Community News

Birmingham-based multi-disciplinary construction consultancy, Edmond Shipway, is pleased to announce it has been awarded three star ‘extraordinary’ accreditation, the highest standard for workplace engagement, from employee engagement specialists Best Companies.

The exclusive endorsement is based on the results of an extensive staff survey which collates honest feedback from employees relating to their wellbeing, pay and benefits, opportunities for personal growth and the standard of leadership, as well as a host of other indicators. It recognises firms that truly excel, fostering an environment in which its staff are personally and professionally enabled to operate at the highest possible standard for their clients.

Edmond Shipway was further praised for demonstrating a commitment to meaningful employee engagement through its continued investment in its staff via the National Training and Development Plan, the implementation of a strong charity programme and improvements to its induction processes.

As a result of its accreditation the business has, for the first time, earnt a place on the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For list. It was announced at the annual awards ceremony last night that the company placed at number 41 in the prestigious nationwide tables.

Jamie Crouch, Director of Edmond Shipway in Birmingham, said; “Having achieved “outstanding” status in 2016, I am thrilled that our efforts to improve our engagement processes have been rewarded with this extraordinary accreditation and a place on the Sunday Times Best Companies lists. We are very proud of our staff retention rates and I believe that a key factor in our success has been listening to and working with them to develop a rewarding package of positive engagement policies and great staff benefits.”

Starting out in Harringay in 1949 and later moving to Wembley in 1959, the show grew in popularity as ‘the’ special event to mark the end of the equestrian season. Today, the Show is held at Birmingham’s Genting Arena and NEC, its home for the last 16 years, where it takes up over 50 acres of the NEC campus.  With 60,000 visitors and 1,500 competitors across the five days, the show produces an array of equestrian entertainment as well as hosting National Showing and Showjumping Championships.

To mark the special occasion, HOYS will be incorporating more entertainment displays into the timetable than ever before with four varied displays offering something for everyone.  There will also be a Sunday all-day ticket package to enable more people to stay and celebrate the Gala Evening Finale with us in style; this will be called the Platinum Jubilee Package and there will be just 1,000 packages available to buy on a first come first serve basis.

Following 2017’s Horse of the Year Show, where the event faced a challenging project to make changes to the layout of the Show due to alterations in the NEC’s infrastructure, we have listened to our customers’ feedback and made changes to the show. The changes include a redesign of the Retail Village to make even more space for the trade stands that you want to see there.  Every single ticket variation provides full day access to the immense HOYS Retail Village too, so you can shop ‘til you drop and be surrounded by likeminded equestrian enthusiasts.  The HOYS Live Zone will return to the Retail Village with a brand new line up of speakers and demonstrations, and the ever-popular Meet the Horses Area will also retain its standing in the Retail Village vicinity.

Emma Wardell, Event Director for Horse of the Year Show comments: “We are delighted to be celebrating our 70^th Show this year; it is a tribute to our competitors, our visitors and all of our generous supporters that we have got to where we have today. Whilst the Show continues to evolve, the changes enable us to grow and to continue to provide the high standard of event which everyone expects to come and celebrate. The Show has a lot of gratifying history which we are extremely proud of and our aim is to continue to put on an unbeatable line up of equestrian entertainment but also to focus on what HOYS is all about – the horse and the competitors who strive to achieve a Horse of the Year Show accolade.”

Legendary rock band KISS is supporting Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital by donating an incredible, money-can’t-buy prize to help raise valuable funds for the hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Following the tragic event at the Manchester Arena last year, the Children’s Hospital has received an out-pouring of support from across the North West and beyond with individuals, schools and businesses wanting to help in any way possible to support the patients and staff at the hospital. This tremendous support has now stretched across the Atlantic with rock stars KISS getting in touch to pledge their support after the awful attack.

The band has donated a phenomenal prize of three of their personal guitars signed by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Tommy Thayer respectively, plus a signed personal snare drum with signed drum sticks from Eric Singer. The guitar donated by Paul Stanley is his signature Ibanez PS120 guitar which he was intending to play at their Manchester Arena gig on Tuesday 30th May. The band sadly had to cancel the gig following the attack at the Manchester Arena. The guitar has never been played and will be up for auction along with VIP tickets to any sold out KISS show in the world, plus tickets for the sold out Kiss Kruise 2018 with a meet and greet with the band.

Paul Stanley said: “We were devastated by the heinous attack in Manchester Arena and had to do something to support the city. Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital's incredible work with children was never more evident than after this horrific event. We are humbled to be able to give something to support them in their ongoing efforts. Knowing that the money raised will go towards purchasing life-support ventilators, our prayers and wishes will continue to help both those affected directly by the attack, and beyond. This night will give everyone an opportunity to do their part in raising as much money as possible for an incredibly worthy cause.”

This incredible prize will be auctioned off at the Red Sea Pedestrians (RSP) 10th Anniversary Charity ball in aid of Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, which will be held next month on 17th March 2018 at the Lowry Hotel. The RSP Charitable committee have supported Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for a number of years with funds raised for the charity totalling to £827,381 since 2011.

The Charity Ball will be raising funds to support the hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) which cared for many of the young victims who were seriously injured in the Arena attack. Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is a regional major trauma centre with all paediatric major trauma cases from across the region directed to the hospital, with most of these cases cared for in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. A total of £740k is required to ensure the unit is able provide 26 cutting edge life support machines. The new state-of-the-art life support machines are the most advanced mechanical ventilators and the very real impact they will have on the quality of patient care, and the benefits it will mean for medical staff is considerable.

Maurice Watkins CBE, Chairman of Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity’s fundraising board added: “We’re delighted that KISS has donated this incredible prize to be auctioned at the RSP Charity Ball and want to thank them for their tremendous generosity. In recent testing times staff at the hospital – just like the city of Manchester – pulled together to make sure the young victims from the attack got the best possible care, as quickly as possible. The new ventilators we are fundraising for will ensure that the medical teams in our Paediatric Intensive Care Unit can assess a patient’s condition faster and more accurately, resulting in more effective treatment and care at a time when rapid reaction to a patient’s condition is crucial.” The charity is accepting closed bids for this auction prize. To find out more information or to place a bid please contact the charity team on 0161 701 1124. Bids will close at midnight on Saturday 17th March 2018.

A host of free residents’ events this March will offer opportunities for people to get support with living, learning and working in the City of Wolverhampton.

The packed programme will run from Wednesday 14 to Saturday 31 and includes a range of drop-in events to help residents into the world of work, to find an apprenticeship, to find the right home and improve their wellbeing.

There are also events aimed at supporting families, supporting people to stay independent, and information on how people can get more involved in their city.

Residents can find out about all the events by visiting www.livelearnworkwolves.com.

Ian Darch, Chief Executive at Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council, said: "The City of Wolverhampton has so much to offer, it's a great place to live, learn and work and there is a fantastic range of local organisations here to support local people to reach their potential.

"Together, partners across the city have arranged a wide-ranging programme of events to help residents into work, become self-employed, develop their skills, improve their health, stay independent and find the right home."

City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, Councillor Roger Lawrence, added: "Supporting residents into jobs, providing opportunities for people to learn and develop their skills, delivering housing, and improving the health and wellbeing of local people are top priorities for the city.

"Dozens of organisations and businesses have come together for the 2018 Residents Programme which is bigger and better than ever, bringing events to residents that showcase the services and support that are available all year round.”

The programme kicks off on Wednesday, March 14 with special drop-in events for women and girls who ‘aspire for better’ to get support to improve their wellbeing, financial independence and social connections. The sessions take place between 10am and 12pm, and 1pm and 2pm at Aspiring Futures, The Old School, 73 Dudley Road, Blakenhall.

The city’s Housing Fair, which last year attracted over 550 visitors, will take place on Sunday March 18, from 11am to 3.30pm at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Lichfield Street. This free event, sponsored by WV Living, will bring together a range of organisations all under one roof offering help and advice on buying your first home, downsizing, improving existing properties or renting, and much more.

Residents of all ages looking for a job with training can head to Wolverhampton Racecourse, Gorsebrook Road, on Tuesday March 27, between 4pm and 7pm, to find out about apprenticeships and chat with people with vacancies.

Access to Business is hosting an information and advice session for people interested in self-employment at Molineux Stadium’s Hayward Suite, Waterloo Road, on Thursday March 22, between 10.30am and 2.30pm.

Residents concerned about Dementia and organisations interested in finding out how to support Wolverhampton to be Dementia friendly can get information and advice on Wednesday March 21, from 10am to 2pm, at Wolverhampton Art Gallery’s Georgian Room. There will be plenty of free information available on dementia support in the city and advice on legal and safety matters.

On Tuesday, March 27 there is a great opportunity to view one of the city’s amazing care villages as Showell Court, Othello Road, Low Hill opens its doors to showcase how this type of living and new technology can improve your life and open up new opportunities for meeting new friends.

Volunteering also comes under the spotlight in an information event at Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council, 16 Temple Street, on Thursday, March 22, between 10am and 2pm, for anyone wanting to find out about volunteering.

This is the fourth City of Wolverhampton Residents Programme and is part of a drive to improve opportunities, prosperity and health for residents, as well as raise the profile of the city, its people and opportunities, as part of city conference season.

Kidderminster Dog Club and its award-winning agility team is preparing for another show stopping performance at Crufts next month (8-11 March) with the support of Fish4Dogs.

The team, which has won the medium dog category three times and was runner-up in last year’s show, is being put through its paces to fine-tune its dexterity and accuracy, against the clock.

Fish4Dogs, which is located in Rushock in Worcester, has sponsored the neighbouring team since 2009 – providing it with a team kit – polo shirts and fleeces for the handlers, and food and treats for the dogs.

Team Captain Stuart Milton, said that Fish4Dogs was the ideal choice to fuel its canine athletes because it provides a healthy and nutritious diet which can be used, in part, to reward the dogs as they master their skills.

“Although we can’t use food or treat during the competition, Fish4Dogs products are used during training to reward the dogs as they master the techniques of the hurdles, tunnels and contact equipment,” he said.

“It’s important to reward the dog as it needs to be attentive and responsive in order to make the turns and stops required as the handler guides it though each course.

“It’s important to keep the dogs healthy and lean and a well-balanced diet is essential. Fish4Dogs also provides the essential nutrients needed to keep their joints in great condition. When I’m training I like to use Finest Complete Food with Salmon. I take a handful from the portion set aside for my dog’s evening meal so that she is still eating the amounts that she would do on a daily basis and no more.”

The team is made up of six handlers and their dogs – although only four compete during the competition. They train individually and meet regularly to test the dogs on different surfaces so that they can adapt their instruction times to allow the dog to adjust to the footing of the floor. Normally, competitions throughout the year tend be on grass or sand-based surfaces but at Crufts the show ring is carpeted.

It’s not until the morning of the event that the team get to learn the layout of the Crufts course. It has to be challenging enough to put the best teams to the test and excite the audience while ensuring the safety of the dogs.

Kidderminster Dog Club qualified for Crufts at the Middlesbrough event in October. They usually compete around the country four to six-times a year. The agility team includes a border collie, working cocker spaniel, Shetland sheepdog and a crossbreed. All the dogs must between 350 cms and 430 cms in height to be eligible to compete within the medium dog category.

The team has been drawn fifth in the running order for the Crufts event, which will take place on Friday 9 March at the NEC, Birmingham. This will mean that other teams will set a standard that it has to beat.

In addition to the team event, one of its members Steve Swankie with crossbreed Fern, have also qualified for the Crufts Medium Championship on the Sunday.

Said Senior Marketing Manager Jo Little: “We are really proud of our association with the Kidderminster Dog Club. This is the tenth year that they have made the finals of the world’s most famous dog show and we are again please to support their efforts to become champions.”

Fish4Dogs has produced a video of the team in training which can be seen on its Facebook page in the run-up to Crufts.

Lord Forsyth, chairman of Secure Trust Bank, presented a £17,600 cheque to Birmingham St Mary’s, to help support local families living with terminal illness.

Big-hearted staff at Secure Trust Bank – which is headquartered in Solihull – raised the impressive amount and Lord Forsyth was invited to present the funds on Valentine’s Day.

A keen charity supporter, Lord Forsyth helped boost the Bank’s fundraising efforts by doubling its pound-for-pound matching scheme to the value of £200 per employee.

During his visit to the Hospice, the former Secretary of State of Scotland met with people who are currently receiving its vital care, as well as touring its facilities at Selly Park.

Secure Trust Bank first partnered with Birmingham St Mary’s in January last year (2017) after Solihull-based staff voted for the local charity they most wanted to support.

Since the partnership, employees have hosted a number of creative fundraisers, including samosa sales, a darts tournament and quiz nights, as well as taking part in events organised by the Hospice. A recent event was Birmingham St Mary’s ‘Charity Shop Challenge’, in which teams from the bank took over one of the Hospice’s 16 shops for the day, competing against each other to see who could raise the most money.

The £17,600 raised by Secure Trust Bank will go towards Birmingham St Mary’s, which provides vital care and support to local families living with terminal illness across Birmingham and Sandwell.

Lord Forsyth, chairman at Secure Trust Bank, said: “Birmingham St Mary’s does an amazing job of supporting families living with terminal illness and our Solihull-based staff have shown real passion when it comes to supporting the work of the charity through fundraising and other means.

“As a responsible business we encourage our people to contribute to initiatives which make a positive contribution to local communities. Fundraising and volunteering during work time are all part of this and the charity committees at our different office locations do a tremendous job of driving this forward and supporting a range of local good causes.”

Tina Swani, chief executive at Birmingham St Mary’s, added: “£17,600 is an impressive amount of money and will make a big difference to the individuals and families we care for. It costs £8 million each year to run the Hospice – over half of which needs to come from voluntary funding – so we really do rely on the generosity of local people and businesses to ensure we can care for everyone that needs us, wherever they need us.

“Thank you to all the staff and trustees at Secure Trust Bank who have supported the Hospice over the last year – your help has been outstanding and will allow us to continue to provide our expert care at the Hospice, in people’s homes and in the local community.”

Every day, Birmingham St Mary’s supports 350 individuals across Birmingham and Sandwell. To find out more about the Hospice, visit: www.birminghamhospice.org.uk

An enthusiastic group of Army cadets from Rockwood Academy in Birmingham spent the weekend (10-11 February) learning about field skills from soldiers at a Shrewsbury-based Army unit.

The 21 boys and seven girls from the Academy’s Combined Cadet Force visited their affiliated Army unit, E Company of 8^th Battalion The Rifles. Following a safety brief and quick tour of the Army reserve centre, the pupils’ physical fitness was tested on an obstacle course and they were taught lifesaving skills. The youngsters also had the chance to practice basic infantry tactics including fire and manoeuvre and use of cover skills on an air soft range.

After an evening meal to refuel, the pupils dived into night time activities which included a map-reading exercise with a compass and the use of night viewing and virtual reality (VR) headsets. The VR headsets proved particularly popular with the cadets.

The pupils were woken at 6am sharp on Sunday for more practice on the paintball range, following breakfast, before being taken to Shrewsbury Castle and Museum. Colonels from The Rifles and 11 Signal & West Midlands Brigade showed the cadets the history of all the Army Regiments in Shropshire while museum curators answered the pupils’ many questions.

The cadets were then taken back to Copthorne Barracks, the home of E Company, where they enjoyed Sunday lunch before being presented with certificates and medals.

Captain Nick Vazquez from E Company 8^th Battalion The Rifles said:

“This was a fantastic weekend where every single cadet got stuck in. We tried to make it a mix of fun and serious Army discipline and training. It was really rewarding to see the smiles on the youngsters’ faces when they received their medals at the end of the weekend. Hopefully the parents were pleased that their children went home tired but having learned some important new skills.”               

The RSPCA is looking for new homes for three unusual, stripy mice who were rescued from a home where more than 100 rodents were being kept.

Zebra mice Bashful, Grumpy and Sleepy are still looking for homes while most of their friends have already been rehomed.

The striking-looking mice were rescued by RSPCA officers from a home in Birmingham last year after an anonymous caller raised concerns about a large number of rodents being kept in unsuitable conditions.

RSPCA inspector Jonathan Ratcliffe went to the property in September and found 104 rodents being kept in dirty cages inside.

“There were rows and rows, stacks and stacks of cages all with rodents inside, from mice to hamsters to rats,” he said.

“The owner just wasn’t able to cope any more and signed all 104 rodents over to us to rehome. It took us days to get them out of the house and into rescue centres up and down the country.

“Thankfully, most of them have now been rehomed and we’re just left with the final few to get into nice new homes.”

Birmingham Animal Centre is now searching for new homes for zebra mice Bashful, Grumpy and Sleepy, and marmot mice Cagney, Jonesy and Lacey.

Emma Finnimore, from the centre, said: “Sleepy is happy being handled and is quite confident once she knows you.

“She arrived here with six other mice who were all male so, unfortunately, she is currently being kept on her own.

“Bashful and Grumpy are looking for a home together. They’re both very fast and like to jump so can be quite tricky to handle!”

Striped zebra mice or grass mice are native to Africa and live for around two to three years. They need large cages with lots of enrichment include tunnels to play in, houses to hide in and lots of wood to chew.

If you’re interested in rehoming Bashful, Grumpy or Sleepy; Cagney, Lacey or Jonesy, please visit the Birmingham Animal Centre website or call 0300 123 8585.

One in five Brits (21%) feel that their bedroom is a more comfortable space to relax in than other areas of the home, according to a new study commissioned by online bed retailer, Time 4 Sleep.

The survey of more than 1,000 UK adults, conducted on behalf of the bed retailer, explored the changing nature of social spaces within the home.

Results from the survey painted the bedroom as a relaxing sanctuary in which Brits can retreat to escape the hustle and bustle. One in three UK adults say they head to their bedroom to unwind (31%), with millennials appearing particularly grateful for the calm, as 14% claim it is the only area where they can get some peace and quiet, compared to just 7% of over 55s.

With the bedroom becoming a hub of activity, it is unsurprising that people are heading here for social activities instead of other living areas in the home. One in ten (10%) are watching over 10 hours of TV in bed each week, which is roughly the same as two episodes of ‘Stranger Things’ every day.

Interestingly, a staggering 85% of 18-34 year olds watch shows and films in bed, in comparison to only 44% of over 55s. The generational gap is even more apparent when it comes to watching Netflix in the bedroom, with 35% of millennials using the service in bed, in contrast to just 4% of over 55s. It can become an addiction too, with Ofcom² reporting that around a third (32%) of UK adults lose sleep because of the temptation to watch an extra episode or two.

In terms of non-screen-based activities, women are more likely than men to turn to books as their route to relaxation, with nearly two in three reading in bed (64%), compared to just over half of the men (54%). Yet for some the bedroom isn’t all about fun and games, with one in five millennials (20%) using the space for work.

Twycross Zoo spent the weekend in a flutter as it welcomed the UK’s very own butterfly whisperer, six-year-old Rebecca Bailey.

Rebecca’s love of butterflies has made her a big name in the world of conservation, with hundreds of followers on YouTube and Twitter. The primary school pupil has been described as an ‘inspiration’ for her passion to tell the world about butterflies and how to nurture them.

On hand to interview the rising star was Twycross Zoo Conservation Club member, nine-year-old Sidney Hills. The dynamic duo got up close and personal with a host of spectacular butterflies in the tropical Butterfly Forest exhibit, gaining an insight into the insects fascinating life cycle.

As a member of the Butterfly Conservation, a national charity headed up by Sir David Attenborough, Rebecca will return to the award-winning conservation charity this summer for the Big Butterfly Count, a nationwide survey aimed at helping assess the health of our environment.

Said Rebecca: “I had so much fun visiting Twycross Zoo, learning all about its wonderful butterflies! Thank you to Sid for showing me around, me and my mum are already looking forward to coming back and making some more exciting videos.”

To see Rebecca in action, visit https://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/watch?v=yIjA8p9IVFk.

An excited Staffordshire bull terrier runs circuits around a paddock, plays with a ball and jumps in the leaves after spending long periods inside a crate.

Ty was collected from a home in the West Midlands last week as his owners were struggling to care for him properly.

RSPCA inspector Elizabeth Boyd said: “Ty’s owners were struggling with him after he began destroying their home.

“They were finding it hard to cope with him so began using a crate to curb his destructive behaviour.

“We worked with his owners but, in the end, they decided it would be best for him if they signed him over.”

Animal collection officer (ACO) Cara Gibbon collected him and took him to RSPCA Coventry, Nuneaton & District Branch.

“This poor boy was confined to a crate 24/7,” ACO Gibbon said. “I took him down to the dog run at the rehoming centre so he could run free. He was so happy.

“He looked really happy and his tail was wagging 19 to the dozen. It was lovely to see him enjoying the freedom and fresh air.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to find him the paw-fect home where he’ll be able to run, explore and play games with his new garden - and where he’ll never be locked in a cage again.”

Staff at the branch caring for Ty said he is settling in well and will soon be ready to find a new home.

He is thought to be around seven-years-old. He’s very friendly and loves being out in the garden and playing with toys.

Crates can be a valuable tool and are often used for training and transporting dogs safely. Many owners use them to create safe, secure den-like spaces for their pets to retreat to when they want some peace and quiet. However, the RSPCA doesn’t advise keeping dogs confined in crates for any period of time that is likely to cause distress and would urge anyone whose pets is displaying behavioural problems to speak to their vet who may refer them to a clinical animal behaviourist for help.

From March 31st urban thrillseekers can enjoy the ultimate adventure of abseiling down London's ArcelorMittal Orbit - the tallest sculpture in the UK.

The 114-metre tall tower, which is located in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, has become one of the city's most recognised landmarks since opening as part of the 2012 London Olympics.

Now Wire & Sky, pioneers of the Urban Aerial Adventure concept, are giving people the chance to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they abseil 82-metres down the outside of this iconic structure.

Participants can take in the unrivalled 20-mile panoramic views across the city and beyond as they step off the tower's viewing platform for their dramatic 80-metre descent.

Highly-trained Wire & Sky instructors guide adventure-seekers every step of the way; providing expert tuition and preparation before helping you kit up and venture outside the sculpture to start the ride of a lifetime.

Utilising the safest triplicate rigging systems available Wire & Sky have painstakingly designed and installed the experience to ensure maximum fun in a safe and controlled environment.

The abseil is available to book now for both individuals and groups to enjoy and there are also special Twilight Abseils available so participants can experience the sun setting as they make their descents.

Abseilers can also relive their epic adventure with spectacular GoPro footage from special helmet cameras (separate charges apply).

The 444-mile wilderness adventure paddling race is held on the Yukon River from Whitehorse to Dawson City in Canada's Yukon Territory. Taking place during the last week of June (27 June - 1 July, 2018), the Yukon River Quest is the world's longest annual canoe, kayak and stand-up paddleboard race.

It is known as the “Race to the Midnight Sun,” as paddlers race round-the-clock under a sky that never gets dark. There are just two mandatory rest stops at Carmacks (7 hours) and Coffee Creek (3 hours) as teams paddle non-stop to reach the “City of Gold". The allure of the Yukon River Quest has made it a huge success, and for its 20th anniversary year in 2018, there are already 122 teams registered with paddlers from 16 countries including the United Kingdom.

A heritage trail to celebrate historical sites in Princes End is set to launch later this month (February).

Tipton Town Libraries Local History Group has worked with library staff and Tipton deputy town lead Councillor Bill Cherrington.

The trail will show former industrial and heritage sites, including Gospel Oak Ironworks, Seedhouse Brewery and Boulton and Watt’s first steam engine.

Councillor Cherrington said: “The trail will highlight the industrial significance Princes End made and encourage people to get involved in local history activities and be proud of the area.”

A special history day will be held at Glebefields Library from 10.30am to 1pm on Saturday 24 February to launch the trail, along with a series of guided walks.

The history group meets monthly at Great Bridge Library. For more details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Robert on 0121 557 1796.

Derek Nicholls from the history group said he welcomed the new trail as "an opportunity for people to find out more about their local area".

A new music-making pilot project has launched in Sandwell to help people experiencing memory loss or in the early stages of dementia.

Sandwell Council is working in partnership with Beat It Percussion to provide the Drumming Together sessions for people and their carers on Thursday mornings.

Sessions are held at West Bromwich Town Hall, supported by a team of volunteers.

Lynn Kay, founder and CEO of Beat It Percussion, said: "We use drums and percussion instruments as a way of communicating and working together in a friendly group environment so people feel less isolated.

"It’s informal but structured with activities designed to help with memory and other cognitive skills. We are really excited to be bringing our work to Sandwell and this will be the first of many new projects.

"Beat It works with many different client groups and enquiries are always welcomed."

Councillor Elaine Costigan, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for public health and protection said: "This is a great way to engage with people who are experiencing memory loss and we hope that it will help a number of Sandwell people.

"It is the latest effort by the council to get involved with people with health problems and we look forward to seeing how this new initiative works out."

Drumming Together sessions run at West Bromwich Town Hall on Thursday mornings up to and including 12 April (except for 5 April).

Sessions are held from 10am to 11.15am with a refreshment break. Sessions are £2.50 per person per session or £4 per person and carer.

Please contact Lynn at Beat It Percussion for more information and to book. Call 07875 090946 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Charity Better Understanding of Dementia for Sandwell (BUDS) is also hosting sessions in the town for invited participants.

Horticultural expert and plantswoman extraordinaire Carol Klein will officially open the Blenheim Palace Flower Show on Friday, June 22nd.

The hugely popular BBC Gardener's World presenter will be on hand to launch the 5th annual show, which runs from June 22nd-24th at the Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A multi award-winning gardener, Carol is a much-loved television personality whose own Glebe Cottage gardens were made famous in a six-part TV series and accompanying book.

As well as opening the show on the Friday, she will also be giving two talks over the weekend on her favourite plant-based subjects.

The Grand Floral Pavilion forms the centrepiece of the Show and features the UK's finest nurseries and growers giving expert advice and gardening ideas. It is guaranteed to be a riot of colour, fragrance and weird and wonderful plants.

A highlight for 2018 will be the brand new 'Orchid Tunnel' which leads into the Pavilion. Visitors will be able to walk through the tunnel and see over 1,000 orchids from all over the world.

With workshops, talks and demonstrations taking place throughout the event, you'll be guaranteed to learn something new and take inspiration for your own gardening project.

Visitors can also enjoy fabulous food and drink as well as an outdoor Plant Village and live entertainment throughout the weekend.

Visit the shopping village featuring over 250 stands selling everything from unique garden gazebos, greenhouses and arbours to beautiful flowers, gardening sundries and hundreds of other products.

The Home and Country Living Pavilion showcases a selection of original, handmade giftware, jewellery and luxury goods.

Enjoy fabulous samples and tastings at the Food and Drink Pavilion with a wonderful range of artisans and purveyors from Masons Gin, Truckle Cheese Sausages to Dips and Marinades – there will be something to tickle all taste buds!

Admission to the show includes entry to the Park and Gardens so visitors can also make a day of it exploring Blenheim Palace's Formal Gardens and 2,000 acres of 'Capability' Brown Parkland.