People are being urged to sign up for adult learning in Sandwell.

Sandwell Adult and Family Learning (SAFL) has held three open days where hundreds of new learners have enrolled on a wide range of courses.

Learners have been signing up to courses in English and maths as well as employability courses offering support on writing CVs and interview skills. There has also been a good take-up of the more creative courses such as art, sewing and textiles courses.

Adult learner Moreen Campbell has already completed courses at Tipton College and has again signed up for more courses this term.

After studying English at entry level and Level 1 Moreen is going on to study for her Level 2 in English which is equivalent to a GCSE. While doing her English studies, Moreen learned about the sewing and dressmaking classes on offer and has now signed up for her third term on that course.

Moreen said: "I love coming to the adult learning classes. The staff have given me real encouragement with my studies. My confidence has improved and I'm glad I've been given the opportunity to better myself.

"Before signing up for the sewing and dressmaking course, I couldn't sew at all but now I'm making my own dresses. I'd recommend adult learning to anyone."

Students can enrol on classes for this term until the end of September. Enrolment is taking place at any of the three adult learning centres; Tipton College in Alexandra Road, Ron Davis Centre in Smethwick and Hateley Heath Family Education and Training Centre in West Bromwich.

Councillor Simon Hackett went along to the recent open day at Tipton College and met the staff along with some new learners. He said: "The learners I met were so enthusiastic about the courses they have done and the tutors who taught them. It was great to see them signing up for more courses.”

“I encourage people to have a look at the courses on offer and enrol. There really is something for everyone including GCSE equivalent qualifications.”

To find out more details about the courses on offer please visit www.learnsafl.ac.uk or call 0121 557 0387. Alternatively you can go along to any of our colleges to find out more.

Visitors to Wolves Pride on Saturday, September 30 will also have the chance to become world record breakers as part of the ‘Big Howl’.

The Wolverhampton LGBT Alliance celebration, being supported by City of Wolverhampton Council, University of Wolverhampton and Wolverhampton Homes, will play host to an attempt to get the most number of people wolf howling continuously for a minute.

It runs on from the city’s largest public arts event – Wolves in Wolves – and will take place at 4pm at St Peter’s Car Park, off Wulfruna Street, in Wolverhampton city centre.

The current world record stands at 803 people and is held by Great Wolf Lodge, who broke the record at Niagara Falls on July 1, 2017, as part of the 150th Canada Day.

More than 4,000 free tickets for Wolves Pride have already been snapped up and organisers are calling on people to rally behind the world record attempt in a bid to break the 1,000 barrier.

City of Wolverhampton Council’s Member Champion for Equalities, Councillor Paula Brookfield, said: “Wolves Pride is an important event in the calendar and this year the ‘Big Howl’ record attempt gives us a chance to put the city’s rich diversity on the world map.

“The Big Howl is just one of the many family activities on offer throughout the day as the City of Wolverhampton comes together to help raise awareness of LGBT+ equality messages.”

Emma Bull, Director of Organisational Development, University of Wolverhampton, added: “As a sponsor of both Wolves Pride 2017 and the Wolves in Wolves art project, the University of Wolverhampton is proud to be supporting The Big Howl. We are working with students from our nationally-renowned Photography, Video & Film Production, and Journalism courses to support the official recording of this unique event. With campuses in the heart of the city, we know better than anybody that Wolverhampton has a lot to shout about!"

Ben Howley of Wolverhampton Homes and Chair of Wolverhampton LGBT+ Alliance, said: “As one of the sponsors behind the Wolves in Wolves project, we can’t wait to see people come together for the Big Howl, which we hope will see us take the world record and put the City of Wolverhampton on the map.

“Wolverhampton Homes is proud to be one of the organisers behind this year’s Pride event. We’re passionate about diversity and have supported Wolves Pride since 2012. This year’s Pride will see the launch of Wolverhampton LGBT+ Alliance, a network of organisations and businesses that have joined forces to improve services to the local LGBT+ community.”

Two of the city’s much-loved Wolves in Wolves - ‘Rainbow’ by Julie Fletcher and Support Life by Alex Vann - will be part of Wolves Pride.

As well as the world record attempt, it will feature a broad range of music, live entertainment and performers, as well as a fantastic range of street food, bars, information stands, merchandise stalls.

There will also be a family fun area with activities for children, including special arts and crafts workshops with some of the Wolves in Wolves artists.

Councillors are being asked to flick the switch on plans for brand new Christmas lights to brighten up Sandwell’s towns and neighbourhoods over the coming years.

A four-year contract to supply distinctive Christmas lights in each of the borough’s six towns, as well as neighbourhoods, is being considered by cabinet.

It is hoped new lights would make for great switch-on events, create a sense of community pride and overall brighten up the borough.

Councillor Syeda Khatun, deputy leader, said: “Our current contract is coming to an end and so this is an opportunity to brighten up the borough with updated Christmas lights and great switch on events at each of our towns from 2018 onwards.”

A report to cabinet says the current contract with an external company ends in January 2018 and the council needs to start the procurement process for a new four-year contract.

It says the current contract is based on a mixed hire and ownership basis whereby the council owns some of the lights and hires others with the contractor responsible for installing, repairing, removing and storing the lights as part of the contract.

And it adds some of the council-owned lights are now reaching the end of their life and need replacing.

If approved a new tender for £600,000 over four years will be drawn up looking for a supplier who can provide the most eye-catching lights to make the most impact across the borough.

The report before cabinet on September 20 says most councils hire lights because it allows the cost to be spread over the term of the contract and removes large upfront capital costs.

The new contract will place a high priority on the quality of the lights as well as excellent ongoing aftercare and would include a minimum of 396 column-mounted lighting motifs, 10 small tree lights for trees outside Oldbury Council House and Wednesbury traffic island; 16 festoon lights for Christmas trees in:

•                     Bearwood (Lightwoods);

•                     Blackheath;

•        Birchley Island sign

•                     Langley (High Street);

•                     Oldbury (Council House);

•                     Old Hill (Reddall Hill Road);

•                     Smethwick (Council House);

•                     Smethwick (rear of Victoria park hotel);

•                     Tipton (Owen Street);

•                     Cradley Heath (Mary McArthur Memorial Gardens);

•                     Wednesbury (Crankhall Lane);

•                     Wednesbury (Union Street);

•                     West Bromwich (Queens Square);

•                     West Bromwich (Junction one island;

•                     West Bromwich (Carters Green);

•                     West Bromwich (Stone Cross)

Harry Potter's 20th anniversary sees fans across the world unite to celebrate The Boy Who Lived. With the theme music a firm favourite of The People's Orchestra, they make their return to West Bromwich Town Hall for their Autumn concert; Fantastic Beats and Where to Hear Them. Opening at 19:30 on Saturday 14^th October, the orchestra promises to offer audiences a night of orchestral enchantment and magical music, an evening of fantasy pieces from film, TV and classical sources.

Tickets are now on sale with audiences from across the Midlands expected to descend upon West Bromwich Town Hall to enjoy classic orchestral pieces such as Hall of The Mountain King, Devil’s Dance and Mars, straight through to more contemporary fantasy pieces from Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones and Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban.

“It’s a wonderful time to return to West Bromwich, it’s our home town. We couldn’t be happier to return with for a performance which will see The People’s Orchestra doing what they do best!” Orchestra Director Sarah Marshall said upon request for comment. “It’s sure to be a night that our audience will not forget”

Sadly, The People’s Orchestra were devastated to find out that thieves had targeted their van and stolen sound equipment, instruments and other items.

Sarah Marshall, MD, said “We estimate that about £2000 of equipment has been lost but it may be a while before we find out the full extent of what’s been taken. It’d truly heart breaking after fundraising to buy the kit, that someone has taken it”

The People’s Orchestra, who use live music performance to help and support unemployed people back into work in The Black Country were rehearsing for the upcoming concert.

A fundraising page has been set up to help the charity recover from  the loss.

“Remember the name, and see them when you can, we have a feeling that tickets for future performances will be difficult to get your hands on once word spreads” – Phoenix Newspaper, July 2017

Business leaders in Greater Birmingham said the government must hold its nerve following today’s announcement that the UK's inflation rate climbed to its joint highest level in more than five years in August.

Higher petrol and air fare prices contributed as inflation, measured by the Consumer Prices Index, rose to 2.9 per cent in August, up from 2.6 per cent in July, figures show.

The bigger-than-expected rise came ahead of the Bank of England's next announcement on interest rates on Thursday. However, economists said the Bank was still highly unlikely to raise rates at the meeting.

Paul Faulkner (pictured), chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: ““The rate of inflation saw a noticeable increase over the summer, with the figure for August matching the four-year high that was recorded in May as higher petrol and air fare prices contributed to the latest rise.

“Also, the recovery of the Eurozone economy played a part as this made imports from Europe more costly.

“Stagnant wage growth and higher inflation are continuing to put a squeeze on living standards and now is the time for the government to hold their nerve and ensure the foundations are in place to ride out the economic uncertaint.

“Nevertheless, in light of today’s result, it was reassuring to see the value of the pound hit a year-long high. It remains to be seen whether the financial markets are right in predicting that the Bank of England will now have to raise interest rates to offset this uncertainty.

“From a local perspective, we have just finished the surveying for our Q3 Quarterly Business Report and concerns around interest rates were more apparent as compared to last quarter. We will be analysing these results along with wider trends across the regional economy at our next Quarterly Business Report Launch event in November.”

The introduction of polymer notes to replace old paper money is proving popular with consumers, new research from Consumer Intelligence ahead of the launch of a plastic tenner on September 14^th.

The Bank of England introduces the new £10 note next month featuring literary legend Jane Austen to join the plastic £5 note which was launched last September.

Plastic cash has been the focus of controversy with religious groups and vegans and vegetarians objecting to animal fats being used in their production as well as a campaign to ensure famous women are represented on the notes.

But the majority of people back the new currency – 51% say they prefer polymer notes to the old paper money which is being gradually phased out with a polymer £20 note due by 2019 featuring artist JMW Turner. Some 29% said they preferred the old paper money, and the remainder said they didn’t care either way.

The top reasons for the new notes’ popular was the belief that the new notes feels cleaner and more hygienic (67%) and that the plastic cash feels modern (52%).  Around 6% of people claim to like reading the new serial numbers.

But the new note’s toughness is more important than its security features, according to the study. Around two-fifths (40%) prefer the new note because it doesn’t fall apart after being in the washing machine, whereas 27% prefer it for its anti-forgery security features which were the main reason for the Bank of England’s switch. Around 77% say plastic cash is more robust.

Of those who don’t like the new fiver, 59% don’t like how it feels; a third (33%) believe it’s easier to lose than the old fiver; and 30% believe the new notes are prone to sticking together.

Nearly two-fifths of adults in the UK (39%) have never read an Austen novel and have no intention of doing so. However screen adaptations of her works have proved more popular as 51%  say they have watched Pride and Prejudice on TV.

Ian Hughes, Chief Executive of Consumer Intelligence said: “Change is often not popular and there has been a lot of controversy about the polymer notes over the past year.

“But there is clear public support for the new currency and in an age where contactless payment is growing fast it is fascinating that the public remain so invested in cash.

“There are no plans as yet to convert the £50 note into plastic so supporters of paper money have something to hang on to.”

Around 14% of adults asked for Princess Diana’s image when asked to choose one famous British woman for the next new note ahead of 11% who want Margaret Thatcher. Other choices included authors Beatrix Potter and Agatha Christie and singer, Adele.