Community News

Preparations are underway for the new magical illuminated Christmas trail at Beaulieu as the medieval grounds of the abbey and Palace House are transformed from 23 November – 30 December 2018 at the New Forest attraction.

Specially designed for all the family to enjoy, Christmas at Beaulieu features a mile-long illuminated path with festive installations along the way. Created with Beaulieu's unique historic past as its inspiration, visitors can expect to be immersed in the sights and sounds of Christmas.

Spend an unmissable evening experience walking through the Tunnel of Light, a canopy festooned with over 100,000 twinkling pea-lights as the tree-tops glisten and the gardens and buildings shimmer with seasonal sparkle.

The ancestral Montagu home of Palace House will be aglow with beams of light which dance in time to much-loved Christmas classics. From the roof of Beaulieu's veteran bus, you may catch a glimpse of Father Christmas and his elves who will be greeting visitors.

Along the Icicle Walk, larger-than-life gleaming shards will guide visitors towards the Meadow of Light where thousands of fibre optic lights sway in unison. There are hidden surprises too – watch out for frosty snowflakes, shimmering stars and gigantic baubles where least expected.

A fabulous finale is waiting at the end of the trail – mesmerising voices of giant Singing Trees can be heard in the distance. Rising high into the night sky, visitors will finish the breathtaking trail with a cheerful Christmas blast of colour and light.

Visitors can complete their stroll under the stars with spiced cider, mulled wine or hot chocolate while the aroma of roasting chestnuts fills the air. Toast marshmallows at one of the fire pits, ride the vintage Carousel or Ferris Wheel and enjoy other traditional fare before picking up a Christmas gift or two at Beaulieu's shop.

Living Crafts for Christmas will bring four fabulous, festive shopping days showcasing outstanding, contemporary, British craft at Blenheim Palace from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th of November. Packed with seasonal charm and brimming with exquisite gift ideas not found on the High Street, this event is guaranteed to put you in the festive spirit!

Enjoy ticking off your Christmas present list with stylish, original handmade gifts for every taste in a festive atmosphere against the majestic backdrop of Blenheim Palace. This is a one stop, shopping experience with around 170 carefully selected, high quality crafts from our talented designer makers together with artisan food and drink from specialist producers, all great for gift inspiration.

Living Crafts for Christmas has a well earned reputation for exceptional craftsmanship and original designs offering a huge selection of unique gifts. As the aroma of roasting chestnuts and winter spices fills the air, browse the pavilions and choose from studio glass, handmade soaps, fashions, puzzles, photography, art, millinery, children's clothes, ceramics, textiles, toys, sculpture and so many more. Luxurious wreaths, garlands, cards, candles, decorations and handcrafted baubles are perfect for season- al style while jewellery stands brim with exquisite contemporary designs in gold and silver; the ideal surprise present! Don't miss the twinkling Christmas trees in the colonnades of the Great Court as you relax and take a break with a glass of mulled wine, Winter Pimms or marshmallow hot chocolate.

Stock up on seasonal treats from our artisan producers in Tastes of Christmas with connoisseur preserves and chutneys, handmade chocolates, waxed truckles, festive pies and locally made charcuterie. Fabulous foodie gifts include Christmas cakes, traditional puddings and sweet treats, not forgetting the fantastic range of seasonal tipples, spiced winter cordials, fruit liqueurs, whiskies and award-winning gins.

As a World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace is an inspiring setting for a family day out with 300 years of history to discover. Over 2,000 acres of magnificent Capability Brown landscaped parkland and formal gardens are waiting to be explored and there are plenty of places to sit and relax with winter warming treats and delicious seasonal food.

From simple and unusual stocking fillers to special commissions for a loved one, a visit to Living Crafts for Christmas is the perfect place to do your Christmas shopping in style whilst enjoying the unique festive atmosphere at Blenheim Palace.

Thousands of job and apprenticeship opportunities were on offer at the annual City of Wolverhampton Jobs Fair.

Over 1,200 job seekers poured through the doors to take advantage of the chance to look at the 2,710 positions on offer.

The event was organised as part of the build up to the Wolverhampton Business Programme and was held in the WV1 Suite at Molineux Stadium.

More than 45 employers from across the City of Wolverhampton attended to showcase the jobs and apprenticeships available.

They included The Royal Wolverhampton Hospital NHS Trust, Wolverhampton Homes, Aspray 24, Liberty Industries, West Midlands Pension Fund, Cargill Meats Europe, PLANit Global, Fostering for Wolverhampton, and Orridge & Co, among many others.

Attendees received information on support and training on offer from organisations such as Wolverhampton Adult Education Service, University of Wolverhampton, City of Wolverhampton College, Wolverhampton Learning Platform, Wolves at Work and Black Country Impact.

The event was sponsored by Workbox (www.wolvesworkbox.com) - an initiative in the city to give residents information about jobs, training and support all in one place.

City of Wolverhampton's team of advisors, along with Department for Work & Pensions and Jobcentre Plus, were also on hand to offer advice and support.

Job seeker, Anthony Pote, aged 64, said: “I saw online there was a jobs fair in Wolverhampton.

“It’s my first one and I’d strongly suggest that anyone out of work goes along to a jobs fair like this.

“It’s most helpful and it should get you back into work depending on what you’re looking for. There are various jobs, plenty for all.”

Councillor Peter Bilson, City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader, said: “We are delighted with the number of city jobseekers we were able to empower by attracting them to the fair.

“We have also received very positive feedback from the employers that exhibited, who appreciate the economic regeneration priorities of the city.

“It is vital everyone in the city continues working together to get people into work so everyone can benefit from the £3.7 million of investment that is on site or planned in the City of Wolverhampton.”

Delighted pub managers from Birmingham attended a special event at the House of Commons on Wednesday (12^th September) where MPs congratulated them on graduating from Stonegate Pub Company's 'Bar to Boardroom' management training programme.

The managers were all invited to the House of Commons to celebrate the 200th General Manager appointment from Stonegate's pool of home grown talent, having successfully completed the company’s award winning ‘Accelerator’ programme.

The attendees were: Rebecca Ellor, General Manager of the Digby, Erdington; Gregory Fisher, General Manager of Slug and Lettuce, Water’s Edge; Lauren Millard, Deputy Manager of Slug and Lettuce, Water’s Edge; Suzanne Jakobsson, General Manager of Missoula, Hurst Street; Stefan Scroczynski, General Manager of the Gosta Green, Holt Street.

Now in its 20^th graduation cycle, the Accelerator Programme has seen 200 Deputy Managers progress to mangerial positions since its launch in 2013.

To mark the graduation milestone, a number of MPs joined Stonegate’s ‘Accelerators’ and senior executives to learn for themselves how the trailblazing innovative training programme leads staff from bar to boardroom.

The Accelerator programme is part of Stonegate’s award-winning ‘Albert’s Theory of Progression’ suite of training programmes, designed to give employees the tools to bridge the gap between Deputy Manager and General Manager, through education and dynamic group learning.

The course aims to build the participant's confidence, encourage continued independent learning and help them to work together effectively as team. It consists of three workshops: Creating a Winning Mind; Winning in Communication and Winning in Business.

It also includes a practical component; participants must organise and produce a fundraiser event in their pub for a charity of their choice. To date the 200 Accelerators have raised over £300,000 for UK Charities between them.

The guests were given a tour of the House of Commons before the main event, hosted by Luton MP Gavin Shuker. Stonegate Chief Executive, Simon Longbottom, commended the graduates and the Stonegate development team.

He said: “People are at the heart of what we do. We’re delighted to able to recognise the achievements of our incredibly hard-working Accelerators here at the House of Commons. The course is a shining example of how commitment in personal development can change people’s lives, as they fast become the company’s most promising managers and future industry leaders.

"Reaching our 200^th milestone is a really proud moment for Stonegate and the House of Commons is a fitting place to celebrate. As well as being a memorable occasion for the Accelerators, we believe it is important to help MPs understand the vital role that our company and the wider pub and bar industry play in offering, not just jobs, but worthwhile progressive careers, with arguably the best opportunity out of any industry to go from the bottom rung right to the very top.”

The first woman to be appointed Black Rod has received an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton.

Sarah Clarke, who attended Wolverhampton Girls High School, was honoured at a graduation ceremony on Friday, 14 September 2018.

The Honorary Doctor of Letters was presented in recognition of her achievements and to celebrate her appointment as Black Rod, particularly given her connection to the city.

She said: “It is a great honour to be given this award. I am very proud of where I come from and I am delighted and humbled by this tribute from my hometown University. The acknowledgment from the University of Wolverhampton means a tremendous amount to me.”

Sarah Clarke is the first woman to be appointed to the role of Black Rod in the House of Lords in its 650-year history.  

Black Rod is appointed by the Monarch on the recommendation of a selection panel chaired by the Lord Speaker. She also holds the post of Serjeant- at Arms for the House of Lords and is an Officer of the Order of the Garter. 

Prior to taking up post in February 2018, she was the Championships Director at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, responsible for the organisation of The Championships, Wimbledon.  

Her career since leaving the City has seen her focus on complex project, event and venue management, holding roles at four Olympic Games, the London Marathon and UK Sport as well as at Wembley National Stadium, the Football Association, Women's Tennis Association, and the charity Care International.  

A native of Wolverhampton, and a supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers, she attended Wolverhampton Girls High School. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Surrey (Roehampton Institute) and a Master’s degree from the University of Leicester.  Her spare time is spent walking, drawing cartoons and when possible, volunteering and undertaking activities for various charities. 

Honorary awards are presented by the University of Wolverhampton to people who have made a significant contribution to their field of expertise.

A group of almost 80 property professionals successfully completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge earlier this week (Tuesday 11 September), so far raising over £15,000* for the four Air Ambulance charities across the North and Midlands.

The group from Savills offices including Carlisle, Chester, Clitheroe, Corbridge, Darlington, Lincoln, Lichfield, Telford, Peterborough, York and Wooler embarked on the hilly challenge at dawn on Tuesday starting out in the village of Horton in Ribblesdale before climbing the three Yorkshire peaks of Pen y Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, which equate to approximately 24.5 miles in total.

Stuart Jeffries, director in the minerals and waste management team at Savills in the North, who is leading on fundraising for the Air Ambulance charities in the region, organised the event. He comments: “What started out as a relatively small affair quickly blossomed into one of the most prominent and well-supported events in our charity fundraising calendar this year.

“This event was the culmination of months of organisation and training and the total that has been raised so far is testament to the individuals who took part. The teams set off at 6am in wet, miserable conditions but remained in high spirits throughout the day, helped by our fantastic support team who met them at various check points along the route.  There was a real party atmosphere as the teams met up for supper and exchanged stories from the day.”

The funds raised will be split equally between Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, Midlands Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Great North Air Ambulance and North West Air Ambulance.

Andrew Pearce, director and head of farm agency at Savills in the Midlands leads the Air Ambulance fundraising committee for the real estate firm in the Midlands. He has also been a trustee of the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance since 2006.

He says: “I believe this is one of the biggest groups to undertake this challenge and having 80 people on the hill at the same time is quite an undertaking and a great achievement by all who took part. Having undertaken this challenge five times now - including twice in the last two weeks - I know what an effort our whole team put in to complete it. The elevation gain is approximately 1,500 metres across the route and it took the team between 10 and 12 hours to complete so it is no walk in the park.

“I know some people pushed themselves beyond their limits both mentally and physically to get to the finish and it was so rewarding to see the whole Savills team integrating and working together to complete the course. It would be fair to say that many great friendships were forged along the way.”

The Air Ambulance is the official charity of the rural division at Savills in 2018 and this is just one of a number of events being organised across the UK to raise money for the cause, with a view to raising £100,000 this year.

The fundraising pages will remain open until the end of this month. To donate, visit the Midlands or North fundraising pages.

Emmaus UK raised more than £8,700 at their first abseil fundraising event on Friday 7 September, smashing the original target of £4,000. 33 brave people made the 220ft descent from the top of the Holiday Inn Express Snow Hill in the very capable hands of Red Point Climbing Centre, Birmingham. The money raised will be used to increase accommodation capacity and the support available to homeless people at Emmaus communities across the UK.

Fundraisers from across Birmingham joined Emmaus residents and staff from Coventry, Mossley (Greater Manchester), Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Cambridge. Emmaus supporter and winner of SAS Who Dares Wins (2016), Moses Adeyemi also completed the abseil and motivated the other participants, many of whom were abseiling for the first time.

On the day, a special medal was awarded to April Brunt, the top fundraiser, who raised more than £1,000 for Emmaus.

April said: ‘It’s been a brilliant morning. I’ve exceeded my fundraising target, won a prize and raised money for Emmaus UK– a great charity.  The experience was amazing. The sun was shining so I had a great view of Birmingham, while thinking how my experience was helping to make a difference to the lives of others. I hope this will be the first of many more fundraising challenges in the future. Thanks for the opportunity Emmaus UK.’

The event was kindly supported by staff from the Holiday Inn Express Snow Hill, who assisted with the logistics, refreshments and a breakout area for participants and Domino’s Pizza, Constitution Hill branch donated free pizzas for the hungry abseilers.

Lulu Donna Nulty, Sales Manager at Holiday Inn Express Snow Hill Birmingham, said: “Over the last 12 months we have supported local and national charities, helping to raise nearly £50,000. Emmaus UK is a charity close to my heart which helps vulnerable and homeless people in their communities. I look forward to supporting the charity further in the future and creating an awareness of the support the charity provides.”

Sallie Winterbottom, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Emmaus UK said: ‘I’d like to say a huge thank you to all who signed up and helped raise more than £8,700 for Emmaus UK. They all showed such bravery; it was heart-warming to see the abseilers support each other whilst pushing their own personal limits with the long term goal of helping people experiencing homelessness.

“The money raised will make an enormous difference, enabling communities to increase their accommodation capacity, meaning more people have a place to call home. This event could not have happened without collaboration from our partners, the Holiday Inn Express Snow Hill, Red Point Climbing Centre Birmingham and Domino’s Pizza, Constitution Hill. Their support has been invaluable."

A well-known Wolverhampton businessman has been honoured by the city’s University.

Sham Sharma, owner of Zuri Coffee, received an honorary fellowship from the University of Wolverhampton.

The award, presented at a graduation ceremony on Thursday, 13 September, was made in recognition of Sham’s contribution to the University, and support of current students through a number of prizes and awards.

He said he was “thrilled” to be receiving the award and to be sharing the special day with graduates.

Sham had some words of wisdom for the graduates: “Success is not often measured by how much money you have; it can be determined in other ways. Think of being successful. Don’t be afraid of criticism or failure, it’s part of learning curve and we never stop learning.  As you journey through life, be open-minded and collaborate with others.”

Sham Sharma came to the UK in 1969, aged 12, and learnt English at secondary school. In 1977, he enrolled at the University of Aston to study sciences and started a clothing business while studying for his degree – by 1987, he had nine successful outlets.

In the following decade, he became a member of the City Council’s Education Committee and was inspired to train as a teacher. He started Sunitek, an IT company, in 1997 and the business grew year on year, becoming a major supplier of hardware and software to schools and colleges in Wolverhampton.

During 2011 Sunitek was hit by the riots and the business took a downturn as it lost a lot of stock. But through hard work Sham was able to build the business up again.

In 2012, Sham became chair of Wolverhampton Forum. He sold Sunitek in 2014 after opening the popular Zuri Coffee, serving Indian inspired street food, in 2013.

He joined the city’s Economic Growth Board in 2015 and was appointed director of the Wolverhampton Business Improvement District in 2016.

Following the success of Zuri, he plans to establish a chain of coffee shops.

Honorary awards are presented by the University of Wolverhampton to people who have made a significant contribution to their field of expertise.

The rise of the Bank of Mum and Dad (BOMAD) is stoking family tension with parents and adult children admitting that providing financial help is not without its risks, new research from the UK’s leading independent equity release adviser Key shows.

Its nationwide study found nearly one in five over-55s (18%) have not told all their children exactly how much siblings have received while two out of five (41%) say they decided how much financial help to give based on how well-off their children are.

BOMAD customers themselves admit there are problems – 25% of under-40s say the financial handouts they’ve received have caused friction with siblings and three out of four (75%) admit to feeling guilty about the cash they’ve received.

Industry estimates show BOMAD is expected to pay out around £5.8 billion this year for housing transactions alone with Key’s research showing BOMAD is also helping with a range of other financial issues. Around 10% of homeowners aged 55-plus who expect to give money to help younger members of their families will pay for cars while 8% will put it towards paying for a wedding.

But Key warns that parents and children need to be clear from the outset if handouts are loans or gifts and urges both sides to seek independent advice if possible to avoid the risk of disputes ending in court.

The intergenerational divide

Key’s research found around two out of three (66%) of homeowners aged 55-plus believe their children would be happy for them to give more money to siblings if they need. However, 26% say they are too worried about disputes to discuss money with their children.

The increase in financing by BOMAD is not driven by children with 67% of under-40s who are renting agreeing that parents don’t have a duty to provide money. That said, four out of five believe the intergenerational wealth divide needs to be addressed urgently.

For some parents – and their children – it is not an issue with 16% of parents admitting they cannot afford to give any money while 22% say they may have to provide financial support to their own elderly parents.

Will Hale CEO at Key said: “It is natural for parents to want to help children and grandchildren, but it is desperately sad if that comes with emotional costs on top of the financial costs.

“In an ideal world, the whole family should be involved in discussions about how much money is being paid out and in general the research shows most would be perfectly happy for siblings to receive more if they need the help more.

“But of course, we don’t live in an ideal world and in extreme cases Bank of Mum and Dad bust-ups can end up in court. We believe advice is key and families should wherever possible seek independent help whether it’s from financial advisers or lawyers. Our experience also indicates that the option of face-to-face advice can be important in getting all parties together to help everyone understand and agree on the approach."

Points to consider when loaning or gifting money to children should include:

·         Establish from the beginning whether the money is a gift or a loan. If it’s a gift, then there should be fewer problems

·         But if it’s a loan then it’s worth seeking legal advice and particularly if the loan is for buying a property and your child is married or living with a partner

·         If you’re a homeowner and become a shared owner of your child’s property, then your interest in the property will be regarded as a ‘second home’ which means you will be charged a higher rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax on the transaction.

·         If the money is a gift it could incur an Inheritance Tax Charge and specialist financial advice on estate planning could be valuable

·         It is important to consider updating your will particularly if you have more than one child and potential beneficiaries

In celebration of #WorldPaellaDay on 20 September, the Spanish Tourist Office is hosting an exclusive paella master-class for media and bloggers, as well as a public event for up to 600 guests.

On 20 September, the Valencians who normally play passionate custodians over the traditional recipe will end the age-old debate and share their secrets; with the ambition of celebrating the dish around the world and establishing it as an international emblem of Valencia.

In London, the Spanish Tourist Office will be hosting a free paella master-class and tasting on 20 September in front of the Guildhall building in the heart of the City of London. Hosted in association with the London Paella School, the timetable includes a paella Valenciana master-class at 11am, a paella tasting at 1pm followed by a seafood paella master-class at 3pm. No reservation required.

Drastic Games’ debut title, Soundfall, a music-driven action adventure developed by alumni from Epic Games (Fortnite, Gears of War), will be showcased at EGX 2018.

A lively mix of twin-stick shooting and rhythm-based gameplay, Soundfall follows the journey of Melody, a young audiophile who finds herself transported to the world of Symphonia. In search of a way home from this mysterious land where music comes to life, she becomes entangled in a conflict to save the realm from Discord, an unfathomable darkness that threatens everything.

From Symphonia’s lush environments to its outlandish creatures, music drives every aspect of this rhythmic dungeon crawler. Become immersed in a world shaped by sound while delving into forbidden dungeons, exploring fantastic landscapes, and uncovering the hidden power of song.

Soundfall’s levels, enemies, loot, and more are procedurally-generated by and dynamically react to a range of musical elements, changing not only from song to song but measure to measure as tunes build and die away. Battles synchronize to the beat, rewarding players who dash and slash in time to the beat with impressive dance-like combos.

While harmonizing with Soundfall’s refrains, players search for gear and upgrades, like one-of-a-kind weapons and legendary artifacts with audio-driven powers. A diverse roster of playable characters, each with their own distinct playstyle and musical palettes, makes for compelling team-play in online and couch co-op for up to four friends. No matter how players choose to play, there are a wealth of ways to enjoy this action-packed musical experience.

Harnessing the power of Epic’s Unreal Engine 4, Soundfall pushes what’s possible for small team development. “Soundfall is an extraordinary project to be part of,” said Julian Trutmann, content director, Drastic Games. “Music connects people in ways that are difficult to articulate. It’s been an incredible pleasure working with such an emotionally engaging medium.”

“Syncing literally everything in the game to music has been an awesome technical challenge,” added Nick Cooper, technical director, Drastic Games. “But it’s been a tremendously rewarding process, and we’re excited to finally share Soundfall with players.”

Birmingham has come out on top in a new study conducted by Jury’s Inn to find the UK’s greenest cities.

According to their research, Birmingham is the greenest city in the UK with 15.58% of the city being made up of green space, narrowly beating Nottingham’s 15.34% of green space.

Glasgow came in third place with 13.49% and Manchester came in at number four with 13.13%. Liverpool rounds out the Top 5 with 12.79% of green space. Perhaps unsurprisingly, London came dead last with a shocking 1.20% of the city being made up of green space.

Jury’s Inn took their research a little further and decided to compile another list that also takes the population of each city in to account. In this new table, Birmingham drops from first place to sixth place, with an average of 273 people per 1m² of green space. Newcastle upon Tyne takes the top spot with an average of just 83 people per 1m².

Cambridge came second, with 133 people per 1m², with Edinburgh (200 people), Leeds (217 people) and Salford (272 people) rounding out the Top 5.

Once again, London came in last place with an average of 2,701 residents per 1m² of green space. However, when Jury’s Inn also took in to account the people who work in London on a day-to-day basis but don’t actually live there – approximately 300,000 people – things get even more crowded, with an outrageous 88,908 people for every 1m² of green space. Good luck finding a nice grassy spot to sit and enjoy your lunch on! Oh, and romantic picnics are absolutely out of the question!

Honey, the eight-year-old cat, has watched all the other cats go to their new homes and wondered why no one has come to rehome her.

She came into RSPCA care in February this year. It is believed she was left behind when her owners moved out. When the new people moved in, they alerted the RSPCA, after Honey was seen constantly meowing at the door wondering why she was shut out in the cold.

Heather Cain, Chairman for the RSPCA Stourbridge and District branch in the West Midlands, said: “Honey has been in foster care now for over 200 days and has watched all our other cats go off to their new homes and start their new lives - she wonders why no one wants her and is now starting to become stressed and bored which is beginning to affect her mental and physical wellbeing. She will need a quiet home with no other pets or young children.

“Honey has blossomed into a loving girl and despite being slightly older she still enjoys a little play now and again and is young at heart. She just needs a family who will love her.”

Honey was brought into RSPCA care as she was starting to look very thin. A blood test revealed she had an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism so she will need continued medication and the branch can help with the cost of this if she is rehomed within the local area. This is easy to manage and she takes medication in liquid form on her food.

She is also currently on a sensitivity diet as the stress of the cattery and being confined in a foster home has upset her stomach - but this is already improving and the staff are confident this will clear up when she is settled and can go outside and explore again.

To give Honey a loving home, contact the RSPCA Stourbridge and District branch on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Childhood sweethearts who died a fortnight apart will be remembered by family at Alzheimer’s Society’s Birmingham Memory Walk.

Stories past down generations say it was love at first sight for Arthur Anderson when he clocked eyes on his next door neighbour Dorothy, or Rene as she was best known, in their 20s.

The couple tried to keep their romance low key but Arthur’s seven siblings were good at catching them out, usually kissing down the side of their house in College Road, Great Barr.

With eyes only for each other, they married five years later in 1950 and went on to have two daughters, Alison and Marilyn.

Both ladies have now signed up to take part in Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk at Sutton Park, on Saturday 15 September, and will be joined by wider family members including Alison’s daughter Emma Archer, to remember their parents and grandparents who died end of 2017 with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Emma, 28, of Walsall, said: “Nan and Grandad did everything together and really couldn’t bear too much time apart.

“They were an inspiration for the way they lived their lives and just kept going, grandad was still driving and playing golf at the age of 91.”

The family describes how Rene broke her hip and lost all confidence to go out which in turn worried Arthur, who would stay in with her. Their health and wellbeing deteriorated in stages with noticeable changes.

There are more than 4,000 people already signed up but there’s still time for others to register until 5pm tomorrow (Thursday 13 September).

John Taylor Hospice’s Glitter Ball has been hailed ‘a night to remember’ with around 200 guests enjoying the fundraising event.

The ball at Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport on Friday (7 September) featured live music, dancers, auctions, a raffle and three course dinner. Companies, individuals, hospice supporters, staff, patients and their families all came together in a glittering fundraiser – with all proceeds supporting John Taylor’s care.

Hospice Community and Events Fundraiser Emily Boate said the event was hugely successful, raising around £20,000.

“Our Glitter Ball was a real night to remember,” she says. “From the moment people entered the doors to be met by our dancers to the moment they left, many taking their prizes with them, it was a wonderful evening. It was good to see so many people return to the event after last year’s Masquerade Ball – the first in our history.

“We are grateful to everyone who made the Glitter Ball such a success including staff, volunteers, House of Chords and Elite Performers. A huge thank you to all of the local companies and individuals who sponsored the ball or generously donated prizes and the many people who dug deep into their pockets during the evening to buy raffle tickets and bid on the auctions.

“Each person and company who helped us raise our amazing total is helping us make every moment matter for the people we care for.”

Prizes up for grabs were certainly glittering with holidays, hotel breaks, spa weekends, dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants, Bucks Fizz Breakfasts, days out, sport memorabilia and theatre tickets.

Ball sponsors were Christine Brolan Civil Celebrant, Wright Restaurants Ltd, Lilies Funeral Directors, Provex Solutions Ltd and Simpsons Gin Bar.

Christine said: “The ball has been just lovely. What really strikes me is that the ball is so full of life – people celebrating and enjoying their lives. And they have raised so much money for the hospice at the same time.”

Lee Solomon of Lilies Funeral Directors said: “It has been an amazing evening – it’s so wonderful to see so many people joining together to support John Taylor Hospice.”

The hospice’s Fundraising Team is now hard at work organising future events.

“The Glitter Ball may be over but we have plenty of other opportunities for people to join our events and support us to help hundreds of local people,” said Emily. “Forthcoming events include a skydive, Big Quiz of the Year, our open day and Light up a Life – full details are on our website www.johntaylorhospice.org.uk”

First introduced in 2015, this is the fourth year the Met Office and Met Éireann (the meteorological service in the Irish Republic) have jointly run the ‘Name our Storms’ scheme, aimed at raising awareness of severe weather before it hits.

This year the first storm will be ‘male’ and named Ali, while the second storm will be ‘female’ and named Bronagh, following the alternating male/female pattern established by the US National Hurricane Center in the 1970’s.

Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann, said: “The last 12 months have seen some extreme weather around the Globe as well as here at home. While it is too early to say whether the coming winter will be a stormy one or a quiet one we are prepared with a whole new set of 21 names for whatever nature may throw at us. As before, Met Éireann forecasters will work in close co-operation with our colleagues from the  Met Office in the UK to keep all the peoples of these islands warned of impending severe weather."

This season’s names have once again been compiled from a list of suggestions submitted by the public, choosing some of the most popular names but also selecting names that reflect the nations, culture and diversity of Britain and Ireland.  As in previous years, Q, U, X, Y and Z will not be used, to comply with the international storm naming conventions.

Why do we name storms?

Derrick Ryall, Head of Public Weather Services at the Met Office, said: “Naming storms has been proved to raise awareness of severe weather in the UK, providing a consistent message to the public and crucially prompting people to take action to prevent harm to themselves or to their property.”

In a recent YouGov survey, almost 80% of people questioned found giving storms a name useful for making them aware that the storm may have greater impacts than normal, with 63% agreeing that storm naming was useful to let them know to take action and prepare for the impacts of severe weather.

Although naming storms has helped raise the profile of severe weather, we realise there is still work to be done in advising people to take action – for example in a recent survey, only one third of respondents said they made changes at home, such as fastening windows, securing loose items outside and just one fifth checking on the safety of family and neighbours.

When is a storm named?

A storm will be named on the basis of 'medium' or 'high' potential impacts from wind but also include the potential impacts of rain and snow, i.e. storms will be named for weather systems which we expect an Amber or Red warning will eventually be issued by Met Éireann and/or the Met Office’s National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS).

The 2017-18 season saw ten storms named, from Aileen in September to Hector earlier this summer.  Last year we also saw Ex-Hurricane Ophelia, named by the National Hurricane Center.