Community News

Whilst the daughter of the man who saved the Flying Scotsman from being scrapped travelled to England to ride behind the famous train, Wilston Samuel Jackson was being recognised for his part in the illustrious history of the Flying Scotsman.

Penny Pegler, whose father, Alan (Pegler) who bought the redundant locomotive from British Railways in 1963 for £3,000, said that it had been a lovely and special part of her family life, before travelling from her home in Portugal to see the locomotive when it visits Swanage Railway in Dorset later this month.

A network of free-to-use Warm Welcome sites is being made available across Birmingham, with the first hubs opening today as part of the city’s response to the cost-of-living crisis.

Working with our partners, and building on the community response during the pandemic, Birmingham City Council is working with a partnership of voluntary and community sector organisations to help grow a network of spaces for people to use and visit during the winter period and beyond.

In his first speech as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that there would be difficult decisions ahead as his new government grapples with what has been describe as “a profound economic crisis". His speech outside No 10 came after he was appointed PM by King Charles.

Mr Sunak promised to deliver the manifesto that won the Conservatives a landslide election victory in 2019. He said he was elected as Tory leader to fix the mistakes made by his predecessor, Liz Truss.

Rishi Sunak has issued a plea for unity in the face of a profound economic challenge after winning the race to be the next prime minister. He won the Tory leadership contest after rival Penny Mordaunt failed to secure enough backing from MPs.

In his first speech, Mr Sunak said bringing his party and the UK together would be his "utmost priority".

Campaigning for change, television personality and author Baroness Benjamin came to the UK in 1960 during the Windrush.

Today she is Chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee and has used her place in the Lords to draw government attention to the troubles faced by the Windrush generation.

Residents across Wolverhampton will benefit from a further green and healthy way to travel thanks to the launch of a second new cycle route in the city. The new cycle path forms the first section of a high-quality dedicated cycling route which will run along the A4124 Wednesfield Road. 

It was officially launched by Commonwealth Games gold medallist and city Cycling Ambassador Hugh Porter MBE, Councillor Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city environment and climate change, Adam Tranter, West Midlands Cycling and Walking Commissioner and Councillor Lynne Moran, chair of Wolverhampton Cycle Forum.

Wulfrunians are being encouraged to consider what they throw away and how they could help the environment during Recycle Week 2022. Residents across the city were urged to find out more about what they can and can’t recycle during the national awareness week which runs until today (Sunday October 23).

Figures from Defra, the Government’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, show that during 2020/21, Wolverhampton was the top performing Black Country authority for the amount of household waste sent for recycling, at 37.3%. The city also has higher rates than Birmingham.

Two World War Two veterans who travelled from the Caribbean to join the RAF have been recognised at a special ceremony.

Ralph Ottey, 98, and Alford Gardner, 96, were presented with their campaign medals at RAF Marham, Norfolk. A plaque was also unveiled for Ulric Cross, one of the most decorated West Indian servicemen of the conflict.

Known as the Black Hornet, Ulric Cross was a Squadron Leader in the RAF and is described by some as one of the most decorated airmen who flew during the Second World War. Achieving his childhood dream, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944 for being a "fine example of keenness and devotion to duty" and his "exceptional navigation ability" when he held the rank of Flight Lieutenant and the Distinguished Service Order. 

An overwhelming majority of Brits are worried about the price of heating their homes this winter and 9 in 10 (89%) will be changing their home heating behaviour in some way as a result, research has found.

The survey of 2,000 UK homeowners, commissioned by industry association the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC), found that 93% of respondents were worried about the price of heating this winter – a figure which rises to 96% in the West Midlands.

Veezu, the UK’s fastest-growing taxi and private hire technology platform, has donated a significant sum to the British Red Cross’ Pakistan Floods Appeal. The firm is supporting the British Red Cross’ teams in their efforts to reach the people affected by the disaster, and to make sure they receive safety, shelter and healthcare.

Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment at Birmingham City Council, writes about the free-of-charge service that gives people a chance to dispose of bulky and unwanted items…

As part of the effort to tackle the scourge of fly-tipping which harms communities and neighbourhoods across the city, we launched our award-winning Mobile Household Recycling Centre (MHRC) service in the summer of 2021.

Local folk are invited to join Worcester Cathedral this Saturday, 22 October, from 10am - 4pm, for a Big Green Eco Family Fair in the Cloister, as part of its Living Gently on the Earth series. Thanks to National Lottery Funding secured by the Cathedral Eco Group, the Cathedral has been hosting the ‘Living Gently’ events for the whole community to come together and explore ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle over the past few months.

Rail passengers are being advised of changes to journeys over nine days in October during major Trent Valley line upgrade work. Network Rail will replace 1000 metres of track in Nuneaton and install new signalling equipment in Stafford between Saturday 22 and Sunday 30 October.

It’s part of a £58m investment to improve future journeys on this important stretch of the West Coast main line through the West Midlands.

Museum officials in the United States took a historic step by returning 30 valuable bronze artifacts to their original home in Nigeria. In an October 11 ceremony, Nigerian cultural officials regained custody of bronze sculptures that had been displayed in two U.S. museums in Washington: 29 bronzes from the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and one from the National Gallery of Art.

The Royal Meteorological Society is inviting community leaders across England to join a free online training session.

The purpose of these 90-minute sessions is to support understanding of climate change and provide the knowledge and confidence to talk about climate change within local communities.