#afrikids

[arbeaone]

ShellsuitZombie Magazine Issue 2 Published on July 26, 2011

[ View larger version here ] Text from the article can be read below. (There may be some errors.)

I, BOLLO

One spectacularly sunny lunchtime, ShellsuitZombie managed to hunt down a rare Gorilla only common to Clerkenwell London. Dave Brown, most famous for his role as Bollo in The Mighty Boosh, spends most of his time as a designer and photographer producing (alongside Boosh work like 2008s spectacularly successful 'The Mighty Book of Boosh') beautiful printed staff for clients like Universal and the BBC, as well as of course the odd performance to tens of thousands on arena tours around the country. It's safe to say we were feeling pretty smug about trapping him in a pub in Clerkenwell (which happens to be just below his studio) for a pint and a chat about Design, the future of Boosh, Noel's new book and photographing Julian Barratt and villagers in Ghana.

SSZ: So Dave/Bollo, what would you consider to be your main job?

Dave: I guess I consider myself to be a creative, the Boosh started as something I did with my mates as a laugh and it blew up into something huge. I've always had to juggle the worlds of and Design, quite often for me they overlap, obviously when you're out on tour it's all consuming but even then I've been known to be sat in my hotel room on a squeezing the odd freelance job in.

So you've always been freelance?

I couldn't be full time, in the early days I needed the freedom to be able to drop everything and get involved in a Boosh project at the drop of a hat, so freelance was perfect, then just before the first live Boosh tour in 2006 I did something I'd always wanted to do and set up my own agency, aptly named Ape, with a mind to be more of a collective of creatives rather then just a sole trader It allows me to get all the amazing creatives I've had the pleasure of meeting and working with over the years involved as and when I can on all kinds of creative projects.

It's been pretty full on since to be honest, so full on in fact that I haven't even had time to launch the website! It always gets pushed to the bottom of the to do list when I'm busy and then when I find the time to get back to it I've gone off everything I've done and start again. There's a holding page up at the moment that says 'Gorillas can use up to 52 different tools.They're currently using those tools to build this site'. Well they're obviously rubbish at using them because it's taking them bloody ages to finish!

Would you say Boosh has helped the rest of your career?

I guess so, although you could also say it's got in the way. I am doing a lot of books now as a result of the Boosh book but many of my clients haven't a clue who I am. I've done work for Feame Cotton, Ben Brooks, James Rhodes, Nick Cave and recently comedian Tim Key as a result of the book and Boosh work in general. BBC books actually just rang and asked me if I'd be interested in designing this years Top Gear guide to Christmas book! They've approached me because they said they loved the Boosh book and would like my take on things. Will be great if that's true but I'm not counting my chickens just yet. I recently did an interview with Radio 4 where I went on a massive rant about Jeremy Clarkson's stonewashed pumpkin arse not fitting into my Morris Minor so if they get wind of that it could be off ! (Ed.- Since doing this interview Dave has stepped away from the Top Gear job due to, shall we say, creative differences)

It sounds like books are your bread and butter. How do you go about designing a successful book like ‘TMBOB’?

I don't have a process, I approach everything from an idea, every brief is obviously different and I design to that, so it's a bit worrying when people say 'I love the Boosh book, can you do that for me?' - I interpret that as can you adopt a similar way of approaching the brief rather than making it look exactly like the Book of Boosh. The Boosh book was designed around the characters really, the style and feel of each page born from an idea in the writing and from the vibrancy and diversity of the show, a 4 column grid with a consistent type style was obviously never going to work!

The Boosh book sold incredibly well, largely due to the popularity of the show, but we were also very keen to not just make it a standard off the shelf spin off shitty annual like most TV show books. Like all Boosh product, we're very hands on, mostly doing it ourselves and we dedicate time and effort to make sure the final product is worthy of the show. That's pretty unique to be honest I think this attention to detail and quality control is what makes our fans so insanely loyal. We haven't done anything new in ages but the books and DVD's are still selling, purely down to the quality of the design of course!

Surely not everyone just wants you for your Boosh?

No, like I said, I have a fair few clients that don't know I'm in the Boosh, in fact, awhile ago when I was still freelancing, one client left me in charge of their studio before getting on a flight to New York, on the flight they watched a Boosh ep and saw me playing Joey Moose in the first series. They were like 'Is that the guy we just... what the fuck?'

Bollo has played to some huge crowds...

Yeah the last tour we did was insane, Wembley Arena, multiple nights at Brixton, selling out the 02 two nights on the trot, it's been a crazy time and I'm so lucky to have had those experiences, it is hard after a touring sitting back at a computer designing but I get my kicks out of the creative and I still keep a toe in show business with a bit of directing, writing and the odd gig here and there. To be honest it's hard trying to keep it all up and sometimes I wish I just had one job to do. Design isn't exactly a part time job is it! and I've also just had a baby girl, so lets just say I'm pretty tired and exhausted at the moment, I'm smiling though, honest.

What are you up to at the moment?

At the moment I'm working on a book with Noel called The Scribblings of a Madcap Shambleton, not Boosh related, it's basically a book about Noel’s art and writing and I'm design and compiling it. There's also a lot of my photography in it. It's a visual bombardment of Noel's mind really, paintings, sketchbooks, scribbling, it's looking amazing. He's pretty prolific, such a huge body of work. He's been painting for years, unlike some famous freaks who get a set of colouring pencils for Christmas and decide through boredom that they're now an artist. Noel can actually paint his tits off and does so every moment he gets and has done for years so at the moment I'm trying to get 530 pages down to 320! What's really interesting about the work when you see it all together is that you can see how he writes to inspire his painting and he paints to inspire his writing, I know I'm biased but I love his stuff if you haven't seen it think Basquiat, Haring, DeBuffet, Magritte, Hockney, Aubrey Beardsley...

So are there any plans in the pipeline for the Boosh?

Well everyone's working on separate things at the moment Noel is busy doing his own show 'Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy' and Julian is doing a Russian play at the Young Vic 'Government Inspector'. Those two have pretty much become Howard and Vince.

The last thing we were working on was the album. I was told when I last heard it about 3 months ago that it was 90% done and it sounded immense then so no idea what's going on! It has all the tracks from the show reworked, longer and better as well as new ones written for characters, I reckon they all stand up in their own right, even if you'd never seen the Boosh I still reckon you could get into it, the new Crack Fox track is incredible! It's a great album, people should have it in their ear holes right now.

People always ask if The Boosh have split up, I guess it’s inevitable when nothing new has happened in a while but we haven't and stuff will again, Noel and Julian do things when they're ready, they've produced so much material over the years, they're just having a break at the mo. There's still loads of stuff on the table that's never seen the light of day, but they'll do it when they're ready and when they do it will be great. They just need to find out where that table is...

Is the passion still there?

Yeah of course, always will be, for them and for me. You always come back stronger after a holiday, just maybe a little sunburnt, haha.

So I hear you're involved in some charity work. Fancy talking about that for a bit?

Yes, I love talking about it! I have just become an ambassador for afrikids.org, A freaking ambassador! Afrikids is a charity focusing on child rights in Northern Africa - They've been an absolute joy to work with, I've done some fundraising for them as Bollo, I've rebranded them, not as Bollo, and I even got the opportunity to spend some time in Ghana last year seeing their projects firsthand. I was filming and taking stills for their library, it was an incredible experience - it sounds clichéd and worthy saying it was life changing but it was. The Upper East region of Ghana is an amazing place, the people are beautiful, many of them have next to nothing and yet they're so welcoming, so happy, so positive and an absolute joy to photograph. From a portraiture point of view it was incredible. You expect a certain amount of shyness or self awareness from someone when you stick a big camera in their face but everyone there was so natural and un-effected. They would just look right down the lens without a hint of embarrassment or effect. I couldn't stop taking pictures. I need to go back, there's a chance I will be involved in an ambulance convoy driving donated medical vehicles and equipment from Southampton to Bolgatanga in Northern Ghana next year, imagine the photographic opportunity there! There's a book in that... If I could do anything I'd be travelling the world taking pictures

How does that compare to shooting backstage on tour?

Worlds apart in terms of there being more more booze, hairspray and ... erm ... humous but actually not that different from a photographic point of view, it’s still about getting yourself in the right place, sensing when to be anonymous and when to get in amongst it. I'm lucky with the Boosh obviously because I'm an insider, it means everyone acts as if there wasn't a camera around, except Rich of course who turns into a complete psycho, nutjob, showoff whenever any recording equipment appears. He's a shy introvert mouse normally!

The trouble with me taking all the backstage Boosh shots is that I'm never in any of them, but then when we get photographers out on tour to shoot us I always feel for them because they usually get nothing! Especially when they're big personalities and act all crazy and hyper like that's what we react to! I always smile to myself and think 'you're not going to get anything here mate, especially from Julian' He rarely gives me anything photographically let alone a strange cool cat called Moses in his silly hat and mad trainers wondering why in every shot he has of Julian he's talking or eating!

I can imagine him being a pain in the arse

Not at all, well, maybe just a little every now and then but aren't we all? He's also the most truthful loyal down the line no shit guy you'll ever meet, he's also fucking hilarious and one of the best comic actors out there.

How did you meet?

Me, Noel and Nige (Boosh animator and co creator of Noels new show) went to see Julian do standup at uni - he was fucking amazing. Noel had wanted to go in for an award which Julian had won the year before, the daily telegraph open mic award, so thats why we saw him ... I think ... but then they met in Edinburgh and both got signed to the same management company and started writing together. Then they did three years in Edinburgh before the radio and TV shows. Being there from the off means I have photography all the way back to the source, I plan to do an exhibition and book some day of the lot, maybe next year, I think it’s 10 years since the first series? I may be wrong, my mind is mash, too much humous on tour.

OK We have some questions from ShensuitZombie readers. Graeme asks: Where are you keeping the severed head of the honey monster*?

* After a Sugar Puffs advert used a similar crimping style to the Boosh, Bollo exacted his revenge on the brand’s iconic beast live on tour.

Ha, I don't know where that is. It's probably behind a bin backstage somewhere in a Scottish theatre. The last gig on our last tour was in Aberdeen, I don't know whose fucking idea that was. It was a great gig and the people were amazing but we it did feel a bit of anti climax, although the journey back to London was ridiculous, it felt like it was half an hour! The honey monster head, I don't know, it's probably in Peter Kay's bed, discuss.

Holly asks: Do you find yourself grunting and acting like a primate after being onstage?

It's the most powerful thing to be in that costume, and acting it - especially in real life situations, I've found that out when I've been doing charity work, fundraising in banks and stuff, getting in lifts and acting nonchalant amongst business men and women. Some people react well and have a laugh, embrace it, others desperately try to ignore the fact that they're standing in a lift with Gorilla, others have massive heart attacks and die at my primate feet. It's weird for kids because they either run up and cuddle you or freeze, have meltdowns and are forever scared.

A friend recently did a film with John Landis [Director of American Werewolf in London and Thriller] who is apparently obsessed with monkey impersonators. He has a room in his house dedicated to all the monkey actors of the world and reckons he can tell who is in any monkey suit in any film anywhere. So he asked my mate for a signed photo of Bollo and I had to send him a strange signed shot like those ones you see in New York dry cleaners. Still, now I know I'm in John Landis's monkey room I sleep better at night.

John asks: In the Bollo Cadburys ad parody is it you in the suit*?

** If you don’t know what this is referring to, look here: tinyurl.com/bollocadburys

Of course it is, how very dare you suggest otherwise...

Which is your favourite episode?

Milky Joe is awesome, I love Nanageddon and Old Gregg and in series 3 it's got to be Eels. It’s tough to pick a favourite, I genuinely piss myself at most of them even when I watch them back now.

Is anything ad-libbed?

Yeah, have you met Rich? Ever tried to get him to say the same line twice! It's always where the best stuff comes from, harder in TV land but on tour it’s encouraged and is always where the gold comes from, also keeps you alive, when you're doing 6 shows a week for four or so months you need to keep it fresh.

In fact, there was one thing that Bollo had to do in the live show, rolling a big prop offstage. One day the caster caught and I stacked it, incidentally ripping my leg open in the process. It got the biggest laugh of the night so I carried on doing it for the rest of the tour!

Thanks Dave, it's been sweet.

No worries, nice to meet you.

And with that, like an ape in the woods, he was gone. 

Check out Dave's site - www.apeinc.co.uk

Dave took hundreds of photos of Ghanaians on his recent trip with Afrikids, a charity for whom he is ambassador.

[jagucha]

There is Undying Power in Finishing!

There is Undying Power in Finishing!

Many start but a few finish! A complex arithmetic for perennial Jokers! #Afrikid! The will to start a business, a program, course or an event can be afforded by people of all walks. It is easy as no professional credentials are demanded by such processes, we only need start-up capital. This can be the willing heart, money or supportive teams in terms of friends and family. On this article I…

[letscreateafricaorg]

New post in LET'S CREATE AFRICA (L.C.A.): Urgent Match Are you looking for an amazing cross cultural experience in an environment that is full of adventures AIESEC Mzumbe, TANZANIA offers you great opportunities aligning with the following SDGs* SDG #3, My Health(Medical Healthy) :http://bit.ly/2vkoiL8 100$ includes accommodation. SDG #3, Jali Afya Yangu(Public Healthy) http://bit.ly/2PrTGAy 250$ includes accommodation, 3meals and transport. SDG #4, AfriKids (Education) http://bit.ly/2vi44Sa 100$ includes accommodation. SDG #10, Watoto wetu(Special Needs Care) http://bit.ly/2PpNjhm 250$ includes accommodation, 3meals and transport. SDG #4 AFRIKIDS DODOMA(Education) , http://bit.ly/2vkojyG 50$ includes accommodation, 3 meals per day . PACKAGE >>Free SWAHILI class >>Global village >>Native food >>A free hiking tour >> pick up support >>Tour guide support *KARIBU TANZANIA ......* For more enquiries, contacts to hit @Misikir_Y or @Biruktawit8 AIESEC in SoC http://bit.ly/2PrBN55

[ben-newman-illustration]

Ears & Eyes present two fantastic speakers at the Beacon in Hastings. The evening is hosted by Ben Newman who has absolutely nothing interesting to say. Doors open 7PM.

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Wilfrid Wood

London-based sculptor, Wilfrid Wood uses his dry wit and sharp observations to create bold portraits of celebrities, friends, pets and occasionally babies with hilarious results. After cutting his teeth as an apprentice sculptor on cult British TV show ‘Spitting Image’, he has gone onto carve a unique artistic career.

He has exhibited all over the world and worked for clients such as The New Yorker, Nike and MTV.

www.wilfridwood.com

Dave Brown

Designer, photographer, comedian and member of the Mighty Boosh, Dave Brown is a multi-talented human. His acute eye for composition is evident in both his renowned book design and photography. He has photographed some of the UK’s most well known comedians and his ‘Behind the Boosh’ series was met with critical acclaim. Not bad for a gorilla.

Dave has worked for some of the UK’s biggest publishers and is closely affiliated with the charity, AfriKids.

www.apeinc.co.uk

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Taking place at The Beacon in our fully licensed bar so come early to hang out and taste the fine wines and craft beers in our home from home environment.

Be Inspired from 7pm - 11pm Saturday 22nd April at The Beacon, 67-68 St Mary’s Terrace (down the steps opposite number 12), Hastings, TN34 3LS

Tickets £7 - BUY HERE

LIMITED TO 60 SEATS

[footballghana]

David Atanga donates to the people of Bolgatanga to fight Covid-19

Germany based Ghanaian winger David Atanga has donated items like sanitizers, liquid soap, gloves and masks to the people of Bolgatanga.

The beneficiaries were Nampo chief, Tonga Raana chief palace, Tinzug chief palace, Afrikid Medical centre Maternity Home, Mother of Mercy Babies Home and Somey Sonku Youth Base all in Bolgatanga.

The player donated to support the less fortunate and vulnerable in the community where he grew up.

Ghana national U-20 team assistant coach Salifu Fatawu led a team to distribute the items on behalf of the professional player.

According to David, it is good to give than to receive and there are more blessings when you give than to receive.

The player who was born in Bolgatanga says he can’t forget his people and Ghanaian in the situation of conovarius

David Atanga’s gesture to his community is part of an annual donation that he has been doing to help his native communities where he grew up.

He joins the list of Ghanaian footballers who have supported their communities during coronavirus pandemic.

The former national under 20 player now plays for Holstein Kiel in Germany.

source: https://footballghana.com/

[nedworks-net]

Afrikids - UK Trustee & Chair of The Beacon development board

Afrikids – UK Trustee & Chair of The Beacon development board

UK Trustee & Chair of The Beacon development board – Afrikids

Recruiter: Afrikids Location: London (Greater) (GB) Salary: Unremunerated Posted: 22 Apr 2020 Closes: 14 May 2020 Position/Level: Board Responsibilities: Strategy Sector: NGO, Not for Profit / Charity Contract Type: Permanent

In northern Ghana, where more than half of all families live in poverty, AfriKids is a force for change: an…

[ghanaonlinenews]

Afrikids Ghana supports 10 street children

http://dlvr.it/QvhfBL

[itsnelkabelka]

Speech: DFID Ghana Country Director's speech at CBE Lesson Learning workshop

Honourable Minister of Education,

Chief Director of Ministry of Education,

Director General of Ghana Education Service,

Mr Chair,

Team Leader of CBE,

Distinguished representatives of Government,

Country Directors and other representatives of CSOs/NGOs,

Members of the Press Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon everyone.

As Country Director for the UK’s Department for International Development in Ghana, it is a pleasure to join you today to celebrate the long history of achievements of the Complimentary Basic Education (CBE) programme.

Education has the power to change lives and to open the door to better employment, more active citizenship and well-informed health decisions that can benefit future generations.

A good education can transform the prospects of poor and marginalised children and CBE is a programme where we have seen this happening.

With children unable to go to school due to poverty, distance to schools or family demands, this programme has enabled almost 250,000 children to have a second chance at an education and given them the opportunity to transform their lives through DFID and USAID funding.

The evidence base that you have heard about today demonstrates the impact of the programme:

In improving learning outcomes – in the last cycle 55% of learners had reached proficiency in numeracy from a baseline of just 4%;

In forming a bridge to education that enables children to progress and stay in school - 90% of learners from the first cycle (2013/14) have remained in school.

And, in contributing to creating a positive learning experience for children and changing the perceptions of parents and communities about education.

As we reach the end of this phase of support from DFID/USAID for CBE, it is evident that the capacity-building approach of districts, Implementing Partners and the Ghana Education Service working together and supported by Crown Agents, has paid dividends in order to enable CBE to be sustained in future years by the Government of Ghana.

But whilst we celebrate CBE’s achievements today, the scale of the challenge remains. Approximately 450,000 children between the ages of 6 and 14 remain out of school in Ghana.

These children represent a lost opportunity for Ghana’s development. We must continue to ensure the sustainability of CBE’s approach, which has proven to be effective and successful, as Ghana moves beyond aid and aims to deliver on its commitment to achieving SDG 4.

Honourable Minister, the UK commends the Government of Ghana for its admirable vision of Ghana ‘beyond aid’.

His Excellency the President’s vision for a self-reliant Ghana is inspiring and is applauded by the UK and all development partners. In the long term, economic development with investment and, critically, jobs is the sustainable pathway to self-reliance.

However, “Ghana Beyond Aid” must also address the issue of why, despite record economic growth, inequality in Ghana is rising. New data from the GLSS shows that that the gap between regions and between rural and urban areas remains wide, and in some cases is worsening.

We need clarity on how the “Beyond Aid” will be implemented. It has so far focused only on investment, infrastructure and trade and there is a risk that Government, and development partners, shift their gaze from the immediate task of improving the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in Ghana.

Ghana Beyond Aid can’t just be about Ghana’s ��self-reliance” through industrialization. It has to be address the “self-reliance” of the poorest and most marginalized Ghanaians – including the 450,000 children who remain out-of-school in Ghana.

And that is what is particularly exciting about the CBE programme. What we have here is a programme that has been truly transformational for many of the poorest, rural children and communities – giving them access to an education, supporting them to learn basic literacy and numeracy skills, and ensuring that they continue to learn and progress through the formal school system.

What is also exciting is the partnership with the Ministry of Education and its agencies on this programme, their commitment to directly implement and put in place the policy environment to oversee their own implementation but also that of others, effectively engaging other partners to invest in Ghana’s children.

CBE is a programme that demonstrates the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda in practical and tangible terms – and a Ghana Beyond aid that looks to a day when Ghana’s education sector is financed to enable every young child, boy and girl, to have access to education.

As the UK, we are proud to have supported and worked with the Government on the CBE programme. DFID will continue to support the Ministry of Education to reach and transform the lives of some of the most marginalized children in Ghana.

As the Government takes on the leadership and funding of this programme, DFID will support that transition with technical assistance and some continued transitional funding.

We are grateful to all stakeholders for CBE’s achievements and I want to acknowledge and thank our partners on CBE:

The Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and the National Service Secretariat for their enthusiasm and commitment to the CBE programme;

Our Implementing Partners (Afrikids, Action Aid, ProNet, LCD, GILLBT, Care, PLAN, IBIS/OXFAM, School for Life, and World Education);

I want to acknowledge and thank Crown Agents, Associates for Change and UNICEF, as well as our research partners IMC Worldwide, the University of Sussex, the University of Cambridge, RTI, PAB consulting and JEAVCO Associates;

I want to particularly thank Janice Dolan, DFID’s Education Adviser, who leaves Ghana this month after 3 successful years.

Finally I want to pay tribute to the communities and the community based facilitators who have made the programme the success that it is.

We have all been on a journey together for the past five years, one which has transformed the lives of almost 250,000 Ghanaian children.

We thank you for joining with the United Kingdom and the USA in this venture and we hope that CBE will continue to provide disadvantaged children across Ghana with a second chance at an education.

Thank you.

from Announcements on GOV.UK https://ift.tt/2N64DKl via IFTTT

[hashtagghana]

@UKinGhana: RT @AfriKids: Rubbing shoulders w/ the likes of Teresa May, Bill Gates, Pr. Charles & Penny Mordaunt this wk at #Commowealthsummit. Thanks to our partners @commonwealthorg for inviting David, our Director of Progs to join! Pictured here alongside other #Ghanaian delegates #CHOGM2018 #CWpeople https://t.co/gc09aQcaQu

[yeahwehadatime]

APEril 14 {x}

[jagucha]

Featured photo stories that inspire

Featured photo stories that inspire

Dare dream of succes with eyes wide open! The joy of a returning mother is iced by a pacing afrikid She shoots with precision, the daughter of Apollos!

[chaletours]

@switterney ... Afrikids in Ghana. // #Ghana #afrikids #school #kid #funny #speak #english #portrait #child #canon 5d #latergram #flashback #happy #wall #texture #fufu

[letscreateafricaorg]

New post in LET'S CREATE AFRICA (L.C.A.): Urgent Match Are you looking for an amazing cross cultural experience in an environment that is full of adventures AIESEC Mzumbe, TANZANIA offers you great opportunities aligning with the following SDGs* SDG #3, My Health(Medical Healthy) :http://bit.ly/2vkoiL8 100$ includes accommodation. SDG #3, Jali Afya Yangu(Public Healthy) http://bit.ly/2PrTGAy 250$ includes accommodation, 3meals and transport. SDG #4, AfriKids (Education) http://bit.ly/2vi44Sa 100$ includes accommodation. SDG #10, Watoto wetu(Special Needs Care) http://bit.ly/2PpNjhm 250$ includes accommodation, 3meals and transport. SDG #4 AFRIKIDS DODOMA(Education) , http://bit.ly/2vkojyG 50$ includes accommodation, 3 meals per day . PACKAGE >>Free SWAHILI class >>Global village >>Native food >>A free hiking tour >> pick up support >>Tour guide support *KARIBU TANZANIA ......* For more enquiries, contacts to hit @Misikir_Y or @Biruktawit8 AIESEC in SoC http://bit.ly/2PrBN55

[thisisnickwhite]

You can win a whole bunch of excellent prints including the work of Andrew Rae, Crispin Finn and myself. All you have to do is enter the Snowball Raffle. All money raised goes to the excellent AfriKids Charity. Be quick though the closing day is Christmas eve!

[tentothemonkeynine]

The charity Afrikids is currently holding a fundraising event called the "Snowball Raffle". A print of the above photograph of Eddie Izzard, taken by Andy Hollingworth, is one of the prizes.

For £9, you can buy one ticket for the raffle to win a 60" x 23" print of the photo. You can buy as many tickets as you like and the winner will be notified on December 24th, 2014.

[awesomemerchandise]

We've teamed up with Big Scary Monsters & Alcopop Records to give away these prizes in a charity raffle for Afrikids. Click this.