Community News

A West Midlands healthcare Trust has now become a smokefree organisation – banning smoking in any outdoor areas and cars parked on site.  At the same time the Trust has endorsed the position of Public Health England in promoting vaping as an alternative and a route to quitting smoking.

The move at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, is part of the Trust’s Joint Public Health Plan developed with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. The organisation, which runs Sandwell, City and Rowley Regis Hospitals, as well as Leasowes Intermediate Centre, made the pledge to go smokefree exactly one year ago, on the 70^th birthday of the NHS.

Anyone ignoring the ban and lighting up on site will receive a £50 fine. Patients will be offered NRT products as alternatives if appropriate.

Two vaping shops, run by eZigWizard, now opens, with one based at City and the other at Sandwell Hospital.

Smoking enforcement officers are now patrol the site, working alongside staff, including security staff, to challenge people smoking on site. Cameras to support the policy are in place.

There has been overwhelming support for the ban within the organisation and across the local community.

Dr Ziaudeen Ansari, Respiratory Consultant, said: "It is very frustrating to see patients in our respiratory clinics who present with COPD and lung cancer due to smoking, as they have already damaged their lungs due to smoking, without realising the consequences of their behaviour. However stopping smoking even after diagnosis will help their breathing, so I would urge anyone who smokes to stop in order to improve their lung health."

Medical Director of the Trust, Dr David Carruthers, added: “The Trust’s Board, and our clinical leaders, are united in the view that smoking kills. Given that simple truth we can no longer support smoking on our sites, even in shelters or cars. Every alternative is available and we ask visitors and patients to work with us to enforce these changes. Giving up smoking saves you money and saves your health.

“No more passive smoking on our sites is a public health necessity.”

'What does my community mean to me?' was the question posed to local young people from the surrounding areas of Birchfield, Handsworth and Perry Barr (within the Perry Barr Constituency) as part of a project created by the team at Birchfield Big Local in partnership with Ifa Yoruba Contemporary Arts Trust (founded in 1995 by Grammy award-winning percussionist Lekan Babalola) to inspire and foster community spirit, funded by Heritage Lottery.

The answers, poems and illustrations given by the young people have been turned into a brightly painted mural – and booklet – to reflect what life is like from their point of view of 'My Endz'.

With Perry Bar playing a key part in bringing the Commonwealth Games to Birmingham in 2022 – and millions of pounds worth of development on the cards to regenerate the local area – we are celebrating community heritage and what the term means to local residents.

Councilor Paulette Hamilton, Birmingham City Council's Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care and ward Councilor for Holyhead, will give the welcome speech and officially open the mural. Notable attendees are also set to include Father Bob (St Mary’s Church), Hector Pinkney MBE aka ‘Mr Handsworth’ and acclaimed ‘Godfather of Black British photography’, Vanely Burke.

Everyone is welcome to attend the special family day to find out about the history, values and priorities of people who live in the area and celebrate 'My Endz'.

There will be light refreshments and entertainment on the day. Plus, pick up the limited edition 'My Endz' booklet as a memento.

The grand opening of the ‘Secret Garden Birchfield Community Heritage Mural’ takes place on Saturday, July 13 (1-3pm).

You can get to it through two entrances – 1) Grosvenor Avenue, (through the alleyway) and 2) Hutton Road.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will be consulting on reforms to tenancy deposits that will help tenants move more easily.

The call for evidence closes on September 5.

The consultation will be evaluating the feasibility of passporting deposits when tenants are changing tenancies. Currently, tenants face increasingly high costs when taking up new tenancies because they are unable to reclaim existing deposits before signing up to a new tenancy. The Government has indicated that the submissions will build on the work of the Tenancy Deposit Protection Working Group to ensure that changes offer protection to both landlords and tenants.

The NLA has sat on the Tenancy Deposit Protection Working Group and has emphasised that deposit passporting needs to be carefully designed to ensure that landlords are not disadvantaged from making valid claims.

Chris Norris, director of policy and practice at the NLA, said: “We must make sure that adequate thought is given to the needs of both tenants and landlords. Everyone agrees that moving between tenancies should be made easier and cheaper, but we also need to recognise why landlords take deposits. A deposit protects against damage or default, so landlords must be confident their costs are covered before releasing the tenants’ money.”

The call for evidence also asks for views on existing and potential affordability initiatives, and the current process for protecting and returning deposits, including requirements for prescribed information and the dispute process.

Datasets provided by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) revealed that the average speed of returning the deposit is slower when the landlord does not initiate the repayment process. When initiated by a landlord the process takes 29 days compared to 39 days when the tenant triggers the process.

One of Birmingham’s flagship public spaces was officially opened to reveal its new design in a special ceremony.

Centenary Square’s new look was unveiled nearly five years after Birmingham City Council launched a competition to redesign one of the city’s biggest squares, which attracted 185 entries from more than 30 countries.

The winning entry, designed by Edinburgh-based firm Graeme Massie Architects, includes a mix of trees, small plants alongside a new reflection pool and integrated seating.

Councillor Brigid Jones, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, was joined by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Mohammed Azim and the Lady Mayoress, Bushra Bi, to open the square by switching on the pool’s 28 water jets.

The project was launched with a competition in October 2014, after the new Library of Birmingham had opened, to help regenerate the square and the Westside area of the city.

Cllr Jones said: “This is the next important stage in the re-imagining of Centenary Square: it is no longer just a space to pass through – it is now a world-class public space where people can stop, relax and socialise and take in the incredible things around them.”

Regeneration works were majority-funded by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, who awarded a £10.55m Enterprise Zone grant, with additional funds secured through Section 106 planning infrastructure levy (£1.2m) and city council funding (£3.8m).

Tim Pile, Chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We’re very excited to witness the opening of this world class space, reinforcing Birmingham’s status as a global city. This high quality public realm can be enjoyed by those living, working and visiting the city, and is the perfect centrepiece for the surrounding landmark buildings and developments.

“It will provide a key focal point for the broad range of public and private sector investments currently taking place adjacent to Centenary Square at Paradise, Arena Central, Symphony Hall and West Midlands Metro, and hopefully help to attract even more.”

The architect who won the design competition, Graeme Massie, said: “We are delighted with the completion of our competition-winning proposals for Centenary Square, and now look forward to seeing it evolve into a key gathering place for the people of Birmingham and visitors to the city.”

The day’s event coincided with the opening day of the ‘Music for Youth’s National Festival’, which is held at various venues across Birmingham, featuring young musicians from all over the UK – including pupils from Oasis Academy Woodview, in Edgbaston, who performed djembe and steel pan pieces during the opening ceremony.

With three years to go until the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham 2022 is marking this momentous milestone in the countdown to what will be a once-in-a-lifetime event, by hosting the Commonwealth Social, a free family friendly public celebration on Saturday 27 July 2019 from 12:00 – 19:00.

Taking place in Birmingham’s recently redeveloped Centenary Square, the Commonwealth Social will be a fabulous festival of sport, culture and food with the people of the West Midlands at its heart, celebrating everything that makes this vibrant region special.

The Commonwealth Social is an opportunity for local people to join in the celebration of the upcoming Games, which will provide a unique opportunity to put the city and the region on a global stage. There will also be a first glimpse of the new Birmingham 2022 look and feel, which has been created by working closely with communities from across the West Midlands, to create something that is truly representative of the region and its people.

Communal dining tables in the centre of the square will encourage visitors to pull up a chair and sit alongside their neighbours, international athletes, DJs, local community leaders, tastemakers from the region, local celebrities and those working to make the Games possible, and bring together the community to put their stamp on the Games in the way that only Birmingham can.

Attendees can expect to be wowed by pop-up performances from regional talent including dance groups, brass bands, choirs and world DJ sets. Local street food traders from Digbeth Dining Club will provide an exciting range of cuisine from across the Commonwealth, including Caribbean, Mauritian, Indian and British, encouraging local people to enjoy exciting new flavours from around the world. Each trader will also offer a special dish with £1 of its proceeds going to Foodinate, a not-for-profit organisation working to end local hunger. Foodinate forms partnerships with restaurants, venues and charities to provide meals to local people in need, and has provided over 100,000 free meals so far.

The day will play host to a number of sports demonstrations including 3X3 wheelchair basketball and much more. Team England athletes from the region and beyond will be in attendance to join in the celebration and mingle with local people.

Josie Stevens, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Birmingham 2022, said: “Local people are at the heart of Birmingham 2022, they are what will make these Games truly special, so we’re inviting people across the region to join us and some of our athletes to celebrating this major milestone. Birmingham and the West Midlands has a rich cultural heritage so what better way to bring people together than to unite over a shared love of sport, food and live performances!

“The Commonwealth Social is part of our ‘three years to go’ celebrations which also sees us out engaging with people across the region in the ten locations where we have sports venues. We’ll also be unveiling our new ‘look’!

“Birmingham 2022 will be a world-class festival of sport and culture. It’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our region to show the world the fantastic community spirit we have to offer. The Commonwealth Social is the start of creating a Games that will be a catalyst for transformation across the region.”

Team England’s Mimi-Isabella Cesar said: “The West Midlands has a wonderful rich community spirit and the Commonwealth Social is the perfect way to bring the region together for one great day. What could be a better way to kick-start what is going to be an exciting countdown to Birmingham 2022? I am proud to be a part of Birmingham 2022 and I can’t wait to get involved in everything the day has to offer.”

Birmingham 2022’s Common Ground project, which has been connecting communities across the West Midlands by inviting them to have a conversation about the Games and how Birmingham 2022 can benefit their community, will conclude at the Commonwealth Social with the reveal of an artwork that draws upon the thoughts, ideas and experiences of the communities that Common Ground has visited.

A new survey from Change4Life and Disney UK has found that less than half of parents in the West Midlands are aware that physical activity can build children’s self-confidence 55%, reduce anxiety 43% and improve their self-esteem 50%. Just 12% think that physical activity can help children develop attributes which make it easier to cope with life’s little set-backs.

Evidence shows that children and young people who are more active have more confidence, higher self-esteem, less anxiety and stress and better social skills – attributes that can help them deal with the challenges they face in daily life. Positive attitudes towards physical activity have also been associated with children being happier.

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that children do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day, yet just 20% of boys and even fewer girls (14%),[iii] are meeting this target, despite 99% of children in the West Midlands saying that they enjoy being active.

To help the kids in the West Midlands get more active this summer, the Change4Life campaign is encouraging children to play 10 Minute Shake Up games inspired by favourite characters from Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 4 and Incredibles 2; and Disney’s Frozen and The Lion King. Three in four children surveyed in the West Midlands said they would be inspired to be more physically active if they saw their favourite characters being active. Over four in five parents think that kids are likely to enjoy sports and physical activities if they’re fun and 69% of children agree that this helps.

Change4Life has also launched a new online quiz to help children, with their parents, find activities and sports that might be perfect for them to try, based on their skills and abilities.

According to the survey, less than half of children in the West Midlands think that they need to be ‘fast’ 49% or ‘strong’ 34% to be physically active and only 21% see themselves as ‘sporty’. The campaign reinforces that simple daily activities like active play, scooting or walking count, so by encouraging them, parents can help their children become more active.

David Elliott, Health and Wellbeing Programme Manager, PHE West MIdlands says: “Levels of childhood obesity are unacceptably high in the West Midlands with just over 37% of year 6 pupils overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school. Physical activity is not only beneficial to losing weight but improves self-confidence and mental health.

“Breaking up the 60 minutes of physical activity that children need each day into 10 minute bursts with their favourite characters is more appealing and manageable for children and parents alike.”

The 10 Minute Shake Up campaign is being supported by musician Danny Jones who feels passionately about encouraging kids to try new activities and have fun, and who has personal experience of how physical activity can help develop the skills you need to face life’s challenges.

McFly musician and dad of one, Danny Jones, says: “I’m really surprised to see how few kids are getting active. When I was a kid, I loved being outside and being active, whether it was playing football or going on bike rides with my family. I didn’t realise at the time but being active was really important for more than just my physical health; it helped me to make friends and feel part of a group. As I got older, I began to realise that it also helped me to cope with anxiety and now it’s a huge part of my routine.

“Being physically active gives me energy, helps me focus and puts me in a good mood. I’m supporting this Change4Life 10 Minute Shake Up campaign to help kids have fun getting active so they can develop skills that will help them throughout their life.”

Marianthi O’Dwyer, Vice President and Head of Disney Healthy Living UK says: “Disney is committed to supporting the future generation to lead healthier lifestyles and we are in a unique position to inspire families and children to be more active through our characters and the stories they tell. It’s as simple as designing 10 Minute Shake Up games based on fresh or much-loved Disney content to tap into children’s imaginations and get them moving more. We are excited to work with Change4Life for our sixth year on the 10 Minute Shake Up programme and to use the power of our characters as a force for good.”

This year marks the sixth year that PHE and Disney have worked together to inspire children to move more, with almost two million children taking part in last year’s campaign. 10 Minute Shake Uppacks will be distributed to schools during the summer term for children to take home so that they can continue to keep active over the summer.

Sport England will also help families try new sports and physical activities locally, whether at their local park, leisure centre or through a well-known sport.

To keep the kids busy this summer with 10 Minute Shake Up games from Change4Life with Disney, search ‘Change4Life’.

The Black Country Chamber Awards, headline partnered by Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, are being held at Wolverhampton Racecourse on Friday 15 November and promises to be an exciting event which this year, is being hosted by Aaron James who is starring in the Grand Theatre’s Christmas panto.

Vicky Price, Associate Director, Development and Communications at the Grand Theatre said, “We are thrilled to be the headline partner for The Black Country Chamber Awards 2019 and introduce the latest edition to our pantomime cast, comedian Aaron James as the host.

“Aaron, who has worked closely with local legend and Grand Theatre Ambassador, Steve Bull for many years, won the hearts and tickled the funny bones of Wolverhampton as the host of the theatre’s 125th Anniversary Gala Dinner in February. We are delighted that he will host this year’s award ceremony which will be a fantastic introduction before taking on the role of Idle Jack in this year’s Pantomime, Dick Whittington.”

Alongside the award presentations, there will be further entertainment on the evening itself, which will be announced very soon. Tickets vary in price depending on where the table is located within the room, and they are available on a first come, first served basis.

• Platinum Tables are £110+VAT per seat
• Gold Tables are £105+VAT per seat
• Silver Tables are £90+VAT per seat
• Bronze Tables are £80+VAT per seat

There are 13 categories in the Awards -chosen because they are representative of the vibrant and diverse business community in the Black Country. These are:

1. Community Champion – still available to sponsor
2. Large Business of the Year – still available to sponsor
3. Small Business of the Year – sponsored by Walsall College
4. Export Business of the Year – sponsored by Wolverhampton Racecourse
5. Education & Business Partnership - still available to sponsor
6. Customer Commitment Award- still available to sponsor
7. Black Country Business Person of the Year- still available to sponsor
8. Professional Services Award- still available to sponsor
9. Excellence in Manufacturing and Engineering – sponsored by Crowe
10. High-growth Business of the Year- still available to sponsor
11. Family Business of the Year- still available to sponsor
12. Start-Up Business of the Year Award – sponsored by MSV consulting
13. Young Person or Apprentice of the Year - sponsored by Dudley College

Now that the awards have closed to entries, the judging process has begun, and the finalists in each category will be revealed in a special announcement event at Casino 36 on Wednesday 11 September.

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber said, “I am delighted to see there have been loads of entries this year. With all the fantastic businesses in the Black Country I am sure the judges are really going to have their work cut out for them – which is in essence, a very nice problem to have! I am looking forward to the finalists’ announcement on 11 September.

“There are still some great opportunities for businesses to gain some additional exposure through supporting the Awards. Not only would you enjoy some outstanding networking opportunities, you’d be getting your brand in front of some 19 million people!”

Sponsorship packages are still available to suit every budget. The following organisations having already signed up: Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (Headline and Table Gift Sponsor); Wolverhampton Racecourse (Export Business of the Year); Walsall College (Small Business of the Year); MSV Consultancy (Start-Up Business of the Year & Social Media Sponsor); Crowe UK (Excellence in Manufacturing & Engineering); Dudley College (Young Person or Apprentice of the Year);  DY5 (Black Country Business of the Year); Casino 36 (After-Show Partner); Klick Business Solutions (Brochure Sponsor).

Leading audit, tax, advisory and risk firm, Crowe, is sponsoring the Excellence in Manufacturing category. Partner, Rob Gunn, said, “Crowe is delighted to support the Black Country Business Awards for a second year running. Situated in the heart of the Black Country we work with a wide range of innovative and industry leading local businesses. The Black Country Business Awards is a fantastic way to celebrate and showcase what the region has to offer.”

Tickets to the gala dinner are on sale on: www.bcccawards.co.uk

More than 1,400 young people between the ages of 16 and 29 in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, have been helped into education, employment, apprenticeships or training by Black Country Impact.

The project, run in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions and European Social Fund, aims to support young adults not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) break down the barriers that may be holding them back from finding work, improving skills or gaining qualifications.

It has now been running for almost three years and a celebratory event at Molineux Stadium last week was attended by Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Claire Darke, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Councillor Mike Hardacre, Director of Education, Meredith Teasdale, young people and their families, training providers and City of Wolverhampton Council’s Impact team.

Tariq Taylor, Customer Service Officer at City of Wolverhampton Council, Gloria Campbell who is completing an assessor award with TOPPS training, and Chloe Evans, web designer apprentice at Learn Play Foundation, all spoke about how Impact had supported them to get a job or apprenticeship.

Councillor Hardacre said: “I am extremely proud of everyone who is involved in this project. Hearing from and meeting young people from different backgrounds who have changed their lives through working hard and not giving up has been incredibly inspiring.

“The Impact programme has already changed the lives of over 1,400 young people and I’m looking forward to seeing that number increase. This is great news for the city and very important in contributing to our city priorities for reducing youth unemployment and ensuring our young people aspire, achieve and have the best opportunities.”

City of Wolverhampton Council employs seven Impact key workers to provide one-to-one support to young people to move into employment and training across the city. There is also a dedicated progression officer working alongside businesses and training providers.

In Wolverhampton, the Impact team works with partners including Connexions, Wolverhampton Homes, housing providers, Youth Offending Team, Strengthening Families Hubs, Job Centres, Children and Young People’s Services and Wolves at Work, Voluntary Community Sector providers such as YMCA, and Wolves’ health project, to offer a depth of support that cannot be achieved through traditional routes.

The project also receives funding from the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and match funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

To celebrate 50 years since the first moon landing, Birmingham Hippodrome and surrounding areas will be transformed into a lunar landscape for the whole weekend. Birmingham Hippodrome’s free two-day family festival ‘Summer in Southside’ will take place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July 2019.

This year the festival will explore the spectacle and wonder of Outer Space, complete with Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon, a stunning seven meter model with detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. Visitors will have the chance to see Hippodrome Associate Company Motionhouse perform its remarkable dance piece ‘Gravity’ and witness Highly Sprung’s walkabout physical performance featuring an astronaut suspended 20 feet in the air using a flying machine. They can also see an asteroid crash land in Southside and watch as scientific police explore the aftermath.

Other extra-terrestrial guests include alien-like i-Puppets and Ljud’s The Invasion, a roaming performance telling the story of intergalactic immigrants who have accidentally landed on Earth.

Festival-goers can take a seat in the Astronaut’s Caravan, which uses a unique optical illusion to create a gravity defying sensory experience and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s sci-fi tunes will create an astronomical atmosphere.

Elsewhere over the weekend, Birmingham Hippodrome has teamed up with Bullring & Grand Central for Summer in the City as part of Summer in Southside. During Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July, visitors to the centre will be able to enjoy various performances in Rotunda Square. The Dream Engine’s ‘Heliosphere’ will see a seemingly weightless acrobat suspended beneath a helium balloon spiralling and spinning, while Mind the Gap’s interactive performance ‘Mirror Mirror’ will see two robotic creatures from a far-off land exploring their newly found planet and mirroring their findings.

Meet Silent Rocco’s ‘Lostronaut’ who will bring his stunning low gravity performance to Earth, as seen on the semi-finals of Italy’s Got Talent 2019. Gobbledegook Theatre will transform a space by the Bull into a cloud gazing area, inviting people to look up at the sky while the theatre company perform a creative monologue about space, the clouds, the sky and beyond.

Everyone’s welcome at Birmingham Hippodrome and the theatre aims to make as many of its events and performances easily accessible. For any additional needs, there will be an Access Hub in front of the theatre’s main entrance during the festival and many performances will be audio described and signed.

Recruit your space-crew and blast off into the galaxy this summer at Birmingham Hippodrome’s annual free family festival.

‘Summer in Southside’, a Birmingham Hippodrome Project is supported by Arts Council England, Global Streets, Without Walls and sponsored by Southside BID, The Arcadian and Darwin Escapes.

As the Sales & Customer Service Manager at Orega Birmingham, Caron Salter-Hill is no stranger to hard work, and for the 63 year old who shows no signs of slowing down just yet, hard work and dedication are exactly what got her to where she is today.

Caron is the 4th of 5 children of a Jamaican father, who came to the UK via the RAF during the war, and a Jamaican mother, who joined her father in the UK after living with Caron’s 3 sisters in the USA.

“They met in Jamaica, got married there and had 3 children, then the war happened,” explained Caron, fondly remembering their story. “They settled in Moseley after the war, then I came along, and 5 years later my brother was born, although we lost my middle sister in 2005.”

There was a strong work ethic instilled in the whole family from day one, with Caron’s sisters taking positions abroad; one as a pharmacist in Canada, and one recently retired as a district attorney in the USA.

Her brother ran his own company, and her late sister worked in local government through the School Library Service her whole life.

From the age of 3 until 16, ballet was Caron’s life, and she had aspirations to teach ballet and have her own ballet school, however “things change, and I grew up a little bit.” “I went to Bournville Tech and Matthew Boulton College, and took business studies with secretarial qualifications in shorthand and typing, before taking a position at the council in the Architects department.”

Caron then fell pregnant with her son, and spent a year with him at home before deciding she had to get back into work, but wanted something completely different. Taking a job with Securicor, she started in the Transport division as an Admin Clerk before working her way up to middle management. “They had great training facilities and personal development there, and as my first senior role I was managing a business administration section of 42 people.”

“75% of the employees were female, and the experience I gained from that was phenomenal, working as a manager, mother and dealing with office politics. On Fridays my door was always open if anyone needed help, or to talk, and I never got anything done on a Friday except that!”

After 12 years with Securicor, they split their operations into North and South, and the Midlands was completely knocked out, resulting in redundancy.

“I wanted to stay in the transport industry, and Parceline, now DPD, came knocking.” The director got in touch with Caron directly, and admitted that although he wanted to hire her, he didn’t know where to put her due to her expansive experience and knowledge. He settled on a department that Caron had never worked in before – Sales.

“Instantly I was like no no no, definitely not! I wasn’t trained and my skill was always training and people management. But I needed the job, so I gave it a shot, you never know where things are going to take you!”

Starting in Internal Sales, making appointments for other people, Caron found she quite enjoyed the job, and after a couple of months, she was given a set of car keys to “run in” a new car for the director.

“Every week for nearly a month I kept going back asking him when he wanted the car back and eventually he sat me down and told me that he didn’t want it back, but he gave me a list of people and places, and I was to take the car to go see them all, essentially being field sales.”

After another initial bout of self doubt and worry, Caron took the bull by the horns, and never looked back, doing field sales for 2 years in her own territory, before she was headhunted by TNT, who were huge on personal development, and Caron took full advantage.

Spending 11 years at TNT, working her way up to Sales Manager of the East Midlands team, and eventually taking on Birmingham as well, she was headhunted once again, this time the UK Sales of Marketing Director of TNT took 9 managers with him over to Regus. While at Regus Caron wanted to do more with one of her passions, interior design, and completed a City & Guilds qualification with a high merit with a home study course with an Interior Design Academy.

Headhunted once again while at Regus, by Target Space based at Baskerville House , she spent 4 years there until they redeveloped Baskerville House and sold it. By this time, Orega had approached her.

“Orega is in all major cities around the UK, and the business is growing. It works in partnership with all the landlords. It’s a great business, desire for people who want flexibility with their office space, or if they just want flexible space on a short term basis.”

The team that Caron manages at Orega Birmingham is a young team, and they’re learning a lot, with Caron leading by example. “I want to develop my team so that they can get to a level that they want to stay with Orega and further their careers. It’s great to be able to lead, teach and pass on my experiences.”

Although she has been successful throughout her career, Caron said that thankfully she has only really had 2 experiences of racism during her time in business. “One man wouldn’t shake my hand because he was racist, and told me as much, and another was sacked the same day for how she had treated me after I visited the company on an appointment.”

“I was brought up with very strong family beliefs, and a strong work ethic through a long line of strong black women, but it has never been easy. These are things that I’ve instilled in my own son, my son has instilled in my grandchildren, and my great-grandson who is only 3 months old now will have instilled in him too.”

“Fight for what you want, it’s important to fight for your dreams,” says Caron, “It’s not been easy pushing through those barriers, and there are people who will continually knock you down, but you need to get back up every time, it’ll make you stronger.” Caron truly is an inspiration, both to her family and her team, and after reading her story, we’re sure she’ll be an inspiration to many of our readers too.

Birmingham braced itself as the vibrancy, fun and flavour of Mexican restaurant Chilango arrived in the city this month, as its latest restaurant threw open its doors.

With an unrivaled menu made up of burritos, tacos, nachos and salads, all made with the very best quality, fresh ingredients, Chilango is on a mission to raise the bar for Mexican food in the UK.

And to celebrate the opening of its latest restaurant, Brummies took the chance to grab a free burrito.

With an unmistakably Mexican Mariachi band to welcome the new restaurant’s first visitors, there was certainly a party atmosphere on opening day - made even better by the free Chicken Burrito, Veggie and Vegan Burrito for every customer through the door on July 4.

Visitors needed to sign up at bit.ly/chilangobirmingham and show their email to claim their free burrito as the celebrations continued into the evening with more Mariachi music, games and the chance to enjoy a burrito and a beer in the evening athe the new venue on Colmore Row.

Voted No.1 Mexican Restaurant in London by Zagat, and London’s Best Burritos by Time Out and Harden’s Survey, Chilango’s vibrant menu is inspired by its founders’ passion for Mexican flavours and cuisine, with a few extra tasty twists thrown into the mix.

On offer there are the Chilango, a burrito filled with chicken marinated in secret recipe spices, lime coriander rice, black beans, asada (their famous medium salsa made in-house every morning, as with all the salsas) along with sour cream and cheese, or the Surf and Turf, a meeting of land and sea, steak and prawns alongside your choice of toppings and salsas. Other favourites the chicken protein box, low carb box and vegan box feature as fewer than 500 calorie options.

Dan Houghton, co-founder and CEO, said: “We are very excited to open our second restaurant outside of London.

Birmingham has a great food scene which we are delighted to be a part of and has a fantastic buzz and vibrancy which perfectly aligns with why we started Chilango.

We hope to welcome all Birmingham’s Mexican food fans for vibrant food, flavours and experience.”

In just over two weeks a major junction on the West Coast main line will close for 16 days for vital engineering work in Warrington, train passengers were warned.

Between 20 July and 4 August, Network Rail will be upgrading track, cabling, overhead lines and signalling on the busy Acton Grange junction, which is used by more than 260 trains every day.

Acton Grange is a key section of the West Coast main line between Crewe and Preston.

While the £27 million Great North Rail Project scheme takes place, many train services will be diverted via alternative routes.

Train operators and Network Rail have agreed a plan to keep passengers moving throughout the work.

The plan may mean passengers have to change onto different trains or buses for sections of their journeys.

Passengers are being urged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before travelling so they know exactly what to expect.

They are also advised to allow more time for their journeys as services are likely to be busier than usual.

David Golding, acting route managing director, said:“The West Coast main line is Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway. It is the economic backbone of Britain.

“With more than 260 trains using this junction every day, it is vital to keep it in good condition. We need to replace it and upgrade it to ensure a reliable railway for passengers for many years to come.

“To deliver work of this scale and magnitude, we must close the junction for 16 days this summer. The alternative would be many weekends of disruption to passengers and much higher cost.

“We have worked closely with our train and freight operator colleagues to minimise the disruption and to keep as many trains moving as possible. I would urge passengers to plan ahead and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk.”

Robert Nisbet, regional director for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the railway, said:“This vital engineering work is part of the rail industry’s plan to improve punctuality and make journeys better while keeping disruption to a minimum as much as we can.

“We encourage people who are planning to take the train during these weeks to check before they travel by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk or speaking to their train operator.”

This section of the West Coast main line helps connect Chester and Warrington to

Manchester in the east and Wigan, Preston, the Lake District and Scotland to the West Midlands and London.

The vital upgrade this summer will bring the outdated track and equipment up to modern standards and further improve the reliability of the economically important West Coast main line.

Sir Ian McKellen’s recent visit to Birmingham Repertory Theatre raised an incredible £140,000 giving the theatre’s REP First £1 million campaign a significant boost.

He brought his one-man show; ‘Ian McKellen On Stage’ to The REP last month, playing to three packed houses as part of his 80^th birthday celebrations visiting 80 venues around the country raising vital funds for each theatre in the process.

Over 2400 bought a ticket to see ‘Ian McKellen On Stage’ at The REP. Tickets sold out within 48 hours and due to popular demand an extra performance was added with all profits going to The REP, which as a registered charity, is currently aiming to raise £1 million pounds.

Rachael Thomas, Executive Director at The REP said: “Ian McKellen’s visit to The REP was not only an incredible spine-tingling demonstration of the power of live performance but a powerful awareness raising opportunity of the charitable case for the arts. We are extremely grateful to Ian for his wonderful generosity and support – the event and its impact on The REP will be remembered for many, many years to come.  We are also extremely grateful to everyone who bought a ticket and by doing so played a vital part in supporting our REP First £1 million campaign”

Ahead of his visit to The REP Sir Ian said: “The legacy of Birmingham Repertory Theatre is recognised by actors everywhere, which is why I wanted to present my new solo show here to celebrate my 80th birthday. All profits will benefit the REP First Campaign, nurturing new talent.”

REP First is a 3 year campaign, which aims to raise £1miilion in order to ensure that The REP can continue to nurture the region's talented young artists, commission exciting new works, welcome new audiences and reach out to the communities of Birmingham and beyond. Now in its third and final year, the REP First campaign has raised £830, 685. The £140,000 raised through the Ian McKellen events will support the nurturing talent strand of REP First. Supporting the next generation of theatre makers and performers is extremely important to Ian and is part of The REP’s DNA. For over 100 years, The REP has been a beacon of excellence, discovering and nurturing young talent.

In addition to the three performances by Ian McKellen, and to boost the amount of money raised, The REP hosted two gala events transforming its studio theatre into an enchanted forest for the occasion. These fundraising galas were attended by 530 members of the local business community, sponsors and individuals. Fundraising efforts were also furthered by Sir Ian McKellen who took part in a bucket collection after each performance in an attempt to help The REP raise as much as possible.

The additional matinee performance meant that because of Ian’s willingness and generosity 100 people from The REP’s participatory projects - Shifting the Dial, REP Foundry, Young REP and Furnace – were welcomed to the see ‘Ian McKellen On Stage’.

To date ‘Ian McKellen On Stage’ has raised in excess of £1.5 million for theatre across the country, with the grand total predicted to reach £2 million.

A local hospice is hoping to turn Birmingham pink this July as part of its 40^thanniversary celebrations.

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is calling on the local community to Go Pink! on Wednesday 10 July to celebrate the day it was officially opened by Princess Alexandra in 1979.

The much-loved charity is calling on Brummies to “wear it pink, bake it pink, quiz it pink or make it pink” in a bid to raise vital funds for local people living with life-limiting illness.

Lucy Watkins, head of fundraising at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said: “Whether it’s wearing a pink fancy dress outfit, baking pink cakes for the office or hosting your own pink-themed party, Go Pink! is a really simple but fun way of supporting Birmingham St Mary’s during our 40^th anniversary.

“It will cost £8.3 million this year to keep the Hospice’s crucial services running, most of which needs to be raised through the generosity of local people and businesses. By turning the city pink this July, we hope to make our communities more aware of what hospice care is and help raise the money needed to continue to provide it.”

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice opened its doors in 1979, after it was founded by former NHS matron Monica Pearce. At the time, it was the first independent hospice in the Midlands and only the seventh nationwide.

40 years on and Birmingham St Mary’s remains the city’s largest hospice. It is caring for more people than ever before – over 400 people every day – and it can provide support in people’s homes, in the community and at the Hospice.

One of those people is Merdella, who is currently receiving care from the Hospice’s ‘Support at Home’ service – a volunteer-led initiative which provides practical, social and emotional support in individual’s homes. Merdella is backing the Go Pink! campaign as a way of showing her support for the charity.

She said: “Happy isn’t a word I thought I would use to describe my time at a hospice but that’s how I always feel, happy. The nurses and volunteers are so kind and empathetic – they understand what I’m going through and help me to be as comfortable as I can be. They remind you that life is about living and always encourage you to live as well as you can.”

Lucy added: “Whilst Go Pink! is a really fun way for people to support the Hospice, it’s also an opportunity to highlight how vital our care is for people just like Merdella. Demand for palliative and end of life care is growing at a significant pace – well beyond the £8.3 million needed to meet current needs – so funds raised from campaigns like this ensure that we can continue to provide our care to people now and for another 40 years to come.”

Go Pink! is taking place on Wednesday 10 July across the city. To find out more about the campaign and to pledge your support, visit: www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/go-pink

Leading up to their participation in the forthcoming Vitality Netball World Cup the much-fancied Jamaica ‘Sunshine Girls’ national team was in Birmingham to meet and greet fans and also to be on hand for the Sunshine Netball Tournament at the University of Birmingham Sports & Fitness Centre.

With teams from around the country on hand, it was an unforgettable day for all there, who were able to take part in, and witness, the day-long competition indorsed by the world No.3 ranked team.

It was the perfect prelude to the upcoming Vitality World Cup, taking place in Liverpool, for fans to be ‘up close and personal’ with the ever-engaging Sunshine Girls, who were never afraid of connecting with the mass number of supporters, and those following the teams which took part in the competition, plus those who just wanted to rub shoulders with the legendary ‘Girls.

Following a Q&A and open training sessions, and with a Sunshine Girl designated to coach each of the teams that took part, it was the Redditch, in Worcestershire-based Panthers Netball Club who beat the Swanley team from Kent, in a conclusion to a day of fast-paced sporting endeavour, great family fun and an unforgettable chance to mingle freely with some sporting legends.

An overwhelmed Zena Wooldridge, Director of Sport at the University of Birmingham Sport and Fitness Club said: “We have a great relationship with Jamaica following the track and field team using here as their training camp leading up to the  2012 Olympic Games in London.

“For today, a big ‘Thank You’ goes out to Paulette Simpson, Executive, Corporate Affairs and Public Policy at The Jamaica National Group and Voice Newspaper for being at the heart of all this”.

Finishing off, she said: “We’ll be supporting England and Jamaica during the World Cup”.

“It’s a great privilege to shake the hands of legends”, said visiting Special Guest, Jamaica High Commissioner in London, His Excellence Seth George Ramocan, CD. “The University has great facilities and are fantastic supporters of Jamaica in every way.

“When you compare the budgets of the leading teams in the world, it just puts into perspective just how great our team is.

I am truly proud”.

The other teams who took part in the Sunshine Netball Tournament include; Ashanti, Malcolm X Ladies, Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer, Stockland Belles and City Treasurers.

Following England’s Gold Medal-winning performance in the Commonwealth Games, in the Gold Coast, in Australia, netball has taken-off massively, with more women and girls taking-up the sport at many levels.

With Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls fully behind a successful ‘Sunshine Netball Tournament’, the game has never been so engaging.

The Vitality Netball World Cup takes place in Liverpool, July 12- 21.

Good afternoon. I feel particularly honoured to be in the company of so many outstanding women, at this VMBS UK Women of Purpose Luncheon. I am humbled and inspired as I look around this room. I consider the achievements and the impact you have made in different sectors including healthcare, politics, education, religion, the arts, among others – and I am filled with pride and admiration.

Congratulations, ladies for the immense contribution you have made to your professions, your communities and to Jamaica. You are examples of Jamaican excellence and I encourage you to continue to be tireless and unyielding in your efforts to make a positive impact on this world.

In the words of the young and fast rising female reggae star, Koffee, we toast you:

Toast, yeah Say we a come in wid a force (yeah) Blessings we a reap pon we course ina hand full We nuh rise and boast Yeah we give thanks like we need it the most We haffi give thanks like we really supposed to, be thankful!

Blessings all pon mi life and Mi thank God for di journey di earnings a jus fi di plus (yeah) Gratitude is a must (yeah) Mi see blessings fall by mi right hand Buss a toast fi di friends weh tek off heavy load

It is significant that we are gathered in June – which this year will be recognised here in the UK as Windrush Month. Many of the brave, pioneering individuals who came over from Jamaica as part of the ‘Windrush Generation’ were women and they and their families went on to be trailblazers. These women were instrumental in the creation of many institutions that exist today, including the National Health Service (NHS). I mention the NHS specifically because, as you know, it was born out of the ideal that good healthcare should be available to all regardless of social class or background – which in some ways mirrors the founding principle of Victoria Mutual.

In 1878, a group of clergymen founded Victoria Mutual with the aim to help hardworking but economically marginalised Jamaicans own homes. The idea was that nobody should be condemned to a life of poverty, but instead everybody who is willing to work hard should have access to financial independence. We’ve grown significantly since our founding. Today we are a strong integrated financial group which offers savings, loans and mortgage facilities, wealth management and financial advisory services, real estate and commercial property management services, money transfer, pension administration and investment management services as well as property, casualty and liability insurance. Our reach extends across oceans and seas – with representative offices not just here in the UK, but also in Florida and as of November last year – in New York as well. We also have a very vibrant brand presence in Canada. Even with this growth, our core mission remains unchanged. We exist to help our Members own homes and achieve financial independence – because the dream of home ownership and the freedom of being financially independent should be equally available to all.

Victoria Mutual has very bold ambitions. We know we must have the best people on our team to realise these ambitions. We are the happy beneficiaries of the hard work and dedication of several outstanding women who serve the VM Team at every level - from the board of directors to senior executives, senior managers and managers. We therefore understand very clearly the sacrifice made by the women being recognised today and the magnitude of the contribution you make every day in your respective fields.

May I encourage you, ladies, to ensure that you share the vast knowledge you have attained over the years with the next generation of women – and men - through either formal or informal mentorship arrangements. We must equip the next generation to take the baton and continue the race.

I’m happy to say that Victoria Mutual will soon be launching our own mentorship programme aimed at creating and sustaining linkages among generations of Jamaicans. We know that Jamaicans are ultra-talented, however, the younger generation needs the help of those who came before them, so that they can reach their full potential. If anyone here today is interested in being part of the VM Mentorship Programme, our team is happy to talk with you after the luncheon.

Friends, mentorship is important because as times change, even more will be required in the workplace. A McKinsey Institute study titled ‘The future of women at work: Transitions in the age of automation’, revealed that, while the age of automation and artificial intelligence offers new job opportunities, women in particular face new challenges in the workforce. Globally, between 40 and 160 million women may actually need to transition between occupations by 2030, often into higher-skilled roles that require higher educational attainments - because net labour demand will only grow for jobs that require a college or advanced degree.

So, how are we going to handle this? That is a question to be considered not only by leaders at London’s Westminster Palace or Gordon House in Kingston. It is an issue for us all to interrogate with the dedicated focus it deserves.

As our women and men face a period of disruptive change, it will be vital for them to develop:

1. The skills that will be in demand
2. The flexibility and mobility needed to negotiate labour-market transitions successfully
3. The access to and knowledge of technology necessary to work with automated systems, including participating in its creation.

We need to encourage young people – especially our young men - to stay in school! Across developed economies including the UK, and in Jamaica, more women than men graduate with at least secondary-level education. And, even while staying in school, both young men and women need to match their skills as closely as possible to where the most job opportunities will be – professional, scientific and technical services.

The private sector can invest more in training and reskilling employees within their organisations or in partnership with academic and other institutions. For example, VM Group is partnering with MSBM to deliver management training to our middle management cadre. The private sector can also invest in digital learning platforms – such as the Harvard ManagementMentor programme used by VM Group.

FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY:

This is important so that persons can move across employers, occupations, sectors and geographies as needed in order to respond to the needs of an evolving labour market. However, women tend to face more structural challenges here than men. Women are less mobile and flexible because they spend so much more time than men on unpaid care work – three times as much. They must take advantage of technology such as teleworking. Also, more employers need to start offering flexible or remote working options. I’m happy to say that VM Group does this.

ACCESS:

Women don’t have access to the same extent as men to networks that help them develop their skills, achieve career progression and transition into new jobs. Some companies are moving ahead on this front, but more needs to be done to create opportunities for women.  VM Group offers formal coaching and mentorship and encourages our women to join service clubs and personal development groups like Toastmaster International.

Women also need to be more engaged in technology – they need greater access, to acquire more technology skills and be stronger participants in the creation of technology to thrive in this new world. Technology has the capacity to breakdown many barriers, opening up new economic opportunities, helping previously marginalised groups to participate in the workforce and navigate transitions in the automation age.

We are constantly seeking new ways to help develop our team, because we all need to be prepared to take on the demands of this fast-changing world – a world which Military leaders describe as The VUCA World.

V - Volatile

U - Uncertain

C - Complex

A -Ambiguous

Volatile – rapid rate of change in politics, economics, society, environment – with markets leaders being regularly disrupted. Average life span of largest companies in the world now is 18 years versus 75 years in 1937. This volatility can throw you off track.

Uncertain – lack of predictability; things change at the drop of a hat. We have more and more surprises in new products from competitors, and new competitors.

Complex - in terms of the issues and chaos with which we have to cope. The business environment is ever-changing, situation is nuanced and has many interconnecting components. For example, there are generational shifts in the workplace, including VM Group. We have to understand how other generations access and use information.

Ambiguous – there is a haziness of reality. Due to automation and globalisation, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between virtual world and reality. Some traits that may have been strengths before are now seen as weaknesses. We face unknowns daily and we don’t have any textbooks to guide us on how to respond.

What type of mindset do we need to succeed in a VUCA world? The experts share 12 critical competencies, but I will only cover four of them today. Let’s call this - ‘My VUCA.’ These competencies, I’m sure, can be of value to you – and to anyone you choose to mentor.

1. Vision and Values – Vision is a powerful force. It is both an anchor and a moral compass that drives everyday attitudes, decisions and actions. In fact, a compelling vision is an important pre-requisite for any individual, school, community or nation to succeed.

“A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.” Rosabeth Moss Kanter

This purpose-driven vision is the type that stirs your blood every time you think of it; it is the mark that you hope to leave on the world or on those around you. Daniel Hudson Burnham once said: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.”

Once you have clarified your vision, you must be resolute in keeping focused and not moving away from your mission.

Your values must guide all your actions.  Every time you make a decision, you are showing your hidden values - what you stand for. It is important to clarify your values.

It is clear from today’s gathering that a key value for you all here is excellence. Victoria Mutual’s core values of integrity and excellence have guided the business for 140 years.  Many competitors have come and gone but we have been getting bigger and better. Why?  Every time a crucial or small decision is to be made, we are guided by our values.

What kind of values are we teaching our young people? The world’s economy is doing well as measured by the IMF and international banks, but when we think of the growing inequality and the many acts of corruption in the halls of power across nations, are we promoting commerce without morality and supporting politics without principle? When we think of the acceleration in cyber-crime and activities like scamming in Jamaica, are we encouraging our young people to acquire knowledge without character? Our young people are doing better in school than they used to, but the statistics still show that they are underachieving when compared with other ethnic groups in the UK.

Speaking of Vision, can we as parents and caring seniors inspire our young people to develop more robust visions for themselves and to be more ambitious and driven? In 2013, 53.3 per cent of Black Caribbean pupils in England achieved five or more GCSEs or equivalent at grades A to C including English and Mathematics, compared with 60.5 per cent of White British pupils and 60.6 per cent of all pupils regardless of ethnicity. Among pupils eligible for free school meals (used as a measure of low family incomes), Black Caribbean pupils outnumbered White British pupils by 36.9 to 27.9 per cent for boys and 47.7 to 36.8 per cent for girls in 2013. Perhaps we should teach them to sing what I read is Rev. Hudson-Wilkin’s favourite song by Labi Siffre “Something inside so strong, I know that I can make it. Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong You thought that my pride was gone, oh no There's something inside so strong.”

What about family life? We need to be more intentional in teaching our young people about the value of a stable family and that fathers must be present and active in the lives of their children.

Having settled on the values that will guide you, keep moving toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly — even if it seems like a small accomplishment — that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?" As Gandhi said “Your actions become your habits, you habits become your values, you values become your destiny.”

2. Understanding yourself – In this VUCA world, you have to understand yourself – your strengths and limitations so that you can take advantage of opportunities that present themselves, close gaps and manage risks. Understanding yourself means that you know how you learn best, how you do your best work. To know yourself, take feedback from everyone – family, friends, those who are not even close to you – the more the better.

Self-awareness and preparation also include spiritual health – for me, that means daily Bible reading and prayer. This keeps me connected to the source of power, reminds me who rules all creation and keeps me grounded, humble and focused. It ensures that I continue to grow. I have found that when I do this, my mind is always being renewed.

3. We need courage to anticipate and create change – How much do you read and keep abreast of what is happening? In this world, it is best for us to accept that change and disruption are inevitable. This will lead us to not only seek positive outcomes from change but to use change and disruption to our advantage. Those of us who have leadership responsibilities need to constantly ask ourselves, how can we use our strategic foresight to create change before external change forces us to react? You can be the ones to create and lead change! We also need to remember to involve all stakeholders in the change process. One aspect of coping with change is remaining optimistic. Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Being Optimistic is key. You may be down but not knocked out. Pick yourself up and try again. German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
4. Agility - Be an agile learner. Open yourself to change and be eager to learn new things. When thrown into unfamiliar situations, embrace the change so that you can learn from the experience. Get comfortable with unclear situations because this is the new normal. Remain determined to succeed in spite of the uncertainty. So, even as we embrace new technology, we also need to be comfortable using alternative methods. This way, we execute regardless of the tools available to us. Agile learning also involves learning from mistakes and using that learning to shape future decisions. Sometimes, this means changing things about yourself when required – your attitudes, your disciplines, your biases, your problem-solving techniques. All of us need to constantly ask ourselves: ‘What am I learning here?’

Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to again offer my sincere congratulations to you for your outstanding contribution to nation-building both here in the UK and back home in Jamaica. We have some special gifts for you tonight which will be presented to you at your tables, including some very special awards for a group of exceptional women among us whose purposeful lives are an inspiration to us all.

Thank you for being with us today and I wish you God’s richest blessings.