Sport Relief have announced exciting new details about this year’s campaign, including Idris Elba donning his infamous Luther coat to uncover a serious case of hilarity in an unmissable sketch. The super sleuth will be joined by Lenny Henry, Rio Ferdinand, David Haye, Denise Lewis, Cecilia Noble, Louis Smith, Ruth Wilson and Ian Wright. This special one off sketch will be shown as part of a star studded night of Sport Relief TV on the BBC, hosted by John Bishop, Gary Lineker, David Walliams, Jack Whitehall and Claudia Winkleman amongst others,on Friday 18^th March.

City of Wolverhampton Council is on the look-out for an army of community-minded volunteers who are willing to help vulnerable neighbours in the event of snow and ice. The council has today launched its Snow Wolves scheme and wants to sign up 1,000 city residents who will clear snow and ice from pavements and the doorsteps of elderly and disabled neighbours.

Banish Blue Monday by booking into a Sandwell library and make the most of a week-long list of activities to lift the spirits. Sandwell Libraries are running lots of inspiring events from January 18-25 to encourage positive thinking on what has been identified as one of the most miserable days of the year.

A charity for homeless dogs has received dozens of coats and doggy treats following a campaign organised by Pets Corner. 224 coats have been donated to the animal charity ‘Give a dog a coat’, which will be distributed to homeless dogs across the UK to help keep them warm during the cold winter months. The family-run ethical pet retailer asked customers and animal lovers to donate pre-loved, new and homemade dog coats throughout November and December by dropping them off at one of the 102 Pets Corner stores across the UK. 

Appreciate your ambulance service. This is the one New Year’s resolution the ambulance service would like you to keep not just for 2016, but for life. You don’t need an ambulance if you’ve lost your keys. A scary hedgehog doesn’t equate to a medical emergency. If you need a lift home after a night out in the pub, call a taxi not 999. As part of a week-long awareness campaign, WMAS will be releasing audio clips from 999 calls to highlight the shocking examples of inappropriate calls.

As the weather turns colder, Public Health chiefs are encouraging everyone to lend a helping hand to vulnerable people this winter. The elderly and those with long-term health conditions are particularly susceptible at this time of year to illnesses and are often isolated. The Met Office issued a cold weather alert for the West Midlands and Councillor Sandra Samuels, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Anyone can help elderly friends or relatives by checking on them regularly.