An awards ceremony to honour members of the public from across the West Midlands who have gone beyond the call of duty to help save lives and support the work of West Midlands Ambulance Service’s 4,500 staff has taken place.

The event, sponsored by Excelerate, Mills and Reeve, Higgs and Son, Zoll, University of Worcester, Coventry University and Imprint took place at the Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill, recognising the efforts of Community First Responders, St John Ambulance, other emergency services and other voluntary organisations, businesses and individuals.

Addressing the audience, West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive Anthony Marsh said: “The role of our volunteers is incredibly important to the success of West Midlands Ambulance Service and that is something which I am acutely aware of.

“You all do a fantastic job, I know many of you put in a tremendous amount of hours, and you have all played a part in making our ambulance service the best in the country and for that you should be very proud, as I am.

“I personally would like to thank you all for everything that you do, you are a fantastic inspiration to all of us and to our communities.”

Deputy-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Viv Astling OBE, who helped present some of the awards on the evening, said: “Funnily enough I’ve never felt safer than I do here tonight.

“We are surrounded by some incredible people who work very hard on behalf of others and it really is a great testament to yourselves.

“My belief is that people do not get enough recognition for the good work they do in this country and I only wish that could be addressed. We are surrounded by award winners tonight and that is fantastic, you, along with all of your colleagues deserve great credit for the time you give to support the ambulance service, you should be very proud.”

WMAS Chairman, Sir Graham Meldrum, added: “We are gathered here tonight to celebrate good samartians. This is an evening to celebrate those who do not pass by when someone is in need – members of the public, young children and those who work as volunteers supporting the ambulance service.

“I thank you very much on behalf of West Midlands Ambulance Service for your loyalty, dedication and hard work.”

A regular car boot and market is returning to the West Midlands with the Oldbury Sunday market and car boot sale back on for the rest of the year.

Operated by Groupe Geraud, the market, at the West Bromwich Street car park, will open to car booters and traders from, 6am until 2pm, every Sunday, with entrance off the A4034 slip-road to West Bromwich Street. Entrance for stallholders and car booters is off Dudley Road.

The acclaimed artist, Charlotte Hodes, will be exhibiting new work at Wolverhampton Art Gallery from Saturday, June 3 to Sunday, September 3.

The exhibition ‘Remember Me: Charlotte Hodes’ also includes an ambitious site specific, 12-metre long frieze commissioned especially for the Lichfield Street gallery.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “The gallery has always been a great champion of new art work and we are delighted that Charlotte has agreed to work with us on this exhibition.”

Hodes has established herself as a leading figure within contemporary art, bringing together both fine and decorative arts as evidenced by her critically acclaimed exhibition at the Wallace Collection (2007) and winning the Jerwood Drawing Prize (2006).

For this exhibition, her powerful new work will consist of 120 individual wall-mounted ceramic pieces, arranged to create a single image that combines elegant historic patterns with contemporary and digital imagery.

It will also include a collection of intricate papercuts as well as a table top installation of more than 350 plates, which demonstrate the artist’s incisive and challenging approach to the aesthetic potential of domestic objects, both past and present.

City of Wolverhampton’s first ever Housing Fair proved a big hit with more than 550 visitors dropping in for free help and advice. The event was held at Wolverhampton Art Gallery as part of Residents Week (April 1-7).

There was a host of information available on new homes, homes to rent, help to buy and shared ownership schemes, mortgages, over 50s options, home improvements and energy efficiency.

Exhibitors included Butters John Bee, Connells, David Wilson Homes, Whg, Wrekin Housing Trust, Abbeyfield, L&A Lettings, TSB, RBS, Mortgage Bureau, Complete Advice Services, and Wolverhampton Citizens Advice.

City of Wolverhampton Council’s Rent with Confidence, Affordable Warmth, Housing Improvement Service and planning teams were also on hand.

WV Living, a council-owned housing company, sponsored the fair and showcased new plans for ‘homes you will love’ in Ashmore Park, Bilston and Ettingshall.

Rose Edwards from Penn Fields potentially found a new home to rent at the housing fair. She said: “I’m really happy. The housing fair has come at just the right time for me as I need to move out of my current property.”

James McCue, Manager at Butters John Bee estate agents, said: “The housing fair was a resounding success. We took over 40 new client registrations and we are already looking forward to attending next year’s event.”

Councillor Peter Bilson, City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing and Assets, added: “Supporting residents into housing, jobs, and improving the health and wellbeing of local people are top priorities for the city.

“The Housing Fair has proved a great addition to our Residents Week offer and we hope the next one will be even bigger and better.”

A new sculpture celebrating Scotland's national animal will be unveiled one of the country's leading art attractions this week. The 7ft unicorn sculpture, designed and created by willow artist Woody Fox, takes pride of place within the 55-acre Crawick Multiverse artland in Dumfries & Galloway as Scotland's links to the mythical creature are celebrated across the country as part of National Unicorn Day tomorrow (9 April).

The fabled creature is a proud symbol of nobility and power and has been the nation's favoured beast since the 14th century.

Unicorns were written about by the ancient Persians, Romans, Greeks and Celts, and were often described as an elegant white horse-like creature with a single horn capable of magical properties.

They've been linked to Scotland for centuries and were used as an early form of the Scottish coat of arms by William I in the late 1300s.

VisitScotland Regional Director Doug Wilson said: “We are delighted to have been involved in bringing this sculpture of Scotland's national animal to Dumfries & Galloway and have no doubt it will be a great draw for visitors to the region.

“The Crawick Multiverse artland offers a unique and exciting experience for visitors and is the perfect backdrop for this distinctive sculpture in the year that we are celebrating Scotland's history, heritage and archaeology.

“2017 is the year to delve into the past and discover Scotland's fascinating stories, including those myths and legends about the unicorn.”

Duncan Mackison, director of Crawick Multiverse Trust, said: “We are thrilled to join forces with VisitScotland to play our part in National Unicorn Day by displaying this beautiful sculpture at Crawick Multiverse.

“This is a truly unique location which celebrates art, making it the perfect choice for this special installation.  We look forward to welcoming visitors to the site to see the unicorn which will be on display throughout the coming months."

Artist Woody Fox said: “I was thrilled to be asked to create this unique sculpture of a unicorn to mark National Unicorn Day.

“My previous work includes deer, badgers, foxes and rabbits which bring homes, gardens, parks and public spaces to life. It has been very inspiring for me to work on this noble and spiritual animal for the first time and to help promote Scotland at the same time.”

A group of apprentices from Severn Trent have had the opportunity to meet and chat with the Princess Royal. The meeting took place when the Princess Royal opened EEF’s new Technology Hub in Aston which is one of the centres used by Severn Trent’s apprentices for training purposes.

Georgia Brown, one of the Severn Trent apprentices who met the Princess Royal, said: “With more than 100 of our apprentices using EEF’s facilities it was a great opportunity to show off some of the activities they take part in, as well as highlighting the skills that they’re developing.

“We’re by no means alone in using the EEF for training purposes as they’re really great facilities right on our doorstep.”

As part of the event The Princess Royal received a tour of the centre from Neil Withey, EEF’s Director of Training, and Peter Winebloom, EEF’s Technical Director.

She met a number of Severn Trent’s first year apprentices who talked to her about their apprenticeships, the skills they are learning and their future career ambitions.

Other VIP guests at the opening included the Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham and Dame Judith Hackitt, Chair of EEF.

The EEF is the voice of UK manufacturing and engineering and a leading provider of business support.