Visitors to the City of Wolverhampton will this year be able to enjoy a Victorian Christmas Market. The festive three-day market will be delivered by the council’s approved market operator LSD Promotions, and will take place on Friday, December 15 (10am-9pm), Saturday 16 (10am-9pm) and Sunday 17 (10am-5pm).

It will be located on Wulfruna Street, the Civic Centre Ceremonial car park, St Peter’s car park and the pedestrian area outside the University of Wolverhampton’s Ambika Paul building.

More than 100 stalls are expected to fill the streets at the heart of the city with the colours, sounds and irresistible aromas of Christmas.

Set to the backdrop of a Victorian funfair the offer includes a variety of traditional and international street food, local produce, seasonal handcrafted and home-baked goodies, bespoke Christmas decorations and holly wreaths, festive novelties and exclusive gifts, accessories and jewellery.

Entertainment will include street artists, choirs, vocalists, instrumental performances, chimney sweeps, dance displays, and Victorian themed stilt walkers.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Steve Evans, said: “We anticipate this will be the largest festive market the city has seen.

“There will be a variety of stalls offering festive goodies, plenty of food and drink, and fun activities for families to enjoy at this special time of year.

“It is also the ideal opportunity to make a day of it and visit Wolverhampton’s attractions, range of independent retailers and High Street names, or take the weight of your feet and relax in one of the city’s cafes, pubs and restaurants.”

Organiser Dermot McGillicuddy, LSD Promotions Director, added: "This will be an exciting event for the city and we are proud to be working in partnership with the council to provide this special market at Christmas time.”

Just weeks ahead of Birmingham’s largest arts festival, Birmingham Weekender (from 22 – 24 September), the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games bid team unveils its cultural programme for the Games.

Comprising a dazzling blend of traditional and contemporary arts from the region and the wider Commonwealth, the cultural programme will showcase Birmingham 2022’s urban, contemporary and digital vision through movement, dance, hip hop, urban sports, music, food, film and photography.

The cultural programme will be inspired by collaborations between the city’s internationally-renowned resident artists and the huge talent that exists across all of the region’s communities. They will work with a diverse range of community and international partners to create artistic works ranging from: major commissions; to hundreds of performances on the Victoria Square basketball stage; to showcases in local parks and streets. The programme will embrace all Commonwealth cultures and Birmingham will be reaching out to the 71 competing nations to incorporate cultural strands from across the Commonwealth.

“We have taken Birmingham Weekender as our cultural blueprint.” explained Gary Topp, Chief executive of Culture Central, “At Birmingham Weekender we encourage the city to dance together in Victoria Square; to experience Birmingham Royal Ballet in the Bullring and classical music in a car park and see the city’s artists and communities perform on the Culture Catwalk in the city centre.  We welcome world famous Sufi singer, Hans Raj Hans to the Town Hall on Sunday and our major community parade will feature Harminder, a moving mechanical elephant. Clash of Drums, a night time feast of sound and spectacular fireworks will bring Eastside Park alive on Saturday night.”

Co-ordinated by Culture Central, in cooperation with institutions including Birmingham Museums, Birmingham Hippodrome, Sampad South Asian Arts Organisation and DanceXchange, and working with arts and communities organisations from across the city the Birmingham 2022 programme will be centred on the city’s four principal squares, with a satellite hub at the NEC and the Urban Street Festival providing a bridge between sports and culture.

The beating heart of Birmingham

Festival Squares will provide the beating heart of Birmingham in Victoria Square, Centenary Square, Chamberlain Square and Brindleyplace. These buzzing locations are surrounded by major cultural institutions such as the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Town Hall, Symphony Hall, Library of Birmingham and the world-famous REP Theatre that will all be engaged in hosting the cultural programme.

During Games time, the Squares will be the physical and spiritual heart of Birmingham, as they come alive with activities including: Sport in the Squares based around 3x3 basketball in Victoria Square; the start and finish of the Marathon and Road Cycling; the Urban Street Festival with demonstrations of skateboarding and BMX; live sites with giant screens of the sporting action with stages hosting live acts and a Culture Catwalk curated by young community leaders.

Fans, spectators and visitors will experience a carnival atmosphere with a ‘hub and spoke’ approach incorporating the main pedestrian arteries that interconnect the squares, which will help generate energy and passion across the city throughout the Games.

Homeowners currently thinking about selling their property have been offered a golden chance to sell quickly and at a great price by taking part in an upcoming open house event.

Estate agents Leaders is hosting a special day of open houses on Saturday 23rd September in which it will hold open house events at a selection of properties it is currently offering for sale, providing buyers with a chance to view properties in their local area on this day.

It will also benefit sellers, who will typically find their home attracts a high number of viewers all within a two-hour window that is designed to minimise disruption.

Kevin Shaw, national sales director at Leaders, says: “Open houses are an incredibly convenient and effective way to buy or sell a property. Our statistics from previous open house events show 96 per cent of properties sold at or above the asking price, helping sellers to get the best price for their home.

“Our history of open houses also proves they are the best way to generate interest and encourage offers for a property. Some 80 per cent of properties we hold an open house at receive more than one offer, while open houses typically lead to a 62 per cent increase in viewings.

“There is no doubt that open houses are a great way to sell your home and by hosting open houses across the country on 23rd September we expect to welcome a record number of buyers, making this an opportunity not to be missed.”

Figures also show open houses are incredibly effective when it comes to enhancing online interest in a property, with homes that are advertised for such an event enjoying 58 per cent more clicks on Rightmove and Zoopla.

Anybody wishing to take part in the open house event must instruct Leaders to sell their property by 18th September. Simply contact your local Leaders branch to take your first step towards an open house and a successful sale.

A student from Sandwell is delighted to have won a state-of-the-art laptop after winning a prize draw he entered at a careers event.

Kameran Hussain, age 16, came along to a careers event, organised by Connexions Sandwell, to help him decide about his future options after leaving Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy in Tividale.

The careers event attracted more than 700 young people and Kameran's name was selected at random from the hundreds who entered the prize draw.

Kameran is delighted with his new laptop. He said: "I came along to the event so I could get help to decide what subjects I wanted to do and where I wanted to study. I really enjoy science so am thrilled to be going to Sandwell College to study A Levels in maths, physics and chemistry. I hope to go on to a career using science or possibly engineering.

"It's great to win the laptop and it will really help me with my studies."

The laptop was donated by Sandwell College who were also at the careers event in July promoting courses they have on offer. Principal of Sandwell College, Graham Pennington said: "We are happy to support Connexions with these events and help young people in choosing their next steps.

"I am sure the laptop will support Kameran in his studies and am delighted he's chosen to come to Sandwell College to study for his A Levels."

Councillor Ahmadul Haque MBE, the Mayor of Sandwell and Councillor Simon Hackett, cabinet member for children's services were both at the prize-giving ceremony. Councillor Hackett said: "I want to wish Kameran well at Sandwell College and I'm sure the new laptop will really help with his studies.

"Kameran is a great example of how these events can help young people make choices about their future studies or training.

"I would urge all young people to get in touch with Connexions if they need any help or advice on qualifications, training or careers.