Community News

Two of the UK’s top young technical officials have secured appointments at this year’s World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017 taking place in the London Stadium at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park this summer.   

Aged just 19, India Hollingworth will be one of the youngest in the team. She is set to be a starter’s assistant on the track during the IAAF World Championships London 2017 and, prior to this, a call-room assistant at the World Para Athletics Championships. She will be joined by Heather Nelson, who will be one of the chief judges in the field events at both championships. 

Hollingworth, a student at Leeds Beckett University where she is studying sports development, is delighted at the prospect of officiating at London 2017.

She said: “I am looking forward to being part of it. I am excited and nervous at the same time! I have been gradually progressing through the levels by gaining experience and taking the tests. These involve a lot of scenarios to show you can apply what you have learnt to the roles. For example, I was asked to show where I would stand for the 100m start.” 

As a starter’s assistant she will be responsible for checking the athletes are in the correct order and have their fingers or toes behind the start line and ensuring appropriate conduct on the start line, including checking that the athletes are appropriately dressed.  

She said: “My dream event would be the men’s 100m final but I would also love to do the 5000 or 10,000m. Just being there will be amazing.”

During the World Para Athletics Championships, Hollingworth will be in the call room ensuring the athletes are ready at the correct time and wearing the right clothing. She will also be responsible for making sure they do not take anything onto the field of play that is not allowed, such as mobile telephones, and will carry out branding and sponsorship checks.

Although only 35, Heather Nelson already has 19 years’ experience as a technical official having qualified at the age of just 16, but these events will be her first as a chief judge. 

Nelson, an engineer who is currently studying for a DPhil at Oxford University, was introduced to athletics at a young age as both of her parents are technical officials. Both parents still officiate, and both Heather and her mother, Margaret, were technical officials at London 2012.

She commented: “I enjoy the events and officiating. It is like having a second family and we make many friends – there is a real community feeling. The people and the performances make it really special. I have been lucky to have officiated at many memorable events. I was judging at the take-off board for Jessica Ennis-Hill’s long jump during London 2012.”

Amanda Lamb, the television property guru, and Rick Edwards, the broadcaster and writer, will host a national competition offering one lucky winner the chance to live rent free for a year in the country’s most expensive neighbourhood.

The Selling houses with Amanda Lamb presenter will be putting members of the public who want to live in the Central London penthouse apartment through their paces on April 27^th to celebrate the opening of Studio B, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks’ new flagship London store.

People wanting to take part just have to turn up on the day, when they will face a general knowledge round and complete cooking, gardening and DIY challenges in the store to make sure they have the skills to look after their own home.

Studio B, an innovation lab designed to solve the banking issues of tomorrow, is also pledging to match fund money the winner manages to save during the year to put towards a deposit on their own home (up to £2,000 per month).

Television presenter Rick Edwards will be entertaining the public when he comperes the competition in the striking Kensington High Street store.

But it’s not all about laughs. Studio B is staging the competition to draw attention to one of the greatest financial challenges facing younger generations. A YouGov survey for Studio B found that:

·  Almost one in three Londoners (30%) aged 18-40 do not save any money in an average month

·  The majority (59%) cite high rent as the single biggest barrier to saving more 

Studio B’s mission is to find innovative solutions to the big financial challenges people face. The competition to celebrate its launch will give one lucky winner the chance to live rent free for a year in the stunning penthouse apartment just five minutes’ walk from the store.

At its heart is an innovation lab, where people from all walks of life will be invited to work with industry partners to create ground-breaking solutions to their money matters. The products and solutions they produce in areas such as voice and facial recognition technology will be tested in-store on bank customers.

Helen Page, Group Innovation & Marketing Director, said: “Our research lays bare the huge challenge people starting out on their own face and this competition will give a lucky winner a huge helping hand, putting them on track to own their own home.

Amanda Lamb said: “This is going to be a really special event. I’d love the chance to live in the Studio B flat and am delighted to play my part in making this dream come true for someone during the competition.”

Rick Edwards said: "Housing and home ownership pose one of the big social challenges of our time. It’s great that Studio B is actively working to help Generation Rent overcome the hurdles they're facing."

LUMS in collaboration with Autism Spectrum Disorders Welfare Trust (ASDWT) organised the World Autism Awareness Day at LUMS. The purpose was to raise awareness about Autism and to show how assistive technologies can be used to improve the quality of the lives of autistic children in Pakistan.

The Human Computer Interaction Lab (Chisel) at LUMS, directed by faculty member, Dr. Suleman Shahid along with his students, is working on a project, AGHAZ, which aims at developing a number of digital aids to support autistic children at various stages of their development. The work is done in collaboration with ASDWT and the Rising Sun Institute, Lahore.

Autistic kids are isolated from society due to the communication gap that exists because of them being either nonverbal or having articulation issues. In Pakistan, it is absolutely essential for these children to be able to communicate in Urdu in order to bridge this gap. AGHAZ is the application that aims to cater to this need. It can be used by teachers/therapists and parents to work with these special children and help them learn Urdu.

AHSAS, The Emotional Express, another mobile application developed by LUMS students, aims to provide an interactive interface that helps autistic children understand their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It also focuses on improving their social interaction; understanding emotions in a social context and being able to react to everyday situations effectively.

The third app, also developed by LUMS students, BOL is an AAC application designed with a focus to develop a child’s language and improve his intent to communicate. It uses picture symbols and voice synthesis in Urdu as well as English to help users create messages. Bol seamlessly integrates a powerful keyboard to help children transition from images to text.

Since 2007, the London Marathon has held the Guinness World Record for the largest single annual fundraising event. This record has been broken every year by this annual event, and understanding Gift Aid rules properly can mean even more money for charity. ICAEW explains how to work out if you could claim tax relief on charitable giving in your tax return ahead of the London Marathon on 23 April. 

Caroline Miskin, ICAEW Technical Tax Manager explains: “Gift Aid enables charities to reclaim an amount equivalent to the basic rate of tax on all donations. If the donor is a higher or additional rate tax payer, paying 40% or 45% income tax on part of their income, they can claim a reduction in their tax bill on the difference between the two rates on Gift Aid donations made.”

Stay one stride ahead, are you eligible to claim Gift Aid?

• For a charity to claim Gift Aid on your donation you must have paid enough UK income or Capital Gains Tax in the tax year
• The tax you pay must be equivalent to the amount of Gift Aid the charity will reclaim on your donation during that tax year
• Your donations must be no more than four times what you have paid in income tax in the current financial year
• You must tell the charities you support if you stop paying enough tax

Don’t sprint to the end – you may be eligible to claim further relief

·         If you are a higher or additional rate tax payer (40% or 45%) you can claim back the difference between the tax you’ve paid on the donation and what the charity got back in Gift Aid when you fill in your self assessment tax return or by asking HMRC to change your code

·         For example, if you sponsor a friend £100 to run in the London Marathon, the charity they are running for can claim Gift Aid, making your donation £125. You pay 40% tax so you can personally claim back £25 because the higher rate is 40% and the charity has already claimed 20% of that.

Caroline adds: “Tread carefully, there are some important things to remember. If the charity does not reclaim the tax this money stays with HM Treasury. And if you do not claim the money back on your self assessment return or by asking for a change to your tax code, your refund also stays with the government. Be careful not to sign a gift aid form if you will not be paying enough tax as HMRC may ask you to pay the tax reclaimed by the charity.”

Ashley Jensen has donned her wellies in a bid to encourage nurseries, early years groups, families and children up and down the country to take part in Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddle Walk for Save the Children.

The actress, best known for her roles in the television series Ugly Betty, Extras and Catastrophe, has taken part in her own Muddy Puddle Walk to encourage the nation to sign up and jump in muddy puddles, like Peppa Pig, for a worthy cause.

The brand-new fundraiser has been launched by Save the Children in partnership with Entertainment One’s (eOne) Peppa Pig. By taking part in a Muddy Puddle Walk between 8 and 14 May 2017, participants are encouraged to explore the world around them, splash in muddy puddles and raise money to help Save the Children give every last child the chance to learn, play and grow up healthy and happy.

Ashley Jensen, Save the Children Ambassador, says: “I’m encouraging everyone to get outside, come rain or shine, and help raise much needed funds for Save the Children. It’s so easy to take part and it’s the perfect excuse to explore the outdoors with your little ones! By jumping in muddy puddles like Peppa Pig and raising money for Save the Children you can help the world’s most vulnerable children have a brighter future. I’ve seen the charity’s work first hand so know what a difference it makes. I’m proud to do my bit to help raise awareness and funds.”

Ashley has supported Save the Children’s vital work since 2011 and has visited the charity’s projects in India, Tanzania and Greece.

Sign up your nursery or family now at MuddyPuddleWalk.org to get your free Muddy Puddle Fundraising Pack, full of fundraising ideas and tips for great walks and activities indoors and out – including free Peppa stickers and Save the Children balloons too.

There are lots of easy ways to raise money on your Muddy Puddle Walk for Save the Children. The free fundraising pack is full of great activities and fundraising ideas, so you can choose which option will work best for you and your children. Your little ones can get sponsored to walk or splash in puddles at the park, or they can simply donate to join your muddy puddle walk. You can even top up your total by baking and selling Muddy Puddle cupcakes!

The Black Country Chamber of Commerce Awards 2017 have been officially launched, celebrating the best in business from across the region.

The Black Country Chamber celebrated the fantastic businesses in the region last year with a sell out Awards Dinner, and this year is set to be even bigger with more Awards on offer. In addition, the Chamber is working closely with the British Chambers of Commerce so that businesses who apply for certain awards will also be entered into the regional and national Awards. These Awards are an ideal platform upon which to showcase your company and celebrate your success, as we recognise those who contribute towards the local economy.

This year we have increased the number of Awards, allowing us to celebrate more businesses and shout about the great work that is happening across the Black Country. The winners will be announced at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner, which will take place on 17^th November 2017 at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

Please note, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Awards 2017 are now open for entry and the deadline to apply is 3pm on Friday 30^th June 2017.

Young architects, city planners and engineers are now showcasing their dynamic artwork as part of a schools’ art showcase at Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

Students from the innovative West Midlands Construction University Technical College (WMCUTC), a new school specialising in construction and the Application of IT in the Built Environment, are exhibiting etchings, pen and ink drawings and photography at the Lichfield Street gallery until Tuesday, May 23.

Among images on show are two copies of pen and ink drawings of the college’s Springfield Brewery campus created by Year 10 students. The detailed drawings were presented to the HRH Duke of Gloucester and Lord Baker at the college’s recent official opening.

Other pieces include highly detailed and photorealistic hand drawn pencil portraits and large photography pieces on display. The work of Year 10 photography students records the sense of place with shots of the listed Springfield Brewery campus.

The exhibition is part of the gallery’s Young Artists programme, which celebrates the work of students from various schools across the city.

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “The standard of work in this showcase is extremely high and well worth celebrating. Well done to all the students taking part and good luck in their future endeavours.”

The exhibition is in the Sense and Sculpture gallery on the first floor of the gallery.

WMCUTC is a new school, which specialises in construction and the application of IT in the Built Environment providing high quality technical education for 14 to 19 year olds.

Students can follow three pathways in the school -  design, build or innovate.

Design students look to careers such as architecture, interior design, town planning and landscape design, although all students, whether aiming to become civil engineers or software developers, study a core curriculum including a design element.

Sutton Coldfield MP, Andrew Mitchell and Strictly Come Dancing’s, AJ Pritchard and Chloe Hewitt attended the launch of Stage Studios, the new performing arts facility at Sutton Coldfield College – giving the building and its students top marks. 

Sutton Coldfield MP, Andrew Mitchell officially opened the Stage Studios by unveiling a commemorative plaque. 

He said: “Sutton Coldfield has a thriving arts community where individuals of all ages and from all backgrounds can be involved in or be entertained by a range of shows and productions.  The Stage Studios will be a vital part of this local scene.”

Dance duo, AJ Pritchard and Chloe Hewitt who first found fame on Britain’s Got Talent congratulated dance, musical theatre and acting students for the routines, songs and monologues they performed at the launch event.  These included a vocal performance from Hamilton – The Musical, a Shakespeare monologue and a dance routine to the Austin Powers movie theme song.

AJ and Chloe also took part in a Q&A session with students where they shared their experiences of competing in dance events and becoming national and European Latin dance champions.

AJ said: “The studios are fantastic.  It’s great that the college offers a whole performing arts package where learners can hone their creative skills.  Everyone has to start somewhere, so the more knowledge these students gain, the more power they have to achieve their goals.

“And I love how these students are involved in other things on top of their college courses.  Belonging to dance groups, taking part in events and appearing in productions at different theatres will help them go as far as possible in their careers.”

Stage Studios is a £168,000 custom-built facility containing four brand new studios.  150 students developing skills in dance and choreography, drama, acting and theatre studies will benefit from state-of-the-art equipment and the best teaching resources available.  The college offers performing arts courses from GCSE-equivalent to university level.

Sutton Coldfield College Principal, Andrew Cleaves said: “Stage Studios give our students the creative freedom and motivation to develop their skills and perform at their very best.  They have a more flexible area in which to rehearse and to work with other companies and community organisations so they can build on their experiences while working with some of the best people in the industry.”

Guests from local schools, dance schools, theatres and the wider performing arts industry also attended the Stage Studios launch, along with some of the college’s former students.

According to the latest Lloyds Bank regional PMI for March, there has been some easing of performance in Britain, coupled with an acceleration of price pressures. In particular, the latest regional PMI data shows a softening but still robust performance in the West Midlands, which is down from 57.0 in February to 56.1. This reflects the softening seen in the national manufacturing and construction PMIs in March, and in official data with short-term indicators showing slowing but still positive output performance.

Nevertheless, UK manufacturing, construction, and services PMIs all reported an increase in confidence for the next twelve months, with confidence in the manufacturing sector reaching a ten-month high. A lowering of Brexit uncertainty among clients was reported, providing a boost to output demand. There was also increased demand and interest from foreign markets, most probably due to the lower value of Sterling, thereby making UK businesses more internationally price competitive.

The UK PMIs saw increases in new orders in March, with further demand from foreign markets for manufacturers and services providers, and lower anxiety surrounding Brexit was a contributing factor for construction. As a region, the West Midlands appears to be outperforming the UK in terms of new orders, which has enabled growth. Furthermore, as business outstanding increases, there could be an increase in employment as companies raise their capacity to deal with new business. This was reflected in March’s PMIs, with the West Midlands showing employment growth above the UK overall.

The Sterling effective exchange rate has fallen 10.4% since the Brexit referendum and has contributed to tightening inflationary pressures, with the CPI reaching 2.3% in February, the strongest since September 2013. According to official data, producer input prices have risen 19.1% over the same period, and has fed through into producer output prices, which have increased 10.7%. Transport, especially fuel prices were the principal contributory factors. Similar price pressures were evident in the recent PMIs, and remained acute in March. Manufacturing, construction, and services PMIs all reported increases in input prices in March. These pressures were evident in the regional PMIs, with input and output costs rising faster in the Midlands than the UK overall, and many businesses reporting that squeezed profit margins were causing them to pass on costs to clients.

Corin Crane, Chief Executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, commented: “The latest West Midlands PMI highlights the need for an effective regionally-focussed Industrial Strategy. The strength of new orders and rising outstanding business demonstrates the need for infrastructure and skills investment in the region. The current capacity constraints appear to be having an impact on future growth prospects and potential gains in productivity performance."

Consumers in Milton Keynes are the big spenders on second-hand cars, shelling out two-thirds more than the UK average, according to research carried out by a leading car finance provider.

Creditplus.co.uk looked at the average loan taken out over the past 12 months to purchase a used car in major towns and cities across the UK, and found that car owners in Milton Keynes borrowed an average of £18,225, compared to the UK average of £10,962.

The research revealed that the average car loan taken out, varied by as much as 118% depending on where you live in the country. At the lower end, used car purchasers in Ipswich and Norwich borrowed an average of just £8,360 and £8,466 respectively.

The Midlands featured heavily in the list of the UK’s biggest borrowers. Four out of five towns and cities, where consumers borrowed the most to buy a used car, were in that region of the country. The average loan size in Coventry was £13,186 over the past year, the second highest after Milton Keynes.

Former England cricketer and newly appointed Sports Director at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Ashley Giles, is the latest to join QEHB Charity at Velo Birmingham, a 100-mile closed-road bicycle race that is arriving in the second city on Sunday 24 September.

For Ashley, there was no question as to which charity he wanted to raise money for.

In 2006 he rushed back from the Ashes in Australia, where he was part of the England team, to be with his wife Stine, who had just been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

After successful removal of the tumour and further treatment, in 2012 they were both devastated to learn that two more tumours had been discovered, which required immediate attention.

He said: “The treatment Stine received was so new that she was one of the first people to go through it – she was treated on the new TomoTherapy machine bought by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity just weeks before. Without it, there were few options of treatment left.  Stine experienced first-hand how important research and new treatments are so promised herself that if everything went well and her prognosis was good, she would endeavour to raise money to support brain tumour research in the future... and so the Giles' Trust was born”

Thankfully, Stine’s pioneering treatment worked, and, although she continues to have regular checks and scans, she is back enjoying life with her family. Along with Ashley, Stine set up the Giles’ Trust at QEHB Charity which funds research and support to patients with brain tumours. The Giles’ Trust has funded a clinical research nurse who helps Professor Cruickshank to double the number of patients taking part in brain tumour research at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

Ashley said: “As a cricketer by trade I am excited to try my hand at a new challenge, and cycling 100 miles in 24 hours will be just that – a challenge!

“The work that goes on at QEHB is fantastic, and much of it wouldn’t be possible without QEHB Charity, which raises money for extra research, facilities and equipment over and above what the NHS can provide.

“I hope people dig deep and feel inspired to sponsor my challenge, and more importantly, to help make a difference for future patients like my wife who may, one day, need the fantastic support of QEHB.”

Keeping physical active is vital to maintaining a healthy heart. However, last week the British Heart Foundation revealed new statistics which showed that 1.8million adults in the West Midlands are failing to meet the recommended level of physical activity, significantly increasing their risk of heart disease and early death.

In the UK alone physical inactivity causes one in ten premature deaths from coronary heart disease, and one in six deaths overall. So it’s never been more important to get your heart pumping.

But getting active doesn’t have to be difficult. With the British Heart Foundation’s MyMarathon challenge you can complete the 26.2 miles in your own time, whether it’s over 4 hours, 4 days or 4 weeks. Run to work every morning, jog during your lunchbreaks or run laps around the park in the evenings; you decide the place and you decide the pace.

More than 30,000 people of all fitness levels took part in MyMarathon last year, raising over £1million for the BHF’s life saving heart research. Why not take on the challenge this May and help give your physical activity a boost.

Every pound raised could help BHF accelerate the right against heart disease, and make a real difference the 655,800 people locally that are living with its burden.

You would be hard pressed to find someone who didn't know the name 'Christian Dior' or the fact that he was French, but did you know that the fashion legend was born and raised in Normandy? To celebrate the Dior fashion house's seventieth anniversary this year, the Christian Dior Museum in Granville, the very house in which Dior grew up, is hosting a new exhibition called Christian Dior and Granville: Roots of a Legend, which opened on 8 April will run until 24 September 2017.

On 12 February 1947, Christian Dior gave his first show. It was an unprecedented success in the history of fashion design, instantly making the fashion house the epitome of French haute couture. As part of the 70th anniversary of the Dior fashion house, the Christian Dior Museum is offering visitors a new perspective on Dior's formative years in his home town of Granville.

The exhibition sheds new light on the great fashion designer's life and how his family home in Granville played a key role in inspiring his work. Dior's attachment to his Normandy roots is evoked in the exhibition, and visitors are taken on a historical and stylistic journey. Rekindling the memory of the designer's childhood paradise, the exhibition features around 60 haute couture dresses dating back as far as 1947; both the artistic licence of Dior himself and subsequent directors, who have all remained faithful to Dior's vision, maintaining a connection to his preferred themes and colours.

Salem, Massachusetts may be known globally as the home of the notorious witch trials in the 17th century; however Scotland has had its own share of stories of witchcraft.

This year marks the 420th anniversary of the Great Witch Hunt of Scotland, which took place between March and October 1597 and was instigated by James VI. According to the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, more than 3,800 people, both men and women, were accused of witchcraft in Scotland during the period 1563 to 1736, which is when the Witchcraft Act was enforced in Scotland*. It is believed that two-thirds of those accused were executed.

Records of Scotland's witch trials shed light on a dark period in Scottish history, exposing a culture of fear and panic that cast a cloud over much of Scotland and Europe.

Many of Scotland's regions have links to this time with fascinating stories and places to explore during the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017. Visitors to Scotland can pay homage to the many locations which are linked to witchcraft, as well as some tours that are taking place this year.

Dog owners are being warned to keep chocolate treats away from their pets this Easter as new figures from the British Veterinary Association (BVA) reveal two in three vets treated at least one case of chocolate poisoning last Easter.

BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey, which polled over 1,600 UK vets, shows a marked increase in the number of vets seeing at least one dog with chocolate poisoning compared to the same period in 2015, with the highest number of incidences happening in the south of England.

Chocolate can be highly poisonous to pets as it contains theobromine, a naturally occurring chemical found in cocoa beans, which, while fine for humans, is harmful to dogs and other animals. 

British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said:

“Easter is great fun for the whole family, but unfortunately dogs like to join in too. With their keen sense of smell, they will easily win Easter egg hunts so wherever chocolate is being stored – inside or outside – make sure it is pet proof and out of reach of inquisitive noses to avoid an emergency trip to the vet. Also remind any visitors over the Easter holidays to keep their chocolate out of the dog’s reach too.

“Over the bank holiday weekend veterinary practice opening hours may vary, so make sure you know how to contact your local vet during Easter. If you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate we’d advise contacting your local vet immediately.”

BVA's survey also highlighted that many pet owners are having to make urgent yet preventable trips to the vets over the Easter holidays, with 11% of vets who saw dogs with chocolate poisoning treating five or more cases.

The effects of chocolate poisoning in dogs, which are most commonly affected amongst pets, usually appear within 12 hours and can last up to three days. First signs can include excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhoea and restlessness. These symptoms can then develop into hyperactivity, tremors, abnormal heart rate, hyperthermia and rapid breathing. In severe cases, dogs can experience fits and heartbeat irregularities and some cases can result in coma or death. If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate, please contact your local vet immediately.