Community News

A campaign to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation (CSE) is going big and bold on a key West Midlands motorway route to spread the word about this hidden crime. Motorists travelling through the M6/M5 junction this bank holiday weekend will see the message ‘Could this be your child?’ on a large digital motorway sign. Aimed at parents, the digital display, which can be seen both north and southbound, highlights warning signs they need to be aware of to help them identify concerns.

Sophia aged three has been appointed the Little Boss of Big Fun by leading holiday specialist, Eurocamp, following a one month recruitment process for the newly created role. She will take the specialist role for 12 months, which will see her and her family visit one of the brand's 180 parcs, giving her the insight she needs to advise the company on how to make its offering more fun for children and toddlers.

Birmingham residents are urged to be on the lookout for emails and letters from the council’s elections office over the next few weeks. As well as the usual forms that many people will be familiar with, some people will receive an email instead as part of a trial to reduce costs. Head of Electoral Services, Robert Connelly, said: “To ensure you get a vote in the next election please look out for correspondence from the Elections Office." 

More than four in 10 British motorists are either too lazy or too busy to wash their own cars, and get someone else to do it, according to a survey carried out by AA Cars. That figure rises to nearly six in ten  for time-poor Londoners. In Scotland, the weekend tradition still appears to be in fashion with more than two-thirds stating they wash their own cars, followed by Wales, the North East and South West.

When it comes to dogs, the West Midlands seems to be ‘barking mad’ for man’s best friend, with two thirds of dog owners in the West Midlands opting to spend an evening with their dogs rather than without, and a half have left a pub that claimed to be dog-friendly but wasn’t. Research by DogBuddy.com; Europe’s leading online dog-sitting and home dog boarding community, also revealed Paul O’Grady (31%) as the area’s favourite dog-owning celebrity.

Hangzhou is poised to welcome top political leaders from around the world as it hosts the first ever G20 Summit in China from 4th - 5th September 2016. Prime Minister Theresa May has written to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to express her anticipation of attending the G20 Summit this September and her support for China in hosting a successful event. 

It may be difficult to get your child into a top state school but affording the school uniform isn’t, reveals a new survey by the Schoolwear Association, whose members together help to clothe three-quarters of Britain’s children. All of the top 20 state schools in England insist on a uniform, and the majority also stipulate a blazer and tie. The study carried out by the Schoolwear Association reveals the average cost of a complete outfit in these schools is less than £107 - just 54p a day per school year, and even better value when you consider that items such as blazers and ties will last for more than one school year.

Underlying muscle pain can be a trigger for aggressiveness in dogs and must be considered in cases of dangerous behaviour, a canine expert has said. Julia Robertson, the founder of the Galen Therapy Centre in Sussex which treats dogs suffering from musculoskeletal pain, has spoken out about the links between underlying conditions in canines and attacks in the light of the RSPCA’s report into the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Organisers, exhibitors and visiting entertainment acts are making final preparations for the most extravagant Family Day yet at this year’s Nantwich Food Festival.  The lip-smacking three-day spectacular begins on Friday 2 September with an amazing programme of events aimed at families, children and local community groups. A full itinerary of FREE cookery shows and demonstrations will take place in the AGA Food Theatre based in the town centre.

Birdland Park & Gardens has plenty for all the family entertained this bank holiday weekend from Saturday 27 – Monday 29 August. Head to Bourton-on-the-Water to meet King Penguins, explore the Jurassic Journey and discover an exciting array of birds. Birdland are pleased to announce that they have successfully bred a critically endangered Waldrapp Ibis chick, the first to hatch at the Park in over 5 years. The Waldrapp Ibis is a migratory bird found in barren, semi-desert or rocky habitats, often close to running water.

To commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, the First World War Centenary Partnership, led by Imperial War Museums (IWM), will be screening the 1916 documentary film The Battle of the Somme across the globe throughout the year. The Somme lasted for 141 days, and more than one million men from both sides were killed, wounded or captured. The Battle of the Somme film was released on August 21 1916 and recorded the early stages of the battle.

Due to booming bar prices abroad, a family of four can now travel to Europe for less than the cost of the beverages they will drink during their stay, according to new research by Direct Line Travel Insurance. The study reveals that families holidaying in France will spend an average of £307 on drinks, while flights from London to Paris cost as little as £209. A gin and tonic will set travellers back a cool £9.19 when visiting our neighbours across the channel and as much as, £3.95 for a pint of Coke for the kids.

West Midlands residents throw away over £47K worth of broken or unwanted household items in their lifetime, according to new research. And skimping on quality is costing us a small fortune, with the average West Midlands respondent chucking out almost £780-worth of household items every year. From toasters to TVs, microwaves to mobile phones, the survey of 2,000 UK adults shows two thirds of modern purchases are simply NOT ‘built to last’.

Almost a third of pensioners (31%) admit that most days for them are ‘No Spend Days’ when they don’t spend any money on themselves. And three in ten (30%) say they spend less than £10 a week on themselves, with more than half spending less than £20, according to a poll by equity release specialist Responsible Equity Release.

Wishing everybody taking part in the Birmingham Color Run at the NEC today good luck, and hopefully the weather will cooperate!

Giving blood saves lives and during this year’s National Blood Week, Britons will be reminded that the UK needs approximately 200,000 new donors each year to meet patient demands. In England alone, 6,000 blood donations are needed every day to treat patients. Yet, a less familiar reminder is the need to provide donations for pets too. For those considering whether their pet could become a donor, MedicAnimal, the UK’s leading online pet healthcare retailer, has put together some useful tips on what owners need to know.