Community News

Local authorities from across the West Midlands have joined to help rough sleepers as they battle the harsh winter weather and ongoing challenges caused by the pandemic.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), the Homelessness Taskforce, and partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors, have set out a joint winter plan with the aim of protecting people sleeping rough across the region.

After two years of uncertainty and social isolation, new research from the Jo Cox Foundation (conducted by ICM Unlimited) shows the vast majority of people in the West Midlands (77%) still think there is a stigma around talking about loneliness, rising to a worrying 91% among young people in the UK.

Kicking off on Blue Monday (17 January) and running until 30 January, the Great Winter Get Together is the Jo Cox Foundation’s annual campaign to bring people together and reduce the stigma associated with loneliness - including the discomfort people feel talking about it.

One of the founding fathers of The Phoenix Newspaper. Mr Donaldson has contributed positive support in the community and grass roots connections, and distributed the paper. We are all so sad at such a loss. Known to us lovingly as Glady the Prime-Minister.

The cross-party Lords Built Environment Committee has published its report, ‘Meeting housing demand’. The report concludes that the Government must address the many barriers that exist to building much needed new homes.

Too many people currently live in expensive, unsuitable, and poor-quality homes and housing supply needs to be increased now to tackle the housing crisis.

Reacting to the death of Jack Dromey MP, Lee Barron, TUC Midlands Regional Secretary, said: “Both myself personally and all unions from across our region are shocked and devastated by the appalling news of Jack’s untimely passing.

“Jack was a towering figure who spent a lifetime campaigning for social justice, dignity and the advancement of working people.  

Veteran Labour politician Jack Dromey has died, his family has confirmed. The shadow minister, who had held the seat of Birmingham Erdington since 2010, is understood to have passed away in his constituency on Friday morning.

He is survived by his wife, fellow Labour MP Harriet Harman, and his three children. His family said he was a much loved husband, father and grandfather who would be greatly missed.

Four people accused of illegally removing a statue of Edward Colston have been cleared of criminal damage. Sage Willoughby, Rhian Graham, Milo Ponsford and Jake Skuse were charged after a monument to the 17th Century slave trader was pulled down and thrown into Bristol's harbourside last June.

It happened during a Black Lives Matter protest in the city.

People of all ages are being asked to get active in the New Year by signing up for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s popular Airbase Challenge event.

The event is a great physical challenge for those thinking about their New Year's resolutions and the positive improvements they can make to their lives and that of others during 2022.

A political commentator and analyst at Birmingham City University has said Sir Keir Starmer’s speech in Birmingham this morning draws parallels with the ‘New Labour’ manifesto championed by Sir Tony Blair in the 1990s, and has suggested more must be done to engender trust in British politics again. Associate Professor at Birmingham City University Dr Steve McCabe is available for print, online and broadcast interviews.

Some of the Midlands unsung heroes in a wide variety of fields have been recognised with some of the country’s highest honours in 2021's New Year's Honours.

Here is the full list:

Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority, Laura Shoaf, has been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List published today for services to economic regeneration in the West Midlands.

Laura receives a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) recognising her contribution for over twenty years to transport services and economic regeneration in the West Midlands.

It’s time To take a step forward once more, for the New Year is at hand.

One can move from ‘the past’ to ‘the present’ and turn over a new leaf in one’s life. Change completely if required and have a new life altogether!

Bring it on Brum – the city’s winter holiday activities and food programme has now been finalised. Holiday clubs ran across the city for four days from Monday 20 to Thursday 23 December inclusive, but there will now be a smaller number of programmes available, post-Christmas, until schools return in the New Year.

Open to families with school-aged children aged 5 to 16, daily activities and food are being laid on for free for those who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals or have additional needs.

This Christmas Salvation Army bands have been playing again in towns and cities up and down the country after they had to stay silent last year.

The evocative sound of a brass band playing can stop the most determined commuters and shoppers in their tracks as they catch the tunes of a familiar Christmas carol.

Every new year provides a chance to reflect, and for many, getting a healthier balance between work and life is a priority resolution. So start your 2022 off right by planning a few moments of creativity from day one!

Creativity and mindfulness go hand in hand, and The January Challenge, from arts organisation 64 Million Artists, now in its ninth year, offers 31 chances to get involved in an accessible creative challenge, making a positive difference to your life in 2022.

The Hill Group donated Christmas hampers to bring some extra cheer to the SoloHaus residents at Olive Morris Court in Tottenham this festive season.

These specially designed individual modular homes were an initiative created by housebuilders Hill Group and were handed over to Haringey Council in October this year.