Interview with Jason Wood

It’s been almost four months since Leicester’s De Montfort University set-up DMU Square Mile.
Ahead of the official launch and big volunteer day tomorrow (September 22), I caught up with DMU Square Mile Research Director, Jason Wood, to find out all about the innovative community initiative.
Mr Wood started his career as a youth worker 12 years ago. He was the youth and community researcher for DMU before taking on the Vice Chancellor’s Square Mile project.


Tell me about DMU Square Mile
Square Mile was an idea generated by our Vice Chancellor, Dominic Shellard, to see how the university could make a difference in the community with the support of the local authorities.
I’ve been involved in the set-up of investments and assessing the potential impact of the project.
We started in May (2011) by working with the community and speaking to residents for a period of consultation.


What will happen on the Big Volunteer Day?
We’re holding a big volunteer day as the official launch of the project. We will see students, stakeholders, board members and the community all pulling together to start 21 mini projects.
Some of the projects include planting a sensory garden and setting up a community café. They’ll be some volunteers litter picking too.
We’re encouraging anyone living in local area to get involved. The success relies on community involvement.

The Square Mile project work is around the university campus covering estates such as Fosse, Abbey and Western Park.

How can people get involved?
Email Mile2@dmu.ac.uk or call 0116 2577102 or follow @DMUsquaremile

Akram Khan's Desh

Tonight Curve will welcome audience members to the public dress rehearsal of Akram Khan's Desh.The internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer, opens the autumn season at Curve with the World Premiere of his new dance productionthis week.

We last saw Khan at Curve with his successful co-productions with the theatre In-i and Vertical Road.
Inspired by his home country of Bangladesh, Desh, will explore the idea of transformation – of body, land, identity and memory, while examining the contradictions of Khan’s British-Asian identity. Created after a year of research both in the UK and Bangladesh and performed during the year Bangladesh celebrates the 40^th anniversary of its independence from Pakistan, DESH draws together multiple tales of land, nation and resistance.

Oscar and BAFTA winning Chinese designer Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) has created the set and costume designs.