Women play their part

Broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli visits the Women’s CHAI Morning group and meets its founder, Najma Khalid (centre left), and (right) chats to Harmeet Chagger-Khan

USUALLY when the Women’s CHAI Morning group meets at Greenhill Academy, only other members of the small group are privy to their stories.

But that’s about to change following interest in their talks from a London-based arts centre.

The support group — CHAI stands for Care, Help and Inspire — which meets at the school in Harmony Street, Glodwick, has joined Oldham Coliseum and London’ Southbank Centre to produce a play to showcase their stories and those from previous generations.

“Knives, Forks and Fingers”, at the Coliseum on May 23, was inspired by the tradition from the Indian subcontinent in which women talk as they cook together. The story is still being developed and some of the group members may even star in it.

The event is one of five shows that are part of Alchemy, the Southbank Centre’s festival celebrating the cultural connections between the UK and the subcontinent. The festival is touring, including to Oldham, for the first time.

The CHAI members were even more pleased to discover that writer and broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli would be working alongside them. Hardeep has been visiting the group regularly to listen to the women’s stories so he could turn them into a play.

He said: “I expected to meet some amazing people, but this CHAI group has been particularly astonishing. You hear them before you see them. You hear the laughter halfway down the path. These women are part of Oldham’s future, part of the UK’s future. These stories need to be heard.”

Chai’s founder Najma Khalid said the idea had been so popular she had to limit the number of people taking part.

Najma said: “It has just been an amazing journey for everyone.”

Information: www.coliseum.org.uk or www.southbankcentre.co.uk/alchemy.

twitter: @IramRamzanOC