Community News

Sandwell schools have been standing up to bullying with everything from rap to designing T-shirts.

The council’s SHAPE team, who work closely with young people across Sandwell, have been going into schools and rewarding pupils for their hard work.

Students at St Michael's C of E High School in Rowley Regis have picked up a democracy award for their participation in the SHAPE Programme over the past 12 months, including taking part in the anti-bullying roadshow.

Children from St Paul's C E Academy in Tipton received certificates for designing fantastic T-shirts.

And pupils Uzain, Farai, Tino from Faizan from OSCA in Oldbury have been commended for an anti-bullying rap they wrote.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for children services Councillor Simon Hackett said: “There’s some great work going on in our schools to tackle bullying.

“The young people are really imaginative, they really care about how others feel and they want to do what they can to make sure everyone enjoys and thrives at school – which is why bullying has no place in our classrooms in Sandwell.”

Kerry Whitehouse, School Engagement Development Manager at St Michael’s CofE High School said "Our students have had the opportunity to take part in several SHAPE events over the past twelve months.

"They loved the SHAPE conference as they had the opportunity to meet other school and take part in workshops with organisations. We are thrilled to have been awarded the Democracy Award for our contribution to SHAPE. It is lovely for our students to receive recognition for all of their commitment and dedication."

A team of Great Barr students on The Prince’s Trust programme used a community project to namecheck their college and pay tribute to one of Birmingham’s forefathers – James Watt.

Engineer and entrepreneur, James Watt, who was buried at St Mary’s Church, Handsworth in 1819 has long been recognised as one of the city’s industrial pioneers.

Now, The Prince’s Trust learners based at James Watt College in Great Barr have created a play area and garden at the church to bring more of the local community together and to continue building on Watt’s legacy.

Team Leader, Fateha Begum said: “When the group found out their college namesake was buried at the church, they were all keen to do something special here so that future generations would learn about him.

“A vegetable patch, mini playground and a specially created mural have all brought the area to life again.  Hopefully local schools and other community groups will now spend time here.”

The team programme helps young people build the skills and confidence needed to change their lives. During the 12-week personal development programme, young people get involved in team building activities, a week-long residential trip, a community project and two weeks of work experience.

They also get advice on how to write CVs as well as gaining nationally recognised qualifications.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with what the team has done.” said Father Bob Stephens, rector at St Mary’s Church. “The garden had been disused for a number of years. When the students first got to work, it was impossible to imagine anything ever being able to grow here. Two weeks later, it’s completely revitalised.”

He continued: “The church has always had visitors interested in seeing the vault where James Watt is buried.  Now we can also show them how much he continues to mean to Birmingham people, including the students and staff at ‘his college’.”

West Coast main line train passengers are being urged to avoid all but essential rail travel to and from London over three consecutive weekends in August and September when Euston station will be closed.

As part of Britain’s Railway Upgrade Plan, Network Rail is replacing North Wembley junction - a major intersection on Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway.

The junction is old. Replacing it will mean passenger and freight users will benefit from better, more reliable journeys in future.

Unfortunately doing this vital job requires shutting the line.  The least disruptive time to do this work, jointly agreed by rail industry partners, is over the following three weekends:

• 18-19 August
• 25-27 August (bank holiday weekend)
• 1-2 September

If customers cannot avoid travelling on these weekends, they’re advised to expect very different journeys to normal - busier trains and longer, diverted routes. The advice is, as always, to “check before you travel” on www.nationalrail.co.uk

Martin Frobisher, managing director for Network Rail’s London North Western route said: “There is never an ideal time to shut the railway but these three weekends are the least disruptive times to do it.

“We have worked together for the past three years with train operators to carefully plan this closure of the railway in a way that minimises impact on customers.

“It’s vital the track at north Wembley is replaced to continue to safely meet the huge demand of passenger and freight rail services on the West Coast main line. This work will result in better, more reliable journeys in future.”

Peter Broadley, executive director for customer, operations and safety at Virgin Trains on the west coast, said: “With no services into or out of Euston we strongly advise our customers to avoid travelling to London on the days affected. We know this will impact on people’s travel plans, particularly over a Bank Holiday weekend so to make it easier we are lifting peak restrictions on the Fridays before these dates from 09:30 for the whole day.”

Andrew Conroy, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway said: “Our aim is to keep people moving if they have to travel on these dates. Improvement works are never convenient for anyone, but we have a tried and tested plan for operating buses to connect with alternative routes to and from London when Euston is closed. We still advise customers to travel on alternative days as these options will take significantly longer.”

Euston’s shops and access to London Underground will remain available throughout the three weekends.

The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience has vowed to help you laugh your way to good health and have the best summer yet - that doesn’t mean counting the calories or entering a gym!

Scientists have found that laughter can give the body a ‘mini aerobic workout’* and psychologists have long-championed the benefits of laughing to improve your mental well-being. Seize the summer and give yourself a mind and body makeover by taking on race against the clock challenges that will have you laughing your way to a happier, healthier you.

Instead of being focused on getting ‘beach body ready’ this summer, cancel that spin class and hunt down crystals at the immersive experience instead.

Don’t risk being unhappy and sweaty, working out in a grey gym when instead you could be crawling, running and sliding your way around a uniquely themed maze and laughing whilst you unintentionally burn off that ice-cream you’ve just had. Or not because hey, it’s summer and who doesn’t love a 99p flake?

There are better ways to get your heart rate up than the dreaded stair master! The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience is all about spending time having fun with your friends and family guaranteeing a whole bunch of laughs, plus the satisfaction that you are working up a sweat too.

Your FitBit will come in handy and work overtime as the average player takes 10,000 steps each time they complete the mixture of both mental and physical challenges at the interactive attraction. This experience is bound to be more entertaining than trudging on a treadmill.

For the first time ever, Crystal Maze LIVE Experience in London is also opening its doors to visitors aged 13 and over rather than 18+ so teens will finally have the chance to see what all the Richard Ayoade-fuelled hype is about.

Lightwoods House in Bearwood will be open to the public this Saturday 14 July.

The open day, between 11am and 3pm, will include jazz in the bandstand and classic cars on display in front of the house.

Visitors can enjoy a guided tour and it’s also a chance to download the park’s new GeoTourist tour, which is available for tablets and smartphones.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for leisure Councillor Bill Gavan said: “This is just one of the fantastic events happening at Lightwoods this summer.

“The house is well worth a visit - the history is fascinating and the way it has been restored is wonderful to see.

“We’re hoping plenty of people will join us for the day and bring along a picnic for a great afternoon in the sun.”

Lightwoods is hosting a performance from the Budapest Ragtime Orchestra on Friday 20 July at 7pm as part of the Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell Jazz Festival.

Also coming up at the park is a play day and big picnic with den building, circus skills, face painting, balloon modelling, sporting activities and more on Wednesday 1 August.

Then there is Heritage Week event on 9 September, a wedding fair on 28 October and there’s also a vegan market every second Sunday of the month.

Haringey is officially best in the class when it comes to education – with 100 per cent of its schools now rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

Tiverton Primary school in Tottenham was the latest to be awarded a good rating last week, propelling Haringey to the top of an elite group of just five councils with the 100 per cent title.

That means all 86 schools in Haringey are now rated good or outstanding – a greater number of schools than in any other borough with 100 per cent.

Haringey’s schools have gone from strength to strength in recent years, with a range of improvements, including:

• Among the best progress nationally from Key Stage 2 to GCSE
• In the top quartile in London for early years children achieving a ‘good level of development,’ and more than 90 per cent of early years settings rated Good or Outstanding
• The best GCSE results in the country for looked after children in 2016.

Haringey Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families Cllr Elin Weston said: “We are hugely proud that all of our schools are now rated good or outstanding. Haringey is home to fantastic schools, with a wealth of talented teachers, staff and young people.

We are committed to ensuring all children in Haringey get the very best start in life. This high quality education right on their doorstep, with access to the best opportunities and facilities, helps shape their future and supports our children and young people to achieve their full potential.”

Super-keen community volunteer gardeners are helping to put more colour into the flower beds at Dartmouth Park in West Bromwich.

The group, which was established 10 years ago along with the Friends of Dartmouth Park, is made up of 12 volunteers who give their time on a weekly basis to help look after the flower beds

Sue Slater, one of the volunteers, said: “Tending to the flower beds is our way of putting something back into the community. We take great pleasure in making them look lovely for the local community and visitors to enjoy.

“To help us with our work, we received a town grant of £446.40 from Sandwell Council to help replace plants and tools such as forks, secateurs and loppers.”

Dartmouth Park is one of Sandwell’s Green Flag-awarded parks and is visited by many people throughout the year.

Councillor Shirley Hosell, town chair for West Bromwich, said: “It is wonderful that these keen volunteers go along every week to the park to help to make it more colourful and interesting for the visitors. They do such a good job for the town and we were pleased to award them a town grant for plants and tools.”

Teenagers aged between 14 and 19 are invited to a careers event in Oldbury to help them decide what they want to do after school and college.

The Connexions Sandwell Careers Show comes to Sandwell Council House in Freeth Street on Saturday 14 July between 10am and 2pm.

It’s for young people who are thinking about apprenticeships, jobs, Higher Education, alternatives to university or who just want some help to decide on their next steps.

The free event brings together up to 25 organisations including major employers such as Barclays and the Ambulance Service, all offering apprenticeships and training. Local colleges and universities will be on hand to discuss courses.

Connexions Sandwell careers advisers will also be available for impartial careers information, advice and guidance, so young people can discuss their options in details.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for children’s services Councillor Simon Hackett said: “These events are really valuable for young people to find out what options are open to them.

“It’s a chance to meet potential employers, find out about what training opportunities and apprenticeships are available and to get some careers advice from our experts.”

Parents are also welcome.  For more information call Connexions Sandwell on 0121 569 2955.

The event is funded through Black Country Impact. Black Country Impact is about helping young adults break down the barriers that may be holding them back from finding work, improving their skills or gaining qualifications.

Black Country Impact involves Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall and City of Wolverhampton Councils and Black Country Talent Match, a project led by Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council and funded through the Big Lottery Fund.

The money for the project has come from the European Social Fund (£17million), from the government's Youth Employment Initiative  (£17million) plus potential match funding of up to £8million from the Big Lottery Fund and other partners.

The garden at Commonwealth headquarters was transformed into an innovation hub on 5 July as youth from across the globe shared their ideas for a better, brighter future with Prince Harry.

It was the Prince’s first engagement as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador since he was appointed to the role by the Queen earlier this year.

Set against the backdrop of 53 Commonwealth flags, young people from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe, elevator-pitched their innovations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Their ideas included:

• A tap water revolution to replace plastic water bottles and help rid our ocean of plastic;
• a youth education initiative to address mental health,
• a programme to use the voices of young people to change attitudes towards LGBT, and many more.

He added, “My job as your Ambassador is to listen and learn from you, to amplify your voices and to bring your ideas to the attention of decision makers.  It only seems right that as the youth of today, you should play a part in shaping the policies which will make the future better for everyone.”

Young people at the event described the experience as inspirational. Rizwan Javed, a Commonwealth Scholar from India, said the Duke was “dynamic”. He added, “We have a lot to look forward to and we are quite optimistic.  He belongs to the same generation, so we can relate to him better.”

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said it was a “special delight” to host the Duke and Duchess. Stressing the importance of Prince Harry’s new role, she said, “For more than 45 years our Commonwealth Youth Programme has been pioneering the empowerment of young people and the development of youth leadership. The multiple layers and interlocking threads of Commonwealth connectivity continue to be woven into the fabric of our nations, creating a stronger and more resilient Commonwealth.

“Fresh and inspiring representation by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, together with the leadership of the Commonwealth Youth Council, and many other dynamic links among the youth of our member nations promise a new golden age of Commonwealth cooperation.”

Cameroonian Achaleke Christian Leke, of the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network, said, “The most inspiring thing is that the Prince affirmed his commitment to working with young people on peace and countering violence.  He also told us that our work should be about building hope for young people and providing alternatives to countering violence. That is my greatest take away from meeting him today.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will meet more young people from the Commonwealth on a tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji later this year.

Birmingham City University graduates are the most employable of all Birmingham higher education institutions, after new figures published on Thursday 5 July showed that 97.4% of its 2017 graduates were in employment or further study six months after graduating.

The figures from the Higher Education Statistics Authority put Birmingham City University 16th nationally and well ahead of the sector average of 94.6%.

The result represents a 5.6% increase on Birmingham City University’s figures for the previous year.

Professor Philip Plowden, Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University, welcomed the news, saying:

“This exceptional result is down to a host of developments at the University, including the practice based learning opportunities we give our students to work directly with employers, and our Graduate + skills programme which prepares students for the world of work.

“It is also directly attributable to the intense hard work of our staff and of course our students who make the most of all the opportunities we provide.”

Community-minded people interested in becoming local councillors in the City of Wolverhampton can learn what the role involves at information sessions organised by the council.

The sessions take place thisThursday (July 12) at 5.30pm and on Wednesday July 18 at 10am. They are free to attend, but places are limited and advance booking is essential.

Refreshments will be provided and participants will be able to hear from serving councillors and ask questions.

The council is participating in the Local Government Association’s ‘Be a Councillor’ campaign which aims to encourage people who care about their neighbourhoods to consider standing for election.

Existing Wolverhampton councillors from both the controlling Labour group and opposition Conservative group have lent their support to the campaign by recording video messages which are available to watch online.

There are 60 councillors in the City of Wolverhampton – three for each of the 20 wards. Each councillor serves for a four-year term before facing the electorate again.

The Be a Councillor Campaign has cross-party support and anyone interested in finding out more about standing for election does not need to be affiliated to any political party.

Councillor Roger Lawrence, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Regardless of political affiliation, as elected councillors we all share an interest in helping people, solving problems and improving our neighbourhoods.

“There are lots of people out there who are equally passionate about making a difference and may often have thought about becoming a councillor. Anyone who wants to find out more should book onto one of these sessions and we will answer any questions you have.”

Councillor Wendy Thompson, leader of the Conservative opposition, said: “We all want to see the best people coming forward to become the next generation of councillors in the City of Wolverhampton and I’m pleased to support the Become a Councillor campaign. I hope as many people as possible look at the website or come along to the information sessions.”

Bantock House Museum will open its doors for a Summer Gift and Craft Fair next weekend (Saturday, July 14 and Sunday 15).

Visitors to the Finchfield Road venue will have the chance to visit 35 pop-up stalls showcasing stunning and unique wares from local crafters and enterprises.

Plants and flowers, designer homewares, photography, confectionery and baked goods, illustration, needlework, decoupage, woodwork, vintage and contemporary jewellery, fashion accessories, fused glass, children’s books, pamper products, personalised gifts, luxury handmade candles, ceramics and much more.

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: "We're always looking at ways to attract more people to enjoy Bantock House Museum and Park and next weekend's fair promises to be great fun for all the family, with something for everyone on sale produced by talented local artists and makers.

"While there, visitors can also enjoy light refreshments in Bantock's popular cafe, which offers an extensive menu.”

The Summer Gift and Craft Fair runs from 11am to 4.30pm each day. Entry is free and there will be different exhibitors each day.

An investigation of the UK’s habits and found out just how reliant the nation is on a classic ‘cuppa’ to get through the day.

To celebrate the launch of their 2018 Gala Tea Cup, GalaBingo's research found that Brits’ tea habits start as early as five, with nearly a quarter (22%) admitting they started to drinking tea at this early age. It’s no surprise then that by adulthood, almost a third (31%) admit to drinking five or more cups of tea a day, with around one in ten  Brits drinking tea as late as 11pm.

When it comes to brands, PG Tips has captured the nation’s tastebuds, with 26% voting this as their favourite cuppa. Yorkshire Tea (20%) and Tetley (18%) both make up the top three. Just 14% of the UK drinks their tea black, sweet-toothed Brits have their tea with one (21%) or two (18%) sugars, and 70% have it with milk.  Shockingly, one in four (26%) Brits admit they put milk in first, which has caused long-term debate among tea aficionados.

To support the research, GalaBingo.com has created a ‘Tea Map’ of the UK, showcasing exactly how each region prefers their tea. If you’re trying to wow someone in Leeds or Manchester, make sure you stick to a ‘tried and true brew’, a classic shade of tea. However, if you’re attempting to impress your boss in Norwich, go lighter on the milk and aim for a ‘Rich Mahogany’ tea tone.

Across the UK, Southampton comes out as the tea-guzzling capital where the highest percentage of residents (21%)  admit to drinking six cups a day, whilst Edinburgh is satisfied with only one cup (17%).

When it comes to a morning pick-me-up, most have their first cuppa between 7-8am (24%), however the IT industry appear to be the late risers of the UK, with one in ten(11%) waiting until 9am for their first brew.

Karina Adrian, PR and Brand Manager at GalaBingo.com, said: “Perfecting a cup of tea is a real talent, especially when we take it so seriously in the UK, which is why we have found the formula for the perfect brew. These findings will ensure you are well-known for making a good cuppa - wherever you are in the UK. The only downside? Prepare to become the favourite for the office tea run!

“We’ve undertaken this research to celebrate our 2018 Gala Tea Cup games. In addition to cash prize , the lucky winner of the Tea Cup will receive receive a Gala Tea Cup Trophy, which you can admire whilst sipping on that perfect cup of tea!”

Architects to design the first new homes on the Heath Town estate have been selected – with the demolition programme now complete.

Garages, a disused underground car park, 36 maisonettes and other buildings that have been vacant for some years have been removed from the Chervil Rise area.

The appointment of Walker Troup paves the way for the development of more than 300 brand new homes for sale and rent, including new council homes across several sites, as part of the revised Heath Town Masterplan.

The first phase will see around 30 new council homes built on land off Hobgate Road, Tithe Croft and Tremont Street – and the process has now begun to appoint a contractor to deliver them.

The project will also see the pedestrian bridge over Wednesfield Road reconnected.

Councillor Peter Bilson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, said: “Real change is happening on Heath Town and the appointment of architects brings us another step closer to the reality of new council homes on the estate.

“The majority of the new houses will come with gardens and Heath Town will soon look like a very different place.

“This is a major regeneration programme in the city that will make a huge difference to the quality of life and housing choice for our residents.”

The scheme is also being delivered in parallel with Wolverhampton Homes’ £50 million investment works, with the Wednesfield Road blocks currently undergoing refurbishment.

The new homes across Heath Town will be a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments, and two-bedroom bungalows, as well as two, three and four-bedroom houses. All of the new homes will have their own car parking space provided.

Phase one of the enabling works at Heath Town saw the demolition of walkways and garages in the Hobgate Road area of the estate, and other works included disconnecting and re-routing the district heating pipework and the refurbishment of the ground and lower ground floors of Ling House to provide new office, meeting and activity space for the Hope Family Centre.

The demolition works have created an interim car park of 50 additional spaces on the site of the former Chervil Rise blocks.This is now available for use by Heath Town residents.

Children from schools across Sandwell got together at West Bromwich Town Hall to celebrate another year of the Sandwell School Nurse Ambassador Project (SSNAP).

The project encourages children to act as ambassadors for the health of their fellow pupils by promoting all kinds of health and well-being messages from the importance of healthy eating to anti-bullying projects.

Elaine Costigan, cabinet member for public health and protection attended the event. She said: "School nurses do such a valuable job to help and support our young people.

“They deal with many areas of emotional and physical health and with the help of our young ambassadors they continue to ensure our young people are as healthy as they can be.

"This project is now in its seventh year and is now being recognised nationally for its success.

"It was lovely to see the young people's ideas and achievements celebrated as at this event. It's also great to see the school nurses and highlight the great work they do in Sandwell."

Councillor Simon Hackett, cabinet member for children's services also attended the event. He said: "This is such a great event and I'm so impressed with the children and young people who are leading the way in helping to keep their fellow pupils healthy.

"It's also good to see such a wide age range of children involved in the Sandwell School Nurse Ambassador Project."

The SSNAP Project was launched in 2012 with its aims being to support children and young people in embracing their own and the health of their own school communities and empowering them to drive forward and inspire their peers in embracing public health.

There are currently more than 200 school nurse ambassadors across Sandwell supporting their schools in a variety of projects ranging from healthy eating roadshows to anti-bullying campaigns.

The event at West Bromwich Town Hall was led by young people demonstrating how this student led bespoke programme has evolved and made a difference.

NHS Blood and Transplant is rallying for a new kind of English hero during the World Cup – as there is a need for blood donors, particularly O negative, B negative, male, or black donors with the rare subtype Ro.

Potential donors are encouraged to register and to book an appointment at a local donor centre and if they cannot get an appointment, look to book it for when the tournament has finished.

Whilst it can be difficult to get an appointment during busy periods, donor centres have the most appointment availability.

England stalwarts Shilton (125 caps), whose wife worked in the NHS for more than 20 years, and former Birmingham player Seaman (75 caps), are well known for the saves they’ve made for their country and are now calling upon the nation to ‘Save England’ off the pitch, by donating blood to help save lives.

There is still a need for O negative or B negative blood donors as stocks of these groups tend to fall during certain times of the year such as bank holidays, summer and Christmas. We need to increase the proportion of donors with these groups to meet demand. Anyone who has those blood groups will be able to get a priority appointment.

25,000 male donors are needed now to step forward. Men’s blood is particularly useful to make plasma and platelets used to stop bleeding after injury or surgery. Men are also able to donate more frequently and are more likely to have lots of iron and so can donate more regularly than women. Despite this, 2 in 3 new donors are women.

Black donors with the rare subtype Ro are also in high demand. This blood type is more prevalent in the black community and is used to treat the 15,000 people in the UK who suffer from sickle cell disease. Often people needing Ro are treated with O negative because there is a shortage of Ro blood to treat patients.

Peter Shilton says: “I wish I could have donated when I could do – but hope this encourages those that still can.

“It doesn’t need the ‘hand of god’ to save lives – everyone can do it. A blood donation can save or improve up to three lives and it shouldn’t take more than an hour of your time.”

David Seaman added: “We want everyone to know that they can save the people around them. It can’t be overemphasised how important each donation is. Therefore, please support your country in a way that can make you the heroes off the pitch.”

Mike Stredder, Director of Blood Donation at NHS Blood and Transplant says: “To meet our patients’ needs at all times, we need 700 new donors every day to follow in the footsteps of these goalkeeping legends and help save their country.

“There is a particular need for O negative and B negative donors as these are vulnerable blood groups that often run low on stocks at various times of the year, so anyone who knows they have one of these blood groups please do come forward to donate.

“If you can’t get an appointment to give blood during the World Cup, don’t worry. The need for blood is constant so we encourage anyone who can’t get one now to book for a future date.

“If you live or work near to one of our fixed site donor centres, please book an appointment to give there.”

Please go to www.blood.co.uk to find out if you can donate, register as a donor and book an appointment at your local donor centre. Giving blood is simple and an hour of your time can help save up to three lives. If you can’t book an appointment straight away, please don’t worry, we need blood donors every day so please book an appointment in the future. Save a life. Give blood #Giveblood.