Community News

Sandwell Council has been selected for a special Early Years support scheme to give children and young people at risk in the borough a better chance in life.

The council is delighted to have been chosen to participate in the Early Years Transformation Academy, along with four other local authorities.

The areas were chosen in a competitive process from councils across England who expressed interest in the Early Intervention Foundation programme, which works to improve the lives of children at risk of experiencing negative outcomes.

Under the scheme the council will be working with the academy to find solutions for children with problems and build a shared vision of what maternity and early years services should be like in Sandwell in the future.

The Foundation encourages early intervention to problems, identifying and providing effective early support to children and young people who are at risk of poor outcomes.

It believes that effective early intervention works to prevent problems occurring or to tackle them head-on when they do, before problems get worse.

It also helps to foster personal strengths and skills that can prepare a child for adult life by supporting children’s physical, cognitive, behavioural, social and emotional development.

Lisa McNally, director of public health in Sandwell, said: “Improving the health of children is fundamental to our Sandwell 2030 Vision.

“Aside from being important in its own right, good child health leads to better education and employment prospects, and so is crucial to the future success of our borough.

“We’re really pleased to be chosen to join the Early Years Transformation Academy. It will allow us to build on the good local practice already in place and be truly ambitious for our children’s health and well-being going forward.”

Donna Molloy, the Foundation’s director of policy and practice, said: “The early years are a crucial time for children’s development, when evidence based on early intervention can make a big difference.

“The academy is designed to bring local partners together, with time and space to understand the evidence on what works to improve outcomes for children, explore new approaches and consolidate their existing provision.”

The 3rd International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Road opened in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province. On top of 27 high-ranking delegates from 13 member cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, the event was joined by 124 young representatives from 85 Belt and Road countries.

The forum aims to strengthen exchanges and cooperation among the media art cities and creative young talents of the Belt and Road nations. Apart from the opening ceremony and the Original Changsha media arts show, it includes the Caribbean film festival, the Chinese-foreign youth networking event, the Experience Changsha Media Arts Residency Program and a meaningful tour of Changsha.

The forum this year focuses on media arts, creative ideas, integration and protection of cultural heritage. Jointly released by young participants on April 3, the document, called the Changsha Initiative, centers on five parts, namely creativity, innovation, exchange, capacity building and youth. They agreed that as a significant source of innovation and creativity, the young could benefit from and contribute to exchanges and mutual learning. Capable and skilled youth, from their perspective, is a new generation of dream chasers, who will make the world a better place.

A historic city with a history of more than three millennia, Changsha represents a hub of great significance in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Also, it is the first Chinese city to be recognized by UNESCO as the world “Media Arts Center”.

The forum would offer a platform for the young attendees to increase cultural exchanges and carry forward the Silk Road spirit for further cooperation, said the event organizer. While striving to promote the enduring friendship with the Belt and Road countries, they will join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Audiences across the Midlands will be able to enjoy the adventures of Peter Pan as Birmingham Repertory Theatre announces a new staging of the J. M. Barrie classic for Christmas 2019.

Filled with swashbuckling adventure and the magic of youth, the eternal classic Peter Pan has enthralled audiences across generations. Now, following his highly acclaimed retelling of The Wizard of Oz at Birmingham Repertory Theatre last year, director Liam Steel returns to direct a striking new version based on J. M. Barrie’s original story.

All children, except one, grow up. One night, the headstrong Wendy Darling is visited by a mysterious boy floating outside her window. The mischievous stranger introduces himself as Peter Pan and after teaching Wendy and her two brothers to fly, invites them on a quest to an enchanted island called Neverland. It is a world of feisty fairies, malevolent mermaids and a raucous gang of abandoned Lost Children.

But a crew of ruthless pirates, led by the dastardly and vengeful Captain Hook, also await in Neverland. Can Wendy, Peter, and his gang band together to win the day as they cross paths and swords with the pirates? And will Wendy and her brothers ever find their way back home?

Director, Liam Steel said: “What better way to spend the run up to Christmas than travelling to Neverland to tell the famous story of the boy who didn’t want to grow up? With breath-taking flying, amazing adventures and all of your favourite characters, this magical story promises to be everything a Christmas treat should be. I am thrilled to be back at The REP to enable a bold new re-imagining of this classic tale to take flight, and with a healthy sprinkling of REP fairy dust, I promise we have all the vital ingredients for a wonderful Christmas show that can be enjoyed by everyone.”

Liam Steel is a multi-award winning director and choreographer whose most recent credit includes choreographer for the highly-acclaimed West End production of Stephen Sondheim’sCompany (2019 Olivier award nomination for Best Theatre Choreographer). His work has included creating productions for the National Theatre, The Globe, RSC, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Royal Court, Manchester Royal Exchange, Chichester Festival Theatre, Frantic Assembly and many more. He is a core collaborator at Regents Park Open Air Theatre and has worked on ten productions there over ten seasons, including co-directing and choreographing Sondheim’s Into The Woods, which was awarded an Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. He has created many award winning contemporary dance commissions, choreographed for Musical Theatre on the West End and Broadway. In the commercial sector his work includes creating all the musical staging and choreography for the film version of the musical Les Misérables – winner of 3 Oscars, 4 BAFTAS and 3 Golden Globes – including Best Motion Picture.

Peter Pan will be designed by Michael Pavelka (Funny Girl / West End; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Merchant of Venice / Propeller Theatre Company and Winner of 2009 TMA Award Best Set Design) with lighting design by Lee Curran (Woyzeck / Birmingham Repertory Theatre; Summer and Smoke / West End; Jesus Christ Superstar / Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). Casting and further creatives to be announced.

As part of The REP’s commitment to making theatre accessible to everyone all performances ofPeter Pan between 5 December  and 19 January will be Audio Described and Captioned, meaning that audiences with visual or hearing impairments can enjoy these services on any performance.

Peter Pan will open at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 30 November 2019 and run until 19 January 2020.

Roderick Williams OBE has been announced as being the new patron of the Birmingham Bach Choir.

The famed British baritone takes on the role as part of the choir’s year-long centenary celebrations, and will be marking his appointment with a Special Recital - Roderick Williams Sings Beethoven and Schubert - at Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire, on Thursday May 9.

With accompaniment from pianist Susie Allan, the must-see performance focuses on Ludwig van Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte (To the distant beloved) and Franz Schubert's Schwanengesang (Swan Song).

Dating from 1816, Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte is considered to be the first example of a song cycle by a major composer. Featuring six songs, they collectively capture the yearning, pain of separation, suffering, hope, and enrapture of a lover.

Published posthumously in 1829, just a few months after the composer succumbed to typhoid fever, Schubert's Schwanengesang provides musical settings for verses by three leading 19th century poets. Several of these were passed to Schubert by Beethoven's assistant, and Schubert's cycle shares similar themes - lost love, seduction, joy, hope - to that of An die ferne Geliebte.

Roderick Williams is one of his generation’s greatest performers. Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards Singer of the Year 2016, Roderick was awarded the OBE for services to music in June 2017 and works regularly with all of the major UK opera houses, as well as singing with many major ensembles, including the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the BBC orchestras.

In 2015 he sang Christus in Peter Sellars’ staging of the St John Passion with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, and returned to the role earlier this year with both the Berlin Philharmonic and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

His numerous recordings include Vaughan Williams, Berkeley and Britten operas for Chandos, and an extensive repertoire of English song with pianist Iain Burnside for Naxos.  He’s in the process of recording Schubert’s three cycles for Chandos.

Discussing his appointment with choir, Roderick said: "I’m delighted to be associated with the Birmingham Bach Choir; living as I do in the Midlands makes this pretty much my local choir. My association with Paul Spicer goes back more than thirty years, so I am especially pleased to support the work he has done, and continues to do, with this proud and magnificent choir."

One of the largest and oldest chamber choirs in the West Midlands, Birmingham Bach Choir have played a central role in the region’s rich cultural life for 100 years, a historic occasion they’re celebrating with a series of special concerts and appearances. The choir were recently invited to provide a musical setting for the unveiling the Sousse and Bardo memorial in Birmingham, a ceremony attended by His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry.

After years in the making and doubts about whether it would ever come the fruition, it has finally been revealed that the ‘Celebration Statue,’ a tribute to West Bromwich Albion legends; the late Cyrille Regis MBE and Laurie Cunningham, and Brendon Batson OBE, will be installed in New Square, in West Bromwich.

There have been doubts as to whether the statue would ever completed and see the light of day but, following huge fundraising efforts; which includes a £38,000 donated by the Professional Footballers' Association the 10ft bronze statue will finally be unveiled.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor OBE said: “The PFA has been determined to get this important tribute to ‘The Three Degrees’ over the line and mark their great contribution to football and equality for time immemorial.”

Jim Cadman, who has led the campaign for the Celebration Statue, added: “The Three Degrees were true pioneers of the game who made genuine football history in West Bromwich.

“The Celebration Statue will convey passion, strength and achievement to a global football audience and support the fight to remove all aspects of racism from our beautiful game.”

The ‘Celebration Statue’ will be unveiled on May 22.

The University of Wolverhampton (UoW) hosted a special event to celebrate the 550^th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji at the Chancellor’s Hall.

The event was organised by the centre for Sikh and Panjabi studies, of UoW, and supported by Consulate General of India, Birmingham.

More than 200 guests from across the UK were there to pay tribute to Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the revered first Sikh Guru.

The event commenced with the welcoming of the guests by the Vice Chancellor of University of Wolverhampton, Prof. Geoff Layer, and featured inspirational speeches from Dr. Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, Director of Centre for Sikh and Panjabi studies, Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Charanjeet Singh, Lord Suri, Dr. Mohinder Singh, Chairman GNNSJ, Baba Amar Singh Ji, Consul General Dr Aman Puri among others; with speeches highlighting the various aspects of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s life, his teachings and how he continues to be an inspiration for millions of Sikhs and people belonging to all faiths across the world.

Member of European Parliament, Ms. Neena Gill, Baba Amar Singh Ji, Chairman of the Council of Gurdwara Management Committees UK Avtar Singh, Dr Sadhu Singh, Chairman of the Council of Sikh Gurdwaras, Chief executive officer of Sun Mark, Dr Rami Ranger and a number of other prominent members of the Indian diaspora shared their thoughts on Guru Nanak's teachings and how Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s message of Compassion and Contentment is as relevant today as much as it was 550 years ago.

 The celebrations, which filled the Chancellor’s Hall at the Wulfruna Building, featured a string of speeches, motivational messages of peace, gender equality, rejecting discrimination and promoting harmony among communities. Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s philosophy has a timeless quality and universal appeal.

Mayor of West Midlands Andy Street thanked the Sikhs across the Midlands region for their outstanding contribution to the community. He also appreciated the noble initiative of celebrating the Prakash Parv in Midlands.

The event concluded with the ensemble of religious songs by Mr. Jas Wohra, Managing Director, East End Foods Plc, creating a spiritual environment at the Chancellor’s Hall. Communities across the globe will mark the anniversary with a series of events throughout this year, with the UK expected to host the biggest celebrations outside India.

Bristol Street Motors Beadford Renault, Dacia and Nissan dealerships have given a welcome boost to a weekly activity group which brings together older people in the Bradford community, with a grant.

Lidget Green Elders Group (LGEG) in the west of Bradford was chosen to receive the grant after the neighbourhood project applied to the Social Responsibility Awards, a community initiative backed by Vertu Motors plc, the Group which operates Bristol Street Motors, Vertu Honda, Vertu Toyota, Vertu Volkswagen and Farnell franchises.

The grant will help support LGEG’s wide range of activities and events which the members participate in and enjoy every week, including cook and eat sessions, gardening, drama, craft and basic computer skills workshops.

The group’s aim is to help residents in the community learn the benefits of a healthy lifestyle with nutritious meals through the growing and eating of their own produce, keeping in touch with family and friends online to address the issues of isolation and pass on their cultural experiences to the younger generation through short plays and poems.

The funding will help to continue the vital community links with older people in Bradford. Although established in 2009 and growing in popularity, the LGEG was closed due to the passing of the group leader and was recently brought back together following a consultation with its regular members.

Doreen Campbell, coordinator for LGEG, said: “Over 90 percent of the Lidget GreenElders Group felt that they were socially and emotionally isolated from family and friends. A group of volunteers ran a pilot scheme with a four to six-hour activity session each week, which was hugely welcomed. Now members are very keen to continue with the project to further improve their health and mental wellbeing, which had deteriorated during the group’s absence.

“With the additional grant, the group will have the opportunity to meet and work with other groups in the community and share their knowledge and experience to build lasting relationships and strengthen community links.

“We thank Bristol Street Motors for the kind donation, which will help to make a real difference in older people’s lives in Bradford.”

Andy Brown, general manager, Bristol Street Motors Bradford Nissan, said: “The LidgetGreen Elders Group offers an invaluable service to the Bradford community. Through the dedication and commitment of its volunteers, the community group will continue to improve the physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing of the elderly to ensure they are living fulfilled lives.

“We are delighted to support the LGEG initiative and hope it continues to offer residents an opportunity to be part of something special and share in the life of the whole community.”

Vertu Motors plc is working in conjunction with New Testament Church of God (NTCG) to deliver community-based social support schemes which offer opportunities for local people to improve their wellbeing through its Social Responsibility Programme.

The Government and Parliament must break the Brexit deadlock and find a way forward warns the Federation of Master Builder (FMB), in response to the latest Construction PMI data, which shows another drop in construction output.

The March 2019 PMI data revealed an Index score of 49.7, up slightly from 49.5 in February, against the no change threshold of 50.0. This points to a sustained decline in construction output, representing the first back-to-back fall in construction output since 2016. While the residential building sector enjoyed an upturn, commercial construction was the worst performing area.

Commenting on the results, published this morning, Sarah McMonagle, Director of Communications at the FMB, said: “The construction industry is being seriously affected by Brexit uncertainty as evidenced by two very worrying sets of results for construction output in the first quarter of 2019. Businesses have been waiting for politicians to come to some resolution for far too long now, and it’s time that this deadlock was broken. It’s not surprising employers are finding it hard to plan for the future, when we don’t even know when, or indeed if, we’re leaving the EU. Today’s results are a reminder of just how vulnerable the construction industry is to political turmoil as confidence among consumers and contractors continues to wobble.”

McMonagle concluded: “Brexit uncertainty and the construction skills shortage have created a perfect storm in our industry. Around 9 per cent of construction workers in the UK are from EU countries, but we know from speaking to small construction employers that many of these skilled workers are starting to return, whether that’s because of strengthening economies elsewhere, or that they simply don’t feel welcome anymore. This is compounding an already severe construction skills shortage, and I’m worried that the Government’s post-Brexit immigration system will make it even worse. For example, the system will not allow Level 2 tradespeople to live and work in the UK for more than 12 months at a time. At the same time, the Government’s figures last week show that the number of Level 2 apprenticeship starts among our domestic workforce is dropping. It’s quite simply not possible to build the homes and infrastructure we need without bricklayers, carpenters and plasterers. The Government and industry must work together to attract more people into the industry, by offering them high quality training with clear career pathways for progression but in the meantime we need sustained access to tradespeople of all skill levels for the industry to continue being open for business.”

This summer visitors to London can be transported back to the golden-age of Victorian steam-powered travel as London Transport Museum and Transport for London run a vintage steam train into the heart of the Capital for what is expected to be the final time.

The special steam-powered journeys will celebrate 150 years of London Underground’s District line serving Londoners and tourists visiting the city.

Three return journeys will take place along the line between Ealing Broadway and High Street Kensington on both Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June 2019. Tickets are on sale now on London Transport Museum’s website.

The commemorative trips will mark the final time steam trains are expected to travel into central London on the Underground network due to signalling modernisation that will provide more frequent services and improved reliability for customers on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines from 2021.

Steam trains first served the District Railway when it opened to the public between South Kensington and Westminster on Christmas Eve, 1868. Today, the District line serves 60 stations – the most of any Tube line.

Sam Mullins, Director, London Transport Museum said: “Passengers on these special finale journeys will be transported to a by-gone era of Victorian steam-powered travel, giving people a rare opportunity to experience the sounds and sights of travelling on the District line when it first opened 150 years ago.”

Nigel Holness, Managing Director of London Underground, said: "The District line has been a vital part of London's transport network for 150 years and it's amazing to think how many billions of journeys have been made in its lifetime. This is likely to be the final time we are able to run a steam train on the Tube network though central London so offers transport enthusiasts a fantastic opportunity to be a part of Underground history.”

London Transport Museum will continue to offer its heritage steam train outings on the outer reaches of the Metropolitan line towards Chesham.

People can discover more District line history at the next Open Weekend at the London Transport Museum Depot in Acton Town, West London on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April.

Visitors looking to enjoy other heritage days out can book to board a beautifully restored red double-decker bus for day-time excursions from Covent Garden to Kew Gardens on 16 May 2019 and Greenwich on 17 October 2019.

Tickets to ride aboard the District 150 steam train, visit the Museum Depot Open Weekend or join an excursion by bus to Kew Gardens and Greenwich can be booked at: www.ltmuseum.co.uk 

Commonwealth Secretary-General the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC has received a Distinguished Champion award at the WEConnect Gala in Washington DC for her tireless efforts to empower women and achieve gender equality across the world.

WEConnect International is a global network that connects women-owned businesses to qualified buyers across the globe.

Organisers spoke of the Secretary-General’s “commitment to transforming the lives of women”, adding that “it is not just her personal achievements that have inspired females – but her forceful pursuit of progressive change in each of her various posts”.

In her acceptance speech, the Secretary-General said: “I am particularly pleased the WEConnect award ceremony had such distinguished representation from major corporations – especially female business leaders of such a high calibre and talent.

“Business and the public sector working together locally and internationally can do so much to protect the safety of women and to enhance opportunities for potential to be recognised and fulfilled.

“The occasion for me is made all the more significant by the fact the gala is taking place three years to the day since I took up the responsibilities entrusted to me by the Heads of Government of Commonwealth of our 53 member nations and became their Secretary-General.”

The event was attended by more than 200 guests including government officials, thought leaders, and philanthropic and civil society organisations, who are champions for women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

Good progress is being made towards Wolverhampton's pledge to become an Autism Friendly City, but there is still more to be done to ensure that people affected by autism are afforded the same opportunities as anyone else.

Autism affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they see, hear and feel the world around them. People with autism experience it in different ways, but typically face challenges in social communication and interaction.

Around 1 in 100 children and adults – approximately 2,500 people in Wolverhampton – are estimated to have an autism spectrum condition.

Last year, Wolverhampton announced its intention to become an Autism Friendly City by 2021 and, ahead of this year’s World Autism Awareness Week, which begins today (Monday 1 April) Wolverhampton's Joint Autism Strategy has been refreshed to focus on three key themes – increasing awareness and understanding of autism, improving services for people with autism, and helping people with autism to become more independent.

Emma Bennett, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Director of Children’s Services, said: "We and our partners are committed to offering as much help and support as possible to people young and old with autism and to their families.

“We want Wolverhampton to be a place where people with autism feel safe, understood and supported, have the same opportunities as anyone else, can live the life they choose, receive personalised support when they need it, enjoy meaningful activities and, most importantly, play an active part in their community."

Wolverhampton's Joint Autism Strategy was launched in 2016 and is being implemented by a group including people with autism, parents of children with autism, representatives from the council, Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group, the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, the Black Country Partnership Foundation Trust, voluntary sector groups and local schools.

It has already helped bring about a number of improvements, including the development of a new diagnosis, assessment and support pathway for adults which has led to more people having assessments, reduced waiting times and improved satisfaction levels among service users. An improved pathway for children and young people will come into place next month, and work is also underway with the voluntary sector to develop a network of services to support people with autism and their families.

Work is taking place to ensure there is the capacity and resources needed within both mainstream and special schools to meet the needs of all pupils with autism. Wolverhampton’s Special School Outreach Service is training teachers from mainstream schools to become Autism Leaders, and also provides training for parents of children with autism. A new specialist centre for autism at the City of Wolverhampton College is supporting a dozen students between the ages of 16 and 25, and additional places for children with autism have been created at Tettenhall Wood School.

As well as education, people with autism are being supported into the world of work, with employment service Enable providing individual support, including help with CVs, interviews and job coaching. Other programmes such as Thrive, Black Country Impact, Wolves Workbox and Wolves at Work are supporting people with autism into employment, while a number of local businesses are committed to becoming "disability confident employers".

Meanwhile local businesses and retailers such as supermarket chain Morrisons are offering “autism hours”, turning down lighting and music for the benefit of their customers.

In the months ahead, the focus will be on increasing awareness, understanding and support, with the City of Wolverhampton Council, the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and the University of Wolverhampton all working to become autism friendly organisations, and a network of autism champions being established to promote awareness and understanding within organisations across the city.

Further work will also take place to improve service pathways and ensure more people with autism are able to access services that promote employability and independent living, and make the transition between childhood and adulthood as smooth as possible.

David Watts, Director of Adult Services, said: “We have made significant progress over the last couple of years in improving understanding of, and services for, people with autism, but there is much more we can and will do so that they are able to live their lives to the full.

"Every one of us has a role to play, and we hope to use World Autism Awareness Week to highlight some of the steps Wolverhampton is taking to become more autism friendly, and the small changes which businesses and individuals can make which will mean a big difference to people with autism."

World Autism Awareness Week runs until Sunday (7 April). On World Autism Awareness Day tomorrow (Tuesday 2 April) the council and its partners will be holding a #SmallChangesBigDifference drop-in session at the Civic Centre between 10am and 3pm for people to find out more about autism and the help and support which is available to people with autism and their families.

There will also be the opportunity for people to share the small changes that people and businesses can make which can have a big difference to people with autism.

Moda, a leading developer, owner and operator of homes for rent, backed by JV partner Apache Capital, has appointed Irish construction giant John Sisk & Son to deliver a new 42-storey skyscraper in Birmingham, which will be the city’s tallest residential building.

The 483-apartment scheme has been designed exclusively for rent, offering hotel level service and a whole host of on-site amenities including a 200m podium running track – one of the first in UK housing.

The £183m project will transform the derelict site of the former Click Club at Burberries, which hosted bands such as Blur and Primal Scream, into one of Birmingham’s tallest buildings and underpin the regeneration of the Broad Street area. Work is due to start in April this year, with completion expected in 2022.

The start on-site is a major vote of confidence in both Birmingham as a city and also Britain’s emerging build-to-rent sector despite the ongoing uncertainty caused by Brexit.

Offering a range of apartment sizes - from studios to three-beds - alongside a host of amenity spaces spread across the building, the Broad Street scheme will appeal to Birmingham’s growing army of professionals, while long-term yet flexible tenancies of three to five years will give families peace of mind.

The Broad Street site features a 60,000sqft podium with over 30,000 sq. ft. of dedicated communal space including residents lounge, dedicated health and wellness zones, co-working space, indoor/outdoor dining club featuring a demonstration kitchen as well as a range of ground floor commercial spaces. A 24-hour hotel-style concierge and a round-the-clock maintenance will help raise the bar for renters locally. Access will be through the ‘MyModa’ app – tech that acts as a key and allows residents to manage their tenancies and daily life within the building.

With a focus on health and wellbeing, Moda will be working with hero, a digital wellness platform set up by the former UK managing director of WeWork, which will help track and improve the health and fitness of residents. Residents will also be able to access advice from Premier League nutritionists and wellbeing coaches, hero will also provide mental health ‘first aid’ training for Moda building staff.

The appointment of John Sisk and & Son marks the next phase of delivery for Moda and joint venture partner Apache Capital. The JV is actively delivering thousands of high quality rental homes across the UK.

John Sisk & Son celebrates 160 years of building this year and the company has been active in the UK for over 40 years. The Broad Street site will be Sisk’s biggest Midlands scheme to date. Other high-profile projects the £96m Circle Square mixed-use scheme in Manchester, as well as Quintain’s huge Wembley Park 7,000-home build-to-rent development.

Tony Brooks, Managing Director at Moda Living, said: “Birmingham is a key city for Moda – as the UK’s fastest growing regional city and the number one city to relocate to from London. Our aim is to provide high quality housing to match the city’s ambition and growth.

Not only will this be a landmark building, it will also help raise the bar for rental in the city, offering unrivalled amenities and putting residents in control – offering flexible and long-term contracts. With a keen focus on health and wellbeing, the building includes a running track, landscaped terraces and shared spaces.

As a long-term partner to the city, it’s our responsibility to create social, healthy and connected communities.”

Guy Fowler, Regional Managing Director at John Sisk & Son, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed by Moda to deliver this landmark scheme in the heart of Birmingham. We look forward to working in partnership with all our stakeholders and in particular the local community to create a lasting legacy. As a family-owned business we are committed to people and that is what makes us successful in delivering complex projects.”

Backed by Apache Capital Partners, Moda has a £2bn development pipeline of 7,000 apartments across 10 UK cities. The first project to finish will be £154m 35-storey Angel Gardens in NOMA, Manchester, which will offer 466 homes designed specifically for rent. First residents will move in this Summer.

Andrew Parker, Director of Projects, Moda, said: Moda are extremely pleased to be working with John Sisk and Sons on this landmark project. The teams have worked constructively together over many months to reach this milestone and we look forward to a successful project being delivered. Sisk were selected as they represented the open working values that Moda also prides itself upon, the family heritage which supports both businesses, aswell as the experience, appetite and capability to undertake such an exciting project for the city.

At Independent Age, the older people’s charity, they are always trying to help as many older people as possible. Right now, they want to encourage older people in Birmingham who may be feeling lonely to get in touch to find out about their Friendship services, which could help to reduce loneliness.

They have friendly, trained volunteers waiting to make regular calls to the people who need them to help make a difference to their lives, so they are keen to hear from people who may have lost touch with close friends or family and would like to find someone friendly to talk to.

One in five older people in the UK are in contact with friends, family and neighbours less than once a week, while for one in 10; it’s less than once a month. In addition to this, around 40% of older people say the television is their main form of company. They want to help all those in need, but can only help the people who get in touch with them.

Having a volunteer for a regular telephone call or meeting up for a cup of tea and a chat can provide vital companionship for older people who are lonely, enabling them to feel more connected to their local community.

Receiving a regular call can be invaluable to someone who is lonely.

Many elders say that it can make a huge difference to their wellbeing if they have a call to look forward to each week or fortnight.

Chronic loneliness can be really damaging to a person’s health!

Older people who would like to receive calls from a volunteer can sign up at: www.independentage.org/get-support/receive-regular-phone-calls-or-visits or by calling 0800 319 6789.

An exhibition of work by international Rangoli artist Ranbir Kaur opens at Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery this week.

Indian-born Ranbir has lived and worked in England for more than 30 years. She has entered the Guinness Book of Records for creating the largest Rangoli in the world.

Rangoli is a traditional Indian art used to decorate the ground in front of houses and places of worship. Designs are created using decorative patterns marked out on the floor.

Ranbir’s exhibition, A Journey Through Colours, will be open to the public from Thursday (4 April) until 20 June and can be viewed during the Holyhead Road art gallery’s normal opening hours. Entry is free.

A highly-celebrated artist, Ranbir has received many awards. Among them, in 2006 she received the Cultural Ambassador of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for contribution to arts.

Ranbir, who lives in Walsall, has worked tirelessly as an artist promoting Indian art and culture at the highest standard. Throughout her career, Ranbir has shared a passion for colour, texture and design.

The exhibition celebrates her 30-year journey, bringing together a wide range of traditional and contemporary arts and crafts inspired by her South Asian heritage.

Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11am-4pm, and Saturdays 2-5pm. Last entry to the museum is 30 minutes before closing.

Ranbir said:  “Celebrating 30 years in this country is overwhelmingly humble, and looking back on my journey since childhood makes me feel very proud of how far I have come. I’d like to say a big thank you to Sandwell Council's museum and arts service for their support with this exhibition.”

Smokers in Birmingham who make the switch to vaping are saving money, feel healthier and see benefits to their social lives according to a new study published today.

The study, conducted by OnePoll, shows that smokers who switch to vaping say that the best things for them about making the switch are that they feel healthier (45%), have more money (45%) and more confident in social circles (21%).

Vapers are saving on average £235 per year by making the switch. While some are using the money to put into savings (25%) and towards holidays (34%), Birmingham vapers are most likely to have to use the money to pay for basic essentials like household groceries (37%) or to put it towards paying bills (28%).

The survey findings were revealed at the launch of VApril, a month-long education campaign, fronted by TV’s Dr Christian Jessen to encourage smokers to make the switch to vaping.

John Dunne a director of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), which commissioned the research and organises VApril, said: “There are still almost 7million smokers in the UK that are yet to see the benefits of switching on to vaping. The vapers that we have spoken to would not look back after making the switch and would overwhelmingly recommend switching to vaping to other smokers too. “That’s why we are running the VApril campaign, to educate smokers about the benefits they can see from vaping. We’re also hoping to educate the wider public about the differences between vaping and smoking so that they can provide vapers with the support to make the switch.”

Launching the campaign, Dr Christian, famous for his work on Channel 4’s ‘Embarrassing bodies’, said: “There are now more than three million vapers in the UK who have made that life changing decision to switch from smoking. As today’s study shows, there are whole raft of benefits to making the switch, not just on smokers’ health but financial and social benefits too. But yet, according to Public Health England, an incredible 40% of smokers have never even tried vaping.

He added: “We’re in danger of missing out on the huge public health prize of a smoke-free society if the medical profession doesn’t start encouraging smokers to take up vaping. Vaping has so far helped 3.2m vapers either quit or reduce smoking, saving the NHS billions in treating those with smoking related health conditions.

“There is a growing bank of evidence which shows it can reduce smoking relating harm and yet despite that, more than half of hospitals across the UK ban vaping on their grounds. It’s time we were consistent and gave clear advice to smokers to help combat the misinformation they are all too often bombarded with about vaping.”

Two-thirds of vapers (66%) said that they never thought they would quit smoking until vaping came along, with many having tried a variety of other nicotine replacement tools like patches (39%) and gum (40%).

Vaper Craig Hibbert, who is backing the VApril campaign said: “I started smoking at about 18 and up until five years ago I smoked 20 small cigars a day. I switched to vaping as part of a health programme and haven’t looked back. I remember saying to my mother in law that very soon after switching I could inhale for the first time and fill my lungs with air.

“Now my son and his girlfriend are making the switch from smoking to vaping too, because they’ve seen the benefits that it’s given me. I really would encourage smokers to think about making the switch to vaping, and during VApril is a great time to do it because of the extra support that’s available, especially in the West Midlands.”

Smokers who want to make the switch as part of the VApril campaign, should go to www.vapril.org and download the ‘Switch on to Vaping’ guide, that has been developed by vapers, for smokers, thanks to the independent charity the New Nicotine Alliance.

Kipping on the coach could get a whole lot more comfortable with the launch of luxury travel suites by National Express.

The UK’s largest coach operator will be trialling their new NXSleep suites this summer to allow travellers to really stretch out and fully rest on route to their destination.

NXSleep offers customers the option to upgrade from a regular seat for a relaxing and quiet hideaway on board the coach, complete with a king size bed, soundproof walls, complimentary snacks and soft drinks, and the latest in technology to enjoy music, film and TV or play games whilst travelling.

The new option will utilise part of the existing luggage hold and will initially be rolled out on the 591 long distance service between Edinburgh and London in May. Customer feedback and demand will then be used to decide what other routes to add, and make any necessary changes to the suites.

Chris Hardy, Managing Director at National Express, said: “This is a very exciting development for us.

"34 per cent of our customers travel for over three hours at a time, with many of them opting to travel in the evening and late at night. We want them to be able to relax and unwind during their travel and believe the NXSleep suite is the perfect solution to offer the next level in comfort.

"We will be closely monitoring the outcome of the trial with a view to introducing the NXSleep suites to more services as early as the Autumn."

For more information about National Express visit www.NationalExpress.com