Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme (RTYDS) have announced an Introduction to Directing course for West Midlands based new and emerging D/deaf and disabled directors in autumn 2017. The course will offer an amazing opportunity for anyone that has considered a career in directing or already has some experience but has faced barriers from pursuing it further.

The course, which is free to attend, will include weekly workshops with professional theatre directors and practitioners from both The REP and beyond focussing on the skills and resources individuals need to take work from the page to the stage and to continue to develop their craft.

The first workshop will begin on the evening of Wednesday 13 September 2017 and will run every week for 10 weeks culminating in a sharing of participants work to an invited audience.

Tessa Walker, Associate Director at Birmingham Repertory Theatre said:

“I am delighted that The REP and RTYDS are able to offer this unique opportunity to D/deaf and disabled directors from the region. To be able to welcome new directors into The REP and nurture and support them in the early stages of their directing life is a privilege and further strengthens our commitment to representing the diversity of our region in our theatre, in our stories and on our stages”.

Sue Emmas, Artistic Director, Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme said:

“Theatre needs to change.  We need to create an artistic democracy where the society around us is represented both on and off stage.  Directors can have the biggest impact.  They choose the stories to tell and the collaborators they work with to tell those stories. This is the first time the Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme has run an Introduction to Directing for D/deaf and disabled new directors.  Be one of the artists who changes UK theatre.”

Priya Dosanjh, a previous participant on an RTYDS Introduction to Directing scheme at The REP also said:

“The Introduction to Directing course was a fantastic springboard for a career in theatre. Beyond the provision of a practical foundation in directing, it led to the ongoing support and mentorship of industry professionals. Within a year after concluding the course, I was assisting on a main house production - an opportunity that I was afforded as a direct consequence of my participation on the course. It’s an invaluable program for anybody in the foundling stages of their career.”

The Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme (RTYDS) is a professional artist development programme for new and emerging theatre directors in the UK. The scheme seeks out and nurtures the most talented theatre directors at the early stage of their careers; developing their skills and experience by placing them in the UK’s leading regional theatres and providing unique training and professional development opportunities.

On Thursday, 13^th July the Birmingham Commonwealth Association met at Birmingham's Council House. The group which is formed up of over thirty companies from various parts of the Commonwealth meets to discuss issues of importance to the companies and the Commonwealth in Birmingham as a whole, and how they can do more to ensure that the Commonwealth is promoted within the city.

Thursday’s meeting was held to discuss the upcoming arrival of the Jamaican Athletic Team on 28^th July and Jamaica In The Square, which is being held to celebrate the 55^th anniversary of Jamaican independence from 4^th to 6^th August, as well as to discuss what can be done to help Birmingham’s bid for the 2022 Commonwealth games.

The first item of discussion was the arrival of the Jamaican Athletic team to Birmingham on 28^th July. Their arrival promises to be just as big if not bigger than the team’s arrival in 2012 before the Olympics. Consequently, the discussion mainly focused on preparing for their arrival, where they would stay and the dinner that would be held in the evening for them, and ensuring that they were properly protected throughout the event. A gala dinner is to be held to celebrate their arrival and their achievements, with tickets currently on sale, so if you want to sit next to a world class athlete be sure to book your tickets as soon as possible!

Next came discussions about the Jamaica In the Square event being held from 4^th to 6^th August in Victoria Square to celebrate Jamaican independence. The discussion centred around how many people were expected, and what sort of things could be expected. If you’re attending this year, expect a lot of high quality music and food, and company.

Finally, on the matter of backing Birmingham’s bid to become the host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, all those in attendance agreed that they would do what they could to encourage their communities and friends and families to support the bid and speak positively of Birmingham to make the bid as successful as possible.

All in all it was an interesting meeting and one that shows that there is a lot of promise and potential in Birmingham and the wider Commonwealth, just waiting to be tapped into.

A sea of colourful wildflowers is springing up at open spaces and grass verges across Sandwell.

Five sites have been sown with a mix of wildflowers, creating a stunning multi-coloured display – brightening up the area and attracting bees and butterflies.

The flowers not only look beautiful and benefit local wildlife, they reduce the need for strimming, mowing and pesticides – saving time and money.

Three of the sites – Ashes Road open space in Oldbury, Sandy Lane open space in Friar Park and Balls Hill park in West Bromwich – have had new bollards recently installed following unauthorised encampments.

The flowers have been grown around the base of the bollards to add a splash of colour, encouraging bees and butterflies and reducing the need for strimming.

The verges on Brandon Way in West Bromwich have also been seeded, as has the Owen Street island in Tipton where a large conifer tree came down in high winds earlier this year.

Just last week, The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country named the A41 in West Bromwich the best for bees thanks to rare bee orchids and other plants growing there. This is down to the council changing when the mowing is done to allow the rare flowers to grow.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for highways Councillor David Hosell said: “We have had so much feedback from residents about the wildflowers – they have gone down incredibly well.

“They really are stunning to look at and they are attracting all sorts of bees, butterflies and insects.

“We’re now looking at other places we can use the wildflowers – and the beauty of them is, they will now re-seed for years to come.”

The average Brit laughs out loud 5,110 times every year, according to a new study. Researchers took an in-depth look into what makes the nation crack up – and discovered Sheffield is the banter capital of the UK, with people from the steel city chortling 16 times a day on average - that’s 5,840 times a year.

Bristol came second in the laughter stakes, chuckling on average 5,694 times every year and Leeds came third with 5,511 laughs.

In fact, 83 percent of those polled claim Britain has the best sense of humour in the world, with 58 percent saying being able to laugh at ourselves was a valued national trait.

According to the research of 2,000 Brits by Ronseal – which commissioned the study - 90 percent say that when the chips are down, they live by the saying “if you didn’t laugh, you’d cry.”

The poll revealed 73 percent of Brits say they use humour to make someone feel better, 52 percent say they laugh to diffuse an argument, while 46 percent deploy a well-timed wise crack to change the subject.

The data also revealed the majority of those polled (27 percent) say they have the most laughs and banter with their other half, while 15 percent said their children were a constant source of amusement.

When it comes to the people we take the mickey out of most - our best friends are most likely to be the butt of our gags, while 15 percent claimed a work colleague is the person they are most likely to verbally spar with.

A further 18 percent claimed that they are more likely to take the mickey out of themselves rather than anyone else.

According to the poll, we’re most likely to laugh at a friend’s DIY skills (38 percent) – or lack of them – with 16 percent admitting they have botched so many jobs their friends can’t resist a joke at their expense, while 19 percent have the mickey taken out of them because they put DIY jobs off for so long.

A spokesperson for Ronseal, which commissioned the study said: “Banter is a part of British culture and whether we are making fun of situations, our friends or our own predicaments no-one does it quite like we do. DIY featured highly in the research, with us self-deprecating Brits often using our own delays and disasters as fodder for friends looking for a laugh.”

Nearly half of the men polled (48 percent) insist they are funnier that their other half compared to 29 percent of women who think they are more humorous.

Almost four in ten (37 percent) said they joke with a friend or family member about how tight they are with money and 27 percent take the mickey out of friends’ dress sense.

Nearly two in ten (18 percent) joke about a mate’s haircut - while a brave 8 percent admitted they often banter about a friend’s partner.

People send on average four funny text or WhatsApp messages to their mates every day, while 73 percent said the rise of technology and social media platforms have led to more banter and laughs.

And almost nine in ten people felt that our national love of laughs brought us closer together with friends and family.

The Bell Inn, New Forest, has been shortlisted for one of the categories in the CLA and New Forest National Park Authority Awards 2017.

The awards seek to recognise those who live and work within the New Forest boundary who make an outstanding contribution to conserving the unique landscape and traditions of the New Forest. Consequently, The Bell Inn has been shortlisted for Best Supporter of Local Produce.

Owner, Robert Crosthwaite Eyre said, “We're delighted to have been shortlisted as it's a fantastic recognition of all the hard work the team do here at the Inn to support the locals. We're passionate about them! With the Inn having been part of our family for over 200 years, we're naturally, very committed to using local produce from the Forest, not only within our seasonal menus, but also in other ways, including offering New Forest Spring Water and New Forest Chocolates for staying guests. Our recent May Fair and Christmas shopping events attended by exhibiting New Forest Marque producers also proved to be hugely popular. Irrespective of the outcome of the awards, we will continue to find new and innovate ways to demonstrate our obvious commitment to and demonstrating passion for supporting the locals.”

The winners of the 2017 awards will be announced at the New Forest Show on Wednesday 26 July 2017.

Teenagers aged between 14 and 19 are invited to a careers event in Oldbury to help them decide what they want to do after school and college.

The Connexions Sandwell Careers Show comes to Sandwell Council House in Freeth Street on Saturday 15 July between 11am and 2pm.

It’s for young people who are thinking about apprenticeships, jobs, Higher Education, alternatives to university or who just want some help to decide on their next steps.

The free event brings together up to 27 organisations including major employers such as BMW, Severn Trent Water, Halfords and Aldi, all offering apprenticeships and training. Local colleges and universities will be on hand to discuss courses.

Connexions Sandwell careers advisers will also be available for impartial careers information, advice and guidance, so young people can discuss their options in details.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for children’s services Councillor Simon Hackett said: “These events are really valuable for young people to find out what options are open to them.

“It’s a chance to meet potential employers, find out about what training opportunities and apprenticeships are available and to get some careers advice from our experts.”

Parents and carers are also welcome.  For more information call Connexions Sandwell on 0121 569 2955.

The event is funded through Black Country Impact. Black Country Impact is about helping young adults break down the barriers that may be holding them back from finding work, improving their skills or gaining qualifications.

Black Country Impact involves Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall and City of Wolverhampton Councils and Black Country Talent Match, a project led by Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council and funded through the Big Lottery Fund.

The money for the project has come from the European Social Fund (£17million), from the government's Youth Employment Initiative  (£17million) plus potential match funding of up to £8million from the Big Lottery Fund and other partners.