Almost half of parents in the West Midlands see a noticeable improvement in their children’s happiness after they walk to school, new research has found. National charity Living Streets conducted research with parents of primary school children and found that half of those living in the West Midlands see an improvement in their child’s mood and behaviour  after they’ve done physical activity.

Britain Has Spirit, a new initiative searching for Britain’s best volunteers has today announced Central England’s shortlist for both individual and group nominations now ready for the public vote. This crucial next stage in the campaign will rely on the public to choose their most deserving volunteer heroes and cast their vote across 10 British regions.

An historic Victorian fountain in the centre of Wolverhampton is flowing again following repair work. The Horsman Fountain in St Peter's Gardens was erected in 1894 in memory of local contractor Philip Horsman, who built and funded the adjacent art gallery which had opened 10 years previously. Repairs to the fountain have been carried out over the last fortnight by the City of Wolverhampton Council, with engineers skimming and sealing the bowl to prevent leaks, and refurbishing the electrics and pumping system.

There is nothing quite like getting out and swimming in a pool. However, whether it’s with friends or family, in a pool at home or abroad or enjoying a picnic by a river or swimming in a lake, it’s always important to keep safe. Under the National Curriculum, all children by the age of 11 years should be able to swim 25 metres unaided, ensuring they have some knowledge of safety in the water.

If you have a pampered pet named Bruno then you’d better beware – it’s just been crowned the unluckiest pet name in the UK! Hapless hounds and unfortunate felines named Bruno are nearly SIX times more likely to be the subject of pet insurance claims than pets named Luna – which is the nation’s luckiest name, according to research carried out by PDSA Petsurance.

A long-serving Wolverhampton councillor collected her OBE from Prince Charles during a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Councillor Sandra Samuels, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, was recognised for political service and services to local government in the Queen's New Year's Honours List. And she said: “The Investiture at Buckingham Palace was an incredible experience; I was humbled, honoured and extremely privileged.