and teenagers with life-threatening illnesses and their families – which allows them to make lasting and final memories. The charity was founded, and still run by, Len and Babs Curtis whose daughter Donna died at the age of 21. One of Donna’s final wishes was for her mum and dad to create somewhere where ill children can go, and just not be ill. Donna struggled with illness most of her life and from the age of 16 she was put on adult wards, which made the later part of her illness even harder. She finally lost her battle in 1996. A few years later Donna’s Dream House was created, and Len and Babs have dedicated their lives to running it, and fund raising to keep Donna’s wish going. The house is just purely magical, run only by volunteers and donations. I wish I could tell you some of the amazing stories that Len has told us over the years, but you’ll have to pop in and see him if you’re ever over that way. This is the 14th year that the Leeds to Blackpool bike ride has happened and it was a tough one for the riders. 3 started in Leeds, and 3 others joined us in Clitheroe The route is very beautiful, and the scenery is stunning across the tops, but there are many very steep hills that even are steep driving in the car. It didn’t help with the wind and rain that was against us most of the way. They all did an amazing job though, I’m sure you can agree. This year we even had the Lord Mayors of Blackpool there to welcome us in. Please feel free to check out the Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/officialdonnasdreamhouse.”

Shared by Donna Pigott

Over the Bank holiday I visited Manchester Pride with my Bestie for the first time. After dumping the bags and getting the wrist bands we headed to the parade in our face glitter and rainbow colours. We saw celebrities like Russell T Davies, Sue Pollard, Danny Beard and Cheddar gorgeous. We busted out the ponchos when things got soggy. Later on we had Brunch at On the Hush in the Northern Quarter. Afterwards, we headed back to the gay village with 2 hour waits for Rita Ora and Jesse J we ended visited the street bars and stages dotted about the quarter. We met some amazing people from every walk of life and all over the world. Denmark, Sweden, Ireland New Zealand. We were shown around by Antonio a lovely chap at 7ft in drag and stilettos who took us to velvet. This is where we met James and celebrated his 30th Birthday with his boyfriend Simon and Betty celebrating her first pride at 19. We chatted for hours in the Premiere in bar where apparently they prefer for you to go to your room at 4.30 am rather than having a laugh with others returning from the Pride events in the bar. Day 2 we skipped breakfast and went for Sunday lunch at chez mal and tootled down to the village stage where we watched Danny Beard introduce many famous drag artists including Banksie and Ginny Lemon. As day one wiped us out it was an early night back to the hotel for 19.30 and a take out. Monday was home time we called of at the Pen and Pencil for brunch before making our way to the train home and a rest. We had an amazing time it was the friendliest place id ever been and so busy and whilst it was so much fun it also brought home the struggle the queer community still has due to laws in other countries and ignorance in our own. It was beautiful to see everyone’s true colours

Manchester Pride

Shared by Fay Thornton

Click here for Answers

Complete the logic grid

1. Seven.(It was the seventh month of the old Roman calendar.)
2. Virgo (until September 22) and Libra (September 23 onwards)
3. True. (Nine letters and the ninth month.)
4. Barley
5. Sapphire
6. Julian
7. Labor Day
8. Ryder Cup
9. The Oktoberfest
10. Anne Boleyn

Sonic Quiz

How Many Squares?Answer: B) 45 Explanation: Number of squares in the given figure is 16 + 9 + 19 + 1 = 45.

Logical PuzzleAnswer: B) 4

Crack the Code Answer C)From all the hints given, only 042 satisfies and it unlocks the key

Logic Grid Answer:Bobby had vanilla and candles. Charlotte had chocolate and frosting. Melonie had strawberry and sprinkles.

Three kids ordered cakes, but the cooks mixed up the orders. Use these hints to find out what cake each student had: 1: Bobby hates chocolate. 2: Charlotte would not be caught DEAD with vanilla. 3: Melonie ordered the fruit flavored cake. 4: Bobby was having a birthday. 5: Charlotte loved anything creamy. 6: Melonie loves to have little candies on her cake.

My name is Neil, I am married with two children and also recently got a Jack Russell Puppy and Ragdoll Kitten so my house is always busy. I enjoy reading, listening to music and watching boxing, UFC and Football. I used to work as a Debt and Benefits Adviser for both Birmingham City Council and Solihull Council.

Neil Donovan

Khalid Rahman

I am an ambitious and driven individual who isn’t afraid to face a challenge. I would describe myself as adventurous, spontaneous & someone who loves traveling. I have a big passion for football which is a big part of daily life. I am an individual who loves collaborating & partnering working with people.

1. The name September comes from the Latin word 'septem', which means what?
2. Which two zodiac signs occur in the month of September?
3. True or false. September is the only month with the same number of letters in its name as the number of the month?
4. The Anglo-Saxons called the month Gerstmonath, after which crop usually harvested in September which they used to make beer?
5. September's birthstone is which precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum?
6. In 1752, September had only 19 days in the UK as which calendar was changed to the Gregorian calendar?
7. In the United States, which federal holiday is observed on the first Monday of September?
8. Which biennial sporting event was postponed in 2001 after the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York City?
9. Which world famous festival, held annually in Munich, Germany, is a folk festival running from mid- or late September to the first Sunday in October?
10. The birth of Queen Elizabeth I happened on 17 September, 1533, can you name her mother?

Hi everyone! I’m Harj, and I’m thrilled to be part of the team. Before joining First Direct, I worked at BMW Financial Services. When I’m not working, I love going out and exploring new places. Speaking of which, I just got back from an epic road trip across Europe where I visited seven different countries! Driving through Switzerland, Italy, and Croatia. It was an unforgettable experience. I'm excited to be part of First Direct and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Harj Gurwara

Hi, my name is Aleena Arshad, and I am 21 years old. I am a British national who was living with her mother in Pakistan. At the age of 14 I moved to the UK to live with my siblings and for better education. I previously worked for Deloitte as an assistant auditor. I always knew I am a people’s person which resulted in me having a career change at early days of my career. HSBC is very special to me because at the age of 17 in 2019, I did my work experience. I was first person who had her work experience in Birmingham head office Pre covid but after that it was shifted online. I shadowed the Chief Operating Officer team, gaining value insight into their ways of working, including flexible working arrangements and hybrid working. Additionally, in my secondary school I participated in Speak Out Challenge sponsored by HSBC, and I came 3rd in regional final competing with other Midland schools. It was just a few weeks ago I realised that it was sponsored by HSBC and today I represent HSBC. Furthermore, I have several other hobbies which keeps me entertained and that includes clay art, crocheting, cooking and calligraphy. I love gifting my art pieces to people I like so that whenever they look at it, it reminds them of me. I love meeting new people and building new relationships.

Aleena Arshad

Hello everyone ! Nice to meet you all ! I am Elsie come from Hong Kong. I like going to camping hiking and take photo with my friends. Sometimes I am a coffeeholic that I drink 2-3 times coffee when I am during weekend, and I studying the barista diploma courses during weekend. I love Japanese culture and always watching Japan Anime during free time, if you are interesting as well, please let me know ! 😊

Elsie Yu

✨ What’s New? My expertise in customer care and problem-solving shines through my everyday life. I am always. ready to jump in and make a difference! 💡 Why Banking? Passionate about finance, I love helping people navigate their financial journeys. With a love for numbers and a knack for connecting with clients, I am driven to provide excellent support that truly impacts lives. 📈 Career Highlights: Expertly managed customer disputes and fraud investigations at Lloyds Banking Group. Provided top-tier client service at Halifax, promoting digital banking Solutions, and previous other roles. 🎯 Fun Fact: Juliana isn’t just about banking! I am a foodie who loves exploring new cuisines and cultures. Catch me at the latest restaurant hotspots or whipping up a feast at home! Thanks for keeping up with Juliana – more exciting updates to come!

Juliana Umoette

Hey there ! I’m Hannadige Gayani Madhumali Soysa, but you can just call me Hannah. I’m from Sri Lanka and love cooking, especially experimenting with both traditional Sri Lankan dishes and new recipes. Also, I love dancing and especially traditional dancing. In April 2024 I joined HSBC and am currently attached to FST. It’s been an existing journey so far !!

Hannadige Madhumali

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit my parents’ for a chat and whilst I was talking to my mum, I noticed my mum’s speech rapidly deteriorated and became slurred, her sentences were all jumbled up , she came across extremely confused, and consequently this was causing my mum further distress. Now, my medical knowledge is extremely limited, however I am familiar with the medical acronym FAST. Knowing my mums symptoms and how quickly they came on, I was adamant my mum was showing signs of having a stroke. Immediately, I went through the FAST steps. It’s important to mention at this stage my mum was only showing one of the main three symptoms, which was her speech, but having only one of the main three symptoms should never be discounted and should always be treated as an emergency. After the paramedics assessed my mum, it was confirmed that my mum had in fact experienced a mini stroke. The long and short is, if it wasn’t for me knowing about FAST, the symptoms of a TIA (transient Ischemic attack) or a mini stroke and responding as quickly as I did, the outcome could have been very different.Recognising the signs: FAST: Face – The face may have dropped on 1 side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped. Arms – The person may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there, because of weakness or numbness in one arm. Speech – their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all, despite appearing to be awake; they may also have problems understanding what you’re saying to them. Time- It’s time to call 999 immediately if you notice any of these signs and symptoms. **please note, although the above are the main symptoms, there are other possible symptoms. For further information, please refer to the attached link** www.nhs.uk/conditions/transient-ischaemic-attack-tia/

Shared by Adam Denson