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.

A national jewellers is helping to make one clueless boyfriend’s dream proposal a reality with an ‘Engage-mentor’ and £3,000 to help him pop the question in style.

Beaverbrooks is offering a helping hand to Birmingham’s most hapless romantic, after finding that four in ten women were secretly disappointed with how their partner asked for their hand in marriage.

The family-owned jewellers surveyed 1,000 women and revealed that almost half felt their partner had missed the mark by not considering the little things that really make a proposal special.

To help inspire some local romance, Beaverbrooks is offering Birmingham’s most clueless proposers the chance to bag themselves an official ‘engage-mentor’, who will help them plan their proposal to the finest detail – from the dream location to the perfect diamond ring.

Lorna Haddon, diamond ring and jewellery buyer at Beaverbrooks, said: “A marriage proposal can be a daunting experience for a lot of men, so it's no surprise to see how many women felt their partner’s efforts didn’t quite hit the mark.

“When planning the perfect proposal, it’s important to consider the little things that will make it personal for you. Whether it’s cooking their favourite meal or planning a romantic visit to the place you first met – it’s about knowing exactly what your partner would want and the little details that make it extra-special.”

“With the help of our resident ‘engage-mentor’ we hope to give one lucky boyfriend the opportunity to plan a proposal their partner will remember for all the right reasons.

“We can’t wait to hear what proposers in Birmingham have to offer!”

Any partners planning to pop the question this autumn who would benefit from an ‘engage-mentor’ and £3,000 towards the perfect proposal should visit www.beaverbrooks.co.uk/little-things-competition before Sunday 10 September, explaining the little things that would make their day perfect.

Renowned Clapham craft beer pub The King & Co will welcome back much-loved popup chef Tem Ban this September and October, and also host the first extended takeover by hot newcomer Taco Rebels. Launching on 4th September, the Autumn kitchen residency double-header will see Taco Rebels debut their bold and mischievous flavour combinations to the pub's guests every Monday and Tuesday, then Tem Ban will serve up another taste of their sensational fresh take on traditional Thai food from Wednesday to Sunday each week. The popular independent free-house will also celebrate its third birthday with a weekend of fun events from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th September, including a mini beer festival featuring brews by the team themselves plus exclusive kegs and special brewery collaborations.

Following the huge success of their residency last year, rising star Tem Ban will return to The King & Co five days per week this September and October with an array of new dishes pairing core Southeast Asian ingredients with the best British seasonal produce. Visitors will be able to tuck into a regularly-changing selection of small and large plates designed to be enjoyed together family-style, such as grilled corn on the cob with salted coconut cream, chilli and lime; red duck curry with ginger, green beans and Thai basil; and pork belly salad with crispy fish flakes, lemongrass, coriander and red chilli dressing. Having spent over a decade honing his culinary skills working in acclaimed professional kitchens ranging from The Begging Bowl to Smoking Goat and even a recent stint at Bo.Lan in Bangkok, founder and head chef Craig Broadhurst can be trusted to provide vibrant meals that pack a punch and are sure to be memorable.

The King & Co's Autumn dual-residency will also introduce up-and-coming trader Taco Rebels and their interesting innovative twist on classic Mexican tortillas. Showcasing a fusion of the most diverse and powerful flavours from around the globe, the team of four friends are passionate about exciting diners' palates and bringing people together over great food. Ideal for sharing over a few pints, the taco lineup for the twice-weekly takeover will highlight top picks from their recent supperclub series at the London Cooking Project including the Pan-Asian Piggy filling of aromatic pork belly, pineapple and ginger salsa, sriracha and crema; and their signature beet balls with spiced carrot hummus, feta and charred kiwi salsa; as well as brand new creations like the Slumdog Muttonaire mix of curried lamb shoulder, raita slaw, bhaji crisp and pickles. Those looking for a mid-week feast can take advantage of the Rebels' #TacoTuesdays deal, offering either five tacos for just £15, or three tacos accompanied by a portion of Lock 'N Load Nachos.

Having earned a strong reputation as a local pub with a difference since its launch in September 2014, The King & Co will toast its third birthday with three days of celebrations from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th September. A mini beer festival will run all weekend at the relaxed welcoming space just moments away from the busy main drag of Clapham Common, promising an unmissable tap list that will see the pub's own beers being poured alongside unique collaboration brews, limited edition drinks, and favourites from top breweries chosen by owner Anthony Gunson and his fellow craft beer loving bartenders. On Saturday night the party will be in full swing with a live DJ session until 1am; then the festivities will draw to a close on Sunday with an entertaining Birthday Bingo game compèred by beloved quizmaster Tommy McTrivia, with both spot prizes up for grabs throughout and a pot of cash to be won at the end of the evening.

As part of Severn Trent’s ongoing commitment to building the skills of the next generation of engineers and leaders, it has welcomed 61 young people into its award-winning apprenticeship programme.

The FTSE 100 Company, which serves 4.5 million customers across the Midlands and into north and mid-Wales, received more than 3,000 applications for its apprenticeship scheme, which offers successful applicants the opportunity to combine hands-on experience with studying, while earning a competitive salary.

Mark Smith, learning and development advisor from Severn Trent, said: “We’re really proud of our apprenticeship programme, and we’re really excited to be welcoming in more apprentices who are all ready to start their careers with Severn Trent.

“Whether you’re fresh out of school, or fancy a career change, our programmes are designed to deliver learning while also developing individuals, giving our apprentices hands-on experience in an industry that’s constantly evolving.”

Severn Trent has now doubled the number of options available to apprentices by offering eight different schemes, including new programmes such as finance, group commercial and project management, alongside the previous operational and engineering schemes.

Apprentices can spend up to three years learning and developing with the company, working in various placements across the region, where at the end of the scheme they’ll be guaranteed a role in their speciality.

“Supported by colleagues, we’re sure that our apprentices will quickly pick up the skills needed to make a real difference to our customers,” said Mark. “We offer such a vital service that it won’t take long for our apprentices to make a real impact in people’s lives as they develop their careers.”

Aaron Carter, a new Severn Trent apprentice from Coventry, said: “I chose Severn Trent after leaving a job, and rather than just going into another job I decided I wanted a career. After looking at different apprenticeship programmes, I felt like there is a future with Severn Trent which is a company that values its employees, and that’s why I came here.”

Evie Hammond, another new Severn Trent apprentice from Coleshill, said: “I decided to do an apprenticeship as I felt, being the practical learner that I am, I’d benefit much more from an apprenticeship rather than going to university. I did a lot of research into all kinds of apprenticeships and Severn Trent stood out for me in that they want you in their company, and they want to develop you and get the best out of the apprenticeship – I definitely see a future with Severn Trent.”

The new independent chair of the City of Wolverhampton's Safeguarding Boards has been appointed.

Linda Sanders, who is stepping down as Strategic Director People at the City of Wolverhampton Council on 31 August, is an experienced director of both Adults and Children's Services with a proven track record of delivering improved services and outcomes.

As independent chair of both the Safeguarding Children’s and Safeguarding Adults boards, she will ensure the two boards and partner agencies across the City work closely together on safeguarding issues that affect children and adults, and that lessons from good practice and Serious Case Reviews are both shared and learned.

Managing Director of the City of Wolverhampton Council Keith Ireland said: "Linda Sanders has a highly respected national profile and is a leading light in her field, and we are delighted to be able to retain her extensive skills and experience in the City.

"She has made a significant contribution to raising standards of support for vulnerable children, young people and adults and was instrumental in helping to secure the recent Good Ofsted rating for Children's Services in the City of Wolverhampton, making it one of the highest performing services in the country.

"Most importantly, Linda brought a significant degree of scrutiny to her role at the City of Wolverhampton Council, driving through improvements and challenging performance as and when required.

"Linda is also a champion of partnership working and helped to establish the first combined children's and adults Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) in the West Midlands, which has brought together safeguarding professionals from a wide range of partners. She has also served as Chair of the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership for the last two-and-a-half years.

"She will bring all of these skills and more to her new role and help ensure the protection that agencies are able to give to some of the most vulnerable people in our City is as high as it possibly can be."

Linda said: "I am delighted to be taking on this hugely important role. Throughout my 40-year career I have remained passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable people and have developed an in-depth understanding of services for adults, children and young people which will undoubtedly help me to work across the system in this important role.

"I am looking forward to continuing to work closely with partners from across the City of Wolverhampton to ensure that best practice is followed at all times, that recommendations from serious case reviews are implemented in a timely fashion, and to continue to challenge performance and hold agencies to account wherever and whenever necessary so that we continue to work in the best interests of vulnerable residents.”

Linda succeeds Alan Coe, who is retiring from the role after six years. Alan was appointed independent chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board in 2011 and independent chair of the Safeguarding Children's Board in 2013.

Keith said: "I would like to pay tribute to Alan for his excellent work as chair of both Safeguarding Boards, during which time a number of improvements have been made to the way agencies work together to safeguard vulnerable people. I wish him well in his retirement."

For more information about the work of the City of Wolverhampton's Safeguarding Boards, please visit www.wolverhamptonsafeguarding.org.uk.

Almost half (45%) of pet owners in the West Midlands say they feel guilty for leaving their pets to go on holiday, according to a new study released by Co-op Insurance.

The research reveals that a third (34%) of pet owners spend their travels thinking about their pets whilst almost a fifth (18%) refuse to go on holiday without them.

Highlighting that the guilt sets in before pet owners even set off for their breaks, a third (32%) of pet owners say they treat their pets to make up for what’s about to happen.

Furthermore, the study reveals that pet owners living in the region are dependent on technology for keeping track of their pets whilst on holiday, with two fifths (45%) saying that this is the case.

In terms of the most common forms of technology used to keep in touch with their companions, one in ten (11%) and received text messages.

Video Footage, Skype and Instagram are also seen as popular choices for pet owners.

For a third (35%) of pet owners, returning from their holiday with a souvenir for their pet is a must. Three quarters (76%) opt for edible treats, two thirds (67%) purchase toys and one of six (17%) spoil their pets with new bedding.

Once back to normality, pet owners say that out of guilt for leaving their pets they continue to spoil them, over a quarter (27%) provide extra treats, one in four (26%) say they are even more affectionate, and one in seven (16%) buy their pets new toys.