Community News

UK charity Action for M.E. is looking for confident, professional, and interested in advocacy workers to make the most of their skills as a professional volunteer advocate.

They need assertive, IT-literate volunteers in the Midlands or South West, with good communication skills and the ability to understand detailed information; professional advocacy experience welcome.

Action for M.E.’s new free regional advocacy service stands up for the rights of all of their clients with M.E. on a range of issues to ensure their voices are heard in situations that affect them.

Many people with M.E. struggle to access appropriate care and support; one in four is house and/or bed-bound. They may mean being left out of decisions which are relevant to them, and which they have a right to be involved in.

One of their first clients, Sally, has recently been diagnosed with M.E. Having run her own business and worked full time, she found herself in a situation where she had to apply for benefits and get some support for managing her M.E. 

Her GP was sympathetic but didn’t seem to know a lot about the condition and Sally’s family and friends have been struggling to understand its impact. 

With support from Action for M.E.’s free advocacy service, Sally now feels more confident communicating with professionals, better informed about her rights and entitlements, and less isolated. 

She said: ‘‘Accessing the Action for M.E. advocacy service has given me more confidence to ask for the right support from my GP and to explain my condition to my family and friends, I felt supported and no longer on my own.” 

As a volunteer, you’ll get:

·        Access to free online and face-to-face training support, guidance and supervision from experienced advocates

·        Online peer-support from other volunteers

·        Out-of-pocket expenses (subject to completing training)

·        Valuable experience empowering and supporting vulnerable people, in a range of settings, to access support around employment, education, healthcare, social care and family.

Action for M.E. is asking for an initial commitment of two hours a week for six months, subject to careful shortlisting (with references and DBS check) to ensure you’re right for the role, and vice versa.

For further information visit: www.actionforme.org.uk/volunteer to find out more.

Action for M.E.is recruiting now until 14 April 2019.

Iridium Medical Practice has been recognised for Excellence in Primary Care, after being presented with a certificate by Yardley MP Jess Phillips.

The MP was contacted by a delighted patient, leading to her nominating Iridium Medical Practice for an NHS70 Parliamentary Award last year.

Staff at the practice, based at Richmond Primary Care Centre, in Bordesley Green East, Stetchford, Birmingham, were delighted to receive their certificate marking their nomination as an official NHS70 Parliamentary Awards nominee in the category of Excellence in Primary Care at a presentation last week.

Dr Rizwan Alidina, a partner at the practice, said: “We are delighted to have received this recognition as a nominee for an NHS70 Parliamentary Award for Excellence in Primary Care.

“It is fantastic news that one of our patients contacted Jess to talk about the great care they have received, which led to this presentation.”

Scientists are urging the public to help them investigate why the population of toads in the UK is declining.

Habitat destruction, road deaths, pollution and pesticides are all suspected to be factors which have led to dwindling numbers nationally.

Members of the public are now being asked to act as 'wildlife detectives' and collect mouth swabs from live toads or 'toe tips' from those killed on roads.

The call is part of a research project that has just started at the University of Wolverhampton, in partnership with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) and the University of Salford.

It is hoped that the project will shed light on to the reasons for the decline and enable positive conservation action to take place in the future.

Dr Simon Maddock, Lecturer in Conservation Genetics at the University of Wolverhampton, said: "Common toads (Bufo bufo) are declining across many parts of the UK, especially in England. We are unsure about the reasons for this, although factors could include destruction of habitat, road mortality, disease, pollution and pesticides.  We know in some populations they have declined in huge numbers and the project will further investigate the causes and consequences of these declines."

Dr John Wilkinson, ARC’s Regional, Training and Science Programmes Manager, who is a supervisor for the PhD, said: “We will use DNA samples to look at how genetic diversity in toad populations may have changed over time or by area, how this may be affecting some populations in the modern landscape, and how declines might be addressed through conservation."

The PhD candidate, Rémi Martin, who will be working on the toad decline project, added “we are really interested in having as many people from across the UK helping to collect genetic samples as possible. These genetic samples can be in the form of ‘toe-tips’ from toads killed on roads or buccal ­̶ mouth ̶ swabs from live toads. If people want to get involved then they should email us and we will send out a sampling pack”

People interested in taking part should contact Rémi Martin (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and Simon Maddock (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).  Full protocols and sampling kits will be provided to assist volunteers with their work.

The project will compare genetic, morphological, population and environmental data to investigate geographic structuring, genetic diversity through time and the impacts of environmental change on toad populations.

As a partner in the MiFriendly Cities project, ‘MigrationWork’ has invited West Midlands residents born outside the UK to come up with ideas for projects that will benefit the community and local residents – migrants and non-migrants alike.  Successful pitches will receive up to £5,000 funding and consultancy support from MigrationWork specialists to get their ideas off the ground.

An inspiring range of pitches for grassroots community projects will be made to a panel of ‘friendly dragons’ at a special Pitch Day event tomorrow (Saturday March 30), at The Studio in Cannon Street, Birmingham between 12.30pm and 4.30pm.

The panel will hear pitches from 17 community groups and individuals, shortlisted from nearly 40 fantastic ideas and the audience will also be able to vote for the projects they feel are most needed within their communities.

The ‘friendly dragons’ on Pitch Day include:

• Cllr John Cotton– Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and          Equalities, Birmingham City Council
• Dipali Chandra – Secretary, West Midlands Funders Network
• Arten Llazari– Chief Executive, Refugee and Migrant Centre
• Piotr Wolkowinski– Project Expert, Urban Innovative Actions

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge is planning a visit to New Zealand on behalf of the Queen to honour the victims of the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack.

The visit in late April will be made at the request of the Jacinda Ardern the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

William will meet with those affected by the attack and pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity that the people of New Zealand have displayed in recent weeks, Kensington Palace said.

In the late 1960s and early 70s, Mothers Club of Birmingham was widely recognised as one of the best rock venues in the world. In its short life it played host to some of the greatest names in rock, from The Who to Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath to Free, Deep Purple and Fleetwood Mac to Canned Heat and Tyrannosaurus Rex. Pink Floyd recorded part of their live album ‘Ummagummaat’ the club in 1969. Resident DJ John Peel, who attended most of the gigs there called it “the best club in Britain”.

This May, some of the bands that played there in its heyday, plus emerging bands from the current vibrant Birmingham psychedelic and progressive scene are to play in a unique 50^thanniversary charity gig.

The concert, on Friday 10 May 2019 in the iconic ballroom of Sutton Coldfield Town Hall will be headlined by Soft Machine, with performances from The Groundhogs, Edgar Broughton, Stan Webb’s Chicken Shack, Steve Gibbons and NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) pioneers, Quartz, plus a second stage of new bands.

Birmingham music scene enthusiast Dave Gordon dreamed up the event, working with sponsors Psychotron Records, a local record shop which specialises in music of the era. Any profits are being donated to Worldwide Cancer Research charity. The event will also feature a wall of memorabilia and photos, including unique posters, which will be sold to raise money for the charity.

The Mothers Club, set above a furniture shop in the city’s suburb of Erdington, attracted the best bands of the era. The club, run by John ‘Spud’ Taylor and promoter Phil Myatt was twice voted the world’s best venue by America’s Billboard magazine. It opened its doors on 9 August 1968, closing less than three years later on 3 January 1971. It represented an incredibly important time in British musical history and has been widely celebrated in media over the years.

Worldwide Cancer Research is a charity that funds research into any type of cancer anywhere in the world. They fund projects in the world’s best research institutions and support diverse and unexpected projects.

National Express is celebrating winning an impressive number of gongs at the Travel Marketing Awards earlier this month.

The Birmingham-based public transport company walked away with seven awards for marketing campaigns for their UK Coach and Bus divisions, including the prestigious ‘Brand of the Year’.

Four accolades were awarded to the ‘Look Beyond’ campaign that ran across print, radio and outdoor channels, encouraging travellers to 'look beyond’ their comfort zones and explore the country by coach.

Marketing Director at National Express, Sean Bailey, said: “We are extremely proud of our work here at National Express. We have a team of highly creative individuals, both in house and externally, who work very hard to capture imaginations and get people to choose us as their travel option. This recognition is a real testament to their dedication and hard work.”

The organisation's creative agency, One Black Bear, also walked away with second place in the Advertising agency of the Year category.

On behalf of Australia, swimwear brand Budgy Smuggler is calling on the UK Parliament to consider a new proposal as it votes on a range of Brexit options on Wednesday.

The proposal asks the UK to “forget the EU” and “join the AU”, thereby forming a new super union between two great nations.

The #JoinTheAU campaign launched today outside the UK Parliament from a branded campaign bus, reminiscent of the infamous Vote Leave Brexit bus.

Chief Smuggler, and head of the #JoinTheAU campaign, Adam Linforth, said, “As a brand with offices in Australia and the UK - which is our UK/Europe base – we’ve been watching intently as Brexit has unfolded, and to be honest it looks like a complete shit fight, so we thought we'd extend an olive / eucalyptus branch from sunny Australia.

“When we heard that Parliament had seized control of Brexit and were holding an extraordinary session, we realized that we hadn’t seen any extraordinary solutions. So, we took some initiative and have provided an option that hopefully British MP’s can support – head down under and #JoinTheAU”.

The bus traveled the streets of London before pulling up near Australia House in Aldwych to announce the cheeky campaign hosted by a group of #JoinTheAU advocates dressed in nothing but their limited-edition AU branded Budgy Smugglers.

In celebration of the campaign, Budgy Smuggler has created a bespoke range of #JoinTheAU branded swimwear, which will be handed out across central London throughout the day to help kickstart the movement and will be available to purchase online at www.budgysmuggleruk.com.

The campaign has also celebrated its arrival through a film detailing all the reasons the UK should #JoinTheAU.

Hundreds of toddlers are expected to dress up and take part in a colourful procession around Dudley Zoo this summer.

The annual Barnardo’s Big Toddle is the charity’s largest sponsored walk in the UK and is due to take place on Tuesday June 11.

This year’s theme is ‘animals’, with under-5s encouraged to wear their favourite costumes and paint their faces.

The event raises money to support the charity’s work with some of the country’s most vulnerable children and young people.

Barnardo’s regional director Emma Bowman said: “We’re delighted that Dudley Zoo has kindly agreed to host this year’s Big Toddle again.

“It’s the UK’s biggest and best fundraising event for under-5s and is all about children helping children by taking part in short sponsored walks.

“Nurseries, playgroups, childminders and parents are welcome to organise their own events, especially during Big Toddle Week from June 24-30, but the one at Dudley Zoo is the biggest in the country.

“It’s a fantastic venue and we’re looking forward to seeing hundreds of happy faces, raising thousands of pounds to continue our life-changing work.”

Admission is free to under-5s, with discounted prices of just £7.50 for adults and older children.

Gates open at 10am, with children welcomed by entertainers before a fun warm-up at 10.45am and the start of the walk around the grounds at 11am. 

Medals and free refreshments will be available for registered children as they cross the finishing line.

Dudley Zoo manager Matt Lewis said: “We’re delighted once again to team up with Barnardo’s and support the incredible work they do in giving children the best start in life.

“The Big Toddle is always hugely popular. So make sure you sign up soon and have a really wild time helping to raise funds for a very worthy cause.” 

Registrants will receive a free fundraising pack with a fundraising guide, sponsorship forms, colouring sheet, safari map and animal mask activity.

Parents, carers, playgroups and nurseries can also hold their own Barnardo’s Big Toddles.

Last year, across the UK, they helped to raise more than £230,000 for the charity.

Lighthouse Family, one of the most successful bands of the late 90s and early 00s, return with a new studio album after a gap of 18 years. ‘Blue Sky In Your Head’ will be released on May 3 on Polydor and will include ‘Essentials’, all the bands classic songs re-mastered for the very first time to celebrate their 25-year recording history.  The lead single is ‘My Salvation’, a lushly melodic track every bit as good as you’d expect from the band that produced the timeless hits ‘Lifted’, ‘High’, and ‘Ocean Drive’, which are all included on ‘Essentials’.

‘Blue Sky In Your Head’ is Lighthouse Family’s fourth album, and sees them back on their original label Polydor and reunited with Colin Barlow, the A&R that discovered them, and their first manager, Keith Armstrong; the same team that was around them when they were at their FM Radio-dominating peak. The duo will follow the album’s release with a UK tour later this year, culminating at the iconic London Palladium on November 22nd.

Tunde Baiyewu and Paul Tucker formed Lighthouse Family after meeting at Newcastle University in the early 1990s. Their 1995 debut album ‘Ocean Drive’ was a slow-burning success, going six times platinum while staying in the album charts for almost three years. ‘Lifted’ became one the defining songs of the era, a pop-soul classic that was inescapable on radio, becoming the soundtrack of high street Britain, drivetime Britain and night-out Britain.

The 1997 follow-up, ‘Postcards From Heaven’, featured three Top Ten singles – ‘Raincloud’, ‘High’ and ‘Lost in Space’ – and also went six-times platinum, charting across Europe, the Far East, Australia and New Zealand. Their third album, ‘Whatever Gets You Through The Day’ (2001) produced another Top Ten single in the shape of ‘(I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be) Free/One’, but by this time the band were at breaking point, their friendship burnt out after years on the road living in each other’s pockets. And both of them were heartbroken by grief. Paul’s father had died, and he sought solace in the rock’n’roll lifestyle. While Tunde had lost his mother, a situation complicated by the fact that his stepfather, Olusegun Obasanjo, was at the time the President of Nigeria. Little wonder the duo badly needed a break.

In the intervening years Paul formed a band, The Orange Lights, while Tunde released two solo albums, but the old connection between the pair remained, and in 2010 they got back together with a view to making a fourth album.

“Somehow we couldn’t knock it together in the studio,” says Paul. “So we decided to go and do some shows, to remind ourselves who we are and what we do. As one of the Duran Duran guys said to me: ‘What do you want to go in the studio for? That’s where all the arguments happen! Go and do some gigs…’ So, that’s what we did, and it was great.”

The old itch was still there, though, and by the time the band reunited again in 2016 they were determined to make a record, something that was classic Lighthouse Family, but also sounded like it could be made today. Bunkered in a north London studio, the old friends and collaborators quickly found their groove.

“What happens when Tunde and I get in the studio is, we just drift off – we don’t ever row!” says Paul. “There’s no shouting or throwing things. In fact we only ever had one argument - but it lasted 20 years!"

Those years have not dulled Lighthouse Family’s remarkable ability to craft elegantly beautiful songs. Their first single in almost two decades, ‘My Salvation’ is an upbeat track that flies high on lush strings and has echoes of Pet Shop Boys at their imperial best.

Inspired in part by the birth of Paul’s son, its sentiments chime perfectly with the band’s return. “I wrote it at the end of 2016, when there were lots of things changing in politics and it felt like there was nothing solid to hold on to. There’s the line: ‘When you say a prayer, does anybody hear, send an SOS…’ You’re looking for that touchstone that salvation can bring.”

‘Blue Sky In Your Head’ opens with the rippling, rolling, title track. Its theme is, says Tunde, similar to ‘Ocean Drive’. “A dream of a place, a dream of escape, something you want to get away to.”

“And that’s kind of you what you want Lighthouse Family songs to do: put a Blue Sky In Your Head,” adds Paul.

Indeed, the new album has something that has always been present with Lighthouse Family: a sense of optimism and renewal.  “We’re trying to create something anthemic and uplifting but real,” says Paul. “That idea of: ‘I know the sun’s gonna shine again’, it’s quintessential Lighthouse Family.”

“I like hymns, always have. I was in the choir as a kid,” adds Tunde. “I think all the songs on the record have that feel. They’re urban hymns.”

Messages of hope and uplift. Sentiments of community and communion. Songs of love and connection. Tunes to sing, loudly, from the heart. It can only be Lighthouse Family, back to dream up the magic all over again.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Libben Health and Safety will be giving away a FREE bouquet of flowers to the mother of a lucky delegate who signs up to any of their courses in March and April.

All delegates who signs up to any of the courses will have their names entered into a draw, where one lucky winner will be picked out of a hat.

Between March and April, Libben Health and Safety will be hosting a wide range of courses, including Health and Safety Awareness, IOSH Working Safely, SSSTS (Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme), SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme), Working at Height, Asbestos Awareness, Emergency First Aid at Work, and the SMSTS Refresher course.

Keen to bring training to their delegates’ doorstep, Libben will be hosting these courses in their training centres around the UK, such as those in Walsall, Bristol, Warrington, Nottingham and London.

Kevin Edwards, Managing Director of Libben Health and Safety said: “Every year, we celebrate occasions such as Mother’s Day by hosting giveaways. This year, we’re treating delegates with a chance to win a free bouquet of flowers for their mother.

Health and Safety courses are essential in helping professionals develop the skills and awareness to ensure tasks within their organisation are delivered safely. According to statistics by the HSE, a total of 144 workers were killed at work in the UK in 2017/18, demonstrating a need for training.

As a growing organisation, we’re continuously delivering courses on a regular basis to help individuals and organisations meet their Health and Safety needs.”

To be in with a chance to win a FREE bouquet of flowers for your mother, please contact Libben’s Head Office on 01922 474 999 and secure your place on any of our courses in March and April.

Concerns have been raised over the health and wellbeing of fuel poor households in the West Midlands with high expenditure on heating over the recent winter months pushing many into further financial hardship.

Government statistics reveal 173,024 people in the West Midlands are living in fuel poverty which means they cannot afford to adequately heat their home given their income. The total UK fuel poverty figure also continues to increase and was recorded at over 2.55m last year*.

Rural areas are particularly affected, with the average household facing a £600 shortfall between the cost of their fuel bills and what they can afford to pay – double that for urban areas. This is partly due to rural properties being older, less well insulated and more expensive to keep warm.

The warning comes at a time when many households already face multiple pressures on their finances from the higher cost of living, rising rent and mortgage payments and increases in council tax.

In response to the growing concern, OFTEC, which represents the oil heating industry, is calling on local MPs to provide more support to those most in need.

Malcolm Farrow from OFTEC commented: “The cold months are a real struggle for many people across the West Midlands and last winter was no exception. Fortunately, the worst of the weather is over as we move into spring but the additional money already spent on heating has left many households financially short.

“The levels of fuel poverty in the West Midlands are truly shocking and many people will be struggling in silence without the support they urgently need. Whilst some progress has been made to address these issues, it is still not enough, which is why we are calling for more immediate action to be taken to ensure we protect the most vulnerable in society.”

One of the biggest challenges facing rural fuel poor households is low energy efficiency and poor insulation which means properties take longer to heat up and require more fuel to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Malcolm added: “There are several ways the government could help households reduce their fuel bills such as providing financial support for improving property insulation or investing in a modern condensing boiler which is more energy efficient. From next year, all landlords will also be required to ensure their properties meet a minimum standard of energy efficiency which will provide some relief to those in rented accommodation.

“Households can also take action themselves to reduce their fuel bills in other ways such as adjusting heating timers as the weather changes, bleeding radiators and ensuring their heating system is regularly serviced and inspected by a qualified GasSafe (for mains gas) or OFTEC (for oil or solid fuel) registered technician.”

Millions of adults across Britain are now favouring natural remedies and therapies to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle, over medical treatments.

Research has also shown that average Brit takes nine vitamin and mineral supplements a month, choosing remedies that come from nature.

From March 23 the UK was set to celebrate Complementary Therapy week, to promote the use of complementary therapies throughout the UK. These various therapies can help maintain health and wellbeing and support those with chronic health conditions.

Here, Julie Lamble, senior nutritionist at Lifeplan, a leading UK manufacturer of award winning vitamins, minerals and botanical supplements, gives her expert advice on complementary therapies and their uses.

“Complementary therapies are alternative forms of medicine which look at people's overall state of health, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.

“There are many different complementary therapies to consider, including homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, reiki and reflexology. These can all be used in diagnosis, reduction and prevention of health issues.

“Many of these therapies identify nutritional imbalances and these can be altered by adjusting a person’s diet and also by taking supplements. They can also establish physical and mental stresses within the body.

Relax and sleep

Not being able relax and sleep is a common problem which affects many people, often due to their hectic lifestyles.  Anyone who struggles to unwind may find comfort in yoga and meditation as part of their evening routine. It has been proven in studies that Yoga can help chronic insomniacs because it reduces stress and improves mental focus.

Alternatively, botanical ingredients such as Passiflora and Chamomile can be used to help the body unwind. Take a product which includes these herbs alongside the B vitamins and the mineral Magnesium. These nutrients help to support the nervous system and relax muscles which may be tense due to sleep anxieties.

Digestive wellness

A common complaint is that our digestive function is not working as well as it should. Colonic hydrotherapy is great at flushing-out unwanted toxins by using water and no chemicals. This form of therapy has been found to help bowel irregularities and aid digestion as well as boost energy levels and general wellness.

Digestive Enzymes supplements can also help to breakdown proteins, carbohydrates and fats so that there is less burden on the digestive tract. Choose a supplement which contains betaine and calcium to help activate the enzymes, making them more efficient and effective in the digestive system.

Weight loss

Trying to lose weight or maintaining weight loss is a struggle for many people. Two thirds of men and women in the UK are classed as overweight or obese and it’s a rising epidemic.

Hypnotherapy can be used as a treatment for weight loss. This therapy involves changing a person’s mind-set towards foods to help them stop eating unhealthy foods or binging. It can promote healthy meal choices and motivation towards physical exercise.

There are also supplements that can make the stomach feel full and so help cut down on calorie intake.  Look out for Glucomannan capsules made from a natural fibre which has proven weight loss benefits when taken before meals.

The formal launch of Transforming Narratives took place in an event at Birmingham Repertory Theatre hosted by BBC Asian Network’s Nadia Ali and attended by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Yvonne Mosquito, Mr Ahmar Ismail, Consulate General Pakistan and Mr Muhammed Nazmul Hoqu, Assistant High Commissioner Bangladesh.

Delivered by 12 diverse Birmingham-based cultural organisations Transforming Narratives links Birmingham with major cities in Pakistan and Bangladesh and will lead to new artistic works, a cultural leadership programme, new audiences, creative exchange and dialogue as well as artistic archiving.

Partners include: Birmingham Contemporary Music Group; Birmingham Museums Trust; Birmingham Repertory Theatre; Fierce Festival; Ikon Gallery; Kalaboration; Legacy West Midlands; Midlands Arts Centre; South Asian Diaspora Arts Archive; Sampad; Sonia Sabri Company and Soul City Arts / Mohammed Ali.

One of the biggest British Council projects in a UK city, organisations from Birmingham are travelling to Pakistan and Bangladesh to meet with artists there, to share learning and start to develop artistic projects which will take place during the life of the project. For the launch weekend, the Birmingham team were joined by arts leaders from Bangladesh who are in Birmingham to experience the city’s cultural offer.

Bangladesh to Birmingham takes place on Sunday 24th March at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and is an immersive dining experience that invites guests to experiences the sounds, sights and flavours of Bangladesh as they enjoy an authentic three-course Bangladeshi meal, prepared by award-winning chef Munayam Khan. Guests will be surrounded by film projections from in and around Dhaka created by artist and curator Mohammed Ali with music performed live by Bangladeshi artists who are here especially for this event.

Sophina Jagot, Transforming Narratives Project Manager said: “It is fantastic that we are able to launch Transforming Narratives here in Birmingham, for decades people have left their homes to forge a new life in Birmingham, but their stories have rarely been told. Working with partners here in the City as well as in the cities of Bangladesh and Pakistan we are uncovering these stories and look forward to sharing them.

“This project is a real opportunity for us to establish Birmingham as the leader in contemporary Pakistan and Bangladeshi arts both in terms of the artistic programme we will develop but through working with communities, stakeholders and artists to develop skills and encourage debate and knowledge sharing. I hope you will join us on this journey.”

Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England added: “There are strong links between diversity and creativity, and it will be fascinating to see how the different city environments and landscapes involved in Transforming Narratives will inspire artists and inform audiences.

“We are delighted that this National Lottery funding is supporting a project which will celebrate and explore history and tradition, while focusing on creating new stories at an international level, for everyone to share and enjoy.”

Kathy McArdle, Director of England & Cities, British Council commented: “Transforming Narratives builds on the vibrant and diverse artistic talent of South Asian communities in Birmingham, Bangladesh and Pakistan for the mutual benefit of all three places, whose histories, heritage and stories are intrinsically interconnected.

“This hugely ambitious three-year programme aims to establish Birmingham as a global leader and pioneer in contemporary South Asian cultural programmes, which is an ambition we fully support. Transforming Narratives is relevant, necessary and important, drawing inspiration from the past, but being resolutely focused on the present.

“As the UK’s organisation for cultural relations between the UK and other countries, we are immensely proud to play a small part in this wonderful project and look forward to the opportunities it brings for artists, curators, programmers, audiences and residents of Birmingham and our partner cities in Bangladesh and Pakistan.”

Arts Council England is investing £660,000 of National Lottery money in Transforming Narratives, as part of the Ambition for Excellence scheme, an Arts Council fund to develop artistic and cultural talent and leadership and give an international dimension to excellent work.

Emirates have marked 20 years of successful operations in Lahore and Islamabad, two of Pakistan’s most populous cities. The award-winning airline has recorded solid year-on-year growth in Lahore and Islamabad over the years, carrying more than 8.4 million passengers on both routes in the last two decades.

Emirates’ hub, Dubai, has emerged as the most popular destination for passengers traveling from Lahore and Islamabad. Religious travel to Jeddah, Medina and Baghdad was also very frequent over the years while London, New York, Manchester and Birmingham were popular among leisure and business travellers.

Jabr Al-Azeeby, Vice President Pakistan, Emirates Airline said: “We are embarking on a real milestone as we celebrate 20 years of service to Islamabad and Lahore.  Pakistan is a major market for Emirates and we take great pride in the role we play in providing global connectivity both for business and leisure passengers who are travelling from Pakistan to Dubai and beyond. We remain committed to this market and look forward to continue working closely with our industry partners in Pakistan to provide the best possible services to our customers.”

Lahore and Islamabad has also proven to be important cargo destinations for the airline in the region having recorded over 123,962 tonnes of cargo carriage in the last five years. Key exports and imports over the years include fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, machinery and equipment. The airline continues to play an important role in fuelling trade between Pakistan and the UAE, enabling local exporters and businesses to connect to both developed and emerging markets in the airline’s network of key trade and commerce hubs.

Emirates and Pakistan share a special relationship, which goes back 33 years when its first ever flight from Dubai landed in Karachi on 25th October 1985. Since then, this historic partnership has continued blossoming with Emirates currently offering services to five Pakistani cities including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Sialkot. Following the launch of its operations in 1985 in Karachi, Emirates began service to Peshawar in 1998. In 1999, Emirates became a part of Islamabad and Lahore’s skies before the commencement of its Sialkot service in 2013. Emirates remains fully committed to all five markets in Pakistan including Karachi, Sialkot and Peshawar as they’re all a core and an integral part of the airline’s network.

The EU Council has granted the UK government’s wish. An extension of Article 50 will delay Brexit until May 22nd if Parliament accepts the Withdrawal Agreement. If not, the UK may crash out of the EU without a deal as early as April 12th. Some may call this a reprieve. I fear the UK is still dangerously close to the full-scale disaster that a no-deal exit from the European Union would be. Employers and unions agree. In a rare joint statement, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trade Union Congress have warned of a “national emergency”. The time for the UK Government to rethink its approach is now.

At this juncture, it seems implausible that another motion to vote on the withdrawal agreement would actually win majority Parliamentary support. And even with an extended Brexit deadline, that’s a major risk to the UK, and to the Union itself.

This is a moment of profound national crisis for the UK. Yet there is no sign of the inclusive leadership such a crisis requires. Prioritising party over country, the Prime Minister is no longer acting in the national interest. Instead, she has decided to pitch herself as the defender of the “people” against the machinations of Parliament. By limiting the MPs’ choice yet again to one between her own deal and no deal at all, she is placing a dangerous bet.

Members of Parliament are representatives of the people, not mere delegates. They should be accountable to their own conscience, led what they believe to be best for Britain, but always informed by clear, irrefutable evidence. Nearly three years after the 2016 referendum, that evidence tells us that few, if any, of the original assumptions about leaving the EU were correct. Thousands of jobs in Britain have been lost already, with many more redundancies on the horizon as manufacturers react to the looming threat of tariffs and supply chain disruptions. More than a trillion pounds in assets are being moved to Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris, and other European cities as financial institutions begin to execute their contingency plans . And Brexit preparations alone have eaten up billions that could have been spent elsewhere.

These consequences are real and tangible. They affect people everywhere across the UK. They affect investment in the UK, the nation’s ability to trade goods and services, to travel, to jointly tackle global challenges, from climate change to terrorism.

At the very least, these consequences should afford MPs an opportunity to determine whether this is really what the UK people wanted in 2016 and whether it’s time to give them a final say. Instead, MPs are now being forced into endorsing what cannot even be described as the best option among a bad lot.

On Monday, Labour MP Andrew Gwynne whose constituency voted to leave the EU in 2016, shared letters from concerned constituents expressing how they feel now, more than 1,000 days after the referendum. If there’s just one takeaway from these citizens’ messages, it is that Leave never meant “leave at any price”.

The truth is that the people’s views are never static. They evolve. And they can change. I am not alone in feeling many UK people have changed their minds.

The UK Government must now put all options on the table, and giving the people a final say must be one of these options.

If it is not , there is only one alternative – a clear decision by Parliament to require the Government to revoke Article 50 and start the process again from scratch, armed with the facts. There is little time to avoid a multi-generational disaster.

Additional information can be found here: https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/brexit-crisis