Community News

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.

Representatives of government, diplomats, celebrities and religious leaders will help the Commonwealth kick-off a new cricket initiative next month.

Dubbed Peace at the Crease, the programme will use the popularity of cricket as a tool to promote peace, bring communities together and support progress and development.

This new initiative will be launched in London at an inter-faith match at Lords Cricket Ground on 6 July, and will include a series of special exhibition matches. The first match is sponsored by Ganador Sports and the UK Asian Business Council and is between the Vatican XI and a multi-faith Commonwealth team at the Indian Gymkhana Club on 9 July 2018.

Describing Peace at the Crease as a big win for the promotion of peace and development, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said, “One of my fondest childhood memories is standing on a home-made pitch, cricket bat in hand, heart pounding with excitement, praying to hit a six. And through the years, I have witnessed for myself how, when used strategically, cricket and sports in general can be a tool to bring people together and to break down barriers.

She added, “We have seen how well-designed sport for development and peace initiatives can contribute to healing and post-conflict reconciliation processes. So on July 9th there will be two teams but one goal, to bowl-out inter-communal and other tensions and to hit a six for peace, inclusion and community cohesion.”

Participants of the Peace at the Crease exhibition matches will play for ‘Commonwealth Cricketing Cups’. These matches will feature special initiatives and modifications aimed at maximising the best qualities of cricket. These include:

• Selecting Commonwealth Cup winners and Players of the Match will take into account how players promote and demonstrate commitment to Commonwealth values, as well as runs scored and wickets taken;
• Combining teams from diverse backgrounds and groups that cut across national, ethnic and religious divides;
• Creating forums at matches to encourage community leaders to pledge support for the Commonwealth’s shared values and peace-building efforts, and agree strategies to advance the use of sport and cricket as a community development tool;
• Profiling organisations that are effectively using specially designed cricket-based methodology in peace-building and community development initiatives;
• Fundraising activities to support Commonwealth peace-building initiatives.

“This new cricket initiative is not only helping us to boost our work in this area, it is also a platform to promote and fundraise for other important related initiatives such as our Faith in the Commonwealth programme, which is creating a group of young people as change agents for interfaith understanding and global citizenship.”

Welcoming the initiative, Kamal Prabhakar of Ganador Sports said, "We are excited about creating the Commonwealth Cricket Cup to spread the message of peace, harmony and equality through the game of cricket.”

The City of Wolverhampton Council will be showcasing the help and support which is available to enable people to live independently for longer in a new social media campaign.

#12DaysOfIndependence, which launched on the council's Twitter page www.twitter.com/wolvescouncil, will feature real life case studies and profile a range of services for adults with long and short term health conditions and care needs.

Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "I fully endorse the campaign. There are many ways in which the council and other organisations are helping people in Wolverhampton to live as independently as they can, whether by supporting them to live in their own home, by helping them into work or training or by overcoming barriers they may face.

"Our #12DaysOfIndependence campaign is about highlighting the many ways that people with physical or learning disabilities and older people can become more independent, and how we are helping people exceed their own expectations about what's possible."

During the campaign, short films will highlight the support available from specific schemes, such as the council's award-winning employment support service Enable, which is helping people into paid work and training, and how people are being helped to live in their own homes through supported living programmes.

It will also highlight the help and support available to help people remain independent for longer from a wide range of local organisations, including Adult Education Wolverhampton, Action For Independence, Wolverhampton Home Improvement Service, Telecare, Wolverhampton Wheelchair Service, the Neville Garratt Centre for Independent Living, Ring and Ride, the Carer Support Team and Meals on Wheels.

A Weight Watchers Diamond Leader is celebrating 20 years of sIimming service in Stoke.

Liz Archibald, who lives in Mere Park, near Stoke on Trent, was presented with the award by Sheila Bradshaw, area service manager for Weight Watchers in front of colleagues on Saturday 10^th February.

She received a gift voucher for £300 and has treated herself to a new Vivian Westwood Watch and matching earrings.

Liz joined weight Watchers as a member at the age of 37 after having her second child as she didn't want to be the old, fat mum in the playground.

Liz said ‘At Weight Watchers I learned for the first time how to lose weight without feeling hungry & deprived, I discovered how to cook & enjoy foods that I'd never previously heard of! I lost about 1.5lbs every week while still having a takeaway at the weekend with a couple of glasses of wine & the WW chocolate bars meant that I could still have a chocolate fix without gaining weight.’

Liz reached my goal within 5 months having lost 2 stone on the points plan & was inspired by Weight Watchers so decided to apply to become a Coach as she wanted to share her knowledge & help others achieve their own goals.

Liz added ‘Weight loss is a journey but I believe it should be fun too. At the meetings we share what works, what doesn’t, how to create amazing plates of food & how to laugh about the silly stuff!’

Our new plan "Flex" has changed the way many of us think about food, I have never eaten so well & our members feel the same. Healthy is the new skinny.

Liz is now 4 stone lighter than she was in my 20's and coaches 6 meetings a week.

She’s a triple diamond Coach & for the last 20 years she has never gone over her goal weight. The ripple effect has also ensured her family have grown up with a good knowledge of how to lead a healthy life.

‘I am now older (that's ok I can dye my hair) but I never was the fat mum in the playground.’ Explained Liz.

The organisers of a popular fun run at the University of Birmingham which is being held for the fifth time on Sunday 21 October to raise money for charity Parkinson’s UK are calling for people across the West Midlands to sign up to take part.  Online registration is now open for the under 11s 2km event and 5km for older runners.

Bud’s Run is the brainchild of former UK Athletics Marathon Coach Bud Baldaro, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2009, and has been based at the University for over a decade. He is determined to use his love of running to help fund research into this long-term condition.  His event has already raised over £75,000 for Parkinson’s UK – and he hopes that runners can smash the £85,000 barrier this year.

Although very much a family fun run, previous Bud’s Run events have attracted athletics stars both past and present. They include world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe, middle distance legend Steve Cram, Olympian Sara Treacy and 1500m World Championship Silver Medallist Hannah England.

Hannah England will once again be supporting Bud’s Run and joined Bud and his daughter Becky Baldaro Booth at a launch event last week.

Speaking at the event Hannah said: “I love Bud's Run there's a great buzz about the campus. Mum and dad can join their children in running the 2k or run the 5k!  It's a great day for a great cause.

“You can have your face painted before the run, bacon sarnies and cake afterwards, and you get a goody bag for your efforts too.

“So please join us and help us raise money to beat Parkinson’s.”

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition for which there is currently no cure and it affects 145,000 people in the UK, including over 12,000in the West Midlands.

Parkinson's UK is the leading charity driving better care, treatments and quality of life for those with the condition. Its mission is to find a cure and improve life for everyone affected by Parkinson's through cutting edge research, information, support and campaigning.

Parkinson’s UK estimate that there are more than 40 symptoms of the condition.  As well as the most widely known symptom - tremor - these range from physical symptoms like muscle stiffness to depression, anxiety, hallucinations, memory problems and dementia, but Parkinson’s affects everyone differently.

Gayle Kelly, Parkinson’s UK Regional Fundraiser, said: “It was great to be at the launch and to see how much love and respect everyone has for Bud.  Now the registrations are open I hope that lots of people will sign up and help to raise money for Parkinson’s UK to help Bud reach his £85,000 goal.”

Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity is inviting its big hearted supporters to join them in taking on the ride of a life time – the SACA Charity Bike Ride 2018 – and help raise vital funds for the 90,000 sick kids and their families cared for at the hospital every day.

Taking place on 28-29 July, this epic two day challenge will see supporters cycle an incredible 126 miles from Birmingham to London. Every year a children’s charity is selected as the ride’s beneficiary and this year, the money raised by the SACA Charity Bike Ride 2018, will be donated exclusively to Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. Keen cyclists looking for a new challenge in support of the Charity should sign up quick, as registrations for this once in a lifetime event close on 16 July.

Serena Daw, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “The annual SACA Charity Bike Ride is a key fundraising event in the Birmingham Calendar, so to be chosen as charity partner is fantastic.

“The money raised will support our mission to raise the vital funds needed to make a real difference to all who use the hospital’s services, offering them the best experience possible. This is such an important cause, so we urge any cyclists seeking a challenge to take on the ride and support our brave children.”

The SACA Bike Ride 2018 sets off from Birmingham (Smethwick) and continues through Coventry, Daventry and Milton Keynes, before reaching a centennial milestone in Luton. After an overnight stay, the ride continues in the morning and passes through St Albans, Radlett, Elstree and Harrow, reaching its final destination in London (Southall). Registrations for this incredible event close on the 16^th July, so any cyclists keen to take part should do so quick before it’s too late!

Team members from SACA commented: “All of us at SACA are excited and proud to be able to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity as part of our Birmingham to London charity bike ride this year. The work of the charity aligns with our ethos of supporting endeavours that focus on the wellbeing of children in the UK.”

CARICOM Day display and church service was held in London on Wednesday.

During this, the Ceremonial hand-over by His Excellency Bocchit Edmond, Ambassador for Haiti and outgoing chair, to His Excellency Seth George Ramocan, High Commissioner for Jamaica and incoming Chairman of the Caucus of the Caribbean Heads of Missions in London took place.

His Excellency gave his personal remarks and read the message from His Excellency Irwin Larocque, CARICOM Secretary General on the occasion of CARICOM Day 2018.

The Prime Minister of Jamaica simultaneously assumes the chairman of CARICOM for the same period of six months and is the host of the CARICOM meeting of ministers in Jamaica during this week.

Professionals in the West Midlands’ land, property and construction sectors are looking to raise at least £143,000 to go towards two unique housing projects in Wolverhampton and Birmingham for those who have experienced, or are facing homelessness.

The funds are being raised as part of a campaign known as Pledge150 launched by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in its 150th anniversary year - in partnership with property industry charity, LandAid – to encourage property professionals to raise funds to deliver at least 150 bed spaces in 2018 for young people at risk of homelessness.

West Midlands’ property professionals – including architects, developers, estate agents as well as chartered surveyors – have joined forces to raise £75,000 for St Basils in Birmingham which will go towards refurbishing their 48 bed hostel, not only modernising the property but also reducing the utility costs which are currently unaffordable and providing an unnecessary hurdle for tenants.

They are also looking to raise £68,000 for Hope into Action who renovate empty houses into affordable housing across the country. The grant will go towards funding a safe, secure housing project for the young vulnerable in Wolverhampton.

To-date, the region’s property professionals have raised funds through a wide programme of fundraising activities including corporate dinners and networking activities. The next big event for the region will be Ultimate Wipeout, sponsored by Moy Materials in Meriden which will take place at on 27 July.

Chair of the RICS West Midlands Regional Board, Nigel Mason, Partner at Rider Levett Bucknall in Birmingham commented:

“Having nowhere safe, secure or affordable to live shuts all the options we take for granted right down and it’s near enough impossible to gain a job, apprenticeship or complete a college course without a safe place to live. But, through RICS’ Pledge150 campaign, our region’s property professionals are actively making a difference by supporting young vulnerable people into new homes and giving them the tools they need to realise a brighter future.”

He added: “The response we’ve had with this campaign, from our region’s property industry, has been fantastic, and although we’ve set ourselves the target of raising at least £143,000 for these two very worthy projects, we would like to exceed it, and help to deliver more housing for young people facing homelessness. Therefore, I’d urge any property professionals out there to get involved in Pledge150 if they aren’t already, and help us end homelessness in our region.”

As part of the Pledge150 campaign, property professionals are also being encouraged to consider providing pro bono property advice to help local charities that support disadvantaged people, including those experiencing homelessness.