out, due can if it doesn't work out, due can carry on with your life. the number of people who had good ideas at some stage in their life, and then turned round and said i wished i'd done that, this school enables students to take those risks and to try out their talent. they may discover something they never realised they got before. this like a kind of kind of hothouse of talent. they feed off each other, working with each. do you audition, do gcses? yes, but the emphasis on vocational qualifications. there has always been a vocational academic divide. the aim is to give qualifications, you would be amazed the number that go on to university. that and go straight into the performing arts, the old phrase was you pay your

dues. also the big advantage many had was that got part—time jobs. they are not afraid of work. the ones that get on those that believe in themselves and don't give up. that is the main advantage of the school, getting them to believe in themselves at the end of the day. i have always said. thank you. we will have always said. thank you. we will have performances later on and some of the amazing people who went on to do things like imogen heap will be performing on stage, natalie stewart, and we will be going back to celebrate the 25 years of the school. and in matt. it is the wet across some parts, a dreary start to the weekend. a lot of rain around right now but some will clear eastern parts of the uk.

in eastern areas of wales, or south—western and, eastern parts of northern ireland, the commissions and china could be quite warm. but we will continue with rain in scotland. some sinking across northern ireland. and feeding across northern england and eventually parts of wales. to the north that will be clear spells developing. plenty of low cloud and hill fog in the west. temperatures in the social going down fast. tomorrow is fresher and sunnier. for northern england, northern ireland and scotland will be brighter, but showery in places. this cloud across southern england and wales will bring in drizzle in some spots. but still warm and humid, and especially into the far south—east parts of kent and sussex could be in the upper 20s. hello, this is bbc news.

the headlines: eu leaders would consider adjustments to the freedom of movement of people to accommodate the uk after brexit, tony blair has said. the former prime minister told the today programme one option was for britain "staying within a reformed eu." the principal of freedom of movement is important, by the way, and britain benefits enormously from freedom of movement. the question is whether there are changes, qualifications to it, not alteration of the indivisibility of the principle, but qualifications to it around the things that concern people. campaigners and some mps have called for a legal clampdown to prevent acid attacks, after five attacks took place in london on thursday. two boys aged 15 and 16 have been arrested. a 15—year—old girl has died after suffering an adverse reaction to psychoactive substance in newton abbot in devon.

the girl was taken to torbay district hospital early this morning after taking the unknown substance. now on bbc news, with the women's us open golf taking place this weekend, as part of the bbc women's season of sport, sarah mulkerrins travels to the us to examine the history of women's involvement in golf. i got igota i got a threat letters in my life. i couple of times they tried to run me off the highway as i was driving. i really did feel like my life was in danger. growing up, golf was not for us. danger. growing up, golf was not for us. you look like you don't play golf. what is the local golf? as far as they were concerned, we are trash, so that's all we deserve. golf, for many it is a hobby, the

sun career, but not so long ago if you were black or a woman it wasn't even an option. in the usa until 1961 professional golfers association had a caucasian only clause. until then black players had to play in their own events. for women, theirfirst players association was set up in 1950, yet it was only in 2014 and one of the old est clu bs it was only in 2014 and one of the oldest clubs in the world, the royal and ancient, voted to admit female members. so how far has the sport come in embracing race and gender diversity? william j come in embracing race and gender diversity? williamj powell, or bill as he was known, was born the grandson of slaves in alabama in 1916. he moved to ohio in a teenager and play golf at his school and college. in 1946 he returned from

serving in the us air force during the second world war. but he was banned from the all—white public courses in the area. with the world of golf all the closed to william powell, he had his own vision, a course open to all. in the 1940s this was an old dairy farm. he spent two years working at night as a security guard, and by day he hand seeded this course. in 1948 is opened. william powell was a pioneer, and he was watched on by his daughter renae. my first members of the' —— memories of heading golf clu bs were of the' —— memories of heading golf clubs were with my dad, i was around four years old and was hitting golf balls and trying to hit them down to where the creek was, the water. this isa where the creek was, the water. this is a picture of my mum and dad. this was number three green, that comes

down here. we're standing on the first tee, and behind us is number three green. your mum play golf? by monday, my dad got us all involved in the game. my mum used to tease, she would say that when i was a little girl i used to run out and play and she would say, colback in! and then ijust continue to play the game. the lpga had not started and mighty and 50 four stop ijoined the tourin mighty and 50 four stop ijoined the tour in 1967. at that time there were a lot of tensions in our country. sometimes we were going to restau ra nts a nd country. sometimes we were going to restaurants and it would serve everybody but me. and my remit on tour, a canadian pro, a few years ago she said, i used to wonder why would go to restaurants and they would go to restaurants and they would serve their body else but us. isaid, sandra would serve their body else but us. i said, sandra i would serve their body else but us. isaid, sandra i didn't want to would serve their body else but us.

i said, sandra i didn't want to tell you it was because you were a canadian, ididn't you it was because you were a canadian, i didn't want you to feel bad! but things like that. i remember going home crying telling my parents the first time i got a threat letter i thought they would tell me to come home and they didn't! i thought, tell me to come home and they didn't! ithought, evidently tell me to come home and they didn't! i thought, evidently they don't think somebody is quick to jump don't think somebody is quick to jump out from behind a tree and shoot me. is that letters were saying? they were just say, dear n, he better not play if you know what is good for you. i went out a director and shot in the letters and he said, there is nothing we can do about it. cos i really thought something would happen. but it didn't. one of the great players, and hall of famer ‘s, i had walked into the wattel and the lost my reservation, and cathy said, we all

stay, we all walk. those individuals knew me before ijoined the tour, and everybody... i had no problems with players on the tour, it was the outside. she was there in the heart of racism and discrimination. and you see that kind of thing had just become institutionalised in this country, because even the country set of laws against us.|j country, because even the country set of laws against us. i had some inkling of probably the challenges that she would have had, but you never got a hint of that from her. she never talked about it until you fully set down and had a real heart—to—heart discussion. it was not something she would ever show, that that was part of her history or

even her father's history.|j that that was part of her history or even her father's history. i admired her spirit, but she was able to stay out there, because i'm aware of the cruelty that shakespearean. —— that she experienced. i thought about summoning people that came before me andi summoning people that came before me and i always felt strongly that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. there were people who did so much to allow others, to give others freedom. helen webb harris was one of those who paved the way. a schoolteacher and wife of a doctor, she was tired of staying at home while her husband played golf, so helen, along with 12 friends, founded their ladies club in 1937. the first african—american women's golf club in the usa. the

only place they could play was a three hole golf course down at the mosh and in monument. —— the washington monument. and they were taunted by white teenagers. they threw rocks at them. and they were called names and all kinds of things. but they persisted. the battle began here in washington, dc. 80 years ago this was a rubbish dump, full of broken glass, rusty tins and old tyres. the ladies were campaigning for the desegregation of public golf courses, but in 1938 they were given this. they were collecting trash on this course, and even when they built the course they had to play over the last bottles and cans. it's not so bad to me that it was put on a crash dump, we

should have tried to take away the trash. but you see, as far as they were concerned, trash. but you see, as far as they were concerned , we trash. but you see, as far as they were concerned, we were trash. but you see, as far as they were concerned, we were trash, so that's all we deserved. it was a dump, but they embraced that dump and they were going to make it their own, and they came out here with much pride and conviction to make this work for them. the wake—robin ladies continue to push for the opening of courses in washington, dc, and in 1941 the district confirmed they would do so. their battle for equality and then just there. they were also part of the movement to force the pga to drop its whites only rule, which it did in1961. its whites only rule, which it did in 1961. knowing where it started, all the historical individuals had come through this course, and i think i probably went by langston many times before becoming a member

of wake—robin, and not fully knowing all the history of langston. my name is elizabeth rice mcneill. i have beenin is elizabeth rice mcneill. i have been in clubs 60 years. i came to washington, dc from pennsylvania. i lived with my auntie, she took me to church, and the church i went to was sarah smith's church, and she was a golfer. i went to her house to a meeting, and she had a big piano with these huge trophies on it. and i was fascinated by that. so we got a bunch of young girls together and reformed a little club. we had about 18 young girls who started out playing golf. i had never heard of golf before. i got hooked on it.

elizabeth rice mcneill isn't unique individual or brown. —— she is a unique individual. is it right you have six holes in one. i have six holes and one in my golfing career. that's phenomenal! it is, it is. we don't have any weak women in this club. we have had good, principled women, good leaders, who have kept this club going all these years. eight decades after that first meeting, inclusion and support are still at the heart of their mission. the helen webb scholarship honours the memory of their founder by supporting young woman dreaming of turning professional. as a young female trying to play, it is

difficult because there aren't that many, especially african—america ns. it tears me apart that there really aren't any, and just not what happened between the time of renee and on. they kept pursuing even when it was tough, and that's what i'm trying to do, as hard as i can. these ladies just helped me so much. in 1962 tennis great day gibson became the first african—american woman to complete any lpga tour. powell followed in 1967. it took another 28 years for the next black player to arrive in 1995. since then others, most recently mariah stackhouse, have all made it. eight african—american women in six to seven years. “— african—american women in six to seven years. —— 67 years. african—american women in six to seven years. -- 67 years. there are situations where you feel genuinely

uncomfortable and you feel you need to get out of that situation. people staring at you, wondering whether you work there come a not golfing in the adjournment, or asking where you are from. i get the occasional, "are you tiger woods' nice?" it's not that they don't mean to be discriminating or rude or anything, but sometimes people will thinkjust because you are african—american... but thankfully i am in a generation where it is not too horrible as to what renee had to go through all those years ago. it makes me stride. i believe it has a long way to go, because still i go into a store and i have a golf outfit on, and you meet people that say," i didn't know that minorities play golf. you look like you don't play golf." well,

what is the look of golf? you're right, it is a male, caucasian dominated sport. and i think that right now it is getting better, which is inclusion. that's the big thing. inclusion and having access to the game. and notjust getting started, but continuing to have the opportunity to go ahead and think, you know what? i want to do this professionally. it works out, great, if not, i will work on the golf industry. it is getting better, to slow progress, but it is progress. playing out here with a course that is so much history, and playing with renee, it is so inspiring to me. every time i see her and the others, sadena parks, mariah stackhouse and the others, it is great to be around them because first off there are great people, they have great characters, and we all have

something in common. being the next one to make it onto. in 2015 renee powell was again making history. after the break through to allow female members into the royal and ancient, she was one of the first women to be invited. to me it is the highest honour one can ever get, the old course! the royal and ancient, with golf began, right there! to be one of the first seven women that was selected from around the entire world was absolutely amazing. and to me also it was a win in a sense for women. it was a win for african—americans and my family. so when i actually walked through the door as a bonus id member, it was like all these other women were walking with me and my whole family was going with me. it'sjust amazing. i'm so appreciative of that

membership. but it is all due to all the sacrifices that my family had to make to be a part of something that is real history, and the fact that it was your family or your parents let me that history, yeah. and i'm the one that really gets a chance to benefit from it. on the face of it, golf has come a long way to ridding itself of the explicit barriers towards minorities and women. but how many implicit barriers remain? let's say you managed to play the sport as a youngster and perhaps go to college scholarship was mike you're good enough, so you look to make it a career in turn professional. how difficult is that?

for high near alvarez, it proved very tough. for me personally it was a strugglejust to very tough. for me personally it was a struggle just to find sponsors. that was one main reason that i decided to stop playing was because i was just exhausted of having to ask people for money. i had played decent, i had finished third at a european tour event of the year, i had made the cut at the us open, so i felt like i had made the cut at the us open, so ifelt like i had proved myself as a player in many regards where i was hoping that someone would take a chance on me, and i was barelyjust covering my expensive. it is several thousand dollars a yearjust for entry fees. and then you are looking at paying your caddy, up to $2000 a week, and then flights, rental cars, hotels if you cannot find post housing. it can range from 50,000 a year from just the expenses itself

__ up year from just the expenses itself —— up to $75,000 a year. and that puts much pressure on it took away the joy of playing because i was co nsta ntly the joy of playing because i was constantly worrying how to pay for the next element. if i don't pay well, how will i pay rent? how will i live outside my golf expenses? and ijust decided from a mental health and well—being it was better to step away from it rather than put myself into debt as i know others had done. in 201615 into debt as i know others had done. in 2016 15 female golfers earned over $1 million in prize money on the lpga tour. 110 male golfers crossed that mark on the pga tour. the biggest chance of earnings comes in the majors. combined, the offer $17.8 million in prize money, with the us women's open offering the largest amount. this year it has increased to $5 million in total

thatis increased to $5 million in total that is one of the most important events of the year. 80 years after helen webb harris founded the first black women's golf club in the usa, the oldest major for women's, the black women's golf club in the usa, the oldest majorfor women's, the us open, is being criticised for being healthier. we are at trump national in newjersey, owned by donald trump. there have been calls to have the major mover boycotted because of his rubber tree comments towards women and minorities. —— his derogative comments.|j women and minorities. —— his derogative comments. i know some people didn't want it there, and it was a really tough decision. there was a really tough decision. there was a really tough decision. there was a lot of backlash against it, and distillers. understandably so because a lot of people are justifiably upset it is being held there. the fact they say they can have this event at a trump course because they are apolitical and because they are apolitical and because trump is not technically

violating the rules that they have established about eligibility for holding tournaments and that is that the course does not have discriminatory policies or practices against minorities and women, and i maintain that what trump has done and said violates the spirit of the rule. in response, the us golf association told us that column : the association also wanted to pay tribute to renee powell, a pioneer of inclusion in the sport. when you look at women's sport in general,

controversy seems to be the driving factor of one coverage is given, and this is something that is going to ta ke this is something that is going to take away from just focusing on that playing of that week because it will bea playing of that week because it will be a huge part of the discussion that this is donald trump's course and what that means, that it was held at his golf course. it is becoming a very political issue that i know a lot of players wish it had not become. if you're struggling to keep your tour card at that point and you're in the open, and you are dead last in the list, you have to do what you have to do. you've got to eat! that's the simplest way to say it. you have to look out for yourself, and at that moment make sure that you are still going to be will to live your dream. the battles for some continue, but now there is a generation enabled and inspired by

helen webb harris and the wake—robin ladies, by bill and renee powell, their vision and determination to open up the world of golf.|j their vision and determination to open up the world of golf. i didn't have somebody to be inspired by that looked just like me. all i watched was tiger woods. i feel that is great for young kids know that they have some girls to look up to that are still young and later down the load, maybe 30 years from now, they will be following in her footsteps. 0ur will be following in her footsteps. our own governing bodies don't tell stories, and in fact, they suppress a lot of history. stories of people are coming, stepping up, doing what's right. making sure these kind of important stories about golf and about the evolution of golf need to be told. untilwe

about the evolution of golf need to be told. until we get the numbers up within the organisations of current golf, i don't think it's going to change romantically. because i think a lot of things start from the top. look at the board of directors of all the golf organisations, and they are mostly old white men. we need to be in those positions to actually advocate for change. but they are not asking us to be on the board, asking their bodies to be on the board with them. and as a result, not much changes. i truly feel that everybody should play golf. it is such an incredible sport and i have gained from it. we want the world to know what we are capable of. and not be denied their god—given rights that we all have. cloudy and damn picture across many

parts on saturday. still raining for some of us but there will be a prudent across central and southern sta rts prudent across central and southern starts in next few hours as we see rain pushing out to the north sea. but further rain across western parts of scotland and are beginning to push south across northern ireland through the late afternoon and into the evening. it is windy across scotland particularly this afternoon. breezy into north england but a few breaks coming. north wales and into the midlands. if you're in the hills in wales and on the south—west you might encounter rain

and drizzle. a lot of cloud in south—east england. it is humid, and tonight, some rain around in the north for a time pushing down across northern england. later in parts of wales a lot of hill fog in the west. some clearer skies allowing some to get into single figures to warm night across the south east. tomorrow, the far north of scotland will be windy and shari, but elsewhere it is a sunnier and drier picture. but this cloud and a few spots of rain continuing to edge south through england and wales. still warm and humid and for parts of kent and sussex could be sunshine lifting temperature into the high 20s. the women's final today at wimbledon and the roof is on because there is light rain around. tomorrow in the afternoon and into the evening that could be some showers, until then plenty of cloud but it looks mainly dry. a challenge for

qualifying at silverstone today. for race day tomorrow there is a chance of some light rain or drizzle that could provide complications. and sunday evening going into monday, high—pressure coming in, so monday looks like a lovely day, and it will be warmer in the sunshine. looking fine for many of us on tuesday before thunderstorms come from the south as we end the dayjooste night. this is bbc news, the headlines at 2pm.

tony blair says eu leaders are willing to consider changing rules on the free movement of people to accommodate britain. majorities in france, germany, as well as the uk support changes around things like benefits, around things like people who come without a job who come to europe. laws on buying acid are to be reviewed by the government following a spate of attacks in london on thursday night. two teenage boys are in custody. new figures show young families are particularly hard hit by a sharp slowdown in income growth. a 15—year—old girl has died after taking a drug — formerly known as a "legal high" — in newton abbot in devon. also in the next hour — the anniversary of the failed coup in turkey.