Community News

Just weeks ahead of Birmingham’s largest arts festival, Birmingham Weekender (from 22 – 24 September), the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games bid team unveils its cultural programme for the Games.

Comprising a dazzling blend of traditional and contemporary arts from the region and the wider Commonwealth, the cultural programme will showcase Birmingham 2022’s urban, contemporary and digital vision through movement, dance, hip hop, urban sports, music, food, film and photography.

The cultural programme will be inspired by collaborations between the city’s internationally-renowned resident artists and the huge talent that exists across all of the region’s communities. They will work with a diverse range of community and international partners to create artistic works ranging from: major commissions; to hundreds of performances on the Victoria Square basketball stage; to showcases in local parks and streets. The programme will embrace all Commonwealth cultures and Birmingham will be reaching out to the 71 competing nations to incorporate cultural strands from across the Commonwealth.

“We have taken Birmingham Weekender as our cultural blueprint.” explained Gary Topp, Chief executive of Culture Central, “At Birmingham Weekender we encourage the city to dance together in Victoria Square; to experience Birmingham Royal Ballet in the Bullring and classical music in a car park and see the city’s artists and communities perform on the Culture Catwalk in the city centre.  We welcome world famous Sufi singer, Hans Raj Hans to the Town Hall on Sunday and our major community parade will feature Harminder, a moving mechanical elephant. Clash of Drums, a night time feast of sound and spectacular fireworks will bring Eastside Park alive on Saturday night.”

Co-ordinated by Culture Central, in cooperation with institutions including Birmingham Museums, Birmingham Hippodrome, Sampad South Asian Arts Organisation and DanceXchange, and working with arts and communities organisations from across the city the Birmingham 2022 programme will be centred on the city’s four principal squares, with a satellite hub at the NEC and the Urban Street Festival providing a bridge between sports and culture.

The beating heart of Birmingham

Festival Squares will provide the beating heart of Birmingham in Victoria Square, Centenary Square, Chamberlain Square and Brindleyplace. These buzzing locations are surrounded by major cultural institutions such as the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Town Hall, Symphony Hall, Library of Birmingham and the world-famous REP Theatre that will all be engaged in hosting the cultural programme.

During Games time, the Squares will be the physical and spiritual heart of Birmingham, as they come alive with activities including: Sport in the Squares based around 3x3 basketball in Victoria Square; the start and finish of the Marathon and Road Cycling; the Urban Street Festival with demonstrations of skateboarding and BMX; live sites with giant screens of the sporting action with stages hosting live acts and a Culture Catwalk curated by young community leaders.

Fans, spectators and visitors will experience a carnival atmosphere with a ‘hub and spoke’ approach incorporating the main pedestrian arteries that interconnect the squares, which will help generate energy and passion across the city throughout the Games.

They turned out in their droves to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of the Love of Christ Cherubim and Seraphim Church as hundreds of followers brought a kaleidoscope of colour, music and worship to its south London HQ venue.

With a high profile list of distinguished guests and speakers – from home and abroad - on view, which included the church's founder, Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi, it was like a home-from-home for people of the Nigerian Diaspora it attracted.

An endless array of ‘typically Nigerian’ cuisine, including; jollof rice, moi-moi, pounded yam and fried rice, followed with tuwo shinkafa, amala and ikokore provided the ideal back-drop for all.

In her address to her audience, Reverend Ajayi talked of what it means to have faith, saying: "No matter how deep your debt, the Lord can free you from it but you have to give. My family and I used to be so broke that our slogan was ‘give us this day our daily bread’ as we only knew what we will eat and where we would sleep today.”

Renowned for her endless acts of charity, she, with great verve and excitement, highlighted the troughs and eventual peaks of her life story in a sermon filled with passion and unreserved belief; "We became debt-free when I understood the act of giving with expectation from the Lord,” she said.

“I started giving out the little I had and then the more I gave the more I got. The Lord wants you today to have faith in Him and let go of the little in your hands."

After praying for the hordes of worshipers present at the Clapham-based church, a Thanks Giving service took place before a huge celebration of music and dancing marked the end of what was a historic day for all concerned.

Mount Cinnamon Resort & Beach Club is a relaxed, high-end resort set in tropical gardens around a central clubhouse on Grand Anse Beach in Grenada.

This year marks the fourth year of Green Globe certification for the property. Pursuing sustainable goals has not only been a fulfilling journey for staff, it has resulted in successful achievements that go beyond the resort’s original action plan.

“Green Globe has definitely helped to guide and tailor our efforts, enabling us to formalize our intentions and increase our marketing through a commitment to the global community,” said Jonnel Edwards, Marine Biologist & Environmental Sustainability Consultant at the resort.

The island of Grenada is populated by just under 100,000 people, fostering a close community spirit. As a British-owned property, Mount Cinnamon appreciates the opportunity to make a difference in the small town of Grand Anse. The resort supports local farmers, tradesmen and businesses and is also actively involved in local community projects. In June this year, the Green Team visited the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children delivering food, toiletries, and other much needed items to twenty-five children. In 2018, the resort aims to make community initiatives a top priority with a focus on charity events, beach clean-ups and a strong supporting presence in local schools.

Resource management including the conservation of water is an ongoing challenge for the property and dive shop staff have devised an innovative method to significantly reduce water consumption. Glass juice bottles are recycled, filled with sand and placed in toilet tanks. Over 1,000 gallons of water is saved per year using this simple technique which displaces and decreases the amount of water used per flush.

Environmental planning at the resort is carefully undertaken to ensure natural surroundings are protected. Native fruit trees dot the property providing fresh fruit for guests. The trees also serve as a food source for animals and birds thereby supporting biodiversity. Valuable ecological and gardening knowledge is also gained from the cultivation of these trees.

Harvesting the sweet nectar from its resident 350,000 Buckfast bees, a brand new Honey Afternoon Tea and Buzzy Bees Kid's Tea will be available from 4th September at the St. Ermin's Hotel. Every tea purchased throughout the month will come with a Certificate of Adoption, allowing guests to name their very own St. Ermin's bee and learn about the very specific role it plays within it's hive on the third floor Bee Terrace. In its continued efforts to support beekeeping, the hotel will be donating £1 from each sale of the Honey Afternoon Tea to the British Beekeeping Association to support their vital work and the St. Ermin's will once again be offering Urban Beekeeping Taster Workshops, lead by top beekeeper Camilla Goddard of Capital Bee.

Served in the pretty Tea Lounge or out on the sunny Caxton Terrace, the new Honey Afternoon Tea is available at £29pp or £35pp with unlimited prosecco and £15 per child for Buzzy Bees Tea. A delectable selection of savoury bites and indulgent sweet treats, the new seasonal menu not only showcases the hotel's own honey, but uses fresh produce grown on it's flourishing Roof Kitchen Garden – including salad leaves, vegetables, fruits and herbs:

• Sweet treats: 'mini beehive' – orange yoghurt mousse and honey sponge; chocolate espresso cup, honey cheesecake with lemon & sesame praline; burnt honey jelly with lavender panna cotta and a matcha sponge with yuzu & honey crème mousseline and blackberry jelly.
• Finger sandwiches: Honey & mustard chicken with coleslaw, goat's cheese roll with apricot chutney, almond flakes & bee pollen, smoked salmon with crème fraîche & cucumber and glazed pork loin with smoked cheddar, caramelised onion and watercress.
• Honey Cocktails: A selection of four special honey cocktails will also be available at the hotel's Caxton Bar priced at £12 each – served in special bee glasses.

With only a few days to go Birmingham Heritage Week organisers are encouraging local people and visitors to start planning what they will see and do, as the countdown to over 100 events begins.

New events have been added to the line-up, including Flatpack Film Festival’s Birmingham On Film taking a new look at Birmingham’s waterways, with fun sessions and film screenings – with one even aboard a canal boat! Other new events include tours of St Margaret’s Church in Ward End, which dates back to 1516 and is home to a fascinating collection of Heritage monuments, and Beatfreeks will be hosting a series of masterclasses, talks and stalls as part of its Social Exchange event at Mac Birmingham.

Birmingham Heritage Week (7-17 September 2017) will offer something for everyone, whether you want to visit places that are not normally open to the public, take part in a city tour exploring everything from architecture to the city’s musical heritage, enjoy live music in a unique setting or view a classic film in a new context.

Highlights include:

· Seige! at Aston Hall (Saturday 16 Sept) – Be part of the action and experience a live Civil War in a recreation of the siege of Aston Hall that took place in 1643. Sponsored by Weslyan, this event will see visitors become part of the story!

· Positively Birmingham Tour (Sunday 17 Sept) – Follow in the footsteps of the great Birmingham artist, Edward Burne-Jones and see some of the city’s most historic buildings and gain an understanding of the city’s origin.

· Blakesley Hall Ale Festival (Saturday 16 Sept) – Fans of real ale there will be a able to sample a wide variety of ales and ciders in the picturesque and historic setting of Blakesley Hall’s gardens.

· A Walk around Medieval Yardley (Saturday 9 Sept) – Join experts from the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society in a stroll around the village of Yardley and discover its hidden medieval history.

· Help Keep Moseley Road Baths Open Day (Saturday 9 Sept) – One of Birmingham’s most important heritage buildings and one of the nation’s most significant swimming pools will be hosting guided tours of this Grade II* listed building.

· My Story, Our Journey: Sikh Migration into Birmingham and the Black Country (7-17 Sept) – This exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery traces the journey of the Sikhs from rural Punjab, to modern day Britain.

For full listings visit birminghamheritageweek.co.uk

Birmingham is one of the greenest cities in the UK and there will be a number of events exploring Birmingham’s green spaces. 4 Ways to a Greener Birmingham will be leading a number of guided walks around the city’s parks. There will also be open days at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, as well as a number of historic gardens located at properties across the city. There will even be the chance to do an Urban Safari based around the city’s canal system.

Birmingham Heritage Week coincides with this year’s Heritage Open Days celebrations, which run from 7 to 10 September, and is the UK’s biggest festival of history and culture.

On Sunday 10 September, Stirchley Baths, a community hub on Bournville Lane, Stirchley, will be showcasing its heritage as an Edwardian swimming baths and public washhouse.

Getting married is one of the most life-changing moments people experience, so it stands to reason that people choose to spend it with their nearest and dearest. But many Brits will have noticed a subtle change in the wedding pictures peppering their social feeds of late: alongside the bonny brides and gorgeous grooms are esteemed guests of a furrier variety. In fact, new research conducted this wedding season by national pet charity Blue Cross has today revealed that as many as one in 10 Brits have given pets a central role in their wedding ceremony.

When asked why, over a quarter (26%) said they did so because it helps them remain calm and overcome anxiety on the big day. Brits also said they involved their pets because they are such an important part of the family (20%) and some said they had to come along simply because they are so cute (12%).

Although we might have become accustomed to the sight of animals making a cameo at wedding ceremonies, the study actually shows that pets are taking on a much more expanded role. In fact when asked what important role their pets would be playing on the big day, a massive 92% of those in favour of pets’ involvement said they wanted to walk down the aisle with their pet as maid of honour. Over half wanted their pets to have a starring role in wedding photos and video (56%) and, although their dinner speeches may leave a lot to be desired, they’re clearly doing something right as a close third came best man (54%).

Ryan Neile, Senior Animal Behaviourist from Blue Cross commented on the results: “Whether they are, companions, our best friends, or our comforters, pets play a huge role in our lives and it isn’t surprising to see how many Brits want to involve them in such an important moment. Even without weather worries, dress disasters, late caterers or missing rings to worry about, your wedding day can be an incredibly nerve-wracking experience and having your pet by your side might just help settle some of those jitters, as long as you take steps to ensure that your pet is comfortable too.”

“At Blue Cross we recognise that every pet we receive, rescue, rehabilitate and rehome is a pet that can enrich its new family’s life in return. Pets are just as much as part of the family as mums, dads and siblings and this is why Brits love them to be involved in important events like this.”

When Katia and her husband John got married on Valentine’s Day two years ago, their beautiful English springer spaniel cross Bingo, who was rehomed from a Blue Cross centre, played a special role on the big day when he ‘gave the bride away’ at the altar. Katia said: “Bingo has become such an important part of our lives that there was never any doubt he would have to come to our wedding. He helped to make our big day even more special and he looked very handsome in his bow-tie! We’re so happy to have Bingo in our lives that we asked our guests to make a donation to Blue Cross instead of giving us gifts – it was lovely to be able to say thank you to them for helping us find Bingo and to make a difference for more pets like him.”

Dog walkers are being encouraged to join Wolverhampton’s very own paw patrol – and alert the authorities to any issues or to unusual or suspicious activity.

The Safer Wolverhampton Partnership has launched a new initiative, Paws on Patrol, to enrol dog walkers to act as “eyes and ears” and report issues ranging from dog fouling and fly tipping to anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and dangerous driving to the authorities.

Members of Paws on Patrol will not be expected to put themselves in any danger or approach anyone whom they suspect of committing a crime, but will instead be given the information they need to contact the police or other appropriate agencies to deal with the issue they have spotted.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Dog walkers have always had a really important role to play in helping the authorities tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

“In particular, they are in a fantastic position to spot things that others may not, as they often walk their dogs in the early morning or late at night.

“Through the Paws on Patrol initiative, we’re encouraging dog walkers to keep an eye out and report anything suspicious or indeed criminal to the police or council.”

Among those who have signed up to join the Paws on Patrol is Ed Boyle, who has two Lhasa Apso dogs, Millie and Maisey. He said: “Paws on Patrol in essentially a type of Neighbourhood Watch initiative, but for dog walkers.

“I’m often out and about in the community taking the dogs for a walk, and while I am doing this I am basically the eyes and ears of the community. It makes sense that I am empowered to report anything suspicious to the authorities, and I and my fellow dog walkers will be very happy to do so.”

Paws on Patrol is funded by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner’s Active Citizens Fund and supports the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership’s Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy which aims to increase the reporting of crimes, keep neighbourhoods safe and reduce the perceived fear of crime.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “Paws on Patrol is a great idea. It builds on the principle that West Midlands Police relies on the eyes and ears of all of us in our local community to report criminal behaviour when they see and hear it taking place.

“Dog walkers spend more time than many of us pacing up and down local streets, which puts them in a perfect position to keep a look out for trouble and to report it to officers. I am delighted to have helped fund this community project using the ill-gotten gains of criminals.”

Dog owners who sign up to Paws on Patrol will be issued with a membership card, containing contact details for the police, Wolverhampton’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team and the Customer Services team at the City of Wolverhampton Council. As a thank-you for their involvement, they will also receive a reflective dog collar for their pet, a poop bag holder and poop bags.

This September, Bullring has announced the arrival of Selfie Spots to the centre. With the iconic Bull being named in The Independent's list of the world's top ten pieces of public art in 2014, the spots will be placed in picturesque spots around the centre, highlighting the most selfie-worthy locations.

With Millennials predicted to take a mighty 25,700 selfies in their lifetime and 1 million selfies taken a day, Bullring is offering a helping hand to selfie-takers across Birmingham. Whether customers are trying to capture the Bull at its best or make sure they have Selfridges' iconic exterior in the background, the centre's Selfie Spots will guide the way with expertly placed spots that will ensure you capture the best of Bullring.

The Selfie Spots will see Bullring, technically a millennial itself, celebrate its 14^th birthday on September 4^th.  Here for a temporary time only, four of the circular signs will be placed in several locations around the centre on the 1^st September 2017, three days prior to Bullring's 14^th anniversary.

For customers looking where to find the spots, they will be in the following locations: The Bullring Bull; with three Selfie Spots on St Martin's Walk allowing you to capture the beautiful St Martin’s Church and iconic Selfridges building.

Learner drivers will benefit from improvements to the online driving instructor search service, DVSA Chief Executive, Gareth Llewellyn announced.

The ‘find driving schools, lessons and instructors’ service at www.gov.uk/drivinglessons has details of 26,000 DVSA approved driving instructors.

It’s been improved so instructors can add links to their driving school websites. New search filters allow learners to find instructors who choose to display the grade awarded to them by DVSA, follow the driving instructor code of practice and develop their knowledge and skills each year.

Our roads are some of the safest in the world but DVSA want to make sure that legal, fully-trained professionals teach learners.

It can be daunting for learners to know where to start when trying to choose a driving instructor. DVSA’s improved service gives more information to help learners and their parents.

DVSA Chief Executive, Gareth Llewellyn, said:

“DVSA’s priority is to help you through a lifetime of safe driving.

“It’s vital to choose the best approved driving instructor for you. They’ll help you learn the essential skills, knowledge and understanding you need to drive safely once you’ve passed your driving test.

“Making sure learner drivers have access to information that helps them choose the best instructor for their needs is part of our strategy to help you stay safe on Britain’s roads.”

Only fully-qualified driving instructors - who have passed enhanced criminal record checks and had their ability to teach assessed to a set standard - are allowed to have their details shown on the service.

Allowing instructors to add their website makes it easy for learner drivers to quickly compare and check the type of car they use and their lesson prices. If the instructor has their photo on their website, learners and their parents can be confident they’re getting in the car with the instructor they’ve chosen.

Chief Executive of the Driving Instructors Association, Carly Brookfield, said:

“We're pleased to see DVSA working to improve consumer information about the process of learning to drive. The latest developments to the find a driving school, lesson and instructor service will help consumers to make more informed choices -and driver trainers to promote their professionalism.”

The driver training industry is supporting the campaign to raise awareness of the road safety benefit of being taught by a professional and skilled expert.

Carly, who also chairs the steering group for national approved driving instructor associations (NASP), continued:

“NASP encourages all approved driving instructors to sign up to the driving instructor code of practice to show their commitment to professional personal and business conduct at all times.”

Experience the Christmas story in a new way at The Wintershall Nativity Play, brought to you by the Wintershall Players, producers of famous The Passion of Jesus which is now performed to an audience of over 20,000 people each Easter in Trafalgar Square.

The Wintershall Players first performed The Nativity in 1989, with a cast headed by Peter and Ann Hutley and their family on the family's beautiful farm, the Wintershall Estate, an area of extraordinary natural beauty which sits within the rolling landscape of the Surrey Hills, less than an hour from London. They pushed the cows out of the barn for a night and a handful of people came to see the makeshift production. One of the wise men found himself wearing Ann's fur hat and their pregnant daughter-in-law sat on a bale of hay with a torch in her mouth to light the action.

Now Holly Barn is a licensed theatre and thousands of visitors come to see the 90-minute Nativity every year. It featured on the BBC's Songs of Praise in 1996 and again in 2004. In 2013, the Nativity was performed in the BBC's Piazza in London to critical acclaim.

Dramatic and intimate, the story begins in the open air with the shepherds. The audience then take their seats in the atmospheric barn, where the story unfolds of how Jesus changed the world.   The play is performed by a cast of 50 in beautiful biblical costumes, with songs and music, assisted by a full complement of sheep, donkeys, horses and a sheepdog.  It is truly the perfect opportunity to enjoy a show with friends and family and enrich the experience of Christmas.

This year, for the first time, there will be three performances on Saturday 16th December to meet public demand. Mince pies and hot drinks will be available before the show.