Jasmine Laws

While I completed my NCTJ at News Associates, I worked as a reporter for The Londoners' four papers: South West Londoner, South East Londoner, North West Londoner and North East Londoner. 

I wrote a series of articles for the paper and I also reported at a number of events including the days following Queen Elizabeth II's passing, her funeral, art exhibitions and ski premieres.

Anti-Slavery Day Awards 2023

My article, The brutality reality of human trafficking in the UK, for The Londoners was shortlisted for Best News Piece for the Anti-Slavery Day Awards 2023.

The article can be read in full here: https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/l... 

Radek Husak's exhibition Duality launch at Quantus Gallery

Following an interview, I met Rad Husak at the launch of his exhibition Duality at Quantus Gallery and Grove Gallery. His exhibition was a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community using the male figure.

OPAKE's first solo exhibition

I met Edward Worley of OPAKE at his first solo exhibition at Quantus Gallery in Aldgate East, London following an interview with him. He was later interviewed by Sky News, and has since claimed his title as a successful artist.  

Dan Egan's 30 Years in a White Haze Book Promotion

On the 12 October, I went to Altimus store in Kensington where extreme skier Dan Egan hosted a talk and signing of his new book 30 Years in a White Haze. Dan told us about the inspiration behind the book and why’s it’s so important to him.

@thelondonersnews

Three royal artists, Rob Munday, Frances Segelman and Christian Furr, celebrate Queen Elizabeth II with portraits of her in a tribute exhibition at Quantus Gallery. #royalartists #queenelizabeth #quantusgallery

♬ original sound - thelondonersnews

Majesty, A Tribute To The Queen

Following an interview with Christian Furr, the youngest artist to have painted the Queen's portrait, I was invited to the launch of three royal artists' tribute to the Queen at Quantus Gallery in Aldgate East. I met the artists Christian Furr, Rob Munday and Frances Segleman at the launch, where I interviewed them individually to cover the event. 

Queen's Funeral Sept 19th

I reported on the Queen's Funeral Procession from the Horse Guards Parade, and captured the entire procession going past. 

Queen's Funeral Sept 19th

I got to Westminster Abbey at 6am on 19th September to cover the funeral, and saw those that had camped out on the streets over night to ensure that they had front row seats to pay their respects to the Queen as she passed by. 

Queen's Procession Sept 13th

I covered Hyde Park Corner on the day the Queen's coffin was transported back to Buckingham Palace, and captured the moment the procession went past on its way to the palace. 

Queen's Passing Sept 9th

The day after the Queen passed away, I reported from Buckingham Palace, interviewing members of the public on how they were feeling and what the Queen meant to them. The atmosphere was sombre and silent and thousands came to lay flowers, letters and tokens at the gates of the palace.

Featured Articles

North West Londoner •

Emmy-award film producer Daniel Sackheim launches his first solo photography exhibition

The producer of re-known crime and thriller series such as Game of Thrones, Ozark and True Detective is exhibiting a solo collection of his photography for the first time.

Daniel Sackheim will unveil his work at Iconic Images gallery on Waterloo Place on Friday 8 March as part of the exhibition ‘Bright Lights, Big City’.

Replicating the film noir aesthetic, Sackheim’s photography offers dramatically contrasting snapshots of time, to represent how a photograph can have the same cinematic narrat
South West Londoner •

The potential reason your Long Covid symptoms aren’t shifting

Research shows that Long Covid sufferers could find relief from symptoms by adopting the mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) treatment plan.

It is estimated that 17% of the population have MCAS and there is significant similarity between the two conditions.

This would mean that for some battling Long Covid, they could be dealing with a flare up of undiagnosed MCAS symptoms, which can be controlled with an established treatment plan.

Leading research on the connection between the two, Dr Tina
North East Londoner •

Award-winning tattoo artist launches geometric exhibition about introspection

An award-winning tattoo artist is launching an exhibition that utilises geometric structures to bring order to the chaos of life and the mind in an Aldgate East gallery.

Quantus Gallery will adorn its walls in artist Mike Philp’s multimedia, achromatic work in his new exhibition ‘Introspective’ on 14 December.

Mike, who is also an award-winning tattoo artist, combines perfect straight lines and patterns he knows we “as humans just love”, explaining how the “orderly chaos” of this work is a pro
North West Londoner •

Art exhibition kicks off festive season by showing power of colour red

As it begins to look a lot like Christmas, a Tottenham Court Road gallery is launching the new exhibition RED that investigates and celebrates the symbolism behind the festive colour.

Sara Pope, the first female in over 700 years to have her work displayed in the Vatican, will kick-start the countdown to Christmas in Grove Gallery on 6 December with her provocative and powerful collection of art.

As the colour with the longest wavelength, red is one of the most eye-catching of hues.

Sara said
North West Londoner •

Covent Garden gallery launches exhibition challenging stereotypes

Clarendon Fine Art is set to launch a new exhibition in Covent Garden that celebrates positivity at a time of immense loss, as much of the world today suffers in the throes of conflict and war.

“The Prodigy”, Maxim’s new solo exhibition at Clarendon’s flagship Covent Garden gallery comes ahead of his first major European tour, “Army of Ants”.

It presents a collection of evocative compositions that challenge stereotypes by presenting them as an antithesis.

Maxim said: “There’s always a positiv
North East Londoner •

Aldgate East gallery launches exhibition transforming trauma into beauty

A contemporary artist launched an exhibition at an Aldgate East gallery yesterday, transforming childhood trauma into harmonised displays of colour.

Robi Walters is debuting his ‘A Nation of Millions’ collection of art in Quantus Gallery and hopes to inspire the crowds to find positivity in the most negative of circumstances, shortly after World Mental Health Day last week.

Using art to process immense trauma, Robi’s story is an extremely moving example of how helpful self-expression can be in
North East Londoner •

Artist gives tribute to her mother in new Aldgate East art exhibition

An art gallery in Aldgate East launched a new exhibition yesterday celebrating the strength and resilience of the female form.

Quantus Gallery, situated on Fashion Street, popped the prosecco in triumph over its latest complication of artistic talent, Zara Muse.

Zara Muse creator Alex Johnson transforms classical portraiture into vibrant contemporary art, using a palette knife to sharpen the definition of her subjects to emphasise the radiance of female resilience.

Her inspiration stems from
South West Londoner •

Japanese restaurant chain officially launches in Clapham

Clapham’s newest gastronomic kid on the block celebrated its launch on the high street with cocktails and tasters on Wednesday last week.

An evening of DJ-led music, freshly shaken cocktails, unique samples of Japanese wine and samples from what the menu has to offer, the ramen-famous restaurant Tonkotsu boasted a display of its culinary talent.

Following the launch, restaurant booking reservations opened to the public, so you can now try out this Japanese gem tucked away in Clapham for yourse
South West Londoner •

Uxbridge care home celebrates Caribbean culture ahead of Notting Hill Carnival chaos

An all-inclusive Uxbridge care home hosted its own fiesta on Friday 25 August ahead of the notorious Notting Hill Carnival.

Ryefield Court, one of the homes associated with Berkley Care Group, hosted its own carnival-themed celebration of culture, community and the heritage of Caribbean people.

This came two days before Notting Hill Carnival, where sexual assault, machetes and an explosion of crime dampened the mood of the commemoration of 75 years since the first Windrush arrivals.

Madge Wan
North West Londoner •

Uxbridge care home residents paint a brighter future in the battle against dementia

Residents at an Uxbridge care home raised money to battle dementia on Saturday by generating donations from creative works made during the home’s arts and crafts sessions.

Berkley Care Group’s home Ryefield Court welcomed Hillingdon councillors, Colleen Sullivan and Wayne Bridges, and guests for a creative, colourful and tasty fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society.

This comes following NHS figures released last week revealed that around 708,000 people over 65 are battling dementia in the UK, but
South West Londoner •

New ramen bar coming to Clapham this September

Wandsworth residents will soon be tucking into some tasty ramen, as a Japanese restaurant famed for its homemade noodles and broth, is set to open in Clapham in September.

Ramen specialist Tonkotsu is launching its 17th restaurant on Clapham High Street, bringing its signature bowls of ramen, gyoza, and its famous chicken karaage to the south west London neighbourhood for the first time.

As travellers exit Clapham Common tube station, not only will their rumbling stomachs guide them to the res
South West Londoner •

Westminster’s connections with a south Italy English school

Throughout its 50 year history, an English school in the south of Italy has welcomed Lord Mayors of Westminster and even His Majesty the King.

Lord Byron College in Bari, Puglia channels English culture to the south of Italy, and has hosted visits from four Lord Mayors of Westminster: in 1987, Kevin Garden with his wife Baroness Trixie Gardner, a life peer of the House of Lords, in 1988, Lady Elizabeth Flach with her husband Baron Flach, in 1989, Simon Mabey with his family, and in 2022 Hamza T
South West Londoner •

The brutal reality of human trafficking in the UK

*Content warning: this piece contains references to sexual assault*

Victims of modern slavery continue to be branded as criminals for “exploiting” systems in place to support them because of the rhetoric used in illegal immigration legislation.

Nevertheless, there was a 9% increase in child victims of human trafficking in 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics, while more than half of all-child modern slavery referrals are British-national children.

The generated stereotypes ca
South West Londoner •

Is the protection for human trafficking victims a ‘tick-box’ policy?

The Council of Europe’s GRETA expressed deep concern last month over the Illegal Migration Bill, detailing that it would be a step backwards in the fight against human trafficking.

Suella Braverman’s Illegal Migration Bill, currently in the report stage in the House of Commons, is a plight to “remove those who have entered or arrived in breach of immigration control” and “make provision about detention for immigration purposes”.

It also aims to “make provision” for unaccompanied children and v
South West Londoner •

Is housing policy reform needed for London homelessness funding to function?

There were 162,000 homeless Londoners, including 78,000 children, in temporary accommodation over Christmas, according to London Councils, and numbers are expected to increase due to the cost-of-living strain on personal finances.

In response to London’s escalating homelessness, on the 23rd December 2022, the government announced the Homelessness Prevention Grant to provide funding of £654 million for councils to tackle the issue.

The grant was to provide temporary accommodation for families,
North East Londoner •

New Spitalfields art exhibition advocates all forms of love before Valentine’s Day

A new contemporary art exhibition is launched today in Spitalfields to promote all forms of love in the lead up to Valentine’s Day.

Two contemporary artists, Eve De Haan and Sara Pope are uniting in the exhibition Addicted to Love at Quantus Gallery.

The exhibition presents art as a form of communication to explore how technology has influenced our language and how we connect with others.

De Haan said: “When I’m creating, I’m always trying to communicate with someone, and speak to them in ord
South West Londoner •

How a history of trauma could increase the risk of Long Covid

People who have experienced multiple traumatic events are more than five times more likely to develop Long Covid, a study has found.

The study on medRxiv found that those having experienced two or more traumatic events in the past were 5.6 times more likely to manifest Long Covid, with childhood trauma indicated as potentially escalating the risk.

The European Respiratory Journal found that 42% of patients with acute Covid-19 infection were diagnosed with depression, while 96% had symptoms con
South West Londoner •

How English lessons have helped displaced Ukrainians staying in the UK

For many of the displaced Ukrainians who had to escape the conflict following Russia’s invasion in February, they spoke little English when they arrived in the UK. This naturally adds to the severe degree of anxiety they endure after leaving their homes behind amid the horrors of war. Since their arrival in the UK, charities and volunteers have been running free English lessons for displaced Ukrainians to help them feel more at home. The impact of this has been undoubtedly positive, significantl
South West Londoner •

Maria G's Fulham Riverside a delicious Italian success

Following its recent opening on Fulham Riverside in November, the Londoners decided to investigate whether the renowned Italian seafood restaurant Maria G’s was worthy of its praise.

After sampling a considerable portion of its menu, we deliberated and concluded that it definitely is.

The restaurant has all the charisma of the Italian seaside with the sophistication of high-flying London dining, bringing Chef Robin Gill’s nostalgia of working on the shores of Marina del Cantone, Italy to Fulha
South West Londoner •

Why conversations on men’s mental health during Movember must continue

As advent calendar doors are opened in tinsel-decked homes, it is important that the festivity of December does not disregard the significance of Movember, the month promoting men’s mental health.

Men are subjected to stereotypes that demand them to be ‘breadwinners’ and to ‘man up’ anytime things get tough but with the cost of living crisis amplifying financial insecurity, the conversations about men’s mental health must continue to break down this social stigma.

In a global survey by Movembe
North East Londoner •

Contemporary artist Radek Husak confronts taboos with LGBTQ+ celebrating exhibition

Polish-born artist Radek Husak has launched a new LGBTQ+ celebrating exhibition, providing a timely confrontation to the Qatar World Cup, reminding people to appreciate their bodies and express themselves.

Inspired by Andy Warhol, in particular the 1963 Double Elvis series, and the pop-art of 1960s America, Husak forces the viewer to confront the modern taboo that the male body should remain private, through illusions of movement and clashes of colour.

In 2019, Husak was selected for Photo Lon
South West Londoner •

Dementia diagnoses are not a denouement, south London support proves

A ray of hope offers a glimpse of clarity for those shrouded in the darkness of dementia, thanks to support developing in south London.

More than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide with nearly 10 million new diagnoses every year, according to the World Health Organisation, and 850,000 of those suffering are in the UK, based on NHS England statistics.

The global increase of life expectancy opened the door for dementia to situate itself as one of the most significant health issues fa
South West Londoner •

Stephen Hammond backing Rishi Sunak to replace Liz Truss

Conservative MP for Wimbledon Stephen Hammond has confirmed he is backing Rishi Sunak to be the next leader of the party and replace Liz Truss as prime minister.

In an interview with Riverside Radio’s news editor Stephen Menon today, Hammond explained his options were likely limited to Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and Boris Johnson following Truss’ resignation yesterday.

In the last election, Hammond ran the Tom Tugendhat campaign, but after Tugendhat – who is confirmed not to be running – pulled out
South West Londoner •

Skier Dan Egan promotes new book in Kensington

Skier and actor Dan Egan visited Kensington this week to promote his new book 30 Years in a White Haze.

Egan has featured in 12 Warren Miller films, produced his own award-winning films that began in his parents’ attic, written three books, and skied with his brother John along geopolitical landmarks of world history, redefining extreme sport and the mindset of skiing.

In 1989, he jumped off the Berlin Wall, in 1991 he skied with the Kurds on the Persian Gulf War, on the border of Iraq and Tur
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