After months of debate and commentary, voters in Birmingham will go to the polls on Thursday 4^th May, 2017 to vote on who the new mayor of the West Midlands should be. The candidates are: Labour’s Sion Simon, Conservative Andy Street, Liberal Democrat’s Beverley Nielsen, UKIP’s Pete Durnell, Green candidate James Burn and Communist candidate Graham Stevenson.

Prominent policies that have emerged during the campaign include increasing youth employment, developing a proper transport system within the West Midlands and ensuring that there are enough houses to meet increasing demand.

The two favourites for the position of mayor, per the polls are Labour’s Sion Simon, and Conservative candidate Andy Street.  They agree on the key issues, but disagree over how to handle them.

Sion Simon would convene a board of leaders in education in the West Midlands and receive their advice about the best way to approach improving education within the area. He would then implement their suggestions in order to create what he believes to be a more effective and skilful workforce.

Andy Street, on the other hand would meet with teachers and education experts, canvas their opinions and then mould their suggestions to his view of how things should be improved. He would also implement a digital boot camp, to help increase the digital skills of young people in the West Midlands, followed by introducing apprenticeships and youth employment schemes aimed at giving young people a foot on the ladder.

Simon and Street follow a similar path to their fellow candidates Beverley Nielsen and James Burn who would issue bus and metro passes at affordable rates to encourage people to travel by public transport services. They would also propose increasing the metro lines within Birmingham itself.

The issue of increasing the number of houses within the West Midlands is where candidates differentiated themselves. Some like Mr Street believe that houses should be built on the green belt and the brown belt, whilst others such as Mrs Nielsen were in favour of using brown belt sites.

There are still two days left before voting takes place, so there is still time for undecided voters to make up their mind. This election is an important one for deciding the present and future direction of the West Midlands. Make sure to get out and vote for the candidate that you think most benefits you!

By Vivek Rajkhowa

According to a poll, conducted by Lancashire baker Holland's Pies, it's suppers and not slippers that will please pops this Father's Day. Proving that food really is the way to a man's heart, almost a third (28%) of UK dads said they'd prefer their favourite pie over a fancy gift this June with a further 30% opting for a chippy tea as their treat of choice.

Surprisingly, a relaxing massage only tempted 14% of dads but 27% did opt for a pint down their local pub to celebrate the occasion.

Leanne Holcroft, Brand Manager at Holland's Pies said: “This research really does show that it's the thought that counts, rather than an expensive or extravagant gift this Father's Day! It's great to see that something as simple as their favourite pie is the way to Dad's heart, and will be especially welcome news to those who are a little strapped for cash.”

More than 25,000 Wolverhampton residents taking part in the city’s Beat the Street initiative are being asked to make a final push to help raise up to £1,000 for Compton Hospice.

Over the past five weeks, one in ten people living in Wolverhampton have been taking part in Beat the Street – the physical activity initiative that encourages people to walk and cycle by transforming the city into a giant game.

With the game finishing on Wednesday, May 3, participants are being urged to break the 196,000 mile barrier to help local charity Compton Hospice land a grand from game organisers Intelligent Health.

Compton Hospice PR & Marketing Officer Charlotte Lilley said: “We are delighted that the people of Wolverhampton have chosen to support Compton Hospice as part of the Beat the Street campaign and want to urge as many people as possible to get involved with the challenge.

“The money will go directly to funding patients and their families living with the effects of incurable illnesses.  This year the hospice is celebrating its 35^th anniversary so why not help us mark this milestone by clocking up a few miles yourself?”

Beat the Street participants in Wolverhampton have already walked 140,700 miles for the competition. With 55,300 miles left to go, the organisers will be offering a variety of bonus events and prizes to help the city reach its target.

Councillor Paul Sweet, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing said: “It’s great to see so many people taking part in Beat the Street, the game really has taken the city by storm. With only one week to go I’d encourage everyone to give it a final push and tap as many boxes as they can. Not only will we be supporting Compton Hospice but we want to see how far the city can travel together.”

It is still not too late to take part and support this amazing cause, so if you haven’t already, pick up a Beat the Street card at your nearest library or council leisure centre and start playing.

The only way was Walsall College for TV personality, James Argent, from ITV2's ‘The Only Way Is Essex’. He visited the Ofsted outstanding college on Thursday 27^th April to help promote a celebrity charity football match set for May at Walsall Football Club.

James, along with a host of other celebrities including former boxer Joe Calzaghe, EastEnders actor Jake Wood and former England footballer Wayne Bridge will be playing in the game, with television personality Katie Price and Coronation Street actor Shayne Ward managing the two teams.

The Smiling Saddlers v Compton Wolves match is taking place at the Banks's Stadium on Saturday 13th May in aid of the 'Smile for Joel' and Compton Hospice charities.

All proceeds raised from the event, organised by Sellebrity Soccer and sponsored by Tile Choice, will be split equally between the two charities.

Walsall College Travel and Tourism Lecturer, Suzi Richards set up Smile for Joel in memory of her son, Joel Richards, who was also a former student at the college, dad and brother, who tragically lost their lives in the 2015 Tunisia terror attack.

James said: “It’s an honour to be asked to play in the team as it’s for two great charities which touch many hearts. I’m looking forward to seeing people around Walsall turnout on the day and make it a great atmosphere.”

Smile for Joel aims to support and help families who are victims of traumatic bereavement.

Suzi Richard said: “We are extremely grateful to James and all the other celebrities who have confirmed their attendance at the match. We are hoping to raise a lot so we can continue to help other families in similar situations to ourselves. If anyone hasn’t bought their tickets yet I would encourage them to do so as it will be a great family day out in aid of a good cause.”

Whilst there has been a boom in interest in healthy living, evidently this obsession has not been extended to the wellbeing of the nation’s pets.  But good nutrition is just as essential to dogs in order for them to live a healthy, long life and it is something placed entirely into the hands of their owners. A poor diet can manifest in a number of ways that are detrimental to a dogs’ health, some of which aren’t necessarily obvious.

A shiny healthy coat is a sign of a healthy dog. If a dog’s coat starts to lose its shine and appear dull, it could be a sign that they aren’t receiving sufficient levels of nutrition in their food. If this is the case, it is best to feed them foods like tuna, salmon and sardines that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. You can add these to your dog’s existing meals and should not receive any complaints, dogs find them delicious!

Alternatively, a teaspoon of vegetable oil in your dog’s food can really aid in returning the shine to their coat. Joint problems

Joint problems are a very common problem for dogs, particularly in larger breeds. One of the ways the problem is exacerbated is by dogs being overweight. This causes excess strain and pressure on the joints which causes real discomfort. The main symptom of arthritis in dogs is pain in the joints which causes tension in the muscles. Muscle tension is also a result of over-eating due to the accumulation of waste metabolic products that are produced. It is therefore vitally important to carefully measure the amounts a dog is being fed.

Though you may think it more beneficial to rest the joints, controlled exercise is encouraged as it increases circulation which supplies joints with nutrients and oxygen whilst removing metabolic waste and toxins which cause pain. We would recommend 3-4 times a day in small amounts, activities like swimming, under water walking and physical therapy.

Add a supplement to your dog’s diet to alleviate the pain in their joints.  AniForte Mobility Wonder is high in pure collagen, olibanum and omega-3 as these ingredients counteract the deficiencies that can cause joint wear.

Overindulging

We are a nation of pet lovers to the extreme. Our dogs are like our family and we want to spoil them! But we could be killing them with kindness. You don’t have to look far to find evidence of obesity amongst the nation’s pets. According to a recent survey by the Pet Food Manufacturing Association 81% of veterinary professionals believe the issue of pet obesity is getting worse*. There are a few easy ways to tell if your dog is carrying too much weight.

Make sure you can feel your dog’s ribs and the curve to their lower body is visible. A dog should experience no difficulty when getting up, if they look like they’re struggling to do so - excess weight could be a cause. Beware if you find that when you take your dog for a walk they’re having issues with their breathing or tire out far more quickly than they used to.

Leftovers

Certain feeding techniques like ‘free feeding’ are certainly not advisable, it means you have no perspective on how much your dog is consuming. Food portions should be measured in line with your dog’s weight to ensure they’re having a healthy amount of food each meal time.

Some dog owners feed their dogs the scraps and leftovers of the food they have prepared for themselves. Not all human foods are appropriate for dogs and some are even toxic! Onions for example, can be unsafe for dogs.

Weight loss

If your dog is overweight feed them less carbohydrates and fats as well as abstaining from handing out any snacks in between meals. It is also better to spread the feeding out and give them 2-3 small meals a day, rather than one large meal. Of course, exercise is vital! Controlled activities at least 3 times a day will produce good results.

So many dogs love food and don’t have a sense of when they are full. You could even be led to think they are hungry with begging eyes! The AniForte SlimVital - Weight Loss Supplement contains fibre-rich psyllium husks that swell up in the stomach, helping the dog to feel full and suppressing their desire to beg and overeat.

Allergies

Allergies can show themselves in a number of ways such as ear infections, itchy skin, or diarrhoea and vomiting. Which foods are triggering the reaction can be hard to work out. It is best to eliminate one at a time to work out what is causing the reaction then avoid feeding them that from then onwards.

A lot of dry pet food contains grain which is an allergen for many animals. Instead it is best to look out for grain free pet food.

A dogs’ digestive tract is developed for protein and fat digestion which makes the starch contained in dry dog food hard to handle. Wet foods that contain a lot of meat can be easier to digest.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is a further result of a poor diet and is noticeable if a dog starts to develop bad breath, a loss of appetite or inflamed gums. Usually, gum disease is caused by the formation of tooth tartar, which is a result of the gathering of waste matter in a dog’s saliva. A dog that is provided with a balanced, nutritional diet will be able to prevent the accumulation of waste matter and in turn tarter.

Despite often being born out of love and a want to spoil beloved pets, what we feed our dogs can have a serious effect on their health. Feeding dogs a nutritious and natural diet will have an all-round benefit to their health and even appearance!