Community News

In his Spring Statement, Phillip Hammond revealed that 60,000 first time buyers have benefited from the stamp duty exemption announced as part of the Government’s Autumn Budget.

Under the new rules, first time buyers purchasing homes under the value of £300,000 are exempt from paying stamp duty and, those who are purchasing in London and other expensive areas, will not pay tax on the first £300,000 of their purchase on properties up to the value of £500,000.

Figures reported by Halifax in January of this year, echo the Chancellor’s Spring Statement showing a 6% annual increaseon the number of first time buyers making a purchase – meaning the number of first time buyers has reached a ten year high! Back in November, the Government predicted that the change to stamp duty would benefit up to 95% of first time buyers and, if these early stats are anything to go by, it is clear that it has already had a positive impact on the housing market.

Managing Sales Director at Romans, Antony Gibson comments: “The change to stamp duty was great news for first time buyers who are now able to divert these funds to their deposit or, bring their purchase dates forward.

“Low mortgage rates, high employment and Help to Buy have all supported young people in getting on the ladder and so, I expect the trend for rising numbers of first time buyers to continue through 2018 and beyond.

“First time buyers are incredibly important to the overall housing market as they allow existing owners to sell up and take their second step. Despite a lack of supply, the fact first time buyers are increasing in number is extremely positive.”

Children are invited to take part in this year’s Barnardo’s Big Toddle at one of the region’s favourite attractions.

Dudley Zoo will again be hosting the charity’s annual sponsored walk for under-5s.

The event, one of the biggest organised Toddles in the UK, is due to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday June 12 and 13.

Admission is £7.50 for adults and over-5s, but free for toddlers, and will include free refreshments and children’s entertainment afterwards.

A fun warm-up begins at 10.30am followed by the walk itself at 11am, with medals for all participants.

Last year’s nationwide Big Toddle raised more than £265,000 to support the charity’s work with vulnerable youngsters across the UK.

This year, for the second consecutive year, it is being run in partnership with the CBeebies TV show Teletubbies. The theme is ‘nature’, with opportunities to dress up as animals, insects or flowers.

Aside from the organised event at Dudley Zoo, parents, playgroups, childminders and nurseries can also organise their own sponsored walks throughout the summer.

They can also access exclusive nature-themed early years learning resources and downloads.

Barnardo’s regional director Hugh Sherriffe said: “We are sincerely grateful to Dudley Zoo for hosting one of the biggest Toddles in the UK, which attracts hundreds of people every year.

“The Big Toddle is a great opportunity for under-5s to have lots of fun with their friends and families while raising money to help disadvantaged children.

“The nature theme means they can be really imaginative with fancy-dress ideas and Barnardo’s has some great resources to help everyone taking part.”

Dudley Zoo marketing manager Andrea Hales said: “We are delighted to welcome back Barnardo’s Big Toddle to Dudley Zoo as we have a strong relationship with the event spanning 19 years.

“Everyone who takes part will be helping make a difference to children’s lives and have a wonderful day to remember at the zoo!”

Campaigners, entrepreneurs, and innovative industry experts are just a few of the 20 talented young people who have been shortlisted for the 2018 Commonwealth Youth Awards.

The awards recognise outstanding young people aged 15 to 29 whose innovative projects and programmes have had a significant impact on their communities. This year’s focus is on celebrating young people’s contribution towards a fairer, more sustainable, more secure and more prosperous future for the Commonwealth: the four sub-themes of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place in London in April.

The 20 finalists span every region of the Commonwealth, including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, Europe, and the Pacific. They were shortlisted from more than 400 applications from across the globe. The programme is being coordinated by the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

Regional Young Persons of the Year will be selected, with one exceptional entrant being recognised as the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year during the Commonwealth Youth Forum, in London in April.

In addition to a grant of GBP £1,000 to continue their development work, finalists will each be awarded a trophy and certificate. The Regional Young Persons of the Year will receive £3,000, and the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year will pick up £5,000.

The Pan-Commonwealth adjudication panel for the final shortlisting of the overall regional and overall winner of the 2018 awards , convened by the Commonwealth Secretariat, , included the High Commissioner for Saint Kitts and Nevis, representatives from the High Commissions of Fiji, Malaysia, and Kenya, a trustee of the British Youth Council and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.

Last year’s Commonwealth Young Person of the Year was Krystle Reid, an advocate for empowerment of young persons living with disabilities in her native country Sri Lanka. Speaking about her experience of winning the award, she said, “It was a highlight of my life and a great opportunity and platform to further scale up the work of the Enable Lanka Foundation for an incubator space for young entrepreneurs with disabilities. This award will allow me to reach out to even more marginalised groups and communities. It is an opportunity no young person should miss.”

The finalists this year have initiatives and projects that aim to build a more secure, prosperous, fairer and a sustainable future for all in the grassroots levels and exemplify the outstanding contribution of young people from across the Commonwealth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and realising the CHOGM2018 aspiration “Towards a Common Future”

Latest research from global real estate advisor, Colliers International, reveals that even in the face of continued economic uncertainty and the woes of Brexit, Central London remains a prime destination for international brands and interest is still growing, as currently, over 50 per cent of stores on core shopping streets are international brands and 30 new retailers have arrived in the last year alone.

In addition, demand from Chinese shoppers shows no sign of waning with average spend up 30 per cent (YTD) to £1,663*.

Paul Souber, Head of Central London Retail at Colliers International commented: “Following the Brexit vote, sterling devalued significantly, making London more attractive to tourists; particularly those from China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, who quickly began taking advantage of the ‘Brexit bargains’ on offer. Of these, Chinese tourists were the biggest contributor to international sales, accounting for 35% of tourist spend*.

“As a result of the currency-led tourist boom, many retailers noticed an escalation in shopper footfall and we initially saw a rise in the number of active requirements as a result. However, with shopping habits increasingly moving online and an uncertain UK economy slowing the rate of consumer spending, many retailers are feeling financially squeezed and are subsequently focusing more on controlling their overall occupational costs.

“The focus on the bottom line coincides with a recognition from brands that their bricks and mortar stores must be repurposed so that they seamlessly connect and enhance all parts of their retailing platform, be that online or instore.

“In practice this translates to retailers being more discerning over the number, size and location of physical stores and, in turn, these stores become more experiential and personalised.

“As consumers become more time challenged, it is essential that the locations they visit provide them with a convenience led menu of experiences, from great shopping to a huge array of dining and entertainment options, cultural experiences, health and fitness pursuits, relaxation and leisure, all easily interconnected and accessible by transport and digital infrastructure.

“London is naturally suited to meet these challenges as they are already being embraced and executed by the major landowners and stakeholders in the Capital who are curating, enhancing and future proofing the capital so that it remains the best city in the world.”

Spectacular new images have today (Wednesday) been revealed at MIPIM in Cannes showcasing City of Wolverhampton’s Interchange Commercial District vision.

City of Wolverhampton Council, working in partnership with leading developers Ion, unveiled the ambitious plans during the World Class Developments hotspot at the global property forum.

The commercial district will deliver one million sq ft of grade A office space over strategic sites at the heart of an integrated regional road, rail and tram hub.

It follows on from the success of the award-winning i10 office development – home to major brands Countryside, Ovivo and Tarmac.

Works are also due to start on site later this year on the £12.3 million, eye-catching i9 building.

It will provide 50,000 sq ft of stunning grade A office space for a national or regional headquarters for a major business when completed in 2020.

The commercial district proposition has also been endorsed by the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, CBRE.

The strategic sites are Banana Yard, Cornhill, Steam Mill, Sack Works, i9, Broad Street Hub, and Urban Park.

Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “Our vision for the City of Wolverhampton Interchange is rapidly becoming a reality.

“We now need to take advantage of having state-of-the-art facilities at the heart of the UK’s high-speed rail and motorway networks, with an international airport just 30 minutes away.

“Since i10 was completed we have seen increasing demand for quality office space in that location of the city, particularly from large space users.

“i9 will now follow, and developing a wider city-centre commercial district makes perfect sense to boost the city’s economic future.”

The Interchange project will make big strides in 2018 – providing an attractive commercial gateway to those entering the city by national rail, bus or tram services.

The Midland Metro city centre extension will connect the tram directly to the front of a new railway station, allowing easy interchange between different modes of public transport.

Works on the demolition of the current station have started, and train services will remain fully operational while a new state-of-the-art railway station emerges adjacent to it by 2020.

All this will move the City of Wolverhampton towards a thriving commercial district at the heart of Wolverhampton Interchange - bringing further investment and jobs.

Steve Parry, Managing Director of Ion, added: "The commencement of works on the new railway station building is bringing into focus how well connected the new Commercial District at Wolverhampton Interchange will be.

“We are convinced that it will become a popular location for business."

MEMBERS of the public are being given the opportunity to have their name added to the wings of the iconic Vulcan XH558, as part of celebrations to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of XH558’s final RAF Flight in 1993.

In a fitting tribute to one of the RAF’s longest-serving aircraft, in the Centenary year of the RAF’s formation, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust has opened up this opportunity for the public to place any chosen name on a set of plaques that will commemorate the 25^th Anniversary of Vulcan XH558’s final flight with the RAF.

Dr Robert Pleming from Vulcan to the Sky Trust said: “Following her last RAF flight some people thought that they would never see Vulcan XH558 fly again. Fast-forward 14 years and after perhaps the most complex and demanding private aircraft restoration project ever completed – anywhere in the world, XH558 returned to the air once more in October 2007.

“The restoration allowed eight more years of incredible displays in front of millions of people, and a huge fan base developed a real love for XH558. She took to the sky for the last time on October 28 2015 for her final flight.”

As an icon of British aeronautical design excellence she is will spend her ground-running life as the centre-piece of an new inspirational Heritage Hangar which will be built at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

“We’ve continued to be amazed by the generousity of people who want to see this historic aircraft preseved for future generations to see and the Trust is looking forward to her new home being built so that she can once again wow the crowds,” added Robert.

Support for the 25^th anniversary plaque will contribute to the Trust’s work to secure the new home for XH558

and to build a brighter future for heritage aircraft preservation, restoration and operation. XH558 will help provide inspiration for a whole new generation of engineering and technical talent by enthusing youngsters with the excitement of aviation.

Names will be added permanently to the underside of Vulcan XH558’s Wing and each dedication comes with a personalised certificate that acts as a commemorative receipt for the requested donation of £30.

“This is a great way to support XH558 and is an ideal gift or memoriam of a lost loved-one, having their name inscribed under the wing of this British Icon,” said Robert.

To secure a place on the plaque and to place your desired name on Vulcan XH558’s Wing visit www.vulcantothesky.org

Attracting an audience of over one million for a single concert in India, Babbu Maan is making a return to UK with a stop at Arena Birmingham on Saturday 29 September 2018!

Internationally acclaimed music mega star Maan returns to UK soils to perform a one-off concert at Arena Birmingham that’s guaranteed to leave audiences breathless.  Winner of the World’s Best Indian Male Artist at the recent World Music Awards, Maan will perform a mix of old school classics alongside his latest songs from his new album, Ik C Pagal with a full live band.

Speaking about his return, Maan said "I'm really excited to be coming back to the UK, and I promise my UK fans that Babbu is back, bigger than ever and ready to rock Birmingham! I receive messages every day from my UK fans showing their support and now l will reply to your messages to show you how much they mean via my music! l look forward to meeting and seeing you all soon."

Business leaders in Greater Birmingham have welcomed news of a £100m housing boost for the West Midlands in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement. A deal has been agreed for the West Midlands Combined Authority to receive £100m from the Land Remediation Fund towards the build of 215,000 homes per year. The Land Remediation Fund enables the release of surplus or unused land to develop for new housing. Elsewhere in his Spring Statement, Chancellor Phillip Hammond also said the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expects inflation to fall from 3 per cent back to the target 2 per cent over the next 12 months. Growth is expected to be unchanged at 1.3 per cent in 2019 and 2020 before picking up to 1.4 per cent in in 2021 and 1.5 per cent in 2022.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner (pictured) said: “Many businesses will have breathed a sigh of relief as the chancellor stuck to his word and did not announce any major changes in this Spring Statement.

“Instead he focused on updates on how funds already earmarked are being allocated.

“There was good news for the region the West Midlands Combined Authority’s housing deal was announced. “We are well aware that having an affordable and attractive place to live with good links to employment opportunities is a vital part of being able to attract and retain talent and staff in the region. Kick-starting further housebuilding in this way is a welcome move.

“There was also good news on the economy performing better than expected and the announcement of new funds on preparing employers for T Levels and helping SMEs take on apprentices. We will be informing our members of how they can best benefit from these opportunities as the detail becomes clear.” However, business leaders are calling for more decisive action on business rates in the Autumn Budget to avoid further strain on high street retailers. The Chancellor vowed to reduce business rates by £10bn and bring forward the first wave of triannual revaluations to 2021. Mr Faulkner said: “The Chancellor has not gone far enough on business rates. We have seen consistently in recent weeks just how hard hit our high streets are by rising rates.

“Many other businesses reliant on physical space also share retailers’ pain. The time for tweaks around the edges on business rates is over, in this digital age businesses need a fundamental overhaul of this outdated input tax based on bricks and mortar if we are to retain and grow vibrant business and retail centres. “We urge the Chancellor to make this a priority in his Autumn Budget.”

Plans to keep major entertainment events in the City of Wolverhampton that attract thousands of visitors and generate hundreds of thousands of pounds have been announced.

The move comes following the news the Civic Halls will be closed until the Autumn of 2020 for a major £38 million full restoration to create a state-of-the-art venue.

In the meantime, councillors were determined to keep high-profile events in the city rather than risk losing them to other venues.

Full Council has approved that key events already booked in at the Civic Halls for 2018 will now be switched to City of Wolverhampton Council-owned Aldersley Leisure Village (ALV).

This includes the Grand Slam of Darts and a number of premier comedy acts.

The Civic Halls are crucial to the cultural and economic life of the city. The current venue brings in thousands of visitors, directly supports 360 jobs and contributes £4.3m to the local economy.

The ability to switch these events to ALV gives these big acts a home in the City of Wolverhampton until they can return to the Civic Halls.

Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “The Grand Slam of Darts puts the city on map, is watched by millions of people across the globe, attracts thousands of visitors to the city and brings in thousands of pounds.

“Following the announcement about the Civic Halls, many people told us it would be a disaster to lose these events from the city. We have listened, secured their future, and with it further investment.

“It is great news that we have been able to keep this key event in the city.

“We’re also engaging with local councillors and residents to ensure the events runs as smoothly as possible and any disruption, mainly traffic related, is kept to an absolute minimum.”

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said: "The bwin Grand Slam of Darts is synonymous with being held in Wolverhampton, and though the Wolves Civic is currently closed it's great that we can keep the tournament within the city.

"We've received great support from fans in the West Midlands and the City of Wolverhampton Council over the past decade, and I'm sure that the Aldersley Leisure Village will prove a popular new home for the event this year."

Customers who had already purchased tickets for Civic Halls events are being kept fully informed about their options. Ticket information for the bwin Grand Slam of Darts will be confirmed in due course.

With innovative thinking, leadership and continued public-private sector collaboration, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) has a good opportunity to further develop its cruise tourism sector, reports Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

However, Commissioner Nicholson-Doty - who held bilateral talks with a number of cruise line executives during last week's Seatrade Cruise Global cruise industry convention - warned that the landscape of the tourism industry continues to be challenging as lines reposition itineraries to the Western Caribbean and passengers demand a greater diversity of experiences.

She noted that during a meeting with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association's (FCCA) top brass, the Ports of the U.S. Virgin Islands was commended for the progress made to implement harbor transportation in the Charlotte Amalie Harbor, which they described as "the single most important thing we can do for cruise tourism on St. Thomas."

The Commissioner reported that the U.S. Virgin Islands was preparing to respond to the trend of purpose-driven travel and voluntourism by rolling out a number of projects that will be available for both cruise ship passengers and stayover visitors.

The Territory will also continue to prioritize providing authentic Virgin Islands experiences for visitors, such as food tours, historical site visits, educational rum distillery tours and the ability to purchase locally made art and products.

A new free exhibition revealing the hidden story of how civil engineers transform lives and help safeguard our future is on show at the award-winning Institution of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Learning Hub in London this Easter.

Unveiled to celebrate the ICE's 200th anniversary, 'Invisible Superheroes' uses cutting edge technology to highlight the unsung heroes behind some of the world's most amazing engineering projects.

Designed to appeal especially to young people, the exhibition features real-life engineers as cartoon superheroes on their mission to save the planet from dangers such as climate change, flooding and the spread of disease.

Films, animations, interviews, quizzes and games help bring the untold stories behind incredible feats of civil engineering to life.

There's also the chance to experience a virtual reality dive into world of engineering and visitors can put their own skills to the test by building a bridge or tunnel boring machine.

Earlier this year the Infrastructure Learning Hub (ILH) was recognised as a 'Hidden Gem' visitor attraction by VisitEngland in recognition of the quality visitor experience on offer.

Open to the public at the ICE's One Great George Street headquarters in central London, the ILH is the UK's first learning centre to focus on engineering achievements and its role in tackling global challenges.

“We're proud to bring civil engineering to life at the ILH, not only providing a rich educational experience but a fun and memorable one for visitors of all ages,” said Nathan Baker, Director of Engineering Knowledge at the ICE.

The year-long exhibition is part of ICE's bicentenary celebrations - ICE 200 - with events planned around the UK to showcase and explain civil engineering to the public.

The wait is almost over! Group travel expert Red7 has come one step closer to crowning Britain’s Best Bridesmaid and the competition is fiercer than ever, with nearly 500 nominations received in total.

Brides from across the country nominated the top team players from their #wedsquad and the judges carefully examined every entry. Now, Red7 reveals its seven regional winners in the race for the title.

Not only will the ultimate winning bridesmaid receive the prestigious title of Britain’s Best Bridesmaid (and major bragging rights!), she will also be whisked away on her very own ‘BridesmaidMoon’, a fantastic Red7 cruise to Bruges and Amsterdam.

Introducing Jamie Leigh Branston, the winner for the Midlands. Jamie, from Leicester, earned her place in the final seven by stepping in to save little sister Rachel’s wedding day from disaster.

“Honestly, the day would never have happened without her,” says Rachel, whose wedding day had not one, not two, but three disasters. Jamie, a mum of five who knows how to run a tight ship, was there for her sister every time fate threatened to ruin the special day.

First, the bridal party were left confused when no photographer arrived. Realising that it had been overlooked, Jamie kept her cool and quickly paid for a professional to arrive at the last minute.

Next, Rachel faced every bride’s worst nightmare when her dress tore right before the ceremony. “I was in full scale meltdown mode!” she confesses. It took some time to calm Rachel down, but Jamie was the perfect bridesmaid for the job. After the (understandable) bridezilla moment had passed, Jamie came up with a way of repairing the dress.

With the bridal gown in tact and the photographer booked, Rachel and her bridesmaids set off to the late wedding at speed, hoping that the drama was over for the day. Unluckily, they were so late that the venue tried to refuse to marry the couple.

Rachel thought that her dreams of a happy wedding day were forever dashed, but her big sister was not about to let that happen. Jamie used her gift of the gab to talk the venue into allowing the wedding to go ahead, performing her third miracle of the day. “Not only is she a fantastic sister but she was my absolute outright lifesaver,” says Rachel.

Red7 founder Ian Lucas commented: “Congratulations to our magnificent seven! 

“We are confident that we have selected a dream team that represents the best of British bridesmaids. 

“Jamie’s bridesmaid story stood out for her quick thinking and ability to make the impossible happen – she reminded us of ourselves!”

Almost 17,000 people across the UK have followed in the gravity-free footsteps of Major Tim Peake thanks to the ground-breaking Space Descent VR experience. Samsung provided its technology and created a fully immersive VR lounge that transports visitors into space before the VR experience has even begun. The VR technology allows users to take the magnificent 400km descent from the International Space Station (ISS) to Earth, aboard the legendary Soyuz TMA-19M module.

To date, two-thirds of the 549 intrepid souls to have travelled beyond the Earth’s atmosphere are American, but Samsung and the Science Museum Group continue their task to make space travel in the UK accessible to all through Tim Peake’s spacecraft national tour.

Tim Peake’s iconic Soyuz capsule is on a two-year UK tour that is presented by Samsung & the Science Museum Group, which has to date attracted almost 200,000 visitors to see the spacecraft alone, experiencing space travel for themselves.

Having previously landed in Bradford, Shildon and York, the tour continues from Saturday 10th March at Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry. As part of this ‘first of its kind’ tour, Samsung is also working closely with the Science Museum Group on a national schools outreach programme, aimed at engaging young people in STEM subjects. Over the coming six weeks, surrounding Manchester schools will be visited by the Space Descent with Tim Peake VR experience tour bus, designed to look like the ISS. Students will undergo a space training programme and have the opportunity to experience Space Descent VR, inspiring a new generation of burgeoning space explorers.

Sam Grant, Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland, says, “It’s incredible that we’ve brought the Soyuz capsule to its fourth UK city now. There’s clearly an appetite for using technology in ways that transform how we learn, given that so many people are engaging with our Space Descent VR experience. This truly is an unforgettable experience for museum visitors, one that we hope sparks curiosity beyond the day-to-day.”

Astrophysicist and TV presenter Danielle George MBE supports the Manchester leg of the campaign. “I’m thrilled to be part of such an exciting exhibition. It’s crucial that children have access to these kinds of resources – it expands their education and interest in STEM subjects, and is key to defining the career choices that children go on to make. Samsung and the Science Museum Group will no doubt continue to inspire young people as they take the Soyuz spacecraft around the nation.”

The Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft will be on-site at Manchester’s Museum of Space and Industry until 13 May 2018.

Dayna Landsborough, from Plymstock, in Devon, has won The Cinnamon Trust’s Young Volunteer of the Year Award for 2018.

Dayna, aged 21, was given the award – supported by Fish4Dogs and in association with the Young Kennel Club – on the penultimate day of Crufts (Saturday 10 March) at the NEC, Birmingham.

The Plymouth University sociology undergraduate has been walking 12-year-old, black Labrador, Jet, for four years now having volunteered her services to the Cinnamon Trust at the age of 17.

Her love of dogs prompted her to apply but over the years she struck-up a deep and meaningful relationship with Jet’s owner Meg Gray and late husband Charlie.

For the first two years, she walked Jet three-times a week and not even the pressures of starting university, and studying for exams could deter her commitment. Dayna and Meg, who is now 87 and battling cancer, have become such good friends that Meg considers her “family”.

Dayna helped Meg when she lost Charlie in 2016, visiting her regularly and taking her small gifts to cheer her up.

Meg was unable to attend Dayna’s presentation but said: “Dayna spreads sunshine wherever she goes.  She is a real treasure to me and Jet and we are so lucky to have her in our lives.

“I have cancer now but I have had a good innings and do not intend to have chemo, I have had curly hair all my life and I do not intend to lose it! Knowing that Dayna is there for Jet means a great deal to me.”

Dayna was presented with ceremonial plate, silver brooch pin and a goody bag, plus a hamper of pet food and treats provided by Fish4Dogs.

Cinnamon Trust founder, Averil Jarvis MBE, said that all the shortlisted candidates demonstrated a heart-warming commitment to looking after the companion animals of those in need but that the bond between Dayna and Meg shone through.

“Despite the age difference, they are genuine friends and say such lovely things about each other. It is clear to see that there is a very real affection that has grown through Dayna’s desire to give something back and help in Jet’s care.”

Following the presentation, Dayna paid tribute to her friend Meg: “I never imagined that, when I started walking a dog in the community, I would not only gain a furry companion but a genuine friend in Meg. She is a woman who has done it all, and that is no exaggeration. A former WREN and mother – a strong woman who is a force to be reckoned with.