Community News

Brits in the West Midlands have voted for their scariest movies and TV shows of all time – and say creepy dolls, serial killers and cannibals are most likely to keep them up all night.

The Exorcist, Poltergeist and Psycho were voted the top three scariest movies, and the eighties were dubbed the most terrifying movie decade.

Three of the West Midlands’ top 10 scariest movies and TV shows were made in the decade of shoulder pads and pastel leg warmers, including Friday the 13th (1980) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

A new survey of 2,004 people by Atomik Research for Universal Parks and Resorts Halloween Horror Nights showed spiders, ghosts and zombies were also in the West Midland’s top 10 screen horrors.

A quarter (26%) of Brits from the West Midlands believe their irrational fears come from movies, another quarter (25%) put it down to scary TV programmes and 23% put it down to childhood events.

Thirty-eight per cent of British horror fans from the West Midlands say they are brave enough to sit through a scary movie or TV show by themselves – with the rest needing somebody else to share the fear.

Research for Universal Parks and Resorts Halloween Horror Nights, which feature haunted houses and scare zones themed around Stranger Things, Revenge of Chucky, Trick ‘r Treat, Scream, shows that scariest films and TV shows of all time for Brits from the West Midlands are:

1. The Exorcist (1974)
2. Poltergeist (1982)
3. Psycho (1960)
4. Saw (2004)
5. Friday the 13th (1980)
6. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
7. Saw (2004)
8. The Walking Dead (2010)
9. The Purge (2014)
10. The Mummy (1999)

1. Creepy dolls (28%)
2. Serial killers (28%)
3. Cannibals (26%)
4. Spiders (23%)
5. Ghosts (21%)
6. Zombies (19%)
7. Aliens (17%)
8. Snakes (17%)
9. The Devil (16%)
10. Clowns (15%)

Weston-super-Mare's MP John Penrose will officially open the latest attraction at the resort's Grand Pier, the Museum of Memories, this week (Friday, 27 July, 2018).

Created by consumer historian Robert Opie, this extraordinary experience features thousands of everyday items that are displayed into a chronological context.

Starting in Victorian times, the intrepid time-traveller is taken on a journey through Britain's consumer revolution - everything from the arrival of gramophones and motor cars to the radio and Mars bars.

For many visitors the highlight will be the 1950s, '60s and '70s, crammed full of memory moments - Spangles, Fry's 5 Centre, Aqua Manda, Dan Dare, Ker Plunk, Watney's Party Seven, the rise of youth culture, transistor radios, teenage fashion and pop music.

Robert Opie said: "It's fascinating to see how this rich tapestry of consumer history conjures up so much conversation, just from seeing such simple things as breakfast cereal boxes, crisp packs, sweet wrappers and children's toys.

"It is amazing that these most ephemeral things trigger personnel recollections, whether for school days or a seaside holiday, a birthday party or a family treat."

Michelle Michael, co-owner of the Grand Pier, said: "We look forward to welcoming John Penrose to formally open the Museum of Memories. His long-standing links to the resort, as well as his work as Tourism Minister during a period which included the London Olympics and Queen's Diamond Jubilee, make him the ideal VIP to open the Museum of Memories.

"I hope he discovers a few memories of his own during his visit."

Three students with Adult Education Wolverhampton who scooped awards at this year's Festival of Learning were invited to a special celebration of their achievements this week.

Washington Shearer was named the Festival of Learning's Return to Learning award winner for 2018, with Kate Hubbard and Hala Akhras highly commended in the Learning for Health and English Language Learning categories respectively.

Their achievements were celebrated at a reception followed by afternoon tea hosted by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Phil Page, yesterday (Thursday 19 July, 2018)

Washington, 52, had hidden the fact that he couldn’t read or write all his life, however with the help of Adult Education Wolverhampton he is now aiming to put that right.

While in prison Washington started to learn basic English and this gave him the motivation to learn more. On probation he decided it was time to turn his life around, and eventually found the confidence to sign up for an Entry Level 1 English class.

Although unsure at first, Washington soon discovered that he loved learning, and found himself looking forward to every class. He passed his exams and has progressed to Entry Level 2.

Washington can now connect and communicate with his family using social media and participate more fully in family life. His confidence and self-esteem have grown, and he now has ambitions to work as a mentor, sharing his story and helping others who are in a similar situation to the one he was in.

He said: “Studying is empowering me. I now believe in myself and have expectations for a much brighter future. I’m so happy I can now sit with my grandchildren and read them a story.

Washington’s English teacher, Pamela Lavender, said: “Washington sees this as his second chance. He is always positive and willing and helps his peers whenever he can.”

Kate was highly commended for the way that learning has transformed her life. Her world had collapsed when she was struck down with multiple life-changing illnesses. She felt destroyed mentally and physically, but her world reopened when her doctor recommended the ‘Like Minds’ classes offered by Adult Education Wolverhampton.

The 34-year-old has since moved on to mainstream classes, including pottery, painting and drawing, flower arranging and hat making. The craft activities are helping with Kate’s dexterity and her practical skills have developed tremendously. Learning has opened up new possibilities for a future career and Kate’s long-term plan is to work in a creative field, helping others in a similar situation to the one she has been in.

She said: "Adult Education Wolverhampton saved my life. I’m back on the right track, loving life and all that it might hold for me.”

Kate’s teacher, Bethune Matthews, said, “Despite the debilitating illness Kate is enduring, she comes into class each day with a glowing smile. She is positive, determined and a great motivator.”

Hala, age 41, moved to England from Syria five years ago. She had studied English in Syria but the opportunities to use it in daily life were few and far between. Living in Wolverhampton, she hesitated to communicate because she was afraid of making mistakes in her speech. She soon became depressed and pessimistic about her future.

Hala decided to change her path and learn English again. She attended ESOL classes at Adult Education Wolverhampton, starting with Entry Level 3 and moved onto Level 1 and Level 2. She also enrolled on a Childcare course and progressed through various courses including GCSE maths and English, and is now on her way to becoming a Teaching Assistant.

She said: "I have much more courage and am now happy to communicate with people around me – I am no longer isolated. I believe that my family and I will have a much better life.

Hala’s teacher, Rachel Orotayo, added: "Hala’s decision to learn English was one that took a lot of courage and personal strength but was one she knew she needed to do to integrate in her new community.”

Councillor Lynne Moran, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "It's wonderful that the success of three of our adult learners was recognised at the Festival of Learning; their stories show that anyone can benefit from learning.

"Adult Education Wolverhampton is only one of four adult education providers in the country to have been judged as Outstanding by Ofsted.

“Inspectors commended it for its exceptionally high achievement rates, high quality teaching, excellent resources, good levels of support and for making learning enjoyable, so there couldn’t be a better time to enrol.”

A group of Birmingham researchers have conducted an in-depth study on young people’s educational needs surrounding the phenomenon of sexting, with findings suggesting that improved support needs to be provided.

The study, led by Birmingham City University, is the first of its kind to focus on the expressions of young people on the types of support, intervention and sexting education that they need.

Undertaken by health, media and education academics at Birmingham City University and University of Birmingham, the research looked to address the absence of young people’s voices in the creation of sexting interventions and to create recommendations for schools.

The term ‘sexting’ is generally understood as the sending of self-generated and sexually explicit messages, images or videos using mobile phones or other electronic media.

Academics Dr Annalise Weckesser, Dr Alex Wade, Dr Clara Rübner Jørgensen and Jerome Turner conducted interviews and focus groups with 13-15 year-olds at a UK secondary school, with students expressing a desire to learn and talk in school about sexting issues as part of their regular curriculum.

“We only had an assembly, but it only showed us how a girl was bullied after”, a female participant said.

“It never told us why not to do it and if it’s illegal”, she added.

Students felt strongly that school assemblies were an ineffective way of disseminating information about sexting, repeatedly stating that “no one listens in assemblies”.

The researchers found that the word ‘sexting’ wasn’t a term that participants generally used amongst their peers. Instead they referred to self-taken sexual digital images as ‘nudes’ or ‘pornos’.

Both male and female participants felt that boys tended to be the recipients rather than the senders of nudes, and that boys were more likely to “force”, coerce or pressure girls to send them nudes.

Boys were not believed to be coerced into sending nudes, but sent them to be “silly” or “act cool”.

Some participants made a distinction between popular and unpopular students, stating that popular students face milder consequences if they had a nude leaked, especially if the nude was deemed flattering and attractive.

“Interestingly, students also identified a number of scenarios in which sharing nudes was understandable and beneficial”, said Dr Annalise Weckesser, research co-author and senior research fellow at Birmingham City University.

“Examples included sharing naked images within friendship groups to gain reassurance that their body was normal, sharing a nude as an expression of body confidence, and sending nudes as a means for creating intimacy and establishing trust within a romantic relationship.”

The study found that students weren’t comfortable seeking support from parents of teachers, but instead would prefer speaking to someone “who you don’t see every day”, such as a youth worker, a school nurse or an older student mentor.

The majority of participants felt that the police shouldn’t be informed about the sharing of student nudes, as they had “better things like murders to investigate”.

Recent police data highlighted that 6,328 sexting offences were registered in 2016/17 – a rise of 131% when compared to 2014/15, when 2,700 cases were logged.

The researchers hope that the study will encourage schools to involve young people in the development of their educational approach to sexting.

“A key recommendation from the study would be for schools to consider carefully the forum in which materials on sexting are presented, the methods by which it is communicated and the way the varied motivations for sexting can be acknowledged”, added Dr Weckesser.

“As trust is a key issue for young people in discussions of sexting, schools and colleges need to consider both how trust can be strengthened and how confidentiality is communicated and practised.”

Birmingham Airport is excited to announce the new look SkyZone.  The Airport’s interactive and educational children’s play area located after security can be found at gate 55. Skyzone is easily accessible for all families bringing a fun and engaging experience for all children pre-flight.

As part of the family-friendly brand initiative, Birmingham Airport will launch the new look Skyzone area on Monday 23^rd of July to coincide with the start of the school holidays.  A week of fun activities is planned for children of all ages starting with special appearances from the Birmingham Airport Mascot Zoom.  Zoom’s friends, the Sky Cadets, will be on hand in SkyZone for creative sessions and much more!

SkyZone the new augmented reality experience will be open and available to all families just in time for the summer school holidays. Giving children from toddlers to teenagers an interactive and educational area where they can play before their flight.

Zoom will take children on a virtual and interactive adventure from check-in keeping them entertained and educated up until boarding their flight.

Stuart Haseley-Nejrup, Head of Customer Experience said: “This new look SkyZone has something for all ages.  The interactive area ensures that children have entertainment before their flight and can burn off some kinetic energy.

“This initiative is part of a £14.5m investment that ensures that we put the passenger at the heart of everything we do, making Birmingham Airport a welcoming, friendly and accessible Airport for all.”

Children can join Zoom and the Sky Cadets on their journey from their own home by becoming a Sky Cadet.  Simply download the free interactive app Zappar available on iPhone and Android App stores. Scan the barcodes around the Airport and Zap with Zoom.

If you are travelling with children between 23^{rd of} July and 31^st of August then visit SkyZone, take the best family picture and upload it to social media using the hashtag #bhxskyzone and one lucky winner will win an exciting family hamper filled with goodies.

A local school girl has designed new dog-fouling signs to help keep the City of Wolverhampton clear of dog mess.

Elizabeth Duff-Cole, school pupil at St Michael’s Catholic Primary Academy, had taken part in a poster competition ran by City of Wolverhampton Council to tackle selfish dog owners who don't clean up after their pets.

Elizabeth’s eye-catching design and strong, witty message has been transferred to new dog fouling signage to encourage more dog owners to clean up their dog’s poo and dispose it correctly.

The new signs will support the City Council’s ‘Cleaner, Greener, Better’ campaign and will be showcased in hot spot areas in the city’s parks where there is a known issue with dog mess.

Elizabeth was chosen as the winner of the design competition by the Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton.

Elizabeth, aged 10, said: “I’m so pleased to have won the competition. I love drawing and I couldn’t believe it when my name was called out by the Mayor in my school assembly. I have never won anything before!

“I have a dog myself and I know how important it is to clean-up after your pets. I hope my signs will make a difference and help keep poo of people’s shoes for good.”

Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton, Councillor Phil Page said: “Elizabeth’s design was fantastic!

“It completely stood out to me because it was fresh, simple and effective which is exactly what we need to put a stop to dog fouling in our city.

“I look forward to seeing the new signs in our parks and I’m sure they will make people think twice about cleaning up after their dogs.”

Councillor Steve Evans, Cabinet Member for City Environment at City of Wolverhampton Council said: “We are always looking at new ways to clamp down on dog fouling because it is something our residents consistently tell us is a problem.

"We've already made it clear with stickers on city bins stating that any public bin can be used for people to put dog mess in. However, despite our efforts, some dog owners still do not clean-up after their pets.

“Elizabeth’s eye-catching design has very clear message which will definitely stand out in our parks. I would like to thank Elizabeth for helping us tackle this horrible issue with her fantastic artwork!”

The City Council’s Public Protection team have also been clamping down on patrolling hot spot areas, providing residents with advice on how to report dog-fouling and handing out dog poo bags to dog owners and walkers to encourage them to #KeepWolvesClean.

In the week that Prince William visited Palestine on the first official royal tour, local charity YMCA Sutton Coldfield were busy hosting their own peace programme as part of a cultural youth exchange to the Royal town of Sutton Coldfield with 15 young Palestinians.

The group, aged 18 to 25, arrived from Bethlehem on the 22^nd June and for most of them, it was the first time they had ever been to another country. Many of the group had never even left Bethlehem before, making the visit a phenomenal achievement against the challenging backdrop of the ongoing geographic situation in Palestine.

This visit, funded by Erasmus plus and Ecorys UK was the reciprocal youth exchange to last year’s YMCA trip to Palestine in June 2017 aimed at bringing people from the UK and Palestine together and creating “agents of peace” to promote harmony and challenge stereotypes in an informal learning environment.

As well as a visit to Parliament, highlights of the trip included sampling the diverse cuisine of Birmingham including fish and chips, curry, a traditional Sunday home cooked roast and a “cheeky Nando’s” with the curry at Simla in Boldmere being the firm favourite among guests!

With creative workshops and cultural discussions and debates, the trip represented a unique once-in-a-lifetime learning experience for the group from Bethlehem Bible College and was also an opportunity for the YMCA to proudly showcase the diversity in Sutton Coldfield.

The group, along with the British contingent of young people from Sutton Coldfield also performed a song together to the local community at St Peter’s Church, Maney, Sutton Coldfield. The piece, written by the participants in Arabic and English, was designed to promote inclusivity; one of the core values of the YMCA Sutton Coldfield.

Sinead Frith, International Projects Manager, who organised the exchange in partnership with the German YMCA said: “I’m immensely proud of the project and what it’s trying to achieve. Under difficult circumstances, we’ve brought together a group of people from very different backgrounds to challenge cultural stereotypes and promote peace.”

“What is both amazing and exciting is that despite the many cultural differences between the UK and Palestine, there are so many similarities and shared interests amongst the 2 groups of people. In the end, regardless of race, religion or culture, we share the same fundamental values”.

Go Play Sandwell and the Sandwell Families Big Picnic are back once again to celebrate National Play Day and all the family are invited to come along and enjoy a vast variety of entertainment.

Play Day and the Big Picnic, which has previously attracted families from across the area, is being held on the front lawn of Lightwoods House in Lightwoods Park, Adkins Lane, Bearwood, Wednesday 1 August between 11am and 3pm.

The annual event, being hosted by Go Play Sandwell and Sandwell’s Family Information Service, promises bigger and better activities than ever before.

Families are encouraged to come along and bring their picnics. Children can also enjoy the free activities which include den building, circus skills with Steve the Juggler, face painting, sporting activities, the Youth Bus, mobile library and much more.

Councillor Simon Hackett, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for children’s services, said: "This is a brilliant day for all of the family, and on top of that all the activities are free.

"I encourage parents and carers to come with their children and their picnics and enjoy the day."

Families can get active together this summer with a brand new affordable family holiday experience launched by YHA (England and Wales) for summer 2018.

The two, four and seven-night camps are being held at YHA's in Edale and Okehampton, located in the Peak District and Dartmoor National Parks respectively. Accommodation in a private family room, all meals, activities and instruction are included in the price; with costs for a two-night camp starting from just £120 for under 18s and £140 for adults.

Activities at the camps include rock climbing, weaselling, orienteering, archery, high ropes courses, team building exercises, caving, canoeing and abseiling, and all are included in the price.

The camps, which are taking place during August, address YHA's recent *research that found that 65% of parents say they play only occasionally with their children

YHA's new Family Camps are designed to get families away from their screens and sun loungers this summer and encourage them to spend quality time together in the UK countryside.

The Youth Hostels holding the Family Camps have been specifically chosen for their health and wellbeing benefits. A recent YHA survey showed that 85% of guests who stayed in the charity's countryside hostels reported an increased in wellbeing and enjoyment.

The leading youth charity anticipates the camps will be welcomed by busy, modern families who feel they don't spend enough time with their children during the average working week and struggle to find time for each other between work, school and chores.

The camps are held during school holidays, making a break during peak holiday season affordable and within reach of many families.

James Blake, Chief Executive of YHA (England and Wales) commented: “As a youth charity, we understand how important it is that families spend time together, so I am delighted that we have been able to create these affordable breaks and give families the chance the reconnect and experience the countryside and all that it has to offer.

“We understand the real benefits of families spending time together and we are committed to accessibility, affordability and inclusivity and our Family Camps encompass all this.”

Itchy skin can be an uncomfortable experience for any of us including our furry friends. This can be heightened during these warmer months. An itchy dog is usually an unhappy dog, so owners are quite often anxious to try and find its cause in order to support their dogs skin and coat. Spotting the causes of an itching dog sounds simple, but can be a bit more complicated.

To help with this, Lintbells, manufacturers of premium natural pet supplements has put together some useful tips that could help detect the triggers of itchy skin and keep your dog’s skin and coat in tip top condition.

Be cautious after walks

With the glorious spells of sunshine and warmer climate now, pollen counts can be high and can cause irritation in both humans and dogs. That’s right – dogs get hay fever too!

To properly look after your dog’s skin during pollen season, ensure you are checking their skin and coat, particularly hairy, fluffy or curly haired dogs or those with long floppy ears, after walks. Check for any grass seeds on their coat, between the pads and down their ears, and wipe them down with a damp towel after any time outside.

Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to help your dog if their itches are due to environmental factors. Start by avoiding their triggers – where practical – then boost their skin’s natural defences by adding an Omega 3 & 6 supplement like YuMEGA Itchy Dog to their food.

Hair loss and moulting

Excessive hair loss and moulting are one of the main signs that indicate your dog may be experiencing skin complaints. If you do start to spot this in your pooch, there are a number of things you can do to help. To remove dirt and debris it is important to ensure you are brushing their coat daily, carefully combing or cutting out any matted hair as this will significantly benefit your furry friend’s skin and coat. You could also consider using dog friendly shampoo that is designed to soothe irritated skin.

Fleas, ticks and mites

Sometimes, even the cleanest dogs can pick up fleas, if appropriate treatment is not applied regularly - although fleas and ticks may not always be visible, they can jump on and off your dog quite easily. Fleas can result in frequent and severe itching, hair loss and scabs on their skin. If fleas have already entered your home, it may be a good idea to use spot-on treatment and keep track of how often it needs to be reapplied.  When it comes to ear mites or a dust mite problem, it’s always best to seek the advice of a vet for expert help.

Flaking out

Dry and itchy skin along with dandruff is a very common tell-tale sign that your four-legged friend’s skin needs some serious TLC.

You should consider bathing your dog regularly using dog specific shampoos that are designed to soothe irritated skin.

It’s important to remember that while every dog has got to scratch sometimes - and that’s completely normal - incessantly licking, scratching, biting and chewing to the point of wounding is a symptom of an underlying pathology. If you’re concerned about your itching dog, we’d always recommend a trip to the vet and make sure your pet pooch is happy and healthy always.

A visiting professor at Birmingham City University and former leader of the UK’s biggest council has aired his concerns over the way in which the Brexit bill is calculated by the EU Commission.

Professor John Clancy, the former leader of Birmingham City Council, current councillor for Quinton Ward and visiting professor with the Centre for Brexit Studies at Birmingham City University, has announced that following his in-depth analysis of the 2017 accounts from the EU Commission, a ‘bomblet’ is contained regarding pension liabilities.

These concerns were aired as part of a podcast with the Centre for Brexit Studies, when Professor Clancy spoke of his belief that the chances of meeting the October deadline were rapidly diminishing.

“The liabilities included in the accounts for the EU’s civil service Pension Fund have just hit €73 billion”, said Professor Clancy.

“The problem is that the UK, on leaving next March, has to commit to pay - one way or another - its share of that huge figure and it is one the biggest items on the Brexit bill.

“The UK needs now to ask some tough questions of the EU Commission about their figures – questions which, to be frank, the Treasury and our negotiators should have been asking a long time ago.

He went on to say: “It’s gone up €10 billion since 2015 and over €6 billion just since the last accounts.

“Surely this isn’t the EU Commission or its negotiators pulling a fast one?”

“I’m not being anti-EU here, as the methods they use are not untypical of those who calculate pension liabilities within the UK, for example, local authorities or in higher education, but we need to get to grips with this artificial problem, and soon.

“Due to wider ECB policy, the real discount rate they’ve unjustifiably used for the 2017 accounts has suddenly and rapidly inflated the pension liability figure – it might work for an accounting exercise, but it’s not a tenable figure for our negotiations.”

Professor Alex de Ruyter, Director of the Centre for Brexit Studies, added: “These are very challenging findings – but I think they could be hugely significant in terms of negotiations with the EU – and indeed for the other 27 EU countries in terms of their own financial contributions.”

Beat the Burglar sessions are being rolled out across Sandwell to help residents protect their homes and property.

A two-year project will see events in each of Sandwell’s 24 wards, launching with sessions in Friar Park on Saturday 21 July.

Volunteers from Sandwell Crime Prevention Panel, council teams and police will be running the sessions.

As well as giving advice, they will be handing out personal attack alarms, shed alarms, property marking packs, spike strips for the top of fences and gates, purse bells and fraud prevention sleeves for bank cards.

The Beat the Burglar sessions in Friar Park will run on Saturday 21 July as follows:

• 10am - Corner of Solway Close/Berkshire Crescent
• 11am - Carrington Road shopping area
• 12noon - Corner of Richard Williams Road/Moor Street

"The council is very pleased to be able to support this initiative, working with volunteers from Sandwell Crime Prevention Panel and the police, to help our residents protect their homes and property."

We’ll let other neighbourhoods know when we’re in their area. Look out for leaflets about the sessions.

A football-mad teenager spoke inspiringly about how he refused to let his disability stop him from pursuing his dream at a conference for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

When Jude Aston realised that having cerebral palsy would prevent him from fulfilling his ambition to become a professional footballer, he decided he would do the next best thing – by becoming a journalist and cover the sport he loves.

And when his school – Highfields in Penn – launched its own TV channel last year, Jude's journey began.

The 13-year-old said: "I have cerebral palsy which reduces the use of my right side, but that will never stop me trying to achieve what I want, whether that’s in sport, education or life in general as I see myself as no different to anybody else.

“I’m football mad and my dream is to become a sports journalist. I became Highfields TV’s video editor and sports reporter, and I now film and report on school football matches and other sporting events.

"I stay after school to put the episodes together which takes a lot of hard work and dedication but I’m okay with that as I know it will pay off in the long run."

Since working for Highfields TV, Jude has been invited to watch the England cerebral palsy team train at St George's Park, visited the Sky Sports studios and sat in on a press conference with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Jude, an Aston Villa fan, has also interviewed club manager Steve Bruce and his hero Jack Grealish, and has been video blogging on England’s World Cup exploits on YouTube at https://bit.ly/2L1RrUY.

He said: "The main reason I have achieved all of this is because I have believed in myself – if you have the confidence and believe in yourself, you are going to succeed. I have still got a very long way to go with my journey but the main thing is to get as much experience as possible as the media world is a very tough industry to get into and requires a lot of hard work."

Jude's success hasn't been confined to his media ambitions, however – he has also started going for trials with the England cerebral palsy team at West Bromwich Albion. He said: "I always knew that with hard work and determination there would be ways round things for me. Nothing will ever stop me; I want to prove that there are no barriers and I’m equal to everyone else."

Jude told his story at a recent conference at Molineux Stadium organised by the Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS), which supports children and young people with SEND and their parents and carers, and the parent carer group Voice4Parents.

His family have worked with the IASS for a number of years and manager Lucy Harris said: "Jude's story is incredibly inspiring and shows that, no matter what obstacles we may face, we can still aim high and achieve our dreams."

Councillor Lynne Moran, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "Jude has shown so much self-belief and, with the support of his family, friends and his school, has found another way to fulfil his ambitions. I wish him every success for the future."

Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Service provides impartial, confidential information, advice and support about education, health and social care for children, young people and their parents on matters relating to Special Educational Needs and disabilities. It also promotes independence and self-advocacy.