Museum bosses say the exhibition is designed to expel “the myth that the archetypal slave-owner was sitting on a porch in the Caribbean surveying his plantations” and looks at the individuals and businesses of Marylebone who received compensation when slavery was abolished in the 1830s.

Dr Nick Draper, who researched the compensation awarded to slave owners in London, saiys: “It’s important that we recognise the ways in which slavery permeates London’s history, not only through direct slave-ownership by Londoners but also through more complex financial and commercial ties between the slave-system and people living and working in London.”

“Slavery was not the only influence on London’s development, but it was an important one, especially in areas such as Marylebone, and is too often overlooked.”

The exhibition runs until 31st March 2009 and is being hosted in the London, Sugar & Slavery gallery, the only permanent gallery in London dedicated to exploring the capital’s involvement in slavery.

Link: www.museumindocklands.org.uk

The events are being financially supported by the Mayor’s office and build on Johnson’s previous promises to ensure outer London is served better by the Greater London Authority.  Yesterday Mayor Johnson announced the creation of an ‘Outer London Commission’ to advise him on the needs of outer boroughs.

Speaking on Thursday the Mayor said he wanted “more opportunities for people to enjoy music in the outer boroughs, which are less well served than the centre of town.”

“London has some of the best live music and greatest musicians in the world and I am delighted to be working with the London Jazz Festival to enable jazz fans to have a chance to experience the festival closer to home.’”

Performers scheduled to appear include award-winning vocalists Cleveland Watkiss and Ian Shaw; Roachford, Bashy and Sabrina Washington from Mis-Teeq; Alan Price, Dennis Bovell, as well as Bryn Christopher, who charted this year with The Quest and Smilin’.

Johnson is also urging Londoners to donate unwanted musical instruments and sheet music to the GLA/Time Out No Strings Attached initiative which is aimed at benefiting children and young people who may otherwise be unable to afford them.

Links: www.timeout.com/competition/donateaninstrument
www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk/

This year’s event will be presented by Capital FM’s Breakfast Show duo Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon and will also include a key address by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

Visit London’s Interim CEO Sally Chatterjee said the awards “go from strength to strength with a record number of entries of the highest calibre received in 2008.”

Virgin Atlantic’s Director of Communications Paul Charles said: “The Visit London Awards highlight the best that London has to offer and we’re delighted to again be supporting them. The Awards bring true recognition to those that are innovative and world-class in their field.”

Visitors will be able to retrace the curious and adventurous younger Darwin’ is life-changing journey aboard HMS Beagle and follow the clues that helped him develop his ideas through notebooks, artefacts, personal belongings and the fossils and zoological specimens he collected on his travels.

The exhibition is a highlight of Darwin200, a national programme of events celebrating Charles Darwin’s ideas, impact and influence around the two hundredth anniversary of his birth and runs until 19th April 2009.

Admission costs £9, £4.50 children, £24 family, £6 concession and is free for Members, Patrons and children aged three and under.

Overlooking the Ice Rink is a café bar providing visitors with the best view of the rink. The Christmas Fair features chalets packed with gifts for Christmas shoppers including toys, ceramics and glassware to gourmet foods and affordable art and crafts.

The rink will be open between 6th November and 18th January 2009. Tickets can be booked by calling 0844 847 1576

Taking Liberties: The struggle for Britain’s Freedoms and Rights (31 October 2008–1 March 2009, admission free) is guest-curated by Linda Colley, Professor of History at Princeton University, gives visitors an opportunity, and celebrates the forgotten pioneers who helped win the liberties many of us now take for granted.

The exhibition includes iconic and rarely seen documents and objects that have defined the political and social life as we know it in today’s Britain.

Alongside the more obvious and famous items such as Magna Carta and the death warrant of Charles I are more intimate documents such as the prison diary of suffragette Olive Wharry.

The exhibition seeks to make the connection between the historical struggle and contemporary issues and visitors will have the chance to vote in an interactive game that is related to each of the seven zones of the exhibition before seeing how their opinions on critical topics such as CCTVs, DNA databases, stop and search powers, monarchy, student fees and euthanasia compare to those of the rest of the visitors in-gallery and online.

Video contributions from prominent activists such as Peter Tatchell and Shami Chakrabarti feature throughout the exhibition and will inspire visitors to think about what rights and freedoms – or the lack of them - mean in today’s world, highlighting the fact that the 1,000-year fight still continues today.

More information: www.bl.uk/takingliberties

The Cologne Christmas Market in London promises to offer a wide range of unique hand-crafted gifts and unusual Christmas presents including wooden and tin toys, glass Christmas tree ornaments and seasonal candles.

Younger visitors will enjoy the carousel while parents are invited to to relax with a glass of “Glühwein” (German Mulled Wine), enjoy a famous German Bratwurst or indulge with roasted nuts and traditional gingerbread treats.

The market will be located between the Royal Festival Hall and London Eye and will be open from 10am and 10pm seven days a week.

For more information visit the Cologne Christmas Market website.

Organsiers say singers from over 40 organisations be carol singing each evening between 5pm and 9pm and visitors are encouraged to pay a trip to the Café on the Square which will be serving seasonal treats.

The tree is donated by the people and Government as a token of gratitude for Britain’s support during World War II and is selected from forests surrounding Oslo. Brought to the UK by sea the tree will be decorated in traditional Norwegian fashion using energy efficient bulbs. It will remain on display until January 5th when it will be taken down to recycle.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has invited all Londoners and visitors to the capital “to come to Trafalgar Square to hear some of their favourite carols throughout December, donate to good causes and get in the mood for Christmas.”

This year fans will have the chance to see the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints go head-to-head on Sunday (26 October) in London’s iconic Wembley Stadium.

Tonight’s dinner will also be attended by over one hundred leading business figures and sporting celebrities and will also mark the launch of The Economist ‘Global Sports Summit which will take place tomorrow. Organisers say the summit “will bring together the most powerful global community of senior sports leaders, who are setting the agenda for the international sports industry.”

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s dinner, Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the return of the NFL proved the capital “is right up there amongst the top cities in the world to host top international sporting events.”

Highlighting London’s established social infrastructure the Mayor commented: “We can provide world-class Olympic training facilities, we have world-class theatre and culinary offerings and more importantly, we have the hunger to improve on this reputation. That is why Events for London is now tasked with bringing even more Olympic and non-Olympic sports to the city. The message is clear: sporting bodies will find us an open, accessible and equally importantly, a welcoming city.”

The Mayor’s comments were echoed by Alistair Kirkwood, Managing Director of NFL UK, who said the League’s return “is a tribute to the great partnership we have developed with the city.”

“The teams who came over last year had a fantastic experience and enjoyed excellent hospitality from the people of London. With both the Saints and Chargers being here for the whole week of game this year, demands have been higher, but all the facilities, venues and organisations we are working with are doing their bit to ensure that we have another very successful event.”

W. is set for release on November 7th, just as the real life Bush enters the final weeks of his Presidency and Americans look to start a new chapter in their relationships with the world.

This hotly anticipated film takes viewers through Bush’s eventful life – his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith, and of course the critical days leading up to the decision to invade Iraq.

View the trailer