Community News

An array of talented children from Hallfield School in Edgbaston are to perform at The Crescent Theatre in Birmingham over the Christmas break.

The eight children aged between eight and twelve will be performing in ‘Wind in the Willows’ at the theatre until Friday 22 December.

Former Hallfieldian Tobias Ishaque – who is now at King Edwards School in Birmingham - stars as Toad. He is ably supported by current Hallfield pupils Meher Gazi in Year 5, Laila Mahate in Year 6, Thalia Pigadas in Year 6 and Sophia Ishaque in Year 4 as well as recent leavers Zachary Mukwamba, Lamees Mahate and Harrison Osborne.

The production will be produced by DramaLink Theatre Company, a project which links young people through Drama.

Liz Piddock, Creator & Artistic Director of DramaLink, said: “We are grateful to have the support of Hallfield School not only for the provision of rehearsal space, but also for providing such talented children to be prominent members of the cast.

“Children from across Birmingham are joining together in this outreach community project. The theatre company makes no charge to it’s actors and thus provides actor training and wonderful theatre experience to everyone involved.”

In the lead up to Christmas, the independent crime-fighting charity, Crimestoppers, is today appealing to the public for information on those making, buying or selling counterfeit banknotes.

Washroom advertising is being placed in various pubs and clubs around the area to compliment extensive social media activity, including at The Canalside in Gas Street, The O Bar in Broad Street and The White Swan in Church Street, to help maximise exposure.

In the first half of 2017, over 237,000 worthless counterfeit banknotes with a notional value of over £4.88 million were removed from the UK’s streets.

While less than 0.05% of notes in circulation are counterfeit, this is not a victimless crime. Many retailers, businesses, schools, charities and the elderly have been conned out of money using fake notes.

Christmas is a time when more cash changes hands, especially £20 and £50 notes, and fraudsters take advantage of the festive season by targeting busy shops with temporary staff.

Incidents include scammers tricking innocent members of the public into swapping fake £20 notes for two genuine £10 notes, and businesses being left out of pocket if they take a counterfeit note.

Counterfeit notes are also known to be linked to serious and organised criminal gangs. One gang was sentenced to over three years’ imprisonment for the manufacture of £320,000 worth of fake notes. In another more recent case, three men were prosecuted after £40,000 of fake notes were found in a Kent property that was also used to supply cannabis.

As well as raising public awareness of fake banknotes, in October Crimestoppers partnered with the Bank of England to launch the Banknote Checking Scheme. Aimed at cash-handling businesses, it promotes banknote checking at point of sale through targeted training, with the aim of reducing the number of counterfeit notes being accepted.

Forget the traditional roast turkey this Christmas: hungryhouse.co.uk has revealed what thousands of Brits will really be chowing down on this Christmas Day – and it’s not what you think.

Based on thousands of orders from Christmas 2016, the online food-ordering platform reveals that pizza is officially the most popular Christmas Day takeaway, with hungryhouse selling one every seven seconds last year. Margherita, meat feast and Hawaiian top the list of most popular toppings.

Next on the list of most-loved festive food is chicken with nearly a third (29%) of orders on December 25^th. Burgers come third at 20% and Indian food fourth (11%) – with Korma, Biryani and Tikka Masala proving most popular.

Those with more adventurous taste will be opting for Lebanese (6%), sushi (5%) or Persian (3%) this coming yuletide, according to the extensive data revealed by hungryhouse.

The statistics also show we’re a divided nation when it comes to our festive food choices, with those in Yorkshire (58%) and the North-East (31%) opting for burgers above anything else. It’s all-about-Italian for those in the south east (67%), south west (55%) and London (67%).

Scotland is revealed as the only region fanatical about Chinese food with nearly a quarter (24%) ordering it on Christmas Day 2016; other regions kicked the cuisine to the kerb, with only 2% of orders from the rest of the UK opting for the oriental food.

UK Top 10 Christmas Day Takeaways

1)    Pizza & Italian (31%)

2)    Chicken (29%)

3)    Burgers (20%)

4)    Indian (11%)

5)    Chinese (8%)

6)    Lebanese (6%)

7)    Kebab (5%)

8)    Sushi & Japanese (5%)

9)    Thai (4%)

10) Persian (3%)

Public Health England (PHE) West Midlands is renewing the call for people to check they are up-to-date with two doses of MMR vaccine. It comes as cases of measles confirmed in Birmingham rises to 16, and people begin to gather for Christmas celebrations across the city, providing the ideal opportunity for measles to spread wider across the city and the region.

PHE has previously reported managing an outbreak of measles in Birmingham alongside Birmingham City Council and NHS partners, with cases confirmed since the beginning of November. Almost all cases have been in children.

Symptoms to be aware of include:

• high fever
• sore, red, watery eyes
• coughing
• aching and feeling generally unwell
• a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms

Dr Bharat Sibal, PHE West Midlands Health Protection consultant, said: “Measles is extremely infectious. Christmas is fast approaching and gatherings will be held where the disease can spread easily. It is really important that anyone who hasn’t had two doses of the MMR vaccine contacts their GP surgery to get up-to-date. If you’re unsure whether you or your children have had the vaccine, check your child’s Red Book or contact your GP surgery to find out. You do not need to seek additional vaccines if you and your children have had two MMR vaccines in the past.

“With ongoing outbreaks in other parts of Europe including Romania, Italy and Germany, we’re also warning that anyone travelling to these countries for the festive period is at particularly high risk. If you’re planning to go to these countries, contact your GP to arrange an appointment for vaccination before you travel, if you’ve not received two doses of MMR in the past.”

Because measles is so infectious, anyone with symptoms is also being advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice in the first instance to prevent the illness spreading further.

Dr Sibal added: “Members of the public should be vigilant for the symptoms of measles, including high fever; sore, red, watery eyes, coughing, aching and feeling generally unwell and a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms. If you’re concerned that you or your child may have measles, please do not go to A&E or your GP surgery straight away. Instead telephone your GP or ring  NHS 111 for advice. This will prevent measles being spread to other people who may be vulnerable. If you think you have symptoms and your surgery is closed for the festive period, telephone NHS 111 for advice – do not go straight to A&E.

“If you think you could have measles, it’s also really important to stay away from areas where you could come into contact with lots of other people – so stay away from any Christmas gatherings if you have symptoms, and especially from vulnerable patients in hospitals, care homes or similar settings. We understand Christmas is a time to visit loved ones, but measles can be serious for these groups and spreads easily in these places.”

The free MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against measles, as well as mumps and rubella. It is particularly important for parents to take up the offer of MMR vaccination for their children when offered at 1 year of age and as a pre-school booster at 3 years 4 months of age. If children and young adults have missed these vaccinations in the past, it’s important to take up the vaccine now from GPs, particularly in light of the recent cases in Birmingham.

The prolific and highly-successful British playwright David Edgar has returned to his hometown of Birmingham to oversee the premiere of a newly-revised version of one of his most famous productions.

Originally written in 1994, Edgar’s ‘Pentecost’ is being performed by Birmingham City University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Theatre Company at the Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome from 13 until 16 December.

David Edgar said: “The play is usually done naturalistically and, although much of the production is done in that way, director Aleksandar Dundjerović has invented an extraordinary, poetic ending for the play, which is different from any previous production.

“The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has unique facilities and noted teaching skills, so I was excited when Aleksandar suggested I become involved with the rehearsals of this production. I came in to hear the first read-through and a couple of other rehearsals, as well as the dress rehearsal. I have enjoyed and valued being part of the process of making this production.”

Edgar was born into the fourth generation of a theatrical family, has long associations with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and has seen more than 60 of his plays published and performed on stage, radio and television around the world.

Edgar added: “Birmingham has always had a justified reputation for music and the visual arts. More recently, it gave a home to Britain’s leading ballet company. I have been visiting the Birmingham Rep since I was three years old. But there's no doubt that the presence of two major universities teaching drama and theatre arts has invigorated the city’s cultural scene.”

A medieval art discovery in a dusty church with the potential to change history is at the centre of ‘Pentecost’. This politically-topical drama sees armed and desperate migrants storm the church holding hostage the art historians who have come to study the fresco.

‘Pentecost’ is directed by Aleksandar Dundjerović, Professor of Performing Arts at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, added:

“The play is set in the Balkans during the early 1990s, when civil war was ravaging Yugoslavia. David Edgar, one of the best living British playwrights, made a story for the changing world of the beginning of 1990s, the one that we left behind and that we should be much better off without. With the movement of mass migration in 2015 of millions of refugees from wars, we are now all part of Edgar’s world depicted in ‘Pentecost’.

“Despite the present divisions in the world, Edgar gives us warning that we may still save ourselves from neo-conservatism and neoliberalism, new nationalisms and neo-colonialism and enforced progress driven by corporate thinking. The play offers a resolution to conflicts – be it financial, religious or ideological – by reminding us that we are all part of the same humanity, and we all share the same vision of belonging to something higher than we are.”

Born in Belgrade, Serbia, Dundjerović is an award-winning professional theatre director and throughout his career has worked on major productions in his home country as well as in Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Iran, the USA and the UK.

‘Pentecost’ was first performed in 1994 at the Other Place by the Royal Shakespeare Company and directed by Michael Attenborough. This production transferred to the Young Vic in 1995, where it won that year's Evening Standard Award for Best Play.

The latest incarnation is performed by Acting students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University. Two of the cast members – Henry Glyde and Hugo von Fragstein – have recently been awarded prestigious Laurence Olivier Bursaries. Established by the Society of London Theatres (SOLT) in 1987, the bursary scheme provides financial support to exceptional drama students.

‘Pentecost’ features sequences of traditional Slavic folk dancing and the students were trained for these sections by Russian choreographer, Olga Kozadayeva from Tambov State University.

She said:“It was a great experience for me to train Birmingham City University students. They are all so talented and picked up my choreography very easily.

“I was in awe at the facilities the staff and students at Birmingham City University have at their disposal to learn and teach. I was also impressed by the cast’s work ethic during rehearsals. I hope their performance of ‘Pentecost’ is a great success. We also hope that our little contribution to the show – teaching dancing and Russian speech – will play a positive role.”

Kozadayeva was visiting Birmingham City University as part of an exchange organised by the institution’s Internal Office and funded through Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility. She was accompanied by Tatyana Kozhevnikova, the Dean of the Faculty of Culture and Arts from Tambov State University, as well as Deputy Head of its International Relations Department, Yuri Zusman, and they spent time meeting with students and academics in various Schools and Departments at Birmingham City University.

Tambov State University is the second largest university in the Central Chernozyom Region of Russia and is named in honour of the Russian poet and statesman, Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin. The University’s visit to Birmingham established new collaborative projects between the two institutions, including student exchanges, visiting professorships and the potential for joint productions between performing arts scholars in the future.

At least 1,400 vulnerable people will spend Christmas on a hospital ward – well enough to go home, but trapped because of a social care system starved of funding – an Alzheimer’s Society investigation has revealed.

Alzheimer’s Society today warned a desperate lack of available homecare and care homes is ‘turning wards into waiting rooms’, after its investigation revealed people with dementia are being delayed up to ten times as long as those without the condition.

There is no cure for dementia, or drugs that can slow its progression, so it’s social care, rather than the NHS, that hundreds of thousands of people with dementia in the UK rely on every day. But with a £2bn social care funding shortfall, there is not enough support for people with dementia.

The investigation, which analysed data from hospital-led audits (1), found that last year people with dementia spent 500,000 extra days in hospital, despite being well enough to go home, at a cost to the NHS of over £170 million. Limited data is collected on dementia care in hospitals, and only two thirds of people with dementia have a diagnosis (2), so this is likely to be a conservative estimate of the true picture.

Prolonged stays in hospital have life-changing consequences for people with dementia – many become too frail to be discharged to their own home, with some sadly dying before they are discharged.

Julie Evans from Great Barr, Birmingham, said: “My father was admitted to hospital due to a water infection which seriously affected his confusion. Up until that time he had lived in his home with help and support from family. Whilst in hospital his dementia seemed to worsen dramatically and it was decided that he would not be able to return home and would require a care home. We had to wait for him to be allocated for assessment of his needs. We waited 4 weeks for an assessment place. He was sent to a home where I saw no stimulation or interaction, staff bought food and drink and kept guard by the doors.  My dad was there for 1 week before he suffered a fall which saw him break his hip. He was admitted to hospital where he later died. In my experience of seeing both of my parents with dementia needing hospital and then care home, I can only say that neither was acceptable. The care home should have been available as soon as dad was passed fit to leave not after a further 4 weeks.

“I still cry every day because of what happened to my dad and because I had to let him go through the system, the guilt I feel will stay with me for the rest of my life. I feel very strongly about this as both my parents suffered very degrading ends to lives that had been spent as loving, caring, valuable members of society.”

Nurses on the frontline are fearful of the safety of people with dementia while they’re stuck in hospital for lengthy periods. As part of its investigation, Alzheimer’s Society carried out a survey in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing (3) which found 1 in 10 nurses surveyed have seen people with dementia waiting in hospital for over a year.

One of the nurses surveyed described hospital as ‘one of the most confusing and upsetting environments for a patient with dementia’. Another expressed concern that people with dementia ‘are much more likely to harm themselves in acute settings where they are not managed appropriately or able to have the attention they deserve to maintain their safety’.

Maria Parkes, Services Manager in Birmingham, at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “With such scarce social care funding, wards are being turned into waiting rooms, and safety is being jeopardised.

“From the woman who spent two months on a bed in a corridor because there were no available care home places, to the man who died after months of waiting left him debilitated by hospital-acquired infections, people with dementia are repeatedly falling victim to a system that cannot meet their needs.

“One million people will have dementia by 2021, yet local authorities’ social care budgets are woefully inadequate, and no new money has been promised in the budget to cope with increasing demand.

“Government attention must be focussed on social care, and pounds put behind their promises, to alleviate the pressure on our NHS hospitals, and the suffering of people with dementia on its wards.”

Dawne Garrett, Royal College of Nursing Professional Lead for the Care of Older People and Dementia, said: “Nursing staff know better than anyone how often patients with dementia are stranded in hospital when they could be discharged, if only they had more social support.  Hospital is not the best place for people living with dementia, where they are at risk of falling or contracting an infection.

“The College was very concerned to see no extra resources announced for social care in last month’s Budget, and backs Alzheimer’s Society’s call for increased funding for local authorities so that they can give more support to people leaving hospital”.

Many of the 88 existing constellations officially recognised by the International Astronomical Union are based on the zodiac and figures from ancient Greek and Roman mythology, but a new study has found these aren’t necessarily proving successful in enticing children today to look up to the stars - with 29% admitting they wouldn’t actually be able to recognise a single classical constellation. 

In a bid to get kids to take up more of an active interest in the cosmos, The Big Bang Fair has worked with University of Birmingham to create a brand-new set of constellations based on inspirational figures of the modern day that young people will want to look up to - in every sense of the term.

The new project, entitled ‘Look Up To Stars’, centres on eight new constellations for the modern day – each one representing famous men and women that are inspiring to children from the worlds of sport, entertainment, science and activism – with a view to encouraging more young people to take up an interest in the universe.

In a study commissioned by The Big Bang Fair to mark the launch of the project, 72% of the 7-19 year-olds that were polled said they have never looked up at the night sky to find a constellation, while 29% admitted they wouldn’t be able to recognise a single classical constellation by name if shown them.

So what are some of the new constellations that astronomy experts at University at Birmingham have created?

New creations from researchers include Harry Potter’s glasses to represent JK Rowling, a tennis racket for Serena Williams, a space-craft for Tim Peake, a blue whale for Sir David Attenborough and a book in honour of Malala Yousafzai.

Sir Mo Farah meanwhile has been immortalised in the form of an ‘M’ shape constellation after his renowned ‘Mobot’ celebration, with Usain Bolt is also celebrated through a pattern of stars that resembles his own celebratory lightning-bolt stance.

The new constellations are the work of experts at the University of Birmingham’s Astronomy Society. The process of developing the new constellations involved a careful analysis of star maps for different regions of the sky by researchers.

Emma Willett, who led the University of Birmingham research team, commented: “It was an honour to work alongside The Big Bang Fair to develop a new set of constellations for the modern day to encourage children today to look up to the stars. We really hope these new creations will help people of all ages develop their interest in space and astronomy, working to inspire the next generation of astronomers to take an interest in the field.”

Beth Elgood, Director of Communications at EngineeringUK, who organise The Big Bang Fair, said: “Stargazing is a great way to spark young people's interest in the universe and inspire them to find out more. Inspiration is at the heart of The Big Bang Fair, where young visitors, their teachers and parents have the chance to get hands-on with engaging STEM activities, workshops and shows and discover where science and maths could take them in the future.”

Business leaders in Birmingham have called on the government to take control of the economy by investing in skills and infrastructure, rather the Bank of England’s “balancing act”.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) said moving away from a reliance on consumer spending was more likely to create a path to prosperity.

Paul Faulkner (pictured), chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), was speaking after the announcement that inflation rose from 3 per cent to 3.1 per cent in November, the highest figure in nearly six years, as the squeeze on households continued.

Mr Faulkner said: “Inflation levels crept above the 3 per cent mark for the first time in almost six years as we saw a notable rise in oil prices throughout November – mainly as a by-product of the lower value of the pound.

“Markedly, UK earnings are only rising by around 2 per cent which means households are still feeling the squeeze in the run up to Christmas.

“In his letter to the Chancellor, Mr Carney will no doubt stress that inflation is now close to its peak – however, a key trend we saw in our latest Quarterly Business Report was that local firms are still facing pressures to raise prices which in turn, could produce upward inflationary pressures and continue to have a knock on effect on consumer output.

“Moving away from a reliance on consumer spending and actually investing in skills and infrastructure is more likely to create a path to prosperity than relying on the Bank of England to maintain its balancing act of keeping a lid on inflation whilst also getting households to spend more of their hard earned cash.

“We will be discussing this topic and others at the official launch of the report  which takes place on Monday, January 16, at Birmingham City University.”

The RSPCA’s Birmingham Animal Centre in Frankley Green became isolated when snow started to fall on Friday last week, after the country lanes leading towards it became dangerous to drive on.

But it didn’t deter the dedicated staff, many of who decided to walk on the ice and snow to get to work, with some walking as far as two miles in the freezing cold wind and six-inch snow.

Some staff even stayed overnight at the site, despite being unprepared and not bringing anything with them - purely to ensure that the 39 dogs and 80 cats at the centre could still be looked after.

Deborah Caffull, manager of the centre, said: “With the adverse snow and ice from Friday until Thursday, my team went above and beyond to make sure animals at the centre were cared for.

“The country roads that lead to the centre were dangerous to drive on, making access very limiting for staff to get to work. But I had staff walk into work covering at least two miles, and some staff stayed unprepared on site so they could be available to attend work the next day.

“We had staff coming in early to make the centre as safe as possible to work in and exercise the dogs, provide daily enrichment and make sure they all had clean and warm bedding for the cold nights.

“Even with all the extra work. I still saw smiles on all their faces - and it was obvious the dogs appreciated it too!

“Overall there was minimal impact on the animal's daily routine and that was all down to the team and there pure dedication to make sure the work was carried out.

“This just goes to show how truly passionate RSPCA staff are about animal welfare.”

With just weeks to go until Christmas, Birmingham’s National Sea Life Centre is reminding people about the importance of responsible exotic pet ownership.

Often readily available in high street pet shops and considered the perfect festive gift by unassuming owners, terrapin turtles can be too challenging to take care of without sufficiently detailed research going into the challenges owning one requires.

James McElroy, Lead Reptile Keeper at the aquarium, said: “In the new year we are often inundated with calls about re-homing unwanted terrapins and turtles.

“Unfortunately it is becoming a more frequent occurrence at this time of year as animals are becoming more readily bought as Christmas gifts. Often people might not fully understand the challenges of looking after an exotic pet, and they buy young animals thinking they are cute and small, without considering the fact that these animals will often live for over 30 years, and require specialist tanks and equipment.”

In the early 1990s turtles became popular pets for fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoon television series, which led to hundreds of boating lakes, canals and waterways in towns and cities becoming populated with terrapins and small turtles. As a result of the pet-trade, red-eared-slider turtles in particular are now considered to be one of the world's 100 most invasive species.

The specialist care for turtles can be underestimated prior to purchase, including the sheer size of the creatures. As baby turtles, the size of just a 50p coin, grow to mature adults the size of dinner plates, they develop more sophisticated dietary and accommodation needs, and it is at this point that they are more likely to become abandoned by owners unable to cope.

The National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham homes four species of terrapin, more than 50% of which were donated by the public as unwanted pets. Now full to capacity, the animal care team is urging people to give careful consideration before purchasing an exotic pet.

An innovative campaign enabling those who feel vulnerable in pubs and clubs to discreetly approach staff and get help is being launched in the City of Wolverhampton.

The Ask for Angela initiative, which will be operating at a number of pubs and clubs in the city centre, aims to reduce sexual violence and vulnerability by providing customers with a phrase they can use if they find themselves in an unsafe situation.

It encourages people to go to the bar and "Ask for Angela", which will alert staff to their cry for help and mean they can take action to defuse the situation. They will take the individual to one side or to a safer location away from the person causing the problem so that they can speak in confidence to staff about the situation and any help they may need.

Staff are encouraged to take action as appropriate, perhaps calling a taxi for the individual, contacting their friends or family or requesting that the person causing the distress – either through their actions, words or behaviour – leaves the venue.

Twelve pubs in Wolverhampton have already signed up for the scheme, launched by the City of Wolverhampton Council, West Midlands Police and Wolverhampton Pubwatch, including the Plough and Harrow, Lych Gate Tavern, Chicago Rock Cafe, Wheatsheaf, Old Still, Yates Wolverhampton, Hogshead, Slaters, Bohemian, Grain Store, Dog and Doublet and The Royal London.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "We want people to have a great time and feel safe and comfortable when they are out and about in our City's pubs and clubs, and this is a simple yet effective scheme which empowers them to seek help if they are feeling at all vulnerable by raising their concerns with staff.

"People might find themselves in the company of someone who is not who they seemed, and may want to get away from them safely and without any fuss. By going to the bar and asking for 'Angela', staff will be able to make sure this happens and help prevent the situation from becoming more serious.

"I would like to thank the pubs and clubs which are already part of the Ask for Angela scheme, and would encourage others to sign up so that people who find themselves in unsafe situations know they can get help in the event they need it.

“It is particularly appropriate that we are launching Ask for Angela during the Orange Wolverhampton campaign in support of the United Nations’ 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls, as this is an excellent tool to help tackle gender-based violence.”

Donna Boden, General Manager at Yates Wolverhampton and Chair of Wolverhampton Pubwatch, said: “Ask for Angela is a great idea which will support young females who are feeling vulnerable. It’s great to see so many local businesses and networks coming together to a support such a fantastic scheme.”

Wolverhampton is only the third area in the country to offer the service, which was originally devised by Lincolnshire County Council.

There’s a magical winter wonderland at hospice supporter Dave Edwards’ house as he’s switched on 25,000 Christmas lights to raise money for two charities over the festive period.

Dave and his family have lit up their home and garden in Cheltenham Drive, Bromford, in the hope of collecting £1,000 for Birmingham’s John Taylor Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Society in Birmingham and Solihull.

The 26-year-old business owner has held his own illuminations for more than a decade and his sparkling displays have raised thousands of pounds for charities.

This is the third time Dave has chosen John Taylor Hospice to be a beneficiary of the extravaganza which features penguins, snowmen, reindeer, polar bears and, of course, Father Christmas.

It takes months of planning and weeks of installation to launch the spectacle which also includes a programmed light show in time to popular festive hits. The lights show is open until 1 January and all Dave asks in return is a donation to the chosen charities.

“I started working on it at the beginning of October but I don’t mind - it’s worth it because so many people enjoy it,” said Dave. “It all stems from a love of lights as a child. We used to go around and see people’s lights as a family and then we got one set, then two sets – and now we have 25,000 lights!”

Dave held his first illuminated extravaganza when he was just a teenager and each year he adds a little extra. And he’s keen for his hard work to raise money for local charities.

“This year’s I’ve chosen John Taylor Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Society, both for personal reasons because friends and family have been supported by them,” he said.

“We’d love as many people as possible to come and the lights will be on every day until 1 January. If we’re here, we will also open the garden so people can come in but, if not, you can still see them over the fence. The lights and music show is until 8pm and then the lights stay on until 10pm. I’m hoping to raise £1,000 this year so we’d ask everyone, if they can, to donate.”

John Taylor Hospice Community Fundraising Manager Kerry McGrath urged local people to support Dave’s efforts. “Dave does an amazing job putting the lights show together and raising so much money for worthy causes including his local hospice John Taylor,” she said. “We are really grateful to him for choosing to support John Taylor Hospice again – his hard work is helping us make all the difference for local families.”

Dave is one of many people across the city supporting John Taylor’s Gift a Christmas campaign which is aiming to raise £15,000 – enough to pay for all of the hospice’s services on Christmas Day.

As well as visiting Dave’s lights, people can support Gift a Christmas in a host of ways including buying hospice Christmas cards, holding a Christmas Jumper Day, organising a festive coffee morning or making donations in lieu of cards.

With Christmas around the corner, Edinburgh's landmark building at the top of the Royal Mile is Christmas ready.

The 12 foot Christmas tree in Cafe Hub provides a cheery atmosphere welcoming visitors to celebrate the holiday season with a festive themed afternoon tea for two, including seasonal favourites like homemade mince pies.

The new offering, designed for two people, offers the perfect opportunity to relax and take stock following a day of Christmas shopping on Edinburgh's Royal Mile and Old Town.

To accompany the delicate festive treats, guests can choose from a selection of artisan loose teas including earl grey, apple and cinnamon, Scottish rooibos, chocolate chilli explosion or freshly ground coffee.  The afternoon tea can also be enjoyed with a glass of prosecco.

Head Chef Denis Zominy said: “Afternoon tea sits between lunch and dinner just like The Hub sits between the castle and Holyrood Palace. When you need a little holiday indulgence at the half-way point we have the place to do it, and now the perfect refreshment as well.”

Vegetarian and gluten-free options are also be available if booked in advance.

Also on the festive menu for the holiday season is mulled wine, to warm up in this winter weather, coffee and two mince pies, and a apple winter warmer as a non-alcoholic alternative.

Ferry operator DFDS won a silver award in the Consumer Relations Campaign category at the CIPR Pride Awards for the North East, which was hosted in Newcastle on Friday 8 December.

The company won the accolade for its 'Freedom of Ferry Travel' campaign, which saw professional Red Bull and extreme sports free runners perform a series of stunts and free running tricks on board one of its Newcastle-Amsterdam ferries.

More than 950 entries were submitted for the awards from 337 companies, 604 campaigns, 14 teams and 48 individuals across the UK. The winners were selected by a panel of expert public relations professionals.

Michelle Ulyatt, PR Manager for DFDS, said: “We're thrilled to have won a silver award in the CIPR Pride Awards this year. The Freedom of Ferry Travel campaign was a huge success for us and we're delighted that it has gained recognition from industry experts.”

In mid-2016, DFDS identified an opportunity to attract a younger audience in the North East of England to the concept of travelling from the UK to continental Europe via ferry. Alongside their PR agency Rooster PR, the ferry operator looked at trends and content that had tended to go viral amongst that market and identified a campaign to target this audience.

Partnering with specialist film producers All Conditions Media and free runners Ryan Doyle (Red Bull) and Will Sutton (extreme sports), Rooster created a storyboard that allowed the athletes to show off their skills while showcasing the variety of services and facilities provided on DFDS' ferries.

The film achieved more than 117,000 views, raising awareness of the ferry brand. The content was featured in key regional, travel trade and specialist media titles, with a combined reach of 13,244,388.

A limited number of VIP tickets have gone on sale for the unmissable Christmas at Blenheim light trail. The special VIP package available from 22 – 23 December includes Fast Track Entry, First Entry onto the Trail, Exclusive VIP Packing at Flagstaff Car Park and Mulled Wine/ Hot Chocolate on the trail.

The VIP package, £50 per person, is available for the 4pm slot only on Friday 22 December and Saturday 23 December and must be purchased in advance.

Following fantastic reviews, the finest view in England is aglow once more until 1 January 2018. Blenheim Palace's 2000 acres of 'Capability' Brown landscape and Formal Gardens has been transformed into an illuminated wonderland with incredible projections, immersive soundscapes and interactive scenes.

The magical trail winds through the landscape, highlighting Blenheim Palace's rich history, all with the magic and wonder of the festive season. New and returning visitors can expect to see the trail take a different path, allowing them to discover and interact with the festive scenes and seasonal experiences in a new way.

The trail once more winds along the Great Lake, which will have four different scenes of floating brilliance including 300 illuminating boats crossing from side to side.

The iconic lake will also feature a giant Ducal crown, based on the Duke of Marlborough's own formal crown. The magnificently lit crown will tower above the audience with a 20m fountain erupting from its centre.

Once more the rushing Cascades will be transformed into a festive wonder, this time the giant waterfall will be covered in flames!

Enchanting for all, the creative take on Santa's toy workshop will see the Palace's lakeside Boathouse become a hive of activity. A small pause along the path with allow visitors to hear the sounds of elves busying away making toys for Santa to deliver on his sleigh on Christmas Eve.

The trail has been specially designed for visitors of all ages to enjoy. The Great Outdoors made magical.