Community News

Britain goes to the polls to decide whether the UK should stay a member of the European Union with what is described as the ‘most important ballot in a generation’ taking place tomorrow as the UK votes in the EU referendum. But is 'in' or 'out' best? The county will decide whether to stay in the European Union or leave after being a member since 1973. Over the last few months the debate on what is best has often been heated, with people from both sides of the argument arguing their point – to the last second - to convince the public of their point of view.

Tesco is pulling out all the stops to support London Pride this weekend. On Saturday 25th June and Sunday 26th June, stores across London will join in the annual LGBT festival, displaying rainbow bunting, balloons, and even arranging their fruit and vegetable displays to reflect the Pride colours. 12 Tesco stores along the parade route will also turn the iconic Tesco chevrons the rainbow colours of Pride to show their support .

At dawn on Tuesday 21st June, in Sydney, to celebrate World Yoga Day, BridgeClimb and The Hindu Council of Australia collaborated in hosting the world first Yoga event at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Two certified Yoga teachers, from Isha Foundation and The Art of Living School of Yoga, led twelve enthusiastic participants through a series of yogic practices, 134 metres above the sparkling harbour, with the Opera House silhouetted by the rising sun.

Bupa UK reveals that more than a third of people never smile at a stranger before 9am and of those that do, only one in three people smile once a day. As National Smile Month draws to a close, research also shows that a smile from a stranger has more impact than good weather when it comes to Brits raising a smile. People in Newcastle share the most smiles, with a third smiling at a stranger at least once a day before 9am.  This is in contrast to Belfast and Glasgow, where only 12% and 13% of people offer up a smile.

Alarming new figures from housing charity Shelter have revealed more than 13,017 renting households in the West Midlands were put at risk of losing their home in the past year –equivalent to 30,850 renters. The new analysis of statistics from the Ministry of Justice, showed that 1 in every 62 rented homes in the West Midlands were at risk of eviction. The charity also identified the ‘home threat hotspots’ across the region where renters face the greatest risk of losing their home, which comes as a result of the chronic shortage of affordable homes combined with crippling welfare cuts.

People are being invited to help shape services for young people and adults with autism in Wolverhampton. The City of Wolverhampton Council and Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group have developed a draft strategy for future service provision and now want people to have their say. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Although a spectrum disorder, meaning individuals are affected in different ways, people with autism have difficulties communicating and with social interaction and social imagination. 

With a 900 per cent increase in cases of diabetes among pets in the last five years, it seems a good time to evaluate what we’re feeding our pets. Follow our guide’s alternative options to keep your pet in tip top condition. There has been a 1,161 per cent increase of diabetes cases in cats since 2011, with dogs seeing an 850 per cent rise. This significant increase is a result of owners feeding their pets human food and high-calorie treats, which links with the reality that our pets are becoming ‘humanised’ and increasingly ‘pampered’.

Animal-loving kids are encouraged to capture photos of their favourite pets this summer, as vet charity PDSA launches its annual photo competition for young people. Running with a ‘super pets’ theme, youngsters are asked to submit their photos to one of three age categories: under 10s, 10-13 or 14-16-year-olds. From captivating cats to beautiful bunnies, PDSA wants to see the best snaps of pets showing off what makes them awesome!

People will remember the sacrifices made by those who fought and died in the Falklands War, including two men from Wolverhampton and Walsall, at a service of commemoration today. Air Engineering Mechanic Adrian Anslow of the Royal Navy, who was from Wolverhampton, and Private Mark Dodsworth from the Parachute Regiment, of Walsall, were among the 255 British military personnel who died during the 1982 crisis.

The Mayor of Wolverhampton has praised "local heroes" whose "tireless efforts" have helped the organisations they represent receive prestigious awards. Mayor Councillor Barry Findlay hosted a reception yesterday (Monday 6 June) attended by dozens of volunteers from Wolverhampton and Bilston Athletics Club, the Good Shepherd Ministry and Aspiring Futures, which were last week named as recipients of the Queen's Awards for Voluntary Service.

People across Wolverhampton are being encouraged to play their part in helping to tackle child sexual exploitation (CSE) by knowing how to spot the warning signs. The lighter summer nights are encouraging more people out in the evenings and they are being asked to act as eyes and ears – and help the police and the council by reporting any concerns they have about the safety and wellbeing of young person.

The atmosphere was full of comradery and optimism as The Queen shook hands with athletes, young people, High Commissioners and staff at the launch of a Commonwealth Hub. The ceremony took place at Marlborough House, the Commonwealth’s headquarters in London. The new Commonwealth Hub will be located directly across from Marlborough House in a building to be renamed Commonwealth House. It will become the home of a network of Commonwealth accredited organisations.

Throughout her time on the throne, our beloved Queen has borne witness to more technological advancements in the way she communicates with her subjects than any of her predecessors. To celebrate her official 90th birthday this week, and as an appreciation of her ongoing commitment to embrace the changing tech landscape, new research commissioned by Three has detailed in full the extent to which this is the case in timeline form, beginning with her Coronation in 1953 – the first to ever be televised – through to the sending of an inter-galactic good luck tweet to astronaut Tim Peake earlier this year.

An intrepid cyclist from Redditch is planning on cycling 2000km around France for charity whilst following the Euros to be held in the summer. Tom Sweeney, 22, from Redditch is embarking on this journey on the 25th of June with minimal gear, little money and his trust-worthy fixed-gear bicycle. Tom has been studying in Southampton for the past three years and is donating the money raised to Alzheimer’s Society. He plans on stopping off at the designated fan zones for the football matches and tracking England’s progress.

Jamaicans in the UK will gather in Birmingham on 25th June to discuss and explore issues of concern worthy of consideration, representation and further partnership working with the government of Jamaica. The Conference will be attended by Member(s) of Parliament, the Acting Jamaican High Commissioner and other representatives from the Jamaican High Commission.