Shirley teacher starring role as bull chain maker lady at Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony - The Solihull Observer

Shirley teacher starring role as bull chain maker lady at Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony

Solihull Editorial 3rd Aug, 2022   0

A SHIRLEY teacher helped tell Birmingham’s history of the bull chain maker ladies during the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

Jasprit Chagger said stepping into the packed Alexander Stadium while pulling the heavily armoured bull, Ozzy, onto the stage was ‘magical.’

She was part of the 50-strong team which told the story of the underpaid, overworked women chain makers during the industrial revolution.

In the ceremony the bull broke away and escaped – causing pandemonium and the women then broke their own chains.




Jasprit said: “We didn’t realise the impact our part of the opening ceremony would have.”

Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight produced the ceremony and gave the world an insight into the history of Birmingham and the West Midlands.


Throughout rehearsals Jasprit said they had been told about their role and they would be pulling a mechanic bull but it wasn’t until the days before when they saw him in all his glory.

Jasprit said: “It was magical, we got there early to get changed and we got to meet some of the athletes as they were arriving.

“We could see the audience as they took their seats and the atmosphere was amazing.

“When we stepped out it all fell into place.

“We were told to always be in action mode as we didn’t know where the cameras were observing and listen for the cues to move on to the next bit.”

The bull chain ladies and the bull formed part of the welcoming of the athletes to the stadium where she met several of the teams.

Jasprit will also be part of the closing ceremony and is back in Longbridge rehearsing ready to pass the Games on to Victoria, Australia.

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