Community News

Qatar Airways is celebrating a successful year of tremendous growth, network expansion and a record-breaking number of award wins at the end of this, its 20^th year of operations.

Despite a challenging regional environment, the airline continued to deliver beyond expectations throughout 2017, accelerating new routes, doubling frequencies and capacity to numerous destinations and launching its award-winning new Business Class seat, Qsuite. At a time when many airlines are scaling back, Qatar Airways continued to thrive, showcasing to the world its award-winning, best-in-class cabins, catering, in-flight entertainment, on-board magazine, lounges and more.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “This year, our twentieth anniversary as an airline, is particularly special for us. As we reflect on our achievements, we reaffirm our commitment to providing excellence in the skies, ensuring that our passenger’s holiday or leisure trip starts the moment they step onto one of our aircraft. We remain committed to expanding our global network, and to taking our passengers anywhere in the world they wish to go.”

“After twenty years of service, we vow to never rest on our achievements, but rather to focus on how we can continue to innovate, and to deliver an exceptional five-star experience to every one of our passengers, no matter what class they travel. Against the backdrop of the illegal blockade against the State of Qatar, we are more committed than ever to welcoming everyone onboard and taking them wherever they need to go.”

Route Expansion

One of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, Qatar Airways launched 11 exciting new destinations in 2017, including Auckland, New Zealand – the world’s longest commercial flight - Nice; France; Dublin, Republic of Ireland; Skopje; Sohar, Oman; Kyiv, Ukraine; Prague, Czech Republic, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Adana, Turkey; Chiang Mai, Thailand and St. Petersburg, Russia.

In addition to launching flights to beautiful Chiang Mai, its fourth destination in Thailand, the airline also introduced a fifth daily non-stop service to Bangkok as well as a daily service to Krabi, offering both business and leisure travellers even more convenience and flexibility when travelling to and from the Land of Smiles. In January 2018, it will commence service to Pattaya, the airline’s fifth Thai destination.

Qatar Airways will also add a new direct daily service to Hanoi, withHo Chi Minh City’s daily service increasing by three flights a week to 10 starting 1 January 2018.

The airline introduced its superjumbo A380 aircraft to Melbourne and will soon introduce it on its Perth route, enhancing capacity to Australia ahead of the airline’s launch of service to Canberra in 2018. Qatar Airways also proudly became the first airline ever to fly the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 to the Maldives twice daily.

Qatar Airways also doubled its frequencies to a number of destinations in Eastern Europe, the Nordics and Russia, following a significant increase in passenger demand to the popular destinations of Warsaw, Helsinki, and Moscow, with increases to Prague and Kyiv following just shortly after the launch of the routes themselves.

Qsuite

Qatar Airways proudly launched its new Business Class seat, Qsuite, at ITB Berlin in March 2017 to outstanding global acclaim, bringing a First Class experience to the Business Class cabin. The first aircraft fully-fitted with Qsuite was launched on the Doha-London route during the summer, and was soon followed by Paris and most recently New York, with Washington soon to follow. Qsuite, a patented Qatar Airways product, is already fast collecting awards for offering the industry’s first-ever double bed in Business Class. Adjustable panels and movable TV monitors allow colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite, allowing them to work, dine and socialise together.

Award Wins

Qatar Airways enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2017, with the airline claiming more global awards than ever before in its 20^th year of operations. Qatar’s national carrier received more than 50 individual awards across multiple categories since January, demonstrating its continued commitment to exceeding passenger expectations with its innovative approach to product development and dedication to customer experience.

Leading the host of awards received by the airline this year is the prestigious accolade of 2017 ‘Airline of the Year,’ awarded by international air transport rating organization Skytrax. Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class,’ ‘Best Airline in the Middle East,’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge’ at the Skytrax awards ceremony held in Paris in June.

Notably, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, received the ‘Aviation Executive of the Year’ award from industry body CAPA last month, highlighting his leadership and innovative direction in guiding the growth of the airline and the wider aviation industry as a whole.

H.E. Mr. Al Baker was also elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of prestigious global aviation industry body International Air Transport Association (IATA), effective June 2018. The rotating one-year term will commence at the end of IATA’s 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sydney and will continue until the end of its 2019 AGM.

Fleet Expansion/Acquisitions

Qatar Airways took delivery of 19 new aircraft in 2017, taking its total fleet to 212 aircraft. The airline also recently upsized an earlier order for 50 Airbus A320neo with a firm order instead for 50 of the larger A321neo ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex configuration), in an order signed earlier this month in the presence of the Emir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron.

Qatar Airways continued to forge strong partnerships around the world and proved its commitment to creating lasting relationships with global partners. In November, it announced an acquisition in fellow oneworld member Cathay Pacific, purchasing approximately 9.61 per cent of Cathay Pacific’s total issued share capital.

The airline further strengthened its commitment to Italy with the acquisition of 49 per cent of AQA Holding, the new parent company of Meridiana fly (Meridiana), while the previous sole shareholder Alisarda has kept 51 per cent.

In June Qatar Airways released its annual results for the 2017 fiscal year, revealing an impressive 21.7 per cent year-on-year net profit increase. The results also showed an annual revenue increase of 10.4 per cent.

Cargo

Qatar Airways Cargo took delivery of two new Boeing 747-800 freighters and its thirteenth Boeing 777 freighter this year, continuing its trajectory of rapid growth and expansion. In October, Qatar Airways Cargo announced Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as its latest freighter destination in the United States, making it the first international airline to commence freighter service to Pittsburgh. The cargo carrier also added Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Quito, Miami, Phnom Penh and Yangon to its dedicated freighter network in 2017, strengthening its commitment to supporting the global air trade and supply chain industry.

Qatar Airways Cargo’s continuous investment in ground infrastructure has proven its capability and capacity to accommodate increased demand since the diplomatic blockade on the State of Qatar began in June. The cargo carrier opened two new facilities during the summer, its dedicated Climate Control Centre and Cargo Overflow structure, providing close to an additional 10,000 sqm of temperature-controlled handling space to manage an increase in food imports into Qatar.

Qatar Airways Cargo recorded high volumes, revenues, yields and market shares in 2017, and was the only international cargo carrier with significant growth in freight tonnes kilometres (FTK) this year.

Community/Sponsorships

Corporate Social Responsibility remained an important part of Qatar Airways’ values in 2017. The airline renewed its sponsorship as Official Airline Partner to Orbis UK for a further three years. The airline has been a proud sponsor of Orbis and its blindness prevention programmes since 2012. Qatar Airways also continued to be a proud supporter of the Educate-A-Child programme, which helps provide quality primary school education to millions of out-of-school children globally.

Qatar Airways was also announced as an Official Partner and Official Airline of FIFA, as part of a groundbreaking sponsorship package lasting through 2022. Upcoming events sponsored by Qatar Airways will include the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the FIFA Club World Cup, the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. As an Official Partner of FIFA, Qatar Airways will have extensive marketing and branding rights at the next two FIFA World Cups, with an expected audience reach of more than two billion people per tournament. The airline will also have visibility at competitions such as the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA Futsal World Cup and the FIFA Interactive World Cup, the world’s largest online gaming tournament.

Qatar Airways also responded to demand from passengers seeking to transport their pets around the world by reducing the price to the lowest rates ever into and out of Doha. As the only airline that will carry pets as excess baggage to and from Qatar, the airline significantly reduced the cost of travelling with a pet.

The Future

Qatar Airways looks ahead with excitement to 2018, when it will launch a host of exciting new destinations, including Penang, Malaysia; Canberra, Australia; Thessaloniki, Greece and Cardiff, Wales, the airline’s fifth UK gateway, to name just a few. The airline will also be the global launch customer and launch operator of the Airbus A350-1000 in 2018.

The highest standards of excellence, perseverance and a commitment to innovation are the values that have led Qatar Airways to be named the World’s Best Airline in 2017, and which it will carry with it into 2018.

Nearly £600 was raised for the Mayor of Sandwell's charities at the West Bromwich Community Awards night.

And today the Mayor Councillor Ahmadul Haque MBE received the cheque for £592.70 from West Bromwich town lead Councillor Steve Melia.

The money was raised through an auction and donations during the awards ceremony at West Bromwich Town Hall earlier this month (December).

The Mayor is raising money this year for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and Your Trust Charity, run by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, specifically raising money for cancer services and research.

Councillor Haque said: "I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone in West Bromwich who gave donations or took part in the auction at the awards evening to help raise money for these two very important charities."

The generosity of a City of Wolverhampton-born businessman has made Wolverhampton Central Library the permanent home for one of the Wolves in Wolves pack.

Alan Degg, owner of Hilton Main Construction, successfully bid £1,000 for Meditation at last month’s auction of the wolves from the largest public art event ever to take place in the city.

Meditation, designed by local artist Nigel James Kilworth, was on show at Central Library during the summer’s popular trail of 40 colourful wolves sculptures across Wolverhampton.

Alan, aged 51, has now decided to donate it to the library, where it will take pride of place on the ground floor.

He said: “I wanted to give something back to the city. I love Wolverhampton and its people and it felt right to bring Meditation back home to the library.”

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, added: “We are thrilled that not only has Alan helped the project raise money for its chosen charities but he has donated the wolf to the city’s Central Library for all to enjoy.

“The wolves really captured people’s imaginations this summer showcasing the city to visitors and helping to put the city on the map as a cultural centre, the whole project has been a howling success.”

The auction raised £35,440 for local arts charity Outside Centre and the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Elias Mattu's chosen charities.

Rare baby penguins at the National Sea Life Centre have been enjoying their very first Christmas experience with a visit from Santa, who delivered them some squeaky festive toys as part of their enrichment.

‘Gentoo penguins are naturally very curious creatures, so we try and encourage this behaviour by introducing fun new toys for them to play with into their environment,’ Penguin Keeper Hayley Roberts commented. ‘It helps to nurture their natural inquisitive behaviour.’

‘Santa was of course delighted to pay them a visit; their cold climate meant he felt right at home. For the babies it’s the first time they’ve encountered Santa - they are very excited as they’ve been good all year!’

Nicknamed Hulk and Dumpling for their respective sizes at birth, the two chicks are now over 6 months old. The rare penguin pair were the first to hatch at the aquarium as part of a global breeding programme after Gentoo penguin numbers declined rapidly. Their parents crossed continents to conceive, coming all the way to Birmingham from as far as Canada and New Zealand.

For further information about the National Sea Life Centre’s ‘Breed, Rescue, Protect’ conservation programme or to book tickets to see the penguins over the festive season, visit: www.sealife.co.uk/birmingham

2017 has been another year full of surprises, political changes and conflicting headlines. As the year draws to a close, Romans’ Directors have reflected on the big changes in 2017 and what they predict will have the biggest impact on the property market in 2018…

Antony Gibson, Managing Director of Sales at Romans says: “Over the past two years, there is no denying that transaction levels and price growth have steadied as buyers and sellers took a wait and see approach following Brexit, the US election, the UK election.

Buyers now have more information at their fingertips than ever before and affordability has been limited due to stricter mortgage lending criteria, the prospect of increasing interest rates and inflation growing faster than wages. Sellers, whilst able to set asking prices, will better recognise that buyers and their limited affordability will be a big factor in determining the final property sale price.

However, the balance is that there remains to be a strong demand for property and supply fails to meet needs – so, when applying simple rules of economics, the lack of supply is likely to keep the market moving in a broadly upward direction.

The government’s announcement that first time buyers will be exempt from paying Stamp Duty, is not only great news for first time buyers, but also the housing market in general. More activity at the lower end of the housing market is a benefit to everyone as the increased confidence will filter up. Those looking to take their second step up the property ladder will now benefit from more prospective buyers and new homes developments are also likely to see more interest.

Our prediction for this year is that the market will remain steady, confidence in it will increase and many of those who had put moving on hold in 2017 will choose to move in 2018 recognising that putting their lives and moves on hold benefits no one."

Michael Cook, Managing Director of Lettings adds his predictions for the next 12 months, “The rental market remained stable in 2017, there was a strong demand from tenants throughout the year and, in August we set a new record for the number of tenants moving in! Although in some market places average rents remained flat, many of our locations demonstrated a growth of between 1-2.5%.

With a healthy demand from tenants and, slightly reduced capital values in some locations, it’s unsurprising that 1 in 4 of all new buyers who registered with Romans were looking to purchase a buy-to-let property. Despite the high number of registrations, only 1 in 8 properties were sold to investors. This uncertainty is most likely a result of the changes made by the government to tax relief for landlords as well as the increase in Stamp Duty and of course, the impending Brexit deal.

Whilst the political landscape is unclear and will no doubt cause some investors to pause and think before committing to a purchase, we believe the rental market will provide consistent returns for landlords with no real signs of tenant demand abating. Although, returns may not be as buoyant as previous years, we predict increased rents of around 1-1.5%.

With rents slowly rising and the introduction of legislation to regulate the industry (something we’ve campaigned for as members of ARLA for some time), tenants will benefit from an improved financial position. Following in the government’s footsteps, we are looking closely at how we can positively impact the lettings market for landlords and tenants alike.

With the recent rise in interest rates, we asked our Mortgage Director, Greg May to predict what will happen in 2018 and explain the importance of reviewing your mortgage annually.

“Financial experts predict that there will be another rate rise on the cards for 2018 which is great news for savers and those who are currently sitting on a fixed rate mortgage. Whilst future rate rises aren’t likely to cause a financial crisis thanks to the stress testing lenders have placed on applicants to ensure repayments remain manageable if rates rose by between 5 and 7%, those sitting on standard variable rate mortgages may find they are overpaying unnecessarily.

I recommend reviewing your mortgage annually, just as you would your gas and electricity bills to ensure you are on the right product for your circumstances. With a future rate rise almost a certainty, this is now more important than ever.”

The rate of price increases has certainly slowed but by no means stalled. Slow, consistent growth is the signs of a healthy market and is not a reason to put moves on hold. The biggest challenges to the property market are government changes including the increase in interest rates and Stamp Duty, which limit buyer and tenant affordability. The slight fall of transaction levels in 2017, along with steadying prices does mean that mean that accurate pricing and understanding of demand in the local market will be key success drivers for both sellers and landlords in 2018.

A major milestone in Haringey’s ambitious plans for Tottenham was reached today with the signing of the development agreement for the High Road West scheme with leading developer, Lendlease.

The High Road West development, opposite Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium, will deliver benefits for the borough including:

• More than 2,500 high quality homes, with at least 750 affordable homes for local people
• 191 high-quality council homes which will be managed by Homes for Haringey, meeting the aspirations of the Resident Charter agreed with local residents
• A cutting edge new library and learning centres
• A refurbished community hub with new facilities at the Grange
• A new civic square for community activities and cultural events, flanked by new shops, restaurants and cafes
• New green spaces including gardens, children’s play area and outdoor gym
• More than £10million social and economic support for businesses and residents
• Investment in the town centre and community events
• Thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of new jobs following development
• A new industrial space to support businesses from the existing Peacock Industrial Estate
• A new district energy centre

‘Tottenham is London's most dynamic and important regeneration area and this is an exciting landmark in our ambitious plans to bring thousands of new homes and jobs to the area in the next two decades. This regeneration scheme has been strongly supported by tenants with local people heavily involved in shaping the plans for High Road West. Its welcome news that getting started on the scheme has taken a big step forward today.’

The Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills (ECMS) has helped a local engineering company create the right pattern for plugging its skills gap by taking on a new apprentice.

The ECMS is a new employer-led training facility for the Black Country, designed to enhance productivity in the region’s high value manufacturing sector by providing specialist training and helping to close skills gaps identified by employers.

Following a visit to The Skills Show in November, Christopher Ravenall, 20 from Castle Bromwich, was introduced to Elkington Brothers Ltd, a pattern and toolmaking firm based in Great Barr, Sandwell.

James Kelly, Managing Director at Elkington Brothers Ltd, said:  “We have an ageing workforce and an ever-increasing skills gap but we’ve struggled historically to find a course suitable for new apprentices.  We’ve worked closely with the ECMS in relation to developing relevant course content and an apprenticeship which covers the depths needed for pattern and tool making.

“Since the recession, demand for our products is on the increase and we’re looking to diversify into the rail and aerospace industries so ensuring that the workforce has the skills needed is a priority for the business.”

Christopher said:  “I didn’t have that much luck going through the traditional education system so thought that an apprenticeship would be a good alternative route to take.  My father is a toolmaker and I’m really keen to learn as much about the industry and engineering as I can in order to have the brightest future.”

Trevor Codner, Business Development Manager at the ECMS, said:  “We work with a variety of employers to find the right apprentices for them, and we work with our partners to ensure that the courses are fit for purpose in relation to the skills that are needed in the industry.

“Christopher was desperately looking for an opportunity and we were able to match him, not only to an apprenticeship that he was interested in, but we also found a suitable employer where he’s now working full-time.”

Set to open in January 2018, the ECMS Hub will be based at the University of Wolverhampton’s £100 million Springfield Campus and will deliver skills training, through short courses and apprenticeships, at four Spokes across the Midlands.

ECMS is a collaboration between the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, University of Wolverhampton, Dudley College, Cast Metals Federation, Confederation of British Metalforming and the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers.

Employers or potential apprentices should contact Trevor Codner at the ECMS on 0800 953 3222 or 01902 321663.

Could the traditional Christmas pudding soon be in danger of being consigned to history and replaced by a sponge alternative?

For the first time Tesco has this year more festive sponges on offer than Christmas puddings – 12 sponges compared with 10 traditional puddings.

The change has come because younger diners, and Millennials in particular, prefer sponges as they are easier to digest compared with heavier, fruited puddings.

In 2013 five times as many shopper bought Christmas puds compared to sponges. Now, it's only twice as many, and that gap is predicted to narrow even more this year.

Last Christmas Tesco saw demand for sponge alternatives grow by nearly 10 per cent on the previous year while sales of traditional puds remained stable. This year it is expecting even more customers to be in favour of sponges.

Tesco seasonal bakery buyer Vicky Smith explained:

“These sponge alternatives are proving popular as tastes are changing, particularly with younger people who are generally not so keen on fruited puddings.

“There is also more innovation to be found in sponges as shapes and centres can be different – such as our finest*Orange Liqueur Sponge with Belgian Chocolate Sauce, that you pour into the middle and let it gently cascade out.

“Another top seller in the run up to Christmas this year is our finest* Gingerbread and Butterscotch Melt Pudding.

“Along with sprouts, pudding is now the most divisive part of the festive feast – the choice between a traditional Christmas pud or a modern alternative.

“But if demand carries on at its present rate it might not be too long before the festive sponge takes over completely.”

People needing help from food banks in Sandwell are benefiting from a Christmas collection organised by council staff.

Crates of donated food are going to West Bromwich Food Bank, with £520 raised in cash donations going to Breaking Bread Food Bank in Wednesbury and The Well Food Bank in Tipton.

The council’s education benefits office has organised a collection for several years on the first floor of Sandwell Council House, Oldbury. This year, the team expanded its collection and received donations from across the Council House as well as council offices at Jack Judge House, Oldbury, and Providence Place, West Bromwich.

Items donated by council staff and their families range from pasta, sauce and tins to Christmas puddings and chocolates.

Local companies Clarke Transport’s head office in Oldbury and FCL Global Forwarding Ltd in Smethwick also supported the initiative.

Councillor Steve Trow, cabinet member for core council services, said: “I want to say a big thank you to the council staff who organised this collection and to everyone who donated items or money. Staff in the education benefits office work day in, day out with families who need help and support, so they really understand how difficult some local families are finding it to make ends meet. Their effort over several years to collect items and raise money makes a real difference to local people.

“We also thank the many fantastic volunteers at food banks in Sandwell who support local families all year round.”

Keith Turner, from Elim West Bromwich Community Church, which runs the West Bromwich Food Bank, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to the education benefits office for organising the food collection this Christmas.

“They collected a massive 320 kilos of donations which will make a real difference to residents of West Bromwich and Sandwell who are in crisis, often through no fault of their own. The seasonal donations will also help to make their Christmas a little happier. Thank you again to all who contributed.”

The 29th of December will once again be the best day for Brits to re-sell any Christmas gifts that aren’t right for them and make self-improvement purchases ahead of the new year, according to data* by online marketplace eBay.

Christened ‘Boxing Up Day’, the 29th of December is the day each year when Brits pack up the Christmas gifts that haven’t quite hit the mark and list them for re-sale on eBay.

This modern-day Christmas tradition returns, as data** shows households across the UK are set to receive more than £850million worth of gifts that aren’t right for them. One in five of Brits stated that they would use the money they make from re-selling Christmas gifts to fund their new year goals,  with the average person set to spend £511*** in January on items including new clothes, DIY, hairstyles and fitness equipment.

The biggest motivator for these self-improvement purchase decisions is weight-loss (30%), followed by stress relief (12%) and making new friends (10%).

Between 9pm and 10pm on 29th of December is the best time to re-sell gifts on eBay as the online marketplace sees a peak in searches - one every eight seconds - as a third of Brits admit Christmas fatigue has set in and 81% said they are fully focused on the year ahead by this point in the festive break.

This year the analysts at eBay have trawled through all the data from 2016 to create a list of the best items to re-sell on the 29th of December, based on best sellers from last year between 27th – 30th December, that can support new projects:

1. DVDs and blu-rays (30,404)
2. Home Décor e.g lamps, vases and soft furnishings (18,062)
3. DIY materials e.g. powertools (15,831)
4. Mobile smart phones (15,312)
5. Furniture e.g. sofas, coffee tables and chairs (11,250)
6. Women’s Handbags (9,594)
7. Appliances e.g. blenders, sandwich makers and electric steamers (9,496)
8. Women’s Shoes (9,417)
9. Men’s shoes (6,760)
10. Women’s fragrances (3,144)

Eight out of ten of us believe that Christmas is the perfect time to declutter, making space by getting rid of stuff they no longer need, with one in three admitting it’s a cathartic exercise that leaves them feeling more positive about the year ahead.

With more than 23million buyers on eBay every month and last year Brits bought more than one million items on the site between 27 – 30 December at a rate of 173 products per minute, or three every second.

Will Weightman, Senior Director, Consumer Selling, eBay UK says, “The period between Christmas and the New Year is an incredibly busy listings period on the site. Normally at this time of year people are looking for ways to make a bit of extra cash and fund the things they want to do in the new year.”

Work is progressing well on Wolverhampton city centre’s new Jaguar Land Rover showroom.

The steel framework for the £14 million development on Penn Road - close to Ring Road St Mark’s – is set to start going up in January.

The Jardine Motors Group dealership is expected to create around 70 jobs and is planned to open in Autumn 2018.

New artist’s impressions show what the finished showroom will look like.

“Nick Morgan, Jardine Motors Group Construction Manager, said: “The development is moving ahead at great speed now.

“The teams at SRA Architects, Speller Metcalfe and City of Wolverhampton Council have worked hard to ensure the success of the project and to enable Jardine Motors Group to deliver the best customer experience possible.”

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, added: “It is great news for the city centre to see this development project moving forward.

“This is a major development in this area – regenerating a redundant site which lies in a prominent position on one of our gateways to the city centre.

“Attracting this type of development shows what an aspirational city we are.

“Jaguar Land Rover is a global leader who chose to build a major production base on the i54 site we developed in collaboration with South Staffordshire Council and Staffordshire County Council.

“Cars that have been part-produced in the city could be sold from the Penn Road site in the future.”

The new dealership will cover four acres and will include a showroom and a service centre.

Aston Villa FC players, including Captain John Terry, stopped by Birmingham Children’s Hospital to help spread festive cheer with young people, staff and families.

Over 20 squad members took time out to spend time on Wards 5, 7, 10 and 15 along with the Oncology Outpatients and Play and Admissions Centre. They signed autographs, posed for photographs and gave out early Christmas presents.

Emma Eardley, Deputy Manager and Senior Play Specialist for Play and Youth Services, said: “It’s always a highlight of the year when we welcome the Aston Villa players into our hospital. It gives our children and families a real lift, especially those who will be spending the Christmas period with us.

“We’d like to thank everyone at the club who helped make the visit happen and also for their support for our Out To Play Appeal. It was fantastic to see the excitement and happiness that came from our young people meeting their football heroes.”

More than one in four teenagers – an estimated 90,000 young people in the West Midlands - say they couldn’t enjoy Christmas without social media according to a new survey carried out for The Children’s Society.

Almost one in three, 106,000, said they thought it was getting harder to enjoy Christmas, while only 1 in 10 felt it was getting easier.

Many young people are left casting envious glances at their peers and people they follow, with 31%, 103,000, saying that social media use at Christmas makes them want more gifts and presents after having compared themselves to others.

One in five children think that friends on social media seem to be having a better Christmas than them.

However, 40 per cent felt that social media made them think more about those who are less fortunate than they are at Christmas time.

The poll of 1,010 13-17-year-olds in England and Wales, conducted by Research Now for The Children’s Society, found nearly a third (32%) increased their use of social media over Christmas, with only 8 per cent saying they spent less time on the online platforms.

Almost half (47%) of all young people said they didn’t spend enough time with friends during the Christmas break, with three quarters (76%) of those who use social media more at this time of year saying they did so to see what their school friends were doing over the holidays. Worryingly 13 per cent said they use social media more at Christmas to help them feel less alone, while 17 per cent do so to escape family stress and 32 per cent do so because they feel bored.

Rob Willoughby, Midlands Area Director at The Children’s Society, said: “Christmas can be a stressful time for everyone, including children. Many miss their friends whilst not at school and social media can represent an important lifeline to the outside world.

“Although social media can have many benefits, we know that overuse can be damaging to young people’s well-being and may harm their mental health.

“That is why parents need to be aware of what children are doing online and more needs to be done to raise awareness about how to minimise risks and help ensure use of social media is as positive an experience as possible.

“It is also absolutely vital that parents talk to their children, support them to see friends and encourage them to stay active.

“By doing so they can help them to overcome the stresses of the season and enjoy the festive spirit.

“There will however be many children this Christmas, with nowhere to turn, and at The Children’s Society we support thousands of these young people.  It is vital that more of them are able to access the support they need all year round.”

The Children’s Society is calling for tougher regulation and decisive action by social media companies to ensure the online world is safer for children and to minimise risks like cyber-bullying and online grooming.

It wants to see clearer child-friendly guidelines, better advice on blocking people and reporting issues, and quicker and more effective responses to reports of inappropriate behaviour and material.

Mr Willoughby added: “The Government must do its bit to make sure this happens, and we would urge it to listen to the voices of young people in developing its proposed Code of Practice for social media companies, which we would like to see in place as soon as possible.”

Over the Christmas period we’re all bound to divulge in a few Christmas movies and holiday specials, however do you know if your friends and family are actually enjoying themselves? A study conducted by AO.com & Liverpool John Moores University has identified that people will often say and think one emotion but their body may be reacting in a completely different way.

A group of 21 participants claimed to experience only the slightest increase in happiness (just 13%) when watching a movie, but their bodies showed an increase of ten times that rate. So the question is are these participants aware they’re enjoying the movie and are just too embarrassed to say?

The human body has a number of giveaways to reflect someone’s emotion meaning you’ll be able to tell if they’re lying when they say “I didn’t enjoy that EastEnders special”. AO,com’s new study reveals how to do this.

Zygomaticus Major

This is a muscle that is located slightly above the cheek and is associated with positive emotions; almost like a secret smile. A twitch can indicate someone is enjoying something even if they won’t say they are. This is a great giveaway if someone is watching something they claim to dislike. Keep an eye on your partner, brother or dad when you’re watching Frozen, a twitch of their mouth will tell you that they’re singing “Let It Go!” on the inside.

Corrugator Supercilli

A muscle that sits across your eyebrow, the movement of the Corrugator can indicate when an individual is having a negative experience. The movement of this muscle is a huge red flag when watching most Christmas entertainment, however if you prefer your programming to make you anxious or scared then this is the muscle you should look for. Notoriously scary movies such as Krampus and Gremlins should have your eyes twitching.

Skin Conductance Levels

Skin conductance is essentially how sweaty or clammy an individual becomes during an emotion response. If you are watching Home Alone this Christmas, look out for any signs of anxiety during the scenes with Kevin, Marv and Hank, as this can be a key factor in producing this response. You’ll be able to see just how scared they are for Kevin, no matter how many times they’ve seen it.

A new community centre in Tottenham Hale has just opened featuring the first purpose-built Anglican church in London for 40 years.

At the heart of Hale Village is The Engine Room which will serve the community in a number of ways by offering a community centre, St Francis church, a nursery and a café.

Run by the Diocese of London it aims to be the ‘engine of the community’ and is named after the site on which it is built - a furniture factory, requisitioned during World War Two to build engines for fighter aircraft.

“Our strapline is ‘the community starts here’, said The Engine Room’s operations manager Andrew Johnston. “And we really want to get all sections of the community involved in what we are doing. We already have an incredible diversity of bookings – from children’s birthday parties to Christmas fairs to corporate bookings – and we have three spaces for people to hire at reasonable community rates. We are looking for people to bring in their ideas and their enthusiasm because a place like this really can make a difference.”

Walk into St Francis’ main hall and you are instantly struck by the huge, colourful piece of artwork behind the altar created by acclaimed artist Graeme Mortimer Evelyn. Called The Eternal Engine it is the UK’s largest contemporary altarpiece and is open to a variety of interpretations.

“Graeme lived in our community for over a year and we talked about connectedness, which is reflected in this piece, and how connectedness is key for our work here in the community,” said the Revd Andrew Williams, priest at St Francis. “It is hugely exciting to be a part of this and the community is the absolute focus of what we’re about. We also have the lease for 250 years so everyone knows we are here for the long haul.”

Loven bakery is a community focused cafe, bakery and wine shop which runs in collaboration with The Engine Room as part of the new community centre. It hosts events, promotes local businesses and organisations as well as providing appren­ticeship training schemes and affordable, healthy, high-quality food and drink.

For Martina and Andrew Kwapong the opening of the new building is a particular cause of celebration. For the past four years the church community workers have been helping locals from a small flat around the corner.

“We also worked from a shipping container and a park and now we’re here!” said Martina, laughing. “We wanted something different, something where the church and the community really does live side by side, and this is what we have in The Engine Room. The community love this place and people have already made friends through this.”

For more details, or to make a booking, call The Engine Room in Eagle Heights, Hale Village on 020 8808 5490 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. St Francis holds services every Sunday at 11am and on the last Sunday of the month there is a ‘shared lunch’ where members of the congregation can bring food to share.

Eating chocolate for breakfast, Christmas coffee cups and time off work are some of the nation’s favourite things about the festive season, according to a new study by Ladbrokes Casino.

The research, which polled more than 2,000 Brits, looked into our favourite things about Christmas including traditions, food and drink, films and music.

Some of the more unusual Christmas traditions included; one in 20 said ‘an excuse for a kiss under the mistletoe’, 10% voted for ‘post-Christmas dinner naps’ and more than one in 10 felt one of the best things was that ‘it’s the time of year you don’t feel guilty about gaining weight’.

The Christmas football fixtures get the nation excited every year and the poll revealed the biggest hot spots around the UK that are most excited about tuning in to watch the nation’s favourite sport during December.

The cities most dedicated to the Christmas football fixtures:

1. Cardiff (20%)
2. Liverpool (20%)
3. Nottingham (13%)
4. Leeds (11%)
5. Birmingham (10%)

When it came to festive food ‘Boxing Day leftovers’ proved to be more popular than a ‘Christmas Eve buffet’ or a ‘Christmas Day breakfast’ (26% vs 17% and 15% respectively).

The study also aimed to rank our favourite Christmas movies, songs and carols:

The Top 5 favourite Christmas movies are:

1. Home Alone (24%)
2. It’s a Wonderful Life (21%)
3. Miracle on 34th Street (18%)
4. Elf (16%)
5. The Muppet Christmas Carol (15%)

The nation was more sure of their favourite Christmas song as almost a third (30%) voted for Fairytale of New York by The Pogues overshadowing second and third place, Merry Christmas Everybody by Slade (24%) and Last Christmas by Wham (23%).

Kaidi Kuusk at Ladbrokes Casino said: “The nation has voted on what the best things about Christmas are and the list reveals we look forward to Boxing Day leftovers more than Christmas Eve buffets or Christmas day breakfasts.

“Home Alone’s an all-time classic so it’s no surprise to see it top the list as the nation’s favourite Christmas film. It looks safe to say Cardiffians and Liverpudlians can’t wait to stop watching the likes of Mrs Brown’s Boys and get stuck into the Boxing Day fixture list.

“Whether you agree with our list or not, it’s clear the nation has an opinion on what the best things about Christmas are.”